Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three #1)(19)
Author: Kristen Ashley

“I’m all those… guys.”

“Can we make a deal that I get to pick which one I want?”

He was still smiling when he asked, “And which one would you choose?”

“None of them, in a perfect world.” He chuckled and she talked through it. “But this one, since we don’t live in a perfect world.”

“Lucky for you, you have this one now.”

“Then this one would give me back my phone.”

His smile died. “I’ll not be giving back your phone.”

“Okay then,” she shot back, “I don’t have the slightly tolerable one. I have the jerky, controlling one.”

He disregarded her heated words and said, “There are things you need to learn.”

“Yes, and if I could phone my mother, she would teach me.”

“I’m going to teach you.”

Her mouth snapped shut and she stared before she asked in a soft, stunned voice, “You?”

“Me.”

“Why you?”

It had been a boon she’d been expelled from Vampire Studies even if the reason why annoyed him. She had no idea her role or his limitations. All she knew was the contract which flew straight in the face of the law. Until he knew why the Buchanans sent her to him even after examining the altered contract, she would have nothing to do with them or anyone.

In the meantime, his path was cleared, at least with Leah.

And that was all that was important.

He, obviously, didn’t tell her any of that.

“Because the idea of doing it amuses me.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Leah,” he called and her gaze came to his. “I’ll take your instruction seriously and I expect you to do the same.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s no one to pass notes to here and I don’t have a phone so I can text my friends.”

He reached up a hand and slid his fingers through the soft hair on the side of her head. A mortal man might have missed the delicate shiver that slid across her skin at his touch. And a mortal would definitely miss the sudden racing of her heart.

Lucien didn’t.

This pleased him.

Greatly.

He made no mention of it nor did he give her any indication he felt it.

His eyes locked with hers. “Good, then I’ll have your undivided attention.”

“Can we get started?” she snapped.

“You’re very impatient,” he told her, fighting a smile.

Her eyes darted to his mouth then away while she announced, “I’m a lot of things, none of them good.”

“I’ve noticed you’re a lot of them, pet, but I beg to differ. I think all of them are good.”

She closed her eyes in despair while muttering, “Great.”

He chuckled and slid under her, pulling her over his body until she was mostly on top of him, part of her settled at his side against the back of the lounge. He kept his arms locked around her waist as she came up on a forearm and looked down at him. Her thick hair fell in a curtain around her face, its fragrance enveloping him in an intoxicating mixture of peonies with a hint of grapefruit.

He tamped down the urge to pull her hair and her closer and instead offered, “We’ll start with last night, shall we?”

“Finally,” she breathed and he gave her a gentle but unmistakable squeeze.

“Leah,” he added a verbal warning to his physical one.

She drew in a breath and exhaled loudly.

Then she invited, “Begin, oh Great Master.”

He again fought back a grin. “You’re about to earn another hug.”

“You’re already hugging me.”

He let the feel of her, the vision of her and her divine aroma penetrate.

He lost focus and one of his hands roamed up her spine as he murmured, “Indeed I am.”

“Lucien,” she called. “You were going to impart great vampire wisdom on me?”

He’d rather kiss her. He’d also rather peel away her clothes and taste her skin, her br**sts, the heat between her legs.

He did none of that no matter how much he wanted it.

Instead he told her, “Last night didn’t go as I planned.”

He watched her press her lips together in an effort to bite back her own words.

“You made it get out of hand, pet,” he said quietly and her brows shot up as she reflexively pushed against his chest, again to no avail.

“Me?” she snapped when she’d stopped pushing.

“You,” he returned.

“How was I responsible for last night?”

“You got too excited.”

“Too…” she paused and repeated, “too…” Then she made a strangled noise, unable to continue.

His hand slid further up her back, caught a lock of her hair and he started twisting it around his finger.

“You wanted me,” he murmured and she swallowed.

“Did not,” she whispered her lie.

“You did, I smelled it.”

Her eyes widened and her lips parted. Lucien decided that was his favorite of Leah’s many expressions.

“My senses are far more acute than yours,” he explained.

“I know that.”

“So you know I could smell your excitement.”

Her eyes slid away and she muttered with embarrassment, “I didn’t know that.”

He found he was surprised at her embarrassment, delighted but surprised. Even so, he sought to alleviate it.

“I wanted you too,” he told her softly.

Her eyes slid back fleetingly, he saw pink rise in her cheeks and he heard her heart trip over itself. Then she moved her gaze to study the arm of the lounge.

His arm gave her a squeeze at her waist. “Look at me, pet.”

She hesitated and then did as he commanded.

“Vampires are human,” he informed her and instead of her lips parting, her mouth dropped open and she gaped at him. He continued despite her astonished reaction. “The theory is, we mutated from homo sapiens a long time ago. As the millennia passed, we developed necessary traits, instincts, abilities for our survival and for the survival of the species that would keep us alive.”

She continued to stare at him then whispered, “You’re human?”

“A kind of human, yes, the immortal kind.”

“It’s not dark magic?”

He shook his head and said, “No.”

“Supernatural?”

“No.”

“Paranormal?”

“Leah, I’m just like you, except different.”