She was amazing. How could he have ever thought for one moment that Erica would be temporary? Nothing about the woman underneath him was temporary. That was a lie he’d told himself, and he’d never say it again. He wanted forever with her. An eternity, no matter how long it took for him to convince her of the same.
“What are we doing tomorrow?” He breathed against her ear as he cradled her, wrapping them in the rough tarp. She didn’t seem to mind. Instead, she cuddled closer to him.
“More of this,” she said softly, placing a kiss on his shoulder. “Then, I need to get a few things together for my showcase.”
“That sounds like the best plan in the world.”
Her breaths began to slow, and her eyes were already closed as she drifted off to sleep. For a moment, he watched her bliss turn into peace. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I’m yours, Erica.”
And he was. Without a doubt, he knew he’d lay down his life for hers. With the shifter still sniffing around her, he might have to do just that.
13
ERICA
MORNING SUN SPRINKLED ACROSS Erica’s face as she went to turn over in her warm bed. Only, a hard as hell surface was underneath her and not the pillow top mattress she was accustomed to. Her eyes snapped open. It didn’t take her long to adjust to her surroundings. They’d never left the studio last night. Instead, she lay wrapped in a tarp, the sun beaming on her face, laying against a very warm, very welcomed body.
“Good morning,” Julius mumbled against her ear.
“Morn—” she sounded like she’d eaten a shoe. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Morning.”
“I think you slept well.” He snuggled into her hair. It was probably a ball of yarn, tangled at the top of her head.
“Why do you say that?”
“You snored for most of the night.”
“I do not snore.”
“It’s adorable.” Julius chuckled, then wiggled his eyebrows, a cheeky grin on his face. “It also tells me I did my job well.”
Erica laughed and adjusted herself to lay facing him. He was devastating. Even his hair, which seemed disheveled to perfection, lay perfectly on top of his head. Did he ever have a bad day? Julius’s lips stretched into a sleepy smile as he let his head rest against the meat of his bicep and stared into her eyes.
“I could get used to waking up like this,” he said, though he seemed surprised by the words.
“Don’t do it often?”
“No.” He shook his head and played with the ends of her hair. “It’s part of the rules. If they are temporary, then they don’t get to stay the night as if they are permanent.”
As Erica watched the businessman in front of her, she knew he probably never woke up to anyone beside him. Probably taking to skirting off in the middle of the night.
“So, are you saying I’m not temporary?”
“I hope not.”
Erica shifted again, trying to find a more comfortable spot on the floor. She didn’t want to move. Not yet. She wanted to lay there with Julius and just talk. He was so open to her; she could see as much on his face. This was the exact expression her muse was looking for. Every time she tried to recreate his likeness on her canvas, it dissolved. It wasn’t right. She had a litter of crumpled sketches scattered across her studio to prove it. The look he was giving her now was everything her muse needed. She could lay on the floor all day and just study him. Her lower back had other plans though. The table slab may have been comfortable, but the floor was not.
“I’m going to be sore today,” Erica said. “This floor is killing my back.”
She sat up and, thankfully, Julius followed her. When the tarp fell, he looked in awe. She looked down to her naked breasts and covered them with her arms.
“Never hide away from me.” Julius grabbed her elbows and coaxed them down. The sternness in his voice made Erica shiver. Made her want to say ‘yes, sir.’
“Good morning,” he said again.
“You said that already.”
“I want to say it every morning.”
“If we have more nights like last night, then you may be saying it often.”
“Challenge accepted.”
“Of course, you’d rise to that.”
“Can you tell?” Julius glanced down at where the tarp draped over his lap.
“You’re insatiable.” Erica giggled.
He leaned in to kiss her. Erica tucked her chin, ducking out of kissing range. His lips landed on her nose.
“No, I have dragon breath.”
“You don’t have dragon breath. Let me smell.”
“I am not going to blow my foul morning breath into your face. Thanks anyway.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Then, if you won’t let me have your lips, there’s another set I can kiss.”
A shot of desire rushed straight through her. She would very much love a repeat performance of last night. Julius was… How could she even describe it? Carnal. Animalistic, but tender and deep.
Instead of kissing her lips, he landed one at the corner of her mouth. Then her cheek. Then her jawline. A hot fever took over her body when his kisses burned their way down her neck.
Erica moaned when he sucked on a particularly sensitive spot on her collarbone. “Now, this is the best way to wake up.” He began to travel lower.
“Oh my,” someone said from behind her.
“What are they doing in there?” another voice asked.
“I know it’s been a while for you, Trudy, but you should know it when you see it.”
What sounded like people jamming their noses on glass settled behind her. Erica glanced over her shoulder.
“Oh God!” Erica jolted off of Julius and shot halfway across the floor and out of their line of sight. If she’d thought the concrete was pristine the night before, it’d hid the dirt well. Every particle on it raked across her bare butt as she slid out of sight of the archway with an open view to the street.
“What’s wrong?” Julius shot up. He was greeted by the same sight. “Oh… Oh!”
