10. CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN

CHENTE

She's fire in my arms, a flame on my tongue, and I drink her down with every greedy touch.

The kiss is quick but consuming. I don't want to scare Odette with the depth of passion that I feel for her.

I pull back, gazing into her wide, hazel eyes partially obscured by her glasses.

With a trembling hand, she touches her lips, staring at me with a stunned expression.

"You kissed me."

A nervous twitch settles in my tail, and I will it to stay in place.

"I did—I should've asked first. Please forgive me."

"It's alright. I liked it. I've never really been kissed."

Now it's my turn to be shocked.

"This was your first kiss?"

"Not technically. I've kissed only one other person…but this was the first kiss I liked."

Her words provoke a guttural snarl to escape my lips before I can tamp back the urge.

Mine.

"I need to lock up."

Her voice is low—shy—and the gorgeous pink blush still suffuses her cheeks.

The color reminds me of her hair and other places she'll be pink and perfect.

Odette goes to the front door and locks it, turning off the main light in the lobby.

I know from last night that she uses another door in the back to leave that's closer to her car.

"Oh no!"

Instantly, I rush to her side.

"What's wrong? Are you hurting still?"

The need to help her is nearly compulsive. The thought of her being in pain is the worst agony I've ever known.

"No, thank you for asking. I just forgot about a cart of books I was supposed to shelf. I thought I had everything finished for the day. Here, I'll unlock the front door for you. I need to put them away, or I'll never fall asleep tonight."

"Let me help you. Please?"

Odette bites her lip, the white of her teeth capturing the lush pink of her mouth, and I moan.

"Please," I beg, needing to be near her.

"Yes, you can help me. Thank you."

She gives me a tentative smile that warms me more than the Mexican sun in summer.

"Lead the way."

I back up to give her enough space to turn her chair around and get out from behind the front desk.

She takes me to the back where a cart of books waits.

"You really don't have to help me…but I wouldn't mind the company."

"I know you're as capable as you are beautiful, but I want to help."

"If you're sure."

"Absolutely. Just tell me where to put the books."

Odette directs me easily, and I wonder how she manages to do this all on her own.

It's a lot of work, and I can tell she's tired. How I wish she had someone here to help.

The silence between us is comfortable, but I want to know more about the woman who's stolen my heart.

And she doesn't even know it.

"You said you enjoy puzzles?"

"Mhm."

"What's your favorite kind of puzzle?"

"No one's asked me that before. I love anything that's intricate, especially 3D puzzles. I'm doing the Mayan Calendar right now, but the Taj Mahal might be my favorite. Did you know there's a Hindu temple outside of Chicago that was shipped in pieces and had to be put together like a puzzle?"

"I didn't. That's fascinating."

"I've always wanted to see it…but I don't travel much because of my wheelchair."

"Why not?"

"Not everywhere is accessible."

"I understand. My size makes it quite difficult to do certain things within the human world. It certainly wasn't built for monsters."

"Or individuals with disabilities."

Without thinking about it, I rest my hand over hers.

She gives me another shy smile, threading her fingers through mine, and I marvel at how tiny and delicate she is in comparison.

"So why 3D puzzles?"

"Well, I love how they look, but I need to be mentally stimulated, too. The harder the puzzle, the more intriguing it is for me."

"You don't get frustrated?"

Knowing me, I'd probably throw the thing across the room before finishing it.

"Not really. It gives me something to focus on besides my pain."

Sadness fills me. On the one hand, I'm glad she's found a coping mechanism.

On the other, I hate that she has to feel pain at all.

If I could take it all away, I would.

"What else do you do in your spare time?"

"I…read."

Odette hesitates before admitting this, and I can't help but chuckle.

"I kinda figured you did if you're a librarian. Can I assume you know both French and English fluently?"

"I do. I learned them simultaneously as my father was from Montreal but my mother was from Alberta. She didn't speak French, but mon père spoke English and Quebecois—the French Canadian used here in Quebec."

"That's amazing."

