Authors: Crissy Smith
His friend sighed. “Whatever you have to.”
* * * *
Leaving had been the hardest thing Paige had ever done. Every part of her mind, body, and heart screamed at her to stop. But she couldn’t.
Grant didn’t want to her the same way. Didn’t love her like she loved him. Yes, for the first time in her life she had fallen in love. It hurt so much not to be loved back that Paige knew she would have never survived it.
So she took her few possessions and hit the road. She drove all night, only stopping when the sun forced her to.
Grant’s face wouldn’t leave her mind. It was almost as if he was beside her in the car, telling her to turn around.
As soon as the sun had gone down, she was on the road again. She’d been driving for hours and it wasn’t getting any easier being away from Grant. Plus she was hungry.
Seeing a sign for a motel, she changed lanes on the freeway to exit.
Paige followed the exit to the road that led to the small motel. It looked clean and well taken care of, next to a restaurant and a bar. She wasn’t interested in the restaurant but the bar looked promising.
Paige parked in front of the motel and rented a room from an elderly man. He smiled pleasantly and directed her to the back entrance where she should park. Paige thanked him and headed off to drop her things and head out to dinner.
Opening the door of the room, she was pleased with the accommodations. The room was clean and well organised with a bed, nightstand, and closet. Paige sat her two bags on the bed and went to the restroom. She washed her face and stared in the mirror.
She was pale and her eyes had dulled. She needed to feed. She had tried the night before, but images of Grant had haunted her and she hadn’t been able to. There was only one man she truly wanted to be with.
With a long sigh, she grabbed a clean pair of jeans, underwear, and shirt from her bag and headed for the shower.
After showering, dressing, and doing what she could with her hair, she pocketed her room key and some cash then headed to the bar.
Outside she stopped once to sense around her and didn’t feel any other vampires in the area. She relaxed a little more.
She heard loud country music coming from the bar as she stepped up to the door. The bar was dark and smoky when Paige went in. She could see men playing pool in the back, couples dancing and others on bar stools with beer or other drinks in front of them. She took a seat on the side of the bar from which she could see the door.
“Hello there,” the bartender greeted her. He was around her age with dark brown hair and pretty green eyes.
“Hello,” Paige smiled back trying to gently thrall him. She wanted to be able to step out back with him later but didn’t want to draw any attention to herself.
“Name’s Curtis. Don’t remember seeing you around these parts,” he said with a thick Texas drawl.
Paige continued to smile at him. “Just passing through.”
“Well,” he tipped his hat back. “First one’s on me. What’s your poison?”
“Whisky.”
His smiled broadened. “My kind of girl.”
He placed the glass tumbler in front of her and poured top shelf for her but was called by another patron before he could start up more conversation.
Paige tossed her drink back. Vampires could eat and drink—it just didn’t do anything for them. And she couldn’t get drunk. She’d tried.
The bartender was headed back towards her when she sensed a vampire. It was overwhelming, all of a sudden, like he was moving fast.
Chapter Eight
Just as the bartender reached her, Paige looked at the front door and watched him step in. She sucked in a breath, not believing it. She was hundreds of miles away from
Grant’s eyes narrowed as the bartender leaned across the bar and offered Paige another drink. She nodded in agreement, not taking her eyes off Grant.
Could he track her that well? What did he want? And why was she so relieved to see him?
Grant walked towards her with such determination on his face that she grew nervous. She looked around for a back door. She shouldn’t have bothered—the moment she took her eyes from Grant, she sensed another vampire. She knew this one too.
Standing in the back, Sam leaned against the wall. He even sent her a little wave.
Paige straightened as Grant reached her. Curtis put her drink in front of her and frowned at Grant.
Grant leaned close to her and picked up the drink. He threw it down his throat and smiled at the bartender. It wasn’t a nice smile. It was a warning and Curtis seemed to understand. He asked them nervously if they wanted another drink.
He looked relieved when Grant shook his head no and passed him a twenty.
Grant watched him walk to the other end of the bar before turning to her. He grabbed her arm, firm but gentle at the same time, and pulled. “Let’s go.”
“You can’t force me back,” she said quietly, wrapping her feet around the stool to stay seated.
Grant turned that not so nice smile on her. “Get off the stool, Paige, or I will carry you out.”
“I’ll start a scene,” she threatened. Why she was fighting him she wasn’t sure. She wanted him to take her back even if she tried to deny it to herself and him.
Paige followed his eyes as they shifted. He nodded to Sam, who started forwards. “Good because we’re hungry.”
Sam wore a hard look on his face that matched Grant’s. Because she didn’t really want to start a scene or want anyone to get hurt, she caved.
“All right, I’m coming.” She stood and Grant wrapped an arm around her back.
As he steered her towards the door, Sam caught up.
“Hello, Paige,” he said pleasantly.
Paige looked back to see him smiling.
“Hello, Sam,” she grumbled back.
When they reached outside, she moved away from Grant. “Where are we going?”
Grant smiled again. “To your motel room.”
Well, crap, of course they knew she had a room.
They walked silently to the motel. Grant couldn’t stop touching Paige, so relieved they’d found her safe and sound. They’d started out just after her, and through their bond, he’d been able to keep up. He’d almost made his move the night before, but she hadn’t gone to feed so he’d just watched. They’d stayed out of sight and followed.
It wasn’t until he’d known she intended to feed that his control broke. Since they’d bonded, she hadn’t fed from anyone but him.
He couldn’t—
wouldn’t
—allow it to be from anyone but him.
So he’d gone inside the bar to collect her.
They stopped at the door to her room and he held out his hand for the key. She scowled but handed the key over without a word. After he pushed the door open, he motioned for Paige to enter first.