Three older women, bundled in thick parkas and wool hats, peered through the glass, pointing at them and giggling their heads off. Mortification iced her veins. They’d slept with each other in that exact spot last night. Had anyone else seen the show?
“Hey, pass me my clothes.” Erica waved her arms, trying to get Julius’s attention.
He didn’t seem to like that idea much, but slid last night’s heap over to her anyway. She yanked her clothes across her body so fast, a few of the seams ripped in the process. She made quick work of putting on her pants and trying to flatten out her hair. Bedhead always plagued her unruly waves.
Now, to get Julius sorted. Her gaze skated around the floor, looking for Julius’s clothing. It seemed they both spotted his pants and shirt at the same time, flung into the little shop portion of his friend’s studio, back through the open archway.
“I’ll get it,” Erica said, even though her cheeks were still enflamed from embarrassment.
“No, I’m right here.”
To her surprise, Julius stood, somehow managing to keep the tarp secure around his waist, and went into the front room to retrieve his clothes.
Hoots and hollers erupted at the window. Did he look embarrassed? Not a chance. He let out a playful, lopsided grin as he sauntered into the front room. Julius gave the women a smile only a habitual flirt could pull off.
“Alright, show’s over ladies.” He chuckled and waved them off.
“Aww, give an old woman something,” one of them begged. “It’s been many years since I’ve seen a strapping stud.”
Erica snorted. Did she just call him a stud?
“Sorry ma’am, but my girlfriend wouldn’t like that too much.”
“Hmph, you’re no fun,” another one said.
“I see there’s nothing here,” the third butted in. “Let’s go girls.”
“He was gorgeous, wasn’t he?” The ladies snicker
ed, but their voices sounded further away.
“Are they gone?”
“Yes, they’re gone.”
Erica was still laughing her head off by the time Julius returned with his clothes and peered at her with a sheepish look.
“Girlfriend, huh?” Erica said as soon as he was out of sight of the street. She watched in disappointment as he covered his glorious body.
“I could have said wife, but I didn’t want to freak you out too terribly.”
“You handled them well, that’s for sure.”
“They’re harmless.”
“Some of them carry knives, you know.”
Julius barked out his own laughter. “You’re adorable.”
“I have to run to the store. There’s so much I need to get.”
“Ooh, I’d love to come.” Julius picked up the tarp and began to fold it.
“We should probably tell your friend to wash that.”
Once they were cleaned up, Erica straightened the paint and stared at the canvases leaning against the walls.
“I’ll have someone pick those up later,” he said when she moved to shimmy one of them out of place.
“This studio is gorgeous.” She sighed. It was even more beautiful in the daylight. The soaring ceilings and light flooding the archway brightened up the space in the back tremendously well. The front shop was a perfect match to the back warehouse.
“Do you like it?” He tucked her under his chin and wrapped her in a hug.
“I do,” she said. “It’s very easy to work in.”
“What about to show in? What if you could use this for your showcase?”
“Really? I’d love to have it here!” Erica squealed. That was a much better plan than hosting it in her art class’s open studio. “Your friend won’t mind?”
“Not at all, actually.”
“I could only dream of a space like this.” Erica twirled around and looked at the studio again, already formulating in her mind how she’d use it to showcase her art.
“What if you could own something like this?”
“I would in a heartbeat.” Erica played along, liking the fantasy of many nights painting alongside Julius in a warehouse like this one.
“What if I said it was yours?”
“I’d sign the papers right now.”
“I’m glad you said that.” He gave her arm a gentle squeeze before going into the front of the shop, behind a small counter off to the side. “I still have to look over the paperwork, but it’s yours if you want it.”
The fantasy burst and Erica’s eyes nearly thrust from her skull. “You didn’t.”
He looked taken aback. Apparently, her response was not what he expected.
“You didn’t?” she repeated, this time more dubious than before.
“What if—”
“Seriously, Julius. Did you buy this shop?”
“Sort of...”
Erica stared at him, waiting for a real answer.
“Well…”
She waited.
“Alright, yes. I put a deposit on it yesterday. I had a little cash laying around—”
“This is not a little cash, Julius. The taxes alone will eat you alive. Eat me alive. I can’t own something like this. I can’t afford this. Not for real. Can you get your money back?”
“You don’t like it?” He looked like she’d slapped him in the face.
“I do like it. I really do.”
“But you don’t want it?” Julius’s face hardened.
Erica placed her hands on either cheek and brought him down for a kiss, dragon breath be damned. He let her and instantly softened. “Julius.” She tried to calm the hysteria that was forming at the base of her throat. “This is sweet. It really is. You’re completely thoughtful and ridiculously generous.”
“But—”
“But if we’re going to do this—” She motioned between the two of them. “—it can’t be based on gifts. I’ve made that mistake once already. And you know what I learned?”
“What?”
“I’m a simple girl. I just want you.” She pulled him in for another kiss. “Can we do that? Simple?”
“Yes. Except…”
Oh no, what else did he do?
