Chapter 7
Well, that was something. Crisis averted, Luc whipped up a giant batch of crepes—in a new skillet—and we ate in silence.
Uncomfortable silence.
I swear he was going to kiss me, but the near kitchen fire snapped him right back into curmudgeon mode, leaving me utterly confused. Talk about emotional whiplash.
We could be fucking each other’s brains out right now. A snowstorm and hot sex: the perfect combo. But nooooo, Mr. Grumpypants has a stick lodged up his toned butt, and I’m not sure how to remove it.
It’s clear he’s attracted to me. He’s been trying—quite poorly, might I add—to hide his massive hard cock from me all morning, but I’m not na?ve.
Quite the contrary, actually. I’d help him out with his not-so-little problem if he asked. But he hasn’t asked.
So, we ate breakfast in silence, and now, I’m doing my part by washing the dishes. The second his plate was cleared, Luc disappeared into his bedroom. He emerged a few minutes later, dressed in another flannel shirt and snug blue jeans, which did nothing to hide his erection.
A few groans left his mouth as he trudged out the front door, rattling the hinges as he slammed it shut behind him.
He must have been in pain. The bulge crawled halfway down his thigh and, I swear, it was throbbing in time with his pulse.
I can’t help him if he won’t let me. Sighing, I swipe the dishtowel over the last plate before stacking it in the cupboard.
Since feeding on him last night, my stomach has remained full, satiated. Is it because I drank real blood instead of synthetic, or is it because he’s my mate?
Mate. That word has my heart ready to fall out my butt and my palms clammy with sweat. I’ve never wanted a mate, all too happy to bounce from fling to fling, never letting anyone too close.
My career is my priority.
However, seeing what Viktor has with Maggie. The pure, unconditional love they share. Not going home to an empty house after work. Eating together and talking about the day. Working toward my dreams and goals with another person instead of alone. Maybe I do want that for myself.
Not with a grumpy-as-fuck minotaur though. Hard pass.
The front door swings open, bringing a frigid swirl of snow flurries inside, followed by the big bull I can’t seem to get out of my head. Clutched in his massive hands is a tree.
Not just a tree, but a pine tree. A Christmas tree.
My heart pitter-patters as I take a step closer. “What’s this?” I point at the scrawny thing in his grip as he carries it over to the dining area. Dark-green needles flutter to the ground behind him.
He wedges the trunk into a bucket I hadn’t noticed earlier, shaking it until the limbs open fully and it stands perfectly straight. More needles pummel the floor. Icy-blue eyes meet mine, and he rubs the back of his neck.
I swear, under his thick brown fur, the skin tinges a rosy hue. My sweet, grumpy boy.
Only, any sweetness of the gesture is ruined by his next statement. “Ya kept bitchin’ ’bout not having one, so—” He gestures a big mitt toward the tree.
Oh, who am I kidding? Even his rude comment doesn’t knock the wind out of my sails. He gave me a Christmas tree!
Yes, it’s small. The top barely comes up to my sternum. And the branches are sparse, but I’ll take it.
Rushing over to him, I squeal and throw myself at Luc’s chest. He catches me easily, wrapping his thick arms around my back and squeezing me to him.
Sliding down his body, I break the embrace and peer up at him through my curtain of lashes.
“Thank you, Luc. This means a lot to me. I have some extra decorations in my car. Will you help me?”
Hands still resting on my hips, he tips his chin toward the door. “Those?”
Turning to look over my shoulder, sure enough, the box of glittering baubles and twinkling lights from my trunk sits on the chair just inside the front door.
A big grin splits my lips, and I spin out of his arms, dancing to the box. “Let’s get decorating, big guy.” I hold up a string of enchanted pixie lights, already glowing bright in the morning light.
Ican’t stop smiling as I hum and place the final ornament on the scraggly tree. It’s perfect in its own way. The branches are weighed down by the glimmering lights and leftover festive baubles.
