I stared at him and considered trying all the things I’d been too much of a goody two-shoes to enjoy. My dad would be so proud.
Hayden moved closer. I closed my eyes. I knew they had turned blood red with desire for him. Fervently I hoped if I couldn’t see him, the need to knock him to the ground and strip him would disappear. Maybe if I couldn’t see his beautiful lips and eyes my body could relax.
Nope.
Damn, he smelled good—like soap and wind and summer rain. I opened my eyes to find the object of my desire so close to my lips I got dizzy. His eyes were intense, having changed from green to red. My breathing became erratic. His eyes flashed in delight and the corner of his mouth lifted into the sexiest smirk I’d ever seen. I was a goner.
I had to do or say something fast or I was going to embarrass myself by jumping him and professing my undying love. “Why are you here?” I put my hands on his chest to put at least an imaginary semblance of distance between us. Big mistake. He moaned and his body contracted under my fingertips. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact. Quickly I removed my hands.
Hayden took a huge breath. “I’m here because I needed to see you.” He was so close I could taste his breath and it tasted good. I knew how perfect his lips felt on mine and it was Hell not to feel it again. “I was going to go slow with you and do every single thing right with you.”
A shiver of delight ripped through my body and landed low in my stomach at his words. “Why?”
“I’m older than you think I am, Dixie,” he said.
He was being a little too vague.
“How old?”
“Old enough.” He grinned and my tummy flipped. “Old enough to know exactly what I want.” He looked at me pointedly.
“You want me?” I asked shakily.
“I more than want you, Dixie. You’re my soul mate,” he whispered into my mouth.
Now I was definitely going to pass out. Demons rarely mated for life. Mostly because we have really loooong lives and are simply too untrustworthy and promiscuous. Many of my sisters have been mated more times than I could count. Of course it wasn't called marriage in Hell. Marriage was a sacrament sanctioned by Uncle God. In Hell we called it Bonding and Dissolving. Every so often Demons found their soul mate, but that was rare and most think it to be myth.
“I’m not ready. . .” I was getting panicked.
“I know,” Hayden said, placing his hands on either side of my face which forced me to look at him. “I know,” he repeated. His frustration and need pierced me and unsettled me. “I need you to know how I feel. I’ve been waiting for you for so long and now you’re leaving. I didn’t expect you to be deported so soon. I thought I had more time.”
He stared at me with a desire and intensity that made me feel more alive than I’d ever felt. “What do you want from me?” I asked. My voice sounded small and so far away to my ears.
“Everything. I want everything from you. . .but I’ll wait.” His hand caressed my face and I leaned into his touch. “Dixie?”
“Yes?” I raised my eyes to his.
“I need you to promise me something.”
In this moment I would have promised him anything he asked of me. I nodded.
“When you are ready, it will be me. No one else. It has to be me. Do you promise?”
I stared into the eyes of the beautiful Demon who wanted me to be his, but before I would promise he needed to up the ante even higher. “Will you love me?” I asked.
His eyes turned a deeper red than I thought possible. “Oh yes, beautiful girl, more than anyone else ever has or ever will.”
He pressed his hand to the small of my back and trapped me against his body. I couldn’t get away if I wanted to. I didn’t want to. Reaching up I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and threaded my hands into his hair. It was soft and silky. I cupped the back of his head and tentatively pulled his mouth toward mine. He teased my lips with the tip of his tongue. I could hear my heart thundering in my ears. He ran his tongue across my lower lip and my knees buckled. I grasped his shoulders as he pulled me tighter against him.
He gently parted my lips with his tongue, sending shock waves through me. He took his slow sweet time. These were different than the kisses from our date. A warm heat suffused my body. I had no idea kissing could be this amazing. He tasted so good. I melted against him. . .into him. As the kiss deepened, I clung to his shoulders and gave back as good as I got. My tongue tangled with his and I had an out of body experience. I was amazed at how my body and lips knew just what to do. I had to stop.
Before I could push him away he stepped back. As much as I knew we had to stop, I was devastated that he pulled away first. My heart was beating like a rapid fire machine gun in my chest.