She went into the room and they both followed close behind. Sam closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Paige, unsure, moved as far away as possible.
“So
…
quick vacation?” she asked, still not meeting his eyes.
“Feed or shower first?” Grant asked Sam. He wanted to be alone with her.
“Feed.”
Grant nodded. “Go ahead.”
Sam winked at him before he closed the door quietly behind him.
“Come here, Paige,” he urged. He had to touch her again.
He stood on one side of the room and she stood on the other side by the closet.
Paige shook her head. “I don’t want to.”
He sighed and held out a hand. “Come here. You haven’t fed. I can feel your hunger.”
Paige crossed my arms over my chest. “You haven’t fed either,” she challenged.
“I fed last night and will again when Sam gets back.” He motioned for her to come to him. “You haven’t fed since you left.”
“How do you know? I could have fed yesterday,” she argued.
They both knew she was lying.
“Paige, please. Come here, baby,” he tried again. Once she was fed, they could talk. He had to make her see they belonged together.
“What are you doing here?” she asked instead.
He dropped the hand he held out for her.
Or they would talk first.
“Just making sure you’re okay,” he hedged.
“Why are you here?” she asked again.
He stood in front of her in a blink of an eye. “I’m here for you.” he answered honestly and wrapped his arms around her.
She melted against him. Just like that, she relaxed in his arms. He wanted to shout with joy but instead held it in as he cradled her close.
“I came for you,” he repeated right before he kissed her.
It was a sweet kiss. The kind that lingered and let passion flow naturally instead of instant heat.
She moaned and pressed her body against him. He tightened his arms and lifted her off her feet. This he could do. He would show her with his body how much he needed her.
He placed her gently on the bed, and she reached for him. He smiled and kissed her hand. “Soon, baby.”
As he moved down her body, he removed her boots and socks then ran a hand up her leg. Paige shivered as he touched her. That reaction—pure and simple—was almost his undoing.
He moved his hands further up her legs and to her stomach stopping to kiss the button of her jeans before he unsnapped them. He kissed behind the material there too.
Paige lifted her hips to help him remove her jeans. Together they removed them slowly, as Grant continued kissing every piece of flesh that was revealed. By the time the jeans hit the floor, Paige was moaning.
He settled over her body and began to lift her shirt. After it pulled over her head, their lips met.
He cupped one breast through the silk of her bra before undoing the front. He lifted her up to slip the fabric off before lowering his head to take one nipple in his mouth.
Paige moaned and pressed him closer by holding him by his hair. Grant hummed happily against her flesh.
He moved his mouth to the other breast as he cupped the one he just left in his hand. As he sucked on one nipple, he took the other between his thumb and finger.
Paige arched into him, pulling at his hair. He chuckled at her silent demand.
“Grant, please,” she begged.
“Relax, baby. Let me worship your body.” Then he placed kisses on the elastic of her panties.
“Ooh,” she moaned out.
Slowly he started to remove them and kiss more flesh. Once he had her completely naked, he looked down. She made a picture, one he never wanted to let go of.
“So beautiful,” he told her as he spread her legs open for his view.
Then he placed his mouth on her clit and bit down and she screamed. He licked and blew hot breath on her folds and she almost came off the bed.
“Grant!”
He pushed her legs further apart. “This is what I have been dreaming about. Having you spread open for me.”
She whimpered.
He pressed a finger through her folds and inside while she clawed at the blankets.
He was ruthless in bringing her pleasure. Using his mouth, lips, and fingers. Making her give him everything she had.
“Grant, please!” she begged but he continued to tease her. “I need you. Inside me! Please!”
“What do you want?” he whispered his question against her inner thigh.
“Fuck me! Make me yours.” The words flowed from her mouth.
“Forever, Paige?” he asked and lifted his body to cover hers completely. “If I take you now, will you stay with me? Will you be mine?” It wasn’t fair, he knew. But he needed to hear the words.
Paige clawed at his back trying to get his shirt off. He helped and pulled it over his head. She ran her hands over his chest, around his back, then back down to his pants. Everywhere she touched, he tingled.
She tried to unbutton them but her hands were shaking and she kept fumbling. Crying out in frustration, she yanked and they came undone. Grant chuckled then placed his hands gently over hers until she glanced up.
“Will you?” he asked again. “Will you stay as my partner?”
“Do you mean it?” she asked softly.
“I never want to be separated from you ever again,” he confessed.
Tears filled her eyes before falling. He bent and licked them from her cheek.
“I want to be with you too,” her voice cracked. “Don’t let me go again.”
He slammed his mouth down on hers. She opened and allowed him access while using her feet and hands to pull his pants down.
His body erupted in flames as his nakedness met hers. He lowered his body on top of hers and she opened her legs to adjust to him. Then he was pressing into her. Her body gave way and he slipped his cock inside, filling her.
They both moaned.
He kept his strokes deep as he began to ride her. Paige wrapped her legs around his hips and lifted hers to meet each thrust. He sped up and she cried out.
This was what he needed. This connection he had never felt with anyone else.
He slammed inside her and the world shattered. She screamed out as she climaxed. His voice joined hers as he called her name and came.
Grant collapsed atop her and kissed her face before he rolled over, pulling her with him to lie on his chest. Just holding her. Loving her.
Grant ran his hand down her back soothing her as she fought to get her breath back.
“Mine,” she mumbled against his chest.
He tightened his arms. “Forever,” he promised as she drifted to sleep.
Chapter Nine
When Paige woke a little while later, she was lying on her side tucked under the blankets. She reached for Grant but found his side of the bed empty.
“Grant?” she called, lifting her head.