Page 116 of Insidious Heart
“Little dove.”
“Gizmo.”
“I thought I was going to lose you,” Tor whispers as he carefully presses his forehead to mine. “I thought you were going to leave me.”
I shake my head as my ghost kisses me softly, smiling wider as he does it again and again. “Never.”
“Almost.” Victor sighs, wrapping me in his arms and pulling me flush against him. “Too close.”
“But not close enough.” My eyes slide shut as I burrow into his chest, the scent of leather and tobacco and all thingshimsurrounding me once again.
We stand there for a few more seconds, Victor relaxing more with each one that ticks by before I hear, “Did you call meGizmo?”
With a snort, I nod. “Yes.”
He places his hands on my shoulders and puts enough space between us to look down at me. “Why?”
“You really don’t know?”
And the man now forever known to me as Gizmo just frowns and shakes his head.
“Gremlin mode. Ring any bells?”
Then, the most amazing thing happens.
For the first time since I’ve known him, Victor barks out a laugh before losing it, cracking right up as he pulls me in for another hug.
So in love with this man.
“Let’s get out of here, baby dove. I might not be able to fuck your brains out yet, but I’m sure it isn’t against doctor’s orders to eat your pussy.”
“Oh my god,” I half groan, half laugh. “Now I know why you rushed over here and lured me down with a little Lloyd Dobler charm.”
Victor takes my hand and walks me around to the passenger’s side of his very questionable ride. “I’m charming enough on my own. I was just trying to show you that I pay attention to more than your tits when we talk.”
“Barely.”
“I should be offended by that.” He leans into the open door after I sit, plants a hard kiss on my lips then smirks. “Good thing nothing offends me, and I have a serious appreciation for your delicious little C cups.”
“I’m aware, considering you almost always have one in your hand while we sleep.”
“They’re like a security blanket. A secure-titty blanket.”
Victor cackles his way around the car as I roll my eyes. “Clever.”
“I know.” He slams the door and turns over the engine, firing it up after three tries. “Where to, little dove? Preferably some secluded, remote location where I can reacquaint my tongue with your clit.”
Heat stains my cheeks, the flush creeping down my chest and neck quickly, but it isn’t purely from the visual his words create.
No, that blush is also very much a sign of the way my blood pressure is rising due to the anxiety I feel over telling Victorwhereexactly I need to go.
He’s going to be so mad.
“Are you hungry?” he asks as he pulls out of what I now see to be a compound of sorts and heads toward the highway. “You should eat since you’ve been out for the last few days. Nothing but an IV.” Victor tsks. “My baby dove needs more than that. Food first, then I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
There’s no way I could eat right now.
I know I need to, he’s right about that, and before now I had a bit of an appetite but the more I think about telling my ghost to take me home, the more anxious it’s making me.
