Without waiting for him, I climbed out of the car and closed the door behind me. I tilted my face up to stare at the moon shining brightly in the sky, breathing in the humid air. It was a welcome respite from the tension hanging over us during the ride back to my house.
Stepping onto the porch, I turned to see him still sitting in his car. I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot as I contemplated what to do. I wasn't good with situations like this. I'd shielded myself from getting close to anyone for this reason. Yet here I was, neck deep in some sort of relationship with a 975 year old vampire.
Karma truly is a bitch.
Dropping my purse on the porch steps, I walked back towards the car. I leaned my arms against the driver's side door and waited for him to look at me. His gaze was fixed straight ahead, appearing to be lost in thought.
It was up to me to attempt to fix this situation since he wouldn't even look at me, let alone attempt to have a conversation about it. This should be interesting since I have no experience repairing any kind of relationship.
“Want to come inside?” I asked softly. He finally turned to look at me, a skeptical look flashing across his face. I gave him a small smile as I reached out to stroke his face, my fingers lightly cupping his cheek. He leaned his head slightly into the warmth of my hand.
“You want me to come inside?” Stefan questioned in a low, composed voice.
“I think I already asked you that. Please come inside, Stefan.”
The car door opened and Stefan got out of the car. As he stood beside me his tall, muscular frame towered over me and I had to crane my neck to look up at his face. His blond hair shined like gold and his skin was glowing in the moonlight. It was a moment like this when I struggled to grasp why he wanted to be with me when he could have anyone he wanted.
“I only want you, vackra. For 200 years, I have only desired you. I meant what I said earlier, Josephine. I have loved-” Stefan said hoarsely. I placed my hand gently over his mouth to stop his words.
“Enough talking for now. Come inside before Georgia hears us and wants to have a sleepover,” I whispered roughly. I couldn't bear to hear him say those words again. My heart couldn't take it.
I walked back to the steps and bent to pick up my purse as I walked by. Fishing out my keys, I unlocked the door and went inside. I glanced over my shoulder to see he was still standing by the car, his face inscrutable in the moonlight.
I switched on the lamp on the table, tossing my purse and keys haphazardly on the table. Turning, I walked outside to rejoin him and brushed my hands over his arms and shoulders lightly. He closed his eyes and I watched his throat as he swallowed hard in response. My fingers ran over the skin of his neck, tracing a finger over his Adam's apple.
“Here's the thing Stefan, I'm not good at this. I've never wanted to take the time to be in a relationship with anyone and now I'm in this complicated one with an immortal man that is absolutely gorgeous. He tells me things I thought weren't true and couldn't happen. Did I mention he drives me crazy in a good sort of way?” My hands slipped under his shirt to rub his chest and stomach and his muscles tightened under the movement of my hands. “So could you please come inside with me? I need you.”
“You have had too much to drink,” Stefan muttered, his lips set in a hard line. “I do not want to you to regret anything.”
A small laugh escaped from my lips. “And exactly whose fault would that be? I know exactly what I'm doing, Stefan. I said I need you. The only thing I'll regret is if you leave right now.”
Seconds passed by and I could see Stefan's reluctance begin to waver. I put all the emotion I could behind my thought. “Do it. Just kiss me already.”
Stefan head snapped to look at me, his blue eyes glowing as if they were on fire. His hands were rough as he grabbed my face with both of his hands, his lips hard and searching against mine. His tongue flicked out to meet my own and he lifted me effortlessly in his arms. My legs locked around his waist and he wrapped his arms around me. He carried me into the house and kicked the front door closed behind us.
The kiss intensified as we made the short trip to the couch. He sat down and I tucked my legs to straddle him, feeling his large erection press against the heat between my legs. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let my fingers snake up into his silky, golden hair. I tugged it gently with my hands and he moaned into my mouth, pulling me closer.
Moving my lips from his, I pressed kisses along his jaw, stopping just below his lips. His tongue flicked out in anticipation, grazing slowly along his lower lip. When he flicked his tongue out again, I touched my tongue to his. One of his hands went to my hair, turning my head so he could deepen the kiss. His other hand rubbed underneath my tank top to caress my lower back.
I lifted my mouth away from his to grab the bottom of my shirt and I pulled it over my head, my hair tumbling around my shoulders in a tumble of waves. Standing slowly, I unzipped my jeans. Stefan leaned forward and he pushed them over my legs. He ran his tongue sensuously over his lip again as his eyes roamed over my nearly naked body. I raised a single eyebrow in defiance, turning on my heel and began to walk towards my bedroom. I'd only made it halfway down the hall when his large hands pushed me against the wall, his breath cool against the skin of my neck. One of his hands wound in my hair to slightly pull my head back, exposing my neck to the caress of his lips.
“Going somewhere, Josephine?” Stefan whispered seductively, his lilting voice crashing over me like a tidal wave. My hands fumbled with the buttons on his jeans and his cock sprang free after I struggled to release the final one. I wrapped my hands around him, stroking him gently. He let out a low growl and I released him long enough to push the jeans down around his feet. He absently kicked them away as I quickly sank to my knees to take him into my mouth. I ran my tongue down his entire cock, feeling it twitch when I placed my wet mouth over the head, twirling my tongue around him.
