18. CATALINA

EIGHTEEN

catalina

Binx jumped off the couch and his long tail swished as he disappeared into the house. The doorbell rang and I grunted as I extricated myself from my couch. It creaked as it bounced from my weight leaving it.

Asher stood at the entrance with his arms at his back. The silk cream shirt fell over his muscled shoulders, the indents of his muscles hinting through the thin material. I squeezed the doorknob. He was so fine it was criminal.

“Hello, Pet.” The smile directed at me struck me stupid for a beat, but I shook myself free of the lusting cobwebs.

“Are you going to invite me in?”

My lips parted, the words about to slip free, but I snapped them together.

“Is that a myth or do you have to be invited?”

“Regrettably, that bit is not a myth. Has something to do with energies.” His brow lifted, waiting for me to wave him in. My face heated thinking about him seeing my place. It wasn’t even furnished. After seeing their elaborate house, I wasn’t putting myself through that embarrassment. I cleared my throat and hugged my chest.

“I’d rather keep my house vamp free,” I mumbled.

Asher frowned, but it didn’t last long.

“We leave soon. But you know that right, since I told you to return.” My cheeks heated at the accusing tone.

“Uh, a thing I’m watching got really good.” It was a lame excuse, but I’d rather die than admit to him I didn’t want to see him while I was feeling so raw and sensitive. These emotions were new and I didn’t like it, especially since I could hide none of them.

I’d attempted to work through them, telling myself he was a vampire and drinking blood was how he survived. It meant nothing sexual necessarily—lie. The entire act was seeped with seduction.

I couldn’t help recalling how good his bites felt and that meant the innocent, unknowing human would feel the same way . . . and the way he called her “sweets” raked my insides. I studied his features, taking in the impassive smirk that always seemed to curve his lips. Specks of red on his sleeve caught my attention.

“Is that blood?” My eyes widened.

“Would you look at that,” he clicked his tongue disapprovingly and brushed at the spot, fixating on it. I puffed out my cheeks, shaking my head. I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

“Let me put my shoes on.” I left the door open and scurried away. It was a good thing I showered earlier. I shoved my shoes on, pocketed my inhaler, and emptied Binx’s water bowl. He never drank out of it, instead, he seemed to take perverse pleasure from spilling it.

As soon as I stepped out, Asher swept me close to his chest, pressing his lips to my cheek. I instinctively cringed, the pressure in my chest tight. I cleared my throat and tried offering a smile, but I wasn’t sure if it looked too much like a grimace.

“Are you all right, Pet?” His palm pressed to my forehead.

“I’m okay.” I gripped his arm.

He leaned close, invading my space and his nose wiggled slightly.

“Have you been around Jax?”

“Uh, no.” I hadn’t even seen the guy since he got all pissy about the dress Asher made me put on.

Asher hummed, distracted. The wrought iron gate creaked in the cool wind and the crow resting on one of the metal bars, twisted its head as it observed us. The breeze fluttered my hair around my shoulders, and I rubbed my arms for warmth.

I puffed my cheeks out, focusing on the steps as I ascended. Arms swept me up and I blinked at Asher. He briskly and quickly got us to the top. My hair whipped around my head and settled on my shoulders as I scrambled to hold onto him.

Cool air washed over my arms as he entered the manor.

I peeked at him from the corner of my eye. He was quiet, less teasing. Introspective almost. His bow lips pressed softly together, and I wet my lower lip, valiantly trying to keep my thoughts PG.

“Here we are, Pet.” He dropped my legs, bending so my feet flattened on the ground. I blinked at the packages stacked across the couches.

“What’s all that?”

“Stuff I ordered for you,” he responded, smiling. He gripped my shoulders and I gawked up at him. His head lowered and he met my lips with a disarming kiss.

His wet tongue brushed against mine and I moaned, sucking it. The tip of my tongue flicked across his fang. My eyes flung open.

“Is something the matter?” Asher’s eyes softened, looking into mine inquisitively. A chunk of his blond hair fell forward in front of his blue eye, and it did something bad to my insides. I was okay with his soap box, right? We weren’t tied together. If I kept telling myself that, maybe I would be okay with it.

I jerked my head in a hard nod and slid my fingers through his hair, pulling him back to me. Squeezing myself to him, tight and desperate—a hold he mimicked—he straightened and my feet dangled as he clasped me tightly to his chest while our tongues played with each other. I groaned, twisting my head to the side so he could?—

He nipped my lip, and I gasped as he tongued the wound. His arms clenched as if trying to fuse us together and his sucking on my lip became more insistent.

