Chapter 18

I blew out a nervous breath as I stopped near Piper. I held my hand out in invitation and raised a brow. Without a word, she took my hand, and that small amount of trust she gave me in that moment was all the encouragement I needed.

“Took you long enough,” she said.

I rested my hand on the small of her back and led her onto the dance floor. Her skin was as warm and soft as I’d imagined, and heat spread from my palm up my arm.

“What can I say? I’m in high demand.”

“I’ve noticed.” There was an edge to her tone.

I bit back a smile as I clasped her left hand in mine and slid my other across her back and drew her closer. Goose bumps erupted beneath my hand, and she barely managed to contain her shiver. Chloe was right—Piper and I had an undeniable spark. If only I could get Piper to acknowledge that and admit she wanted me. Convincing her to be with me would be so much easier if she’d just be honest about how she felt.

“Jealous?” I asked.

“Of what?”

“Ouch.” I feigned a hurt expression, but the instant she fully settled into my embrace, her hand settling on shoulder, I was powerless to stop the low groan that rumbled through me. Every single thing about holding her like this was just so right, from the way she molded perfectly against me to how incredible my hands felt on her body.

“You’re underestimating me again,” she said.

I tilted my head, unable to hold back my smile. “I am?”

She nodded. “See, I know all about what it means to be your soulmate, and I know that no matter how many beautiful girls you dance with, you’ll always come back to me.”

“Is that so?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She was much too self-assured, which was a huge turn-on, but she was wrong. She didn’t have the slightest clue what being a vampire’s soulmate meant, and she sure as hell had no idea what being mine meant.

“You can’t deny me, Jax.” Her smile was flirty and all-knowing.

“Never said I wanted to.” I twirled her around, and when she made the turn back toward me, I yanked her flush to my body, not even a breeze could pass between us, and she gasped with surprise. I moved my hands to rest on her waist, and hers wound around my neck.

“But okay, Miss Know-It-All, if that’s the case, tell me why I let you walk away before?” I held her gaze, challenging her. Daring her to answer in a way that would give me the opening I needed to tell her the truth of our situation.

“Because despite your cranky, cocky exterior, you’re a good guy, and you knew it wouldn’t have been fair to ask me to stay.” Her expression was full of honesty and compassion, and I was struck utterly speechless.

If she knew all the mistakes I’d made in the past, her opinion of me would change. How could it not?

After a moment, she laughed softly. “A speechless vampire? Never thought I’d see the day.”

I shook my head and once again adjusted my hold on her, needing to feel her closer even though that was physically impossible in our current situation. “And you call me cocky?” I laughed.

“It’s not being cocky when you’re right.”

“Of course.” I nodded, struggling to regain my wits. No one had ever thrown me off as fast and quickly as she just had. “Then you must know that every instinct I have is screaming at me to sink my fangs into your neck. Right here.” I lowered my mouth to the spot on her neck just below her jaw and pressed a hard kiss to her carotid artery.

She melted against me, letting out a half sigh, half moan, and her pulse punched against my lips. My gums exploded with agony, and the tips of my fangs protruded. I focused on keeping my breathing even until my fangs retreated, and then, because I was clearly a masochistic dumbass, I kissed her neck again. Only this time, I gently scraped my teeth across her heated flesh.

Piper full on trembled in my arms, her need rivaling my own, and I held her tighter. I wanted her to feel me—all of me—to know exactly how much I craved her. And a very large part of me wanted to push her over the edge so she’d finally succumb to the heat blazing between us.

I positioned my mouth near her ear. “And you must also know that after I’m done sinking my fangs into your neck, I’m going to sink other parts of me into other parts of you.” My voice was a rough, husky timbre.

I didn’t need to see her face to know she was blushing furiously. I could smell the sudden rush of blood, hear the rapid flutter of her heart, and feel the scathing hot spike in her temperature.

“Because that’s how vampires do it, Piper. We claim our soulmates,” I whispered before easing back so I could see her face.

The undiluted lust that stared back at me stole my breath, and I was quickly losing my ability to form a coherent sentence. Another few minutes, and I’d be reduced to grunting and beating on my chest like some uncivilized caveman.

“But only if I give you permission.” Despite the inferno raging between us, her voice was steady.

“You will.” I spun her around again and pulled her back to me. “Eventually.”

“So cocky,” she said around a smile.

“It’s not cocky if I’m right.”

That earned me a genuine, lighthearted laugh, and my heart soared with the sound. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?”

“I’d like to think of myself as determined.”

“More like pushy.”

“Persistent.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. The song ended, and she released me. Fanning her face with her hand, she glanced around. “I need some air.”

“Yes, it is hot in here, isn’t it?”

She gave me a deadpan look, then rolled her eyes. “I’m going to step outside for a minute. Would you like to join me?” She walked away before I could answer, adding a little extra sway to her hips.

