Page 25 of Bite Me
“What do you mean?”
“Pierce eventually coming out as bi would be huge. Human rights groups would be all over that.”
Eddie stuck his chin out in a way that meant he would disagree with me. “Helen and Pierce are good people. Regardless of the impact their coming out could have on destigmatizing polyamory or bisexuality, in the long run, being honest is best for their personal lives and relationships. Not to mention the kid. Can you imagine not being allowed to tell people who your dad is?”
I’d never known my father, but that was beside the point. Eddie was right. Where had a man who’d lived such a short life gathered any wisdom whatsoever? I was three decades older than him. Shouldn’t it mean something?
“Didyoutell the truth?” I asked him, and immediately regretted it.
He sucked in a breath, and his eyes widened. He opened his mouth but didn’t immediately say anything, and I realized I’d hurt him with my thoughtless question. A new realm of regret opened in my mind, a whole dark abyss of it.
I showed him my palms in what I hoped was an appeasing gesture. “That was unfair. You don’t have to answer.”
Averting his gaze, Eddie began sorting out the papers on the desk. “I had to testify against my mother. I don’t take pride in it; it was awful. But I had to tell the truth. It was the…” One corner of his plush mouth lifted in a smirk. “…most sustainable approach.”
That clever little shit. “I’m sorry, Eddie. I didn’t mean to?—”
“You did mean to question my integrity because it annoyed you that I wasn’t completely aligned with you in the meeting and because I indirectly challenged your seniority in front of important clients. I shouldn’t have made suggestions to the clients without conferring with you first. I apologize.”
Fucking hell, he was amazing. Eddie was simply amazing. I exhaled, trying to keep my shit together for a few seconds longer. “You did great. They’re both in awe of you.”
I wanted to hide from his smile as if it were direct sunlight hitting my face. “Thanks,” he said softly. “It’ll be an interesting case, and I’m glad I get to work with you. I’ll learn a lot from you.”
At this point, I doubted he’d learn more from me than I was already learning from him.
“Let’s just hope Pierce won’t show up with a kid of his own during the campaign. That could get messy.”
I meant it more or less as a joke, but Eddie blinked, completely serious. “Oh Lord. They didn’t mention any female vampire lovers, but we should double-check.”
He scooped up a pile of papers, about to put them in a folder, but hissed and dropped them back on the desk. He held his pointer finger to his face and winced.
“Dammit.”
The scent of blood in the air assaulted me only a second later. Eddie’s blood. My body propelled forward before I made myself stop. All the demons in hell, that was powerful. I forced out an exhale and inhaled carefully, locking my muscles in place.
Eddie still studied his finger. Was he about to put it into his mouth? Why was that so fucking arousing?
“You okay?” I barely recognized my own voice.
Eddie jerked, his gaze snapping up. “Yeah. It’s just a paper cut.”
Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t!
Oh hell.
“Can I?” I stretched out my hand toward him.
He hesitated, then showed me his finger. His eyebrows drew together, a little crease deepening between them.
Since I was tremendously stupid, I took his hand in both of mine. The cut was razor thin, with a few tiny red drops lining it like a string of pearls.
I couldn’t resist. I closed my lips over the wound and sucked it clean. Only a few particles of dust marred my treat. Then I licked the cut, and it closed.
I watched it heal. Eddie’s heart thundered in the silence, his breaths coming faster. The amount of venom I could get into him like this was negligible. It couldn’t affect him, but our touch was most intimate. Why hadn’t I let go of his hand yet?
I could taste his blood on my tongue. The most delicious flavor in the universe, just a tiny drop. A vicious tease and self-inflicted torture.
My own fault.