My favorite is the glass snowflake I attached to the top instead of a star. Rainbows explode across the walls as sunlight streams through the windows, bouncing off the glittering ornament.
I adjust a branch here and an ornament there, making sure everything is just right. A moment later, the bathroom door bursts open and Luc steps out. I’ve lost count of how many times he’s excused himself to the small bathroom while I decorated the tree. “What’s your deal?”
His nostrils widen in a snort, wiggling the gold ring bisecting them. “Nothing.”
“That’s, like, the fifth time you’ve gone to the bathroom. Are you allergic to me or something?”
“Leave it alone, Ness.” He snatches the nearly empty cardboard box from the dining table and moves it to the kitchen counter, giving me a wonderful view of his broad back. A clear sign he’s avoiding me.
And because I don’t know when to stop, I follow on his heels. “No. You’ve been acting weird since breakfast. Did I do something wrong?” I hate the pity creeping into my voice. I sound small and whiny, which isn’t me at all.
He spins so fast that I run straight into the hard wall of his chest. Hands braced on my shoulders, he puts some space between us, and his glacial eyes bore into mine. “I’m in a rut, okay?”
“Aren’t we all?” I joke, attempting to lighten the tension. “The day-to-day can get rather monotonous. Maybe you need—”
He shakes his head, puffing out his cheeks with an exasperated sigh. “No. Not like that. A rut rut.” His eyebrows waggle.
“Oh. Oooh! So you’ve been going to the bathroom to—” My gaze dips to the obvious bulge in the front of his jeans.
Luc takes a step back, and his eyes focus anywhere but on mine. “Yeah. Your bite triggered it. It’s a mate thing, but I’m not looking for another one.”
Another? “You had a mate?”
“Yes.” He doesn’t elaborate, and curiosity gets the better of me.
“What happened?”
He still doesn’t look at me, his gaze focused on the lit-up tree over my shoulder. “Drop it, Ness.”
The deep command in his voice forces a tremor down my spine, goosebumps following in its wake, and I decide to be a good girl and obey. “Fine. But I could help you with your little issue.” My finger circles the air, directed at his groin.
He growls. “It’s not little.”
Irritation is written all over his face, and I can’t help but giggle. “Okay, big issue.”
He takes another step away from me. “That’s not a good idea.”
I step forward. “Why? You need to fuck it out, and I should probably feed again. Win-win if you ask me.”
“I could hurt you.”
A clipped laugh bursts from my throat. “Doubt it. Vampires are pretty much indestructible. Plus, I’m a big girl, Luc. I’m sure I can handle you.” My eyes drop back to the tent in his jeans, and it visibly grows. “My car is still buried, right?”
He grunts his agreement.
“And the snow is still coming down out there?”
“Oui. Could barely see two feet in front of me when I went out earlier.”
“So we’re stuck here until tomorrow. You’re clearly in pain.” As if to confirm my statement, he rubs a hand over his denim-covered cock, and the same groan I heard last night rumbles from his lips. “It’s just sex. That’s it. I don’t want a mate.”
“Neither do I,” he adds quickly.
“We’re both adults. I think we can satisfy our baser needs without getting attached, right?”
“Right.” His eyes darken, dragging over my body. My back straightens and my shoulders roll back to push my chest out. I’m not the curviest female, but I’m confident in my own skin and love my body. “You’ll have to tie me up.”
Excuse the fuck outta me? Did this minotaur step out of my personal fantasies or what? “W-What?” I nearly choke on my tongue getting the question out.
“Once the rut takes over, I won’t be in my right mind. And I don’t want to hurt you, mon soleil. Ever.”
His proclamation warms my heart in an unexpected way. As a century-old immortal creature, I doubt he could hurt me, but his concern is endearing.
“Okay.” Reaching into the box on the counter, I pull out an unused string of lights. They’re enchanted with pixie dust, so they twinkle a soft white without being plugged in. “I don’t mind tying you up, big guy.”