He gave me everything.
And when pleasure exploded throughout my body, leaving me tingling down to my fingertips, I cupped his face between my palms, forcing him to look only at me. We stared into each other’s eyes until his hips turned loose and his breath caught. He buried his face in my neck, whispering my name over and over as he came inside me.
Boneless and happier than I had any right to be, I kept him caged between my legs and linked my arms behind his neck, threading my fingers through his damp hair. He pressed tender kisses across my brow, my nose, and then my chin.
A few sharp knocks on the door drew a groan of protest out of me. I wanted to bask in the afterglow, damn it. And then I wanted to make more afterglow and bask in that too.
“Ignore it.” I clung to him like the vines wrapping the divine burrito. “They’ll go away eventually.”
“I recognize the knock.” He chuckled as he pressed his lips to mine. “It’s Badb.”
Allowing my limbs to droop, I released him, aware that Badb was only polite until she got tired of using her manners. I tuggedthe cover up, tucking it under my arms, but Kierce padded to the door naked as the day he was born.
Not gonna lie.
I could soak up that view all day, every day and never get tired of seeing it.
A flurry of black wings burst into the room, swooped over my head, and landed on the table.
From the landing came the thud of footsteps on metal and low voices mixed with crinkling noises.
“Kierce,” I hissed at him, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. “Get back in here.”
“Happy first scrump day to you,” Josie sang from the stairs below, her voice drawing closer with every metallic thump. “Happy first ugly bump day to you. Happy first banging, you lovebirds. Happyyou finally got laid dayto you.”
Thank God, Badb beat me to the door with her cat bed hanging from her beak. She flung it at Kierce’s stomach, and by the time he caught it, it had slipped down to cover his dangly bits.
“That’s an interesting look,” Carter said, sliding her gaze past him to me. “I tried to stop her.”
“Liar.” Josie bent to press a kiss to the corner of Carter’s mouth, which heated the redcap’s cheeks. “She helped me pick out the flavorsanddrove me to the bakery.” Josie hefted a seven-layer German chocolate cake over her head. “She lit the candle too.”
The giant number one planted in the center of the cake somehow made it that much worse. “Thaaanks.”
“Blow out the candle,” Josie chirped, thrusting it toward us, “and make a wish.”
Nudging Kierce aside with my hip, I stepped forward and did as I was told.
Then I slammed the door in my sister’s face, flipped the lock, and set a ward to grant us privacy.
Hand cupping my ear, I soaked in the beautiful silence enveloping Kierce and me.
“Huh.” I spun around, linking my arms behind his neck. “I guess wishes really do come true.”
“Yes.” Gaze locking with mine, he lowered his head until his lips brushed mine. “I think they do.”
Afew months later…
Christmas music pouredthrough the wireless speakers placed atop random tombstones throughout Bonaventure. Even the dead enjoyed a good singalong with the classics. And I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the holiday than with our annual movie marathon at the cemetery.
“Ugly sweaters were a terrible idea.” Matty wiped his brow on his sleeve. “It’s got to be eighty degrees, and it’s almost midnight.”
We all matched, as was tradition. This year we chose Rudolph sweaters with glowing red noses powered by LEDs. Very cute, but very hot. December might toss us a few cool days, but it was a far cry from cold. I pitied our significant others the most. Marys traditions must seem odd to them, but they were game to try.
“Eighty-five,” Keisha said from beside him, her forehead dotted with sweat. “It feels like one hundred.”
With rich-brown skin and dark-brown eyes, Keisha was the girl Matty had regretted letting go the most. I didn’t know her well yet, but I liked her already and was glad they had given a relationship a real chance.
All thanks to a happy accident I was glad to take credit for. As it turned out, I had been so paranoid Matty’s soul would float free of his body after his escape from the Midnight Parade, I bound the two together. For good. An unintended side effect of using my demi-whatever powers with a dash of panic.