“We’re running out of time,” Tobias snapped, and I jerked my head back, but Asher clenched me tighter. “Asher.”

Asher lifted from my mouth, leaving me raw and wanting. I caught a red hue to Asher’s irises before he closed them tight. Tobias released the back of Asher’s hair where he’d used it to jerk him off me.

“Killjoy,” Asher panted, eyes still bright with lust and then he lowered me. I wobbled, gripping his arm to steady myself.

I turned my attention to Tobias. His lips were set in a straight line.

Before I could greet him, Asher gripped my shoulders and turned me toward the couch. A long magenta dress rested across the back, and with each step I took forward, the jewels beading the bodice glinted. My hand hovered over the fabric, similar to the shirt Asher wore. It seemed airy and too expensive to touch. I didn’t want to ruin it.

“It’s for tonight.” Well, that gave me all the permission I needed to lift it. It slid across my fingertips, so buttery and silky I wanted to rub my face against it. Asher gripped the hem of my shirt.

My eyes widened, pressing a palm to his wrists before he exposed me, and peeked at Tobias.

“Don’t worry about him, nothing tempts the priest.” I frowned. I begged to differ. I thought back to the feel of his cock shoving against me when we were in my van on the day I met him.

I shook my head and handed Asher the dress to remove my clothing myself. If he took my clothes off, it would turn sexual and that’s probably the route I should stay away from.

Unbuttoning my jeans, I shoved them down. My face warmed at the non-matching set of bra and panties. At least they were both around the same realm of nude.

Asher’s attention fixed on my ass, his look smoldering. His tongue poked the inside of his cheek causing it to distend.

“If I don’t leave, I’ll fuck you and we don’t have time for all the delicious things I want to do to you,” he rasped. “I’m going to fetch Jax.” Asher trailed his fingers down my naked spine. “I’ll be back, Pet.”

He’d already disappeared by the time I pulled the dress up my legs. The material strained at my thighs and over my hips. I puffed my cheeks out at the squeeze. It was nowhere near as bad a fit as the dress that belonged to their past love. Ignoring the odd pang, I shucked my bra, pressing the dress hem to my breasts tightly. Asher would have to carry my inhaler. Hopefully I managed not to get an attack so I didn’t have to use it. After all, that was why I’d been around Asher ‘training’ so much, so I didn’t freak out so easily. I reached behind me, straining to grip the little clasp midway up my back.

A finger grazed my back, and I tensed. The touch was electrifying and gentle. The zip slipped up the rest of the way with a loud noise, and I remained frozen as Tobias’s presence radiated into my back. I swallowed hard and turned, finding him close. Lifting my chin to meet his expressionless gray eyes, he leaned down to stare directly into my face and my lips parted. His hair was sexily mussed while remaining stylish.

“You’re a sweet girl, Catalina,” Tobias murmured, his lips grazing my hair at my temple. “Don’t expect anything from vampires.”

He inhaled sharply, grazing my ear. A shiver coasted up my back and I blinked, my heart rate picking up pace.

The slight tilt of his aristocratic nose drew my attention and those lashes that rested against the crest of his cheeks whenever he blinked heightened the desire.

“Beautiful.” I sucked in a deep breath at his murmur. Tobias straightened and caressed my cheek.

I took a nervous step away, face blistering. I was attempting to wrap my head around his words, but he was scrambling my thoughts with his nearness. Asher made it very clear that Tobias wasn’t one to be interested in things sexually, but jeez, he was alluring. Tobias’s hands grazed my bare shoulders as he collected my long hair and pulled it to my back. His fingertips grazed the ends of it near my waist. A shiver coasted down my spine. I slowly turned with my breath held.

He suddenly stiffened and slipped his hands in his pockets.

“They’re on their way down.” Asher’s steps were clipped against the floor, but he halted when he looked at me, eyes slightly widening. “Gorgeous. Just as always.”

My smile evaporated when I noted the cut on his temple. Blood dripped down his cheek and I inched forward, alarmed. My legs tangled with the dress, so I bunched and lifted it.

“Asher,” I murmured, lifting my hand that he caught and pressed a kiss to the palm.