His hands moved to my hair and I looked up through my eyelashes to see his eyes fixated on my mouth. I greedily pulled him deeper into my mouth and throat, hollowing my cheeks around him. I continued to lick and suck him, the moans and groans he uttered only spurred my need to go faster and to make him moan louder. I let my fingers slowly drift to brush against his balls as I continued to steadily suck him. A shudder that shook his whole body reverberated in my mouth, making me moan from the sensation.
“Your mouth, Josephine. It is too much. I cannot do this right now,” Stefan snarled as he pulled out of my mouth and picked me up to carry me into the bedroom. He roughly dropped me on the bed, his eyes filled with need as he gazed at me. He grabbed the neck of his t-shirt and ripped it down the middle with one hand and let the pieces drop to the floor.
I brazenly let my eyes sweep over the length of his lean body, feeling a delicious shiver of want run throughout my body as he stood naked before me. He was a blur as he slid between my legs effectively pinning me against the bed. His long fingers smoothed over the sides of my panties, using both fingers to snap apart the sides. A sly smile was on his lips as he lowered his head between my breasts, biting my bra apart with his teeth. His large hands brushed the lacy material away and he softly palmed my breasts for a moment, his fingers slowly pinching my hardened nipples.
He sat back on his knees and made no attempt to hide the fact that he was watching me with eyes that were almost black with need. Delicious excitement consumed me under the weight of his stare, his hooded eyes focusing on the slick heat of my wet sex. The smoldering fire I was feeling between my legs was magnified by the calculating expression on his chiseled face.
“Do you want me to fuck you or eat your pussy, Josephine?” Stefan asked, his voice uneven and deep. “Tell me what you want.”
I let out a deep moan, my head dropping back against the bed. “Stefan, fuck....I can't...I want it all.”
Stefan ran his fingers over the wetness of my pussy, watching as my hips bucked wildly with desperation. His mouth lowered to devour my swollen clit, my han
ds violently clutching the sheets in response to the sensation of his mouth on me. He slid a long finger inside of me, joined by a second, teasing as they stroked and curled within my moist depths. My back arched and I tightened around him, his fingers slipping in the slick wetness.
His tongue strayed to lave over my inner thigh and his fangs sank into my tender skin. I cried out in pleasure from the combination from his bite and his fingers rubbing inside of me, coaxing me to climax. I felt him swallow and I shuddered around his fingers, his tongue flickering over the punctures to seal them.
His hips settled in between my thighs and his hard cock plunged inside of me with no warning. My hips rose to meet his first thrust as his body molded to mine, our hips moving in a frenzied tempo. He nudged my head to the side to slowly run his tongue and teeth over my neck possessively.
“Stefan!” I cried out as my fingernails clawed against the muscles of his arms. I felt the skin loosen under my fingertips, causing his blood to run slowly down his arms. As if in a daze, my head moved to to lick the blood that had escaped from the slowly healing scratches, groaning at the bittersweet taste of him. He howled in desire, flipping me over so my ass was exposed to him. He slammed back inside of me, the only sounds in the room was his animalistic grunting, my loud moans and our skin making contact as he forcefully pounded into me.
“Oh god...harder!” I screamed breathlessly, tears running from my eyes from the pleasure of being owned by him. He pulled my hips back against him faster and spread my legs wider so his cock slid deeper inside of me. My breasts pressed against the bed and I felt my inner walls begin to tighten around him, clenching his cock tightly as I came around him. I cried out incoherently in ecstasy when I felt his hands grip my hips tighter and he pulsed inside me with a bellowing yell.
“Knulla det!” His spent body slumped over me, pulling my back against his chest. He had burrowed his nose into the crook of my neck when he smelled the salt from my tears.
“You are crying? Did I hurt you? Stefan asked, alarmed. He rolled us over and his eyes darted over my body, looking for injuries. Unable to form a coherent answer, I simply shook my head which caused an arrogant grin to break over his face. He stroked one of his large hands lovingly over the outside of my thigh. “Then they are happy tears. I can live with that.”
“Technically you aren't alive, Romeo.” I muttered softly. He rolled onto his back and rubbed his hand over his face in exasperation. I turned to face him, draping myself across his chest. “I love...I...”
As much as I wanted to tell him I loved him, I couldn't say the words. I felt a tear escape from the corner of my eye as I buried my face against the coolness of his chest, unable to look at him. I was a coward. I loved him and was too scared to say the words.
His hand lifted my chin to search my red-rimmed eyes. His smile was gentle as he lowered his lips to capture mine in a soft, loving kiss.
“You do not have to say it now, Josephine,” Stefan murmured softly against my lips. “You will say the words when you are ready. Always know that I will love you eternally.”
He wrapped me in the strong embrace of his arms and rocked me gently as I sobbed against his chest.
