Chapter 18

Vanessa Vargas

I immediately woke from my half alive/ half dead slumber when the elevator opened.

I groaned.

"Wake up, Ace." He knocked on my door before coming in.

"I'm tired." I whispered.

He sat beside where I was lying, gently touching my face with the back of his hand.

"I know. I'm sorry. I brought you a smoothie and bagels with extra cream cheese." He said and I smiled.

"You don't have to do that." I opened my eyes, adjusting to the light.

He didn't respond as he helped me up.

I studied his outfit.

I decided I did like him. Especially right now.

His jaw was sharp, his skin porcelain against the black.

"Go brush your teeth and stuff, I'll pick out what you wear." He tapped my butt as I began walking to the bathroom.

Brushed my teeth, washed my face, curled my hair.

I put on mascara when he came in with what he picked.

"Alright. Leave please." I said and he walked out as I shut the door and began changing.

I couldn't put the pins together on the back so I held the front as I opened the door.

"Sir!" I yelled.

He came in my room.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, I just need help." I told him.

He walked in, standing behind me.

He immediately did the pin on the bottom, it was like the clips to clip a bra with the hooks and loop, but a lot of them.

I held my front as he towered behind me, both broad and tall, like a shadow.

His eyes were focused on the task, his jaw ticking before he licked over his lip ring.

Then I remembered the kiss. The one that wasn't enough. The one that kept me awake for a long time causing my current exhaustion.

I wasn't head over heels, because I don't know what I want romantically.

But I felt my eyes consistently searching for him first, I had an adrenaline rush seeing him, hearing his voice like it was the first time.

And that definitely counted for something.

I don't want the things, I want the caring, the concern, more than the provider side of him.

And I think we were building up to that.

He did the top one, his hands gripping over my shoulders as he looked at himself in the mirror first for a flash, then at me.

He reached past, grabbing the necklace I'd worn yesterday as it matched to my current outfit.

He gently put it around my neck and fastened it.

I put on the bracelets as well.

"Flats today?" He asked.

"Please." I nodded and he walked away before coming back.

He had me turned around, kneeling in front of me as he took one of my feet, sliding it into the shoe, kissing the top of my foot and inner ankle, then repeating that for my next foot.

"Thank you." I said and he stood.

"Breakfast is on the table." He nodded and I walked out of the bathroom and my room, sitting at the table.

It was set up for me, I looked at the book he had sitting beside it, a singular white rose lying on top.

I looked at the book and laughed.

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert.

"How'd you know?" I looked at him.

He shrugged.

"You eyed it for a split second on the way out after buying 43 books." He replied, coming and sitting across from me, folding his hands together on the table.

The rings clicked, I looked at the tattoos.

I wish I could've studied him more last night, but I was so distracted with nerves.

I wanted to know how far along his tattoos went.

But I didn't pay enough attention.

"Eat please, amore mio." He said calmly, so gently, so soft,

"I might need a Red Bull." I laughed, sipping the smoothie.

He grabbed his phone before placing it down on the table.

"Thank you." I smiled when I bit into the perfectly toasted bagel.

"Of course."

I read the back of the book.

Three vampire men with one half vampire, half human girl.

God I already loved it.

"Romance or smut?" He asked.

I looked at him, shocked.

"You know smut?" I asked.

"I read it. Yes." He answered.

"Uhm, both, in the same book." I laughed.

"Developed any interests from it?" He asked.

I nodded, my face heating.

"Talk to me. About anything, if that's making you uncomfortable then tell me about your favorite book." He decided to change the topic, mistaking my blush for discomfort.

"I like the big men." I smiled.

He sat back, crossing his arms.

"They're typically described as what you are. Big, blue eyes, black hair, bad boy type, wealthy, tattooed. Big dicks, womanizers." I nodded.

"Womanizer?" He asked. "I don't think that I qualify."

"Yes you do. Women love you. Your the King of Vegas." I shrugged.

His head fell, his eyes still on mine but in a more intimating way.

"I don't really care about other women. Keep talking though." He told me.

"Well, I like the possessiveness, the sex, all of it is just entertaining." I finished my bagel.

He rubbed his jaw with his hand.

"Did I piss you off?" I asked.

"No. No you didn't." He sighed.

"Then what?"

"Just thinking about what the cashier at the bookstore said." He nodded.

"Why?"

"Because you're exactly the girl described in the same books. There's three types, blonde, pale, blue eyes, innocent. Brunette, hazel or green eyes, freckles, wild or nerd. Or... you." He told me.

"Me. That's all." I wanted to know.

"Black hair, beautifully dark eyes, gold skin, perfect body, a tease, insecure, and independent. Typically they're the best in bed. At least fictionally." He smiled at me.

My face was burning. My heart throbbing.

"Are you saying we're sexually compatible?" I laughed.

"We would be anyways. Being near you gets me off, why wouldn't anything else? But yes." He shrugged.

"Well I guess that's left to the imagination." I answered.

He stood, walking over to me, offering his hand although I typically never needed it, I still accepted.

He pulled me against him, his hand cupping the small of my back.

I tipped my chin up with his other hand.

"It's going to happen." He whispered.

I laughed.

"Fine, then give me back the toy. I'll buy your a regular dildo instead." He smirked.

I frowned.

"No." I mumbled.

"Yes." He pressed.

"I want to keep it." I whispered.

He grabbed my hand, placing it right over his groin, I gasped.

"It's right here. Mia amata, look at me." He gripped my chin.

My eyes were on his but I was struggling so bad to keep the eye contact.

He terrified me as he squeezed and I didn't know what to expect, but I felt feverish, my clit was throbbing.

"I'm yours, Ace. I swear the real thing is better than the one you use every. single. day." He nodded.

I shut my eyes and he kissed my forehead.

I wanted to run away and scream my embarrassment into a pillow but I just set my forehead against his chest.

I took some deep breathes.

I looked up at him and he looked at my lips.

Fuck it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing my lips to his, my body against his as I was also on my tip toes.

He chuckled, his hands holding my sides and I don't think I've ever felt like a small woman until now.

He leaned forward, my body arching to mold to him.

I opened my mouth, his tongue immediately moving to meet mine and I gasped, lightly sucking on it and he moaned.

He tasted like coffee, nothing else, but good, well creamed coffee.

I think I could honestly spend all day kissing him, drinking him in, analyzing the way he hold me.

He pulled back with red lips.

I just stared up at him.

"Whiplash, once again, Ace." He whispered, a bit breathy.

"I'm sorry. I know it's frustrating for you probably." I whispered back.

I used my hand to adjust his lip ring so it wasn't so to the side.

"More than probably. I just don't understand what you're doubting."

"I don't either."

"Are you scared of anything intimate?"

"I don't know. But I think that could be it. I've never had a good experience so I'm scared." I confessed.

"So then what? Kiss me when you want to, then avoid me? Shy away?" He asked.

"I'll stop. I'll try. I like you." I sighed.

"We're not going to the casino all day. I'll go for a bit, then you're coming back up here, and primping so I can take you out on a date." He said.

"Primp?" I smiled.

"Get girly, do what you'd want to do before a date." He shrugged.

"Okay."

"Okay." He kissed my cheek, the forehead before handing me my smoothie.