Page 144 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
His tongue sweeps across his lips, and the need in his eyes is so intense that it awakens my own hunger.
I don’t feed often. I don’t need to, but after spending so much time stalking Levi and travelling back and forth to Terrenea, there’s a certain hunger in my belly that food alone isn’t satiating.
Steam whirls from the open shower door in invitation, so I cross the threshold, leaving him behind.
He follows closely behind me. Like a pup at my heels.
A grin teases my lips as I step beneath the warm water.
Levi stands at my back, waiting. When I step out from beneath the water, he guides me to lean against his chest. I tip my head back, and I’m promptly rewarded by the gentle kisses he presses to my throat.
My heart swells with immeasurable joy.
Thisis what I want.
Devotion.
Tenderness.
The moment is sweet despite his engorged cock being pinned between us. His touch isn’t merely sexual or desirous. Strong arms wrap around me andsqueezeas he buries his face in my neck.
The realization strikes me like a honey-tipped spear to my bitter heart.
This is what it feels like to feel loved.
Tears burn my eyes, and I find my arms tightening around his. Squeezing him back.
Levi lets out a soft, but rough grunt. One laced with both the weight and liberation of relief.
With my back to his front, he’s none the wiser to the purge of emotion happening. So I allow my tears to fall—and to just luxuriate in this moment—because in his arms, hidden in a cloud of steam—a lifelong wound is being healed.
A wound that I think only this man could heal.
Minutes pass, my tears fade, and I let myself lose track of time.
I need this moment with Levi like I need air.
And I get the impression that he does too.
An unfamiliar urge comes over me, and I find myself bringing the palm of his hand to my mouth and pressing a kiss there.
Levi reciprocates by squeezing me a little harder, and lazily peppering my neck and shoulders in more of those achingly tender kisses. He groans into each one, fingers digging deeper into my flesh, as if trying to pour a part of himself inside of me.
The simmering heat in my core seems to ignite—yet again. Overwhelmed by the need to burrow deeper against him, I turn to face him and weave my arms around his neck. In one smooth movement, he lifts me from beneath my thighs.
Our mouths meet with the same firm but gentle urgency, lips and tongues caressing in perfect harmony.
Without breaking our kiss, Levi carries me to the built-in tile seat of his shower and sits down, settling me in his lap. His arms return to thread around my waist, sealing me against him as he groans his pleasure into me. He isn’t trying to push me todo more, but instead is simply holding me against him with an intensity that says his heart will stop if I let go.
As if reading my mind, or perhaps I read his, he breaks our kiss, pressing his forehead to mine as he cups my jaw.
“I want this with you, Vi. Always. ”
I suddenly feel more vulnerable than I’ve ever been before.
As if admitting that I don’t want this to end—that I want this with him—in perpetuity will be the equivalent of forsaking what little armor I have against him.
I don’t want to ruin this moment, but the words won’t come.