I’d follow this woman into an incinerator and strike the match with my own damn hand if she asked me to. We made our way outside on the patio that, during the summer, housed umbrella-covered tables for members to use. Most of the snow from January had melted, leaving the grass a dreary, deathless brown.

“Wanna see something cool?” she asked.

“Always.”

She walked down the steps and onto the stone pathway that led toward the golf cart pavilion. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure I was following, she grinned, then extended her arms, palms down, and with each step she took, the grass blossomed into a rich, vibrant green. Bright yellow dandelions sprouted from the grass and bloomed in front of my eyes. She turned to face me, her smile bigger than I’d ever seen it before.

“Okay, that’s a pretty cool trick. Y’know, for witchy magic anyway.”

“Definitely a lot better trick than throwing myself over the back of a couch.”

I let out a loud laugh, and her smile transformed into something much warmer, and for the first time since all of this started, I felt like I stood a real chance with her. Like maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t destined to be alone any longer.

Last time she’d been here, we’d had more important things to worry about, but even then, there had been an undeniable chemistry between us. Neither of us had pursued it, but something had changed over the past six months. Piper was a lot more… welcoming of my attention. I’d even dare to guess she wanted it in a way she hadn’t before. My perspective had shifted, too, and I wouldn’t repeat my past mistakes.

A strong breeze picked up, blowing her hair around her rosy-pink cheeks, and I was struck by how incredible she was. I took a step closer, then another, and she slowly lowered her arms. I brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Piper.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been with a woman on a holiday. “I should’ve said this sooner, but you look absolutely stunning in this dress.” I searched her eyes for any indication that she was feeling the impact of this moment, too, that she saw something in me she couldn’t resist.

“Is this where you follow up your compliment with some cheesy pick-up line about how I look great in the dress, but I’d look even better out of it?” She moved closer as she spoke.

“If that’s what you want.” I lifted a shoulder in a lazy shrug, then shoved my hands in my pockets. “I do aim to please.”

“Yeah, I can see that about you.” She peered up at me under her long lashes, and my gaze drifted from her eyes down to her lips and back again.

“I’m more than happy to prove it.”

“I bet you are.” She ran her hands down my lapels, and I stood perfectly still, afraid if I moved she’d stop. And I never wanted her to stop.

“Just how long are you going to pretend you don’t want this as much as I do?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“I never said I didn’t want this,” she whispered.

My ears rang with her words. Now we were getting somewhere. “No, but you haven’t said you do, either. And until you do say that, until you give me permission, you’re saying no.”

Her sighed and licked her lips. “I need you to promise me something.”

Dread filled me. No matter what she asked of me, I’d have to do it if I knew it would make her happy. What if she asked me to back off? To leave her alone? I’d have no choice but to respect her wishes. I shifted on my feet.

“What?” I asked slowly.

“You can’t kiss me.”

Totally not what I was expecting. “It’s a little late for that, isn’t it? A kiss on the cheek last night. Several kisses on your neck in there.” I inclined my head toward the reception.

“No, I mean you can’t kiss me on the lips.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”

“I’ve already told you. It’s—”

“Do not tell me it’s complicated.” I paced away from her, my mind at war with my heart. I couldn’t tell her no when this was obviously so important to her. But not kissing her? She must think I’m a goddamn saint.

“Please, Jax,” she pleaded.

“You do realize how odd of a request this is, right?” I stalked back toward her.

“Yes.”

I dragged my hand through my hair. “So, let me get this straight. I can’t kiss you on the lips, but anywhere else is fair game?”

Reluctantly, she nodded. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.

“And how long do I have to abstain from kissing you?”

“Until I give you permission.”

I studied her for a long while. I had no clue why she was asking this of me, and not kissing her was going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but at least she wasn’t completely cutting me loose.

“Okay,” I agreed. “You have my word. No kissing on the lips.”

“Thank you.”

“Do I at least get an explanation as to why? I mean, is this some sort of Pretty Woman situation?”

She cocked her head. “Did you just compare me to a prostitute?”

“Of course not.” I gave her a cheeky grin that made her smile, even though I was positive she wanted to be angry with me. “So, why am I not allowed to kiss you? Is this some weird witch thing?”

“Something like that.” Her eyes twinkled.

I wanted to push for more answers, but I didn’t want to upset her to the point she left, so I bit back any further questions I had. For now. But this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

“You realize this is going to be very difficult for you, right?” My tone was pure arrogance.

“For me?” She pointed at herself.

Nodding, I eliminated the remaining distance between us, and I swore the air sizzled with energy. A remnant of her recent magic use, perhaps? Or maybe something more… sexual?

“What makes you think this is going to be difficult for me?” she asked.

I leaned down so we were eye level. “Because I’m a fantastic kisser,” I whispered and straightened. “And now that I’ve put that thought in your head, you’re not going to be able to stop thinking about it.”