***
I woke up to the sound of rain splattering against the window, the gloomy light of an overcast sky darkening my bedroom. I stretched and rolled over, expecting to see Stefan stretched out beside of me. His side of the bed was empty, a note sitting on his vacant pillow. I sat up and reached over to pick it up.
Josephine-
I am sorry I will not be here to see the beauty of your face when you awake. I will count the moments until I return to you...
Stefan
I read the note twice, running my fingers over his elegant handwriting and held the note to my nose to see if I could smell his scent on the paper. I rolled my eyes, mentally berating myself for my behavior. I was acting like I was the heroine in a vampire version of a Harlequin romance novel, swooning and smelling a piece of paper he had written the note on. Sighing heavily, I reviewed the previous night in my head, groaning when I remembered that I couldn't bring myself to tell him I loved him. I was pathetic. He told me he'd love me eternally and I cried against his chest like a scared little girl.
It was true. I did love him. I didn't make it a habit to attach myself to anyone, yet within days I'd made a 180 degree turn. Now I was in love with a vampire and smelling his notes in the off-chance that I could smell his scent on the paper? Had I lost my mind?
Throwing back the covers in disgust, I made my way into the bathroom. As I brushed my teeth, my eyes passed over my reflection in the mirror and I did a double take. My hair, even in its disheveled, 'I was fucked by a six-foot-four sex god' state was bouncy and had a sheen to it that could never be achieved by any shampoo or conditioner. My skin was glowing and my green eyes sparkled back at me in the mirror. I watched my hand trace my much plumper lips in the reflection of the mirror. I looked like I'd spent hours at a spa. What the hell is going on?
My cell phone rang, causing me to jump and tear my eyes away from the mirror. I sprinted down the hallway to unplug my cell phone from the charger, not bothering to look at the phone. I knew it was Georgia calling to berate me for not calling her.
“Hello, Georgia.”
“You know, you were supposed to call me. I'm sure you were too busy with Hunky McHunkerson to remember little old me.” I could hear almost hear Georgia's pout over the phone.
“I know, I know. Time got away from me. We're talking now, so what's up?”
“'What's up!? I'll tell you what's up,” Georgia mocked, her voice incredulous. “I just talked to Anna. Obviously you and Mr. Hunky are serious since you were mooning all over each other at dinner last night. What the hell is going on? And now is not the time to feed me a line of bullshit either, Josie.”
“He has a name, Georgia. It's Stefan. And yes, it's serious. I think.” I busied myself filling up a kettle with water, placing it on the burner to boil water for coffee. I scooped coffee into my French press and waited for Georgia to continue.
“You think it's serious? I don't like to get in your business but…”
“Really? I would have never known by this conversation. You've been all about being in my business for two days,” I retorted sharply. “I like him. A lot. I don't know where this is going but I'm not going to push him away.”
I was being a coward again by saying I liked him. I loved him. I loved how he made my stomach flip like an infatuated school girl when I saw him. I loved how he made me want to pull my hair out and then jump him. And I even loved his aggravating smirk and swagger...yeah, I especially loved his swagger. Yum.
Georgia sighed into the phone. “Whatever, Josie. This isn't like you, honey. I'm running into town. Wanna join me?” The water boiled, and I poured the hot water over the coffee in the press.
“Give me twenty minutes. I do need to grab some groceries.”
“See ya, chick.”
I hit ‘end’ on my phone and shook my head, closing my eyes in exasperation. Georgia took twenty minutes to mean fifteen. I ran back down the hallway to start the shower.
***
I was walking up the hallway after my quick shower and brief primping session to find Georgia and Anna both sitting in the living room, pointedly looking at my clothes that still littered the living room floor. It was obvious this was going to a double interrogation, a surreal version of bad cop, bad cop, neither taking my side since they both wanted the dirt. I immediately decided to feign ignorance since it didn't take psychic abilities to know what was going to happen.
“Coffee?” I asked as I darted around the kitchen, getting cups and sugar out of the cupboards.
Georgia and Anna's heels clacked over the wood floor as they made their way into the kitchen. I was nervously waiting for the questions to begin.
“Sure,” Georgia said, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the table in the kitchen. Anna nodded and sat down across from Georgia. “It looks like yo
u had an eventful night, honey.”
Pouring coffee into three cups, I passed cups to both of them. I took my time spooning sugar into my mug, stirring my coffee with my spoon and placing it on the napkin I'd pulled from the basket. I focused on my coffee, shrugging nonchalantly.
“I have to admit you look gorgeous,” Anna said, her eyes taking in my hair and skin. “You look like you've been properly fucked. It looks good on you.”
“Anna,” I warned, my eyes narrowing. I took a deep drink of coffee and fought off an exasperated sigh.
“Ok, ok. Don't tell me!” Anna waved her hands in surrender, rolling her eyes in exasperation. I thought she'd given up when she leaned in over her coffee cup. “Just tell me one thing, Josie. Please tell me he's packing. Someone that is that huge has to be packing. And I can tell by the way he moves that he knows how to use it.”
Fated Page 7