The room wasn’t anything special, but it had two queen-sized beds, a couple of chairs, a desk, and a bathroom, which was more than we needed. We wrangled the neph inside and dropped him on one bed, then Chance plopped on the other and passed out.
“Chessie, watch him, please.” I jerked my head in Chance’s direction. “Monkey, wait here. I’ll be right back.”
I went to the SUV and grabbed my bag and my bow case. I wasn’t going to get caught by surprise again.
While we waited for the neph to wake up, I whipped off my tattered jacket and shirt and dumped them in the trash. I had blood and div ichor all over me, so I decided I might as well clean up and change. I went to my bag, grabbed a handful of clothes, and disappeared into the bathroom. I washed up quickly and had just pulled on clean pants when the door opened, and Monkey walked in.
“You should knock before you barge in on a guy,” I scolded her with a smile.
She ignored that and came closer to run her tiny fingers over the faint pink lines where the div’s claws had caught me. Chance would finish healing it after he re-charged, so I wasn’t concerned, but her eyes filled with tears again.
“Aw, don’t worry about that. I’m fine, thanks to you.” I smiled at her, but her bottom lip trembled.
Uh-oh.
With a little sob, she flung her arms around my waist and buried her face in my chest. I didn’t know what else to do other than hug her and whisper soothing things.
“It’s over now. We’re all safe. You saved us, sugar. Everything’s okay.”
I ran my hands up and down her arms. After a few moments, she drew back and stared at me. Then her cheeks grew rosy as her eyes dropped to my mouth.
Not going to lie. That made my insides squirm like a writhing ball of snakes.
She stood on her tippy toes and leaned closer, which was all the encouragement I needed. I slid my hands up to cup her face and touched my lips to her pouty pink ones, wanting to keep our first kiss innocent and sweet, just like her.
“Anne?” I whispered, checking that she was still okay with where this was going.
She shivered and wrapped her hands around my neck. Taking that as permission to continue, I sank both hands into her silky hair and angled her head to deepen the kiss. When I slid my tongue in her mouth, she moaned, and all thoughts of keeping things sweet and innocent went out the window.
Looping my arms under her bum, I lifted her up and dropped frantic kisses along her jaw. She tilted her head back, and my lips followed the sweet line of her throat until I reached her collarbone. I bit down gently, just hard enough to leave a tiny mark, and she shuddered.
“You like that, sugar?” I asked, my mouth brushing her skin with each word.
“Don’t stop,” she rasped.
Shocked she actually spoke to me and delighted she wanted me to continue, I nibbled my way to the base of her throat and swirled my tongue in the little notch there. She dug her fingers into my hair as breathy little noises slipped from between her lips.
“Michael,” she gasped in her ruined voice.
Smirking a little, I placed open-mouthed kisses in a line up her throat and chin until I reached her mouth again.
“Dangerous,” I said against her lips. “This mouth, it’s dangerous. It’s going to get you in all kinds of trouble.”
Her grin was sassy, and I started to kiss it right off her face.
“So, uh, guys? Sorry to, um, interrupt, but he’s awake.”
Chessie’s voice hit me like a sudden shower of cold water.
Monkey squeaked. Her face fire-engine red, she wiggled free from my arms and ran out of the bathroom.
I glared at Chessie.
“Cockblocker,” I grumbled.
She stuck out her tongue, spun on her heel, and left.
Groaning in frustration, I grabbed the edge of the counter and took a few deep breaths to calm down. Then I pulled on my clean shirt and followed them to find the neph had taken off his high-tech helmet, but I didn’t recognize him.