She scrunches her nose, and it's the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

"You're the one who's amazing! How many languages do you speak?"

"Three fluently—Chupacabran, Spanish, and English, but I know a smattering of other languages, some monster, some human."

"You must've seen a lot of neat places in your travels."

"I have, but none as wonderful as Sherbrooke. Here just feels like home. I've even bought some property to build my own house."

"Chente, that's…wow."

"Maybe you would like to visit when it's done?"

"I would love that!"

Her pretty pink lips stretch into a smile, and it's like a siren's call to me.

We need to keep talking so that I'll stop thinking about kissing her again.

"But I might not get to stay."

I blurt it out without thinking and close my eyes at my own stupidity.

"What? Why not?!"

"It's kinda embarrassing. I don't want to say."

"You know you can tell me anything. I would never judge you or think differently about you."

She's giving me an opening, and if I'm serious about this amazing woman being my mate, I need to be honest.

"The truth is…I lied to you, Odette. I can't read."

"At all?"

"No. Chupas rely on oral tradition to pass down our stories. All my past jobs only required me to speak, never read. I've been trying to learn on my own, but I have no idea where to start. I thought if I got books where I can hear the story and see it at the same time, I would pick up on it…but I'm not."

"That's why you wanted to check out the children's section today, isn't it?"

I hang my head, humbled by her candor.

"Yes. If I don't learn to read, I might lose my work visa."

Odette purses her lips. "I can help you learn to read. Will you let me, please?"

"But you're already so busy," I remind her, even as I cling to the idea like a lifeline.

If Odette taught me to read, it would mean we would spend more time together.

Alone.

My thoughts drift to all the things I want to do to this woman alone, and I shake my head.

I'm getting ahead of myself—Odette said she might be interested in more.

But our kiss felt like more than just a union of our lips—it felt like a merging of our souls.

"I'm not too busy for you."

Her sweet admission pierces me through the heart, and I rub my chest.

"Thank you. It truly means the world to me that you would take more time out of your day to help me."

"Would it work out for you to meet me here after I close for the day? We can spend an hour learning, but I won't keep you as I'm sure you'll be hungry and want to eat dinner."

"That sounds…like a dream come true."

Odette blushes.

"Ok. How about we start on Monday? This branch is closed on the weekend, and it'll give me time to gather some materials."

"I can pay you for your time and anything—"

"You don't need to pay me, Chente. I want to do this. Friends help one another."

We finish putting all the books away, and Odette turns off all the lights.

She takes me to a backdoor that I saw her use last night and leads me outside.

There's a distinct chill in the night air, and I worry Odette might be cold.

I help her fold her chair and put it in her car as she gets behind the wheel.

"Do you want a ride home?"

"No, but thank you for the offer. Perhaps another night?"

She nods, and I bite back a smile to see the disappointment on her lovely face.

I hang on her car door, careful not to break it completely free of its hinges.

"Before you go, you said friends help one another…do friends kiss each other good-night?"

"Um, not normally, but friends who wish to be more might kiss good-night."

It's all the encouragement I need to lean down and capture the velvety perfection of her mouth against mine.

My forked tongue dips out to consume what she's offering.

Smell and taste collide together into an explosion of euphoria.

Odette undoes me, and I feel my self-control unraveling, but I can't scare her.

I would never do anything to hurt her. She is my queen, and I want to worship at her feet forever.

When I pull back, she looks dazed, swaying slightly in her seat.

"N-night, Chente," she whispers.

"Until Monday, my sweet Odette."

It takes everything inside of me to not chase after her car as she drives away.

Two whole days without her presence is enough to drive a monster feral, but I must be patient.

I chuckle to myself as I walk home. Whereas most people can't wait for the weekend, I can't wait for the workweek.

Taking out my phone, I make a phone call to a Hodag that owes me.

"Chente! Haven't heard from you in a while. How've you been?"

"I found my mate."

"Congrats, man! That's awesome. I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you. I have a favor to ask."

"Anything."

I smile into the night.

On Monday, the courtship begins.