18. Flora

Flora

T aking Teresa for her first manicure had been an interesting experience. She’d seemed really uncomfortable at first – although she’d done her best to hide it – but by the end, I think she really enjoyed herself.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

Teresa looked up from whatever meal she’d ended up with tonight. Mine was roasted chicken with vegetables. I already knew she’d make herself a bowl of cereal or a big sandwich when she was done. Maybe it was her vampire blood, but my bodyguard seemed to have a super fast metabolism.

“What?”

“Do you have sisters?” I asked.

“No, only boys in my family,” she responded. “I’m the only girl in my generation, all my cousins are male too.”

“And your mother?”

“She was female,” Teresa said seriously, but her eyes sparkled with humor at her own joke.

“Was she, um, girlie would you say?”

“I don’t know,” Teresa said. “She died the day after I was born.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Oh my God, what happened?”

“Internal bleeding,” Teresa said. “I guess I tore her up on the way out, or maybe it was something the doctor did. My father said she was complaining about pain and weakness and they kind of blew her off, like they thought she was just trying to get pain meds or something. It must have been bad for her to say anything, because supes have a high pain tolerance.”

She shook her head. “The U.S. healthcare system is a nightmare, as you know, and maternal mortality rates are worse here than they are in some underdeveloped countries.”

“Your dad raised you then?” I asked.

She nodded. “My dad and my older brothers, yeah. Why?”

“Oh I was just wondering about how you’d never had a manicure before, and the way you seem to not understand why people wear make-up.”

“I was raised like another one of the boys,” she said. “I ran around behind them, trying to keep up. They taught me to fight and be wild. It was a great childhood.”

She seemed nostalgic. “But you left for the military as soon as you turned eighteen?”

She shrugged. “It’s what people do in small towns when they have no money and no prospects.”

I could tell she didn’t want to talk about it, so I changed the subject.

“Is someone coming to relieve you this weekend?”

Teresa frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, they don’t make you work every day, do they?” I asked. “This is your sixth day in a row on duty.”

“It’s not unusual for us to stay the length of the assignment,” she explained. “It depends on whether we’re undercover or not. When the threat level is higher we might also alternate. Like a while back we were on a personal protection case for someone on the run from the mob, and there were two of us, one for days and one for nights.”

“Did you save the person?” I asked.

“What person?”

“The one on the run from the mob.”

Teresa gave me a small, wistful smile. “Yeah, we kept her safe and now our client just married my coworker, Martha.”

“You’re allowed to have personal relationships with your clients?” I asked in surprise.

“Not technically but sometimes you can’t help it…,” she paused before asking, “Do you know about fated mates?”

I shook my head.

“In the supernatural world, there’s this concept of fated mates. It’s like there’s this one person who’s your perfect match. They might be human or a different kind of supe, but somehow – no one knows how – when you meet that person there’s an immediate attraction, a sense that they’re who you’ve been looking for your whole life.”

To my surprise, Teresa’s voice turned almost dreamy as she spoke.

“That’s what happened to my friend Martha. As soon as she met our client, she knew that Emily was her soulmate. They’ve been inseparable ever since.”

“That sounds a little like a fairy tale,” I noted, hoping I wouldn’t offend her.

“A lot of supes don’t believe in fated mates until they find theirs. But not everyone finds their person. Like my parents, they weren’t fated mates,” she continued. “I’ve heard they had a good marriage though. You can love someone who isn’t your fated mate, it just isn’t the same.”

“What about you?” I asked. “Do you believe in fated mates?”

Her blue eyes fixed on mine. “I do,” she said softly. “I used to dream about finding my mate, wondering what she’d be like, but the reality was even better.”

“You have a mate?” I asked in surprise. “But you kissed me!”

I felt indignant. How could Teresa kiss me the way she’d done – twice now – if she had someone back home waiting for her.

Her expression shifted from almost nervous to resolved.

“That’s because you are my fated mate, Flora.” Her voice was soft, but full of conviction.

“What? I don’t understand.”

Or maybe I kind of did.

“When I first saw you, my vampire started going crazy inside me, telling me that you were the one. Then the first time we touched, I knew it was true. It’s hard to explain, but I feel this connection to you that’s different than just someone I’m attracted to.”

When I didn’t respond she said, “I know that’s a lot to dump on you. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. Not yet.”

It explained a lot, but my analytical mind couldn’t make sense of what she was saying. My heart however knew what she was saying was true.

“Is this why I feel so connected to you?” I asked.

Teresa nodded. “Humans don’t feel the mate pull as strongly as supernaturals do, but what I’ve heard is that humans typically feel something akin to a strong crush or love at first sight.”

“So what happens now?” I asked.

“For now we stay just friends,” she said firmly. “We should avoid kissing and touching and anything that will distract me from my primary mission of keeping you safe. Once this is all over, we can talk about what happens next.”

“Can’t you keep me safe and still add in some kissing and touching?”

“I shouldn’t get distracted from my mission,” she said stubbornly.

I got out of my chair and walked around the table, shoving it away with my hip so I could stand in front of Teresa’s chair. I put my hands on her shoulders and leaned down until our lips were only an inch or two apart.

“Would it distract you if I did this?” I asked right before I pressed my lips against hers.

“Yeah.” Her answer came when I pulled back.

“I think you’re skilled enough to keep me safe and have a little fun.”

I threw my leg over her so I could sit in her lap. I’d never been this forward in my life, but now that I knew that there was a reason I was feeling this way, and more importantly, now that I knew Teresa felt it too, I didn’t want to wait any longer.

Her hands came to my waist, but otherwise she stayed still, waiting for me to make the next move. This time when I kissed her I slid my tongue into her mouth, exploring. Teresa’s tongue tangled with mine as the kiss turned rougher.

It was like lighting a match to newspaper. Heat immediately flared between us. I scooted closer, rubbing my hips against hers, desperate for more contact. I’d never felt this needy before, but for some reason it felt completely natural to straddle my bodyguard and rub up against her like a cat in heat.

Teresa’s fingers went to the buttons of my blouse, parting the fabric to expose my lace covered breasts. She broke this kiss to run her mouth down my neck and across my collar bones. I arched my back, giving her access as she sucked one of my nipples into her mouth through my bra, biting down softly.

“Teresa! Oh my God!”

I gripped her head, holding her closer as she sucked on first one breast and then the other. When she was done she returned to my mouth. This time Teresa was the aggressor, claiming every part of my mouth until I felt almost dizzy from lack of oxygen.

We pulled apart slowly, reluctantly.

“Do you want to come upstairs with me?” I asked. “This would be more comfortable in a bed.”

A myriad of emotions crossed her face. “No, we need to stop. I shouldn’t have let that happen. I can’t let myself get distracted from keeping you safe.”

My disappointment must have been evident in my face because she pressed a quick kiss against my lips and whispered, “I’m sorry. I want you more than I can say, but I have a job to do here.”

I pulled back and slid off her lap, wincing as I realized how damp my panties were.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said. “Good night.”