“Except?”
“It’s nothing really. Just a small thing. You’ll see when you get back to your studio.”
“How small?”
“Relatively.”
She braced herself.
14
ERICA
NERVOUS BUTTERFLIES THRASHED in her gut the entire way back to her studio. When they rounded the corner, her shoulders slumped in relief. Her building looked the same as it did on any other day. With so many cars parked out front, she could take comfort that he hadn’t brought the place and made everyone vacate. So, at least he hadn’t purchased it too.
Her heart thudded as they walked up the stairs to her studio, her palms sweaty.
“It isn’t bad,” he promised over her shoulder when she put her key in the lock. “It was part of my ‘I’m sorry’ present, but we never made it back to your studio last night.”
What was she expecting? Something crazy like a baby elephant painted pink with yellow polka dots standing next to her sofa. When she opened the door, she most definitely didn’t have an elephant in her doorway.
Instead, several dozen vases filled with handmade long-stemmed paper roses adorned her entire apartment. A sea of blues, reds, and pinks adorned nearly every inch of the walkway space.
The feat was nothing to sneeze at. In true Julius fashion, there was a ton of them. One would have sufficed, but Julius didn’t play small. Each of them was gorgeous and unique. It must have taken hours to make these by hand.
“You made these?” She was gleeful now, almost giddy.
“I tried. My sister did most of it, though.”
“I think I see yours,” she said, pointing at a vase with flowers that looked more like golf balls than flower petals with a teasing chuckle.
“Hey, I tried.”
“And I love it all the same.”
“So, this is your kind of romance?”
“Yes.” Erica kissed his shoulder before picking a couple of vases up off the floor and placing them on her counter. “Did you get scented paper? Nice touch. Thank your sister for me.”
“It was my idea.”
Erica pulled Julius into a hug. “These are beautiful. It must have taken forever to haul all of these up. How did you get these in here anyway?”
“I sort of paid your landlord a small sum to arrange these.”
“A small sum?” Like he had a little cash to put down on an art studio in one of the trendiest districts downtown.
“Oh, I have to get that.” Julius rummaged in his coat pocket.
“Get what?”
“My phone.”
On cue, the ringtone became louder.
“You heard that?”
“It buzzes first.” He squinted at the screen, then gave her an apologetic frown. “Sorry, I have to take this… Evan.”
From the sound of it, Evan was not happy. She couldn’t hear what he said—the words were too quick—but from the sheer volume, he was pissed.
“I can explain.” Julius’s voice was level. “Another opportunity arose.”
Curiosity piqued her interest, but Erica made herself busy instead of staring at Julius’s mouth like she wanted to. She tried to pick up as many of the vases as close to the phone as she possibly could. Too bad, she still couldn’t hear Julius’s brother. She wondered what he did.
“I understand. I know what I’m doing.”
Julius seemed calm, although the raging voice on the other end was livid.
“I’m more than happy to discuss the particulars.” After one last yell, the phone went silent. “Well, he’s a bit miffed this morning. I have to go talk him off the ledge.”
“Being called to the principal’s office?”
“Something like that,” he said with a wink. “C
an I make it up to you and take you out for lunch?”
“I’m going to be out all day. Dinner?”
“Delightful.” He leaned over and gave her a small chaste kiss on the cheek. Erica found herself wanting more, but he pulled away too soon. “Tonight then.”
After a quick shower, and a great deal of cooling off, Erica turned herself to her tasks. The date to her art showcase was approaching rapidly, and she needed to be ready.
Getting extra pallet knives, easel stands, and decorations for her upcoming show provided her with just enough of a distraction to not be drooling over the night she’d had with Julius. Although, blips of it seemed to flash into her mind at the wrong times. Why her lady bits wanted to act up while she was searching for fake flowers at her local craft store was beyond her. No, not beyond her. Everything seemed to remind her of Julius. The paper flowers Julius had crafted for her was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her. He deserved an award for such good behavior.
By the time she exited the last shop, she was completely famished. Skipping breakfast and lunch was a mistake. The sky was already darkening, and she was sure most restaurants would be ridiculously busy if they didn’t call ahead. She dialed Julius. He picked up on the first ring.
“Did you get detention?” she asked.
“We’ve come to an understanding.”
“Meaning, he reamed you out, didn’t he?”
“My ass still hurts.”
“Well, I can rub your sore bottom if you wanted to come over for a while before dinner.” The growling in her stomach was forgotten as the delicious man on the phone distracted her.
“I’d like that. There are other parts of me that are sore as well. Will you be rubbing those too?”
“Other parts?”
“Yes, my pants have been ill-fitting all day. A little tight in the crotch area. Can’t fathom the reason why. However, it has made me incredibly sore there too. Will you rub it out for me?”
Erica snorted. “You are shameless.”
Julius joined in with her laughter. “Are you home?”
“At the studio. Well, almost.”
“Good, I’m on that side of town. Do you need a ride?”
Love Bitten (Vampire Blood Royals Book 1) Page 12