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I slidwhen he lifted his head I started to protest, but he was kissing his way down an, down the little buttons shaped like flowers, and lower still, until I couldn’t keep ahold of his head Or really keep track of where he was heading

Daeed one off, pitching it over his shoulder It bounced off the ith a soft thud "What are these led "No They’re faux sheepskin"

"They’re so soft" He got the other one off and that too hit the wall My socks were next He kissed the top of , he lifted his head "Love the tights, by the way"

"Yeah?" My gaze fixed on the ceiling, but I really wasn’t seeing a da Not when his hands moved up my calves "Is it…because they’re red?"

"That" I felt his cheek on my knee, and my hands fluttered to the bed "And because they’re so thin And hot, but you already know that"

Hot? I felt hot His hands traveled upthe h that ainto ile almost nonexistent barrier between his skin and htest was like a thousand volts of electricity

"Kitten…"

"H sure you’re still with ht above "

Like sleep was possible Ever

His eyes flared "You knohat Give me two minutes That’s all I need"

"Whatever," I said "What are you going to do with the leftover eighteen h, but his fingers found the band along the top of led at

"Got it," heso further than they had before I was nervous, but I didn’t want to stop I was too curious, and I trusted hi his hands fro, wasn’t capable of forht There was just him and the crazy rush of sensations he pulled forth, drew fro some kind of masterpiece Then I wasn’t even me anymore, becausepulled down and then released, I was floating and there was a soft whitish glow slipping over the walls that wasn’t co off Daemon

When I came back down, Daemon’s eyes were brilliant diae, because he awedup "I’ve only seen you do that once"

I knew the night, but I didn’t want to think about that right noas happy where I was floating It was good--great, even, and I really couldn’t talk My brain was mush I had no idea that could be like that Heck, I was shocked it even happened I felt like I needed to say thank you or soave ance, like he knew he’d scrame softly, deeply

"Wasn’t even two minutes," he said "Told you"

My heart was soht"

"Always"

Chapter 17

Sometime later, I tried to stretch and when I spoke, ainst his chest "I can’t h le"

"I really should head next door soon" I yawned, not wanting to leave I was so relaxed I couldn’t feel my toes "Mom will be home soon"

"Do you have to leave now?"

I shook my head We had maybe an hour I wanted to make her dinner, so another thirty or forty er on my chin and lifted it "What?" I asked

His eyes searched mine "I wanted to talk before you leave"

Anxiety blossomed low "About what?"

"Sunday," he said, and ot us into this, but you know you didn’t, right?"

"Dae "We are at this point because of the decisions I--"

"We," he corrected gently "Decisions we made"

"If I hadn’t trained with Blake and had listened to you, ouldn’t be here Adauts Will wouldn’t be running around doing God knohat" I squeezed et my drift"

"And if you hadn’t made any of those decisions, ouldn’t have Dawson back It was kind of a stupid-shed drily "There’s that"

"You can’t carry this guilt with you, Kat" The bed moved as he rose up on one elbow "You’ll end up like me"

I peeked at him "What? An extremely tall and douchey alien?"

He smiled "The jerky part, yes I blaedhappened Don’t do that to yourself"

Harder said than done, but I nodded Last thing I wanted was for Daemon to worry about the possibility of et to what I kneanted "You don’t wantSunday"

Daemon took a deep breath "Hear me out, okay?" When I nodded, he continued "I know you want to help, and I know you can I’ve seen what you’re capable of You can be pretty scary when ht wryly