He threw his arms wide, his eyes flashing. “I can smell your arousal when someone else tempts you.” His eyes flashed again, his voice rising. “I have no clue what type of man I would become if we were really together and I scented that on you again.” A finger-point at himself. “It’s uncharted territory for me.” His finger swung my way. “And you.” He started pacing again, running a hand through his hair before stuffing it back into his pocket.
Covertly, I scented the air, getting the vibe of his rant. And sneezed, rubbing my nose. The action was odd enough that Ezra stopped in his tracks and glanced at me. I pointed at the fireplace. “The fire’s bugging me.” But, on the plus side, I had caught a whiff of something from him as he let his true feeling show.
Possessiveness.
He nodded and resumed pacing, his head lowering again, not showing his features.
Carefully, I stated, “It wouldn’t have to be a relationship-relationship if you didn’t want that. It could be only an expansion of what we already are.” That might make him feel better.
He growled. It was Vampire.
Guess not.
He continued his trek for another few minutes until rumbling, “Even if we did this, there are other things that could be an issue.” Again, he ran a hand through his hair. Clearing his throat, he stopped to rest his shoulder against a bookcase. Green eyes met mine straight on. “And I don’t want you to find them offensive.”
Oh. Boy. When a man started like that, it was always offensive. “Do your worst.” I was proud I didn’t snarl.
His gaze landed on my br**sts.
Lingered.
Instantly, crossing my arms and feeling self-conscious, I did snarl, “I know they’re not big and perfect like your slut’s, but they’re f**king mine, so don’t you dare say anything rude.” That, I could not take.
He muttered, “Jessica is not a slut.”
I snorted.
Ignoring me, he gestured to my br**sts and hips, saying, “I honestly find your assets perfect over anyone else’s, and I can’t stand how you hide them under bulky t-shirts, cargos, and albeit adorable, but still immature lingerie.” He glanced at my now wide eyes, and then back to my chest. “I’m a Vampire, sweetheart. I like sexy and seductive.” A single eyebrow rose. “And cartoon characters and baby animals are not that.”
I immediately started fumbling with the buttons on my ‘bulky’ top over my ‘immature’ lingerie, and through gritted teeth, I asked, “And?”
“Bondage,” he stated evenly.
My fingers froze before I even got one buttoned. Oh, dear Lord. “Bondage?” Yeah, it came out a squeak. “As in kinky fetishes with,” my hands fluttered about as I looked up at him, “whips, melted candle wax, balls that go in your mouth, chains, and masks?” I shivered, and not in a good way.
His eyes ran over my face, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Again, I’m a Vampire. I enjoy all acts carnal.”
I blinked.
I wasn’t sure I could do that. Nor did I want to. Visions of what he was talking about filled my head, and I whispered, “Trapped.” He may be a Vampire, but I was mainly Shifter, dammit.
He froze, staring. “Alright,” he said slowly, my freaked expression obviously coming across clearly. “Maybe,” he paused, “we could start with simple fur-lined handcuffs.”
Instant. “No blindfolds?” Jesus, I was seriously sweating. I wiped my brow.
His nostrils flared as he watched the movement, and he instantly nodded. “If that would make you feel more comfortable in the beginning.”
I nodded, and tried to catch my breath. Just handcuffs. I’m sure they wouldn’t be silver. Anything else I could break out of. Sure, no biggie.
I hoped.
“And, my last issue.” His gaze traveled to my slowing pulse. “I would want to bite you while we’re having sex.”
Oddly, that I had a real issue with. “Ezra, I want to feel sex while I’m having it, not be under a damn mind hold.”
His lips parted slightly as his gaze stayed glued to my pulse, and very slowly his fangs descended. Just a bit. “You have no idea what I can do.” His gaze darted to mine, and then back to my throat. “There are different levels I can put you through, some definitely more conscious than others. And all extremely pleasurable.”
Hmm. I crossed my arms. That hadn’t been in the books I’d learned from.
“That’s what I’d need from an exclusive partner.” He licked his lips, dragging his eyes away from my throat, his fangs retracting. Again, his eyes flashed. “Well, that, and the ever elusive fidelity without magic.” His jaw slowly clenched, but he didn’t hide his expression from me this time. He was very much on the fence about this.
Time to put him more on the fence. “I have a few needs of my own you’re not meeting.” With all his demands, a few of mine had come to mind.
His eyes widened in blatant disbelief.
It was hard not to laugh at his expression, but I pointed to the robe lying by the door. “Your clothes bug the shit out of me.” My eyes went below waist level where I could still see him rock hard beneath his jeans. That, I more than loved, but I wanted to see…
“Your ass.” On their own accord, my hands made a gentle squeezing motion at butt height. “You have the perfect ass.” I dragged my eyes to his gaze, which was now cocky with the compliment. “And you cover it with your damn Vampire attire. I don’t mind the robe, but surely there’s something you can wear to not hide your assets.” Hell, my gaze roamed over his chest and arms…and lower. “And leather. I wouldn’t mind seeing it,” my hand gestured to his lower half in a grand circle, “in leather.”
Yeah.
“And?” he drawled, resting further against the bookcase, obviously not minding being the object of my ogling. In fact, he was damn near preening like a peacock as I continued my perusal, lifting his arms and clutching the framework on the upper shelf. Jesus, he was even sucking in, making his eight pack show in sharp relief as he widened his stance.
I patted the air. “Down, boy. Down.”
He chuckled softly, but didn’t move from the position, sadly, because my eyes didn’t stop traveling over his f**k-a-licious body.
When I decided my staring and panting were becoming embarrassing, I cleared my throat and made myself look away. And my eyes darted around in surprise, seeing I was now standing directly in front of him. He hadn’t moved, but I had. Oh, goodness. I stumbled back a few steps, mumbling, “Well, you know…just a little finetuning to your clothes.”