“Jax and I had a slight disagreement, nothing to worry yourself over.” I frowned at Asher. His eyes were alive with anger, practically spitting fire, but he covered it with a sly smile. I curled my fingers in my fist and blinked quickly. What was I doing worrying about a vampire ?

A towel slapped him across the face, and I dragged my attention over to Jax. I gritted my teeth at the scowling jerk, directing my self-hatred at him.

I slit my eyes, but he hadn’t even looked at me.

“I’ll fetch your heels from my room, Pet.”

“I’ll pull the Benz around.”

I blinked as they disappeared. They were leaving me alone with the vampire that had anger issues?

My teeth clicked and I couldn’t help taking a few steps back when he moved my way. His lip curved with disgust.

“I’m not going to eat you, girl.”

“Could have fooled me,” I muttered, and he narrowed his eyes, so I pressed my lips together. I still couldn’t get over the differences in personalities between the twins.

He approached me until I was backed near the couch, pulse pounding in my throat.

Jax dropped in front of me and slipped his fingers through the slit of the dress. He gripped and lifted my calf so my foot perched against the couch, splaying everything. A blush scalded my face while I struggled to regain my balance.

“Hey, hey .” I shoved at his shoulders but he didn’t budge as he slid fabric up my leg. His nails scraped across my thigh and then a strap flattened, tightening near the apex of my thighs. He’d pulled a sort of garter up my leg.

I sucked in a breath when one of his digits rubbed the sensitive spots near the growing heat. My chest heaved as I looked down at his twitching jaw. The strap’s tension around my upper thigh was snug. His palms flattened at my leg, the tip of his left fingers grazing my lower ass cheek. I wobbled again and gripped his head for purchase. The short strands of hair were hardly long enough to peek through on the other side of my splayed fingers.

Jax’s touch became light and his fingers grazed my thighs as he inhaled sharply. As he stood, his grip slid up my side and his other hand clinched my waist.

His body was packed with the same lean muscle as Asher, though he was slightly larger.

“Jax,” I said, not knowing what to do and not wanting to pull away. Though he put the fear of vampires in me, my body wanted to go supple against his. The fear bloomed into something else and a pull at my core sucked the air from my lungs. His nostrils flared, gaze becoming like ice chips.

“You disgust me, human,” he whispered near my face. My lips parted as I gawked up at him.

Steps sounded and he shoved off me with one last icy look, and I landed on the couch butt-first. I licked my lips, trying to catch my breath. My panties were drenched by that look in his eyes... and the way he grabbed me. I shivered and lifted my gaze to his glaring one. Asher narrowed his eyes at his brother and shoulder checked him as he passed, lowering in front of me.

He lifted a pair of black heels and plucked the price tag, dropping it on the ground. The cool leather slid onto my foot and Asher set my heel on his knee so he could buckle the strap.

“Don’t put yourself in unnecessary situations. We’ll be outside the entire time even though we’re going in different vehicles,” Jax spoke succinctly, staring me down. “Per their insistence,” he sneered. “I rigged the button on the strap attached to your leg. Hold it down for five seconds if you’re in danger. But only as a last, final, all-hope-is-lost resort.”

“Is it like that alert thing when elderly people fall?” I muttered as I lifted my skirt over my knee to take a look at the thin strap and the flat button attached that was set on my outer thigh.

“What?”

“Nevermind,” I muttered at his snapped response. So grouchy.

Asher looped the strap to the other shoe and held his hand out for me, but I brushed him away, navigating the six-inch heels easily. I recognized Prada like the back of my hand. The satin pumps were dreamy.

Jax stepped near, looking at his brother over my shoulder. If Jax stepped a foot closer, he’d be flush against my side. A shiver worked its way up my back.

My heart thundered at the thought.

If Jax and Asher tasted me . . .

I licked my lips and clenched my fists.

Jax narrowed his eyes, nose flaring.

God, he definitely knew I was flushing for not-so-innocent reasons.

Asher’s brows lifted, staring at my rapidly rising chest. A smirk lifted his lips and he softly hummed, eyes flashing.

“Uh, can you take this?” I muttered, holding out my inhaler. A smirk lifted his lips and he chuckled.

“Of course, Pet.” Asher lowered his head, staring into my eyes. “I’ll do all those naughty things you want me to do to you as soon as we get back.” The purr caused another gush of need between my legs.

I was left gawking after him as his shoulders shook. He was laughing at me. I pinched the bridge of my nose and rushed after his retreating form, trying to ignore the sensitivity between my legs.