Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three #1)(21)
Author: Kristen Ashley

“You can get changed into your nightgown, get into bed and read.”

“That sounds doable.”

“I’ll be joining you.”

“Next,” she demanded immediately.

“Last, you can begin your next lesson.”

“And that would be?”

“I’ll be teaching you how I like to be kissed.”

Her face paled and her body froze.

After a long moment, she whispered, “I’ll pick door number two.”

He lost his annoyance and his impatience instantly for that was his choice. Although his choice was actually number three but he knew she wasn’t ready for that yet.

His fingers unclenched in her hair and his hand cupped the back of her head, bringing her face closer to his.

“I said I picked door number two, Lucien,” she breathed, pushing her head against his hand.

He pressed her ever forward until her mouth was a breath away from his.

“Get changed. I need food, a word with Edwina and I’ll meet you in bed.”

“Righty ho, oh Great Master.”

At her words, Lucien changed his mind and decided her next lesson would be right now. And that lesson would be that you always respect a vampire.

He brought her head forward a breath so her lips were light on his.

“This is your only warning, pet. If you call me ‘oh Great Master’ again, I’ll be forced to punish you.”

She held his gaze defiantly, her mouth soft against his, her head pressing against his hand.

Seconds slid by.

Then, Lucien was disheartened to see, she stopped her struggles and he watched her eyelids slowly drop in defeat.

A scant second later, her lids lifted, her eyes flared and she whispered passionately against his mouth, “God, I hate you.”

He smiled against her lips.

Yes, he was right, she was utterly enchanting.

Chapter Six

The Kiss

My eyes opened to a wall of sleek skin over the hard muscle of a massive chest.

I stared at it, confused.

Justin had chest hair. Did he shave his chest?

And was he working out, like, a lot?

Then I remembered that this wasn’t Justin. Justin was long gone. Four months gone.

This was Lucien.

Lucien who had left me last night to get food and have a word with Edwina. Lucien who had come back half an hour later carrying an expensive looking, black leather bag that appeared full. Lucien who had disappeared into the bathroom and come out ten minutes later wearing nothing but a pair of black, drawstring pajama bottoms, giving me the first-ever view of his bulging biceps, sinewy forearms, broad shoulders, defined collarbone and honed chest which narrowed into a six pack.

No kidding, he was perfect from the top of his head to his waist. Every inch.

I quit breathing and tried not to drool.

He totally sensed my reaction. I knew this because his eyes went hooded and he grinned.

My first reaction was to pant when his eyes went all vampire sexy like that.

My second reaction was vastly different. I resisted (barely) the urge to throw my book at him.

He got in bed beside me. I ignored him, turning my back to him and concentrating on my book, one page of which I read fifteen times before it sunk in.

I didn’t know what Lucien did. I didn’t look. I think he read because I heard pages turning. He didn’t touch me though and finally I turned out my light and tried to sleep.

He didn’t. He kept doing whatever it was he was doing for a good long while keeping his light on.

Eventually this forced me to ask irritably, “Are you ever going to turn out your light?”

“In a minute, my pet.”

God, I hated it when he called me his “pet”. It was way too close to the bone.

“I can’t get to sleep with the light on,” I informed him waspishly, still with my back to him, speaking to the opposite wall.

“You’ll learn,” he replied casually.

I clamped my mouth shut. Then I lay there and seethed. Lucien took his time which I thought was incredibly inconsiderate. Finally, he turned out his light.

I began to force myself to relax.

This effort was immediately rendered futile when he pulled me into him, the length of my back pressed to the length of his front and his arm tight around me.

“I’m not a cuddler,” I shared.

“You’ll learn that too,” he returned.

What a jerk!

“Lucien –” I started.

He cut me off. “Quiet, Leah, I’m tired.”

He said this like he expected me to obey without question. Which I supposed he did. And worse, I had pretty much no choice but to do so.

“My life sucks,” I announced into the dark.

He chuckled into the hair at the back of my head.

I didn’t know when he fell asleep. I didn’t even know when I did. I just knew I did because now I was facing him, staring at his glorious chest.

I had to get out of there.

My body tensed for flight. The instant it did, his hand came up, grasped a handful of hair and tugged it down, forcing my head back. I looked up into his still-drowsy face and caught my breath.

I hated him but there was no denying he was gorgeous, especially in the morning with that still-drowsy face.

His head was tilting toward me and before I could process the meaning behind his movement, his mouth was on mine.

This surprised me. Not that he would kiss me because the detail to my job description was pretty freaking clear.

No, what surprised me was that the kiss was soft, gentle, exploratory, not hard, demanding and invasive.

I was so surprised I didn’t even think to pull free.

His lips moved on mine in sensual discovery, his head slanting ever so slightly to press deeper. It was nice, stirring me but not frightening me.

I felt him then, the heat from his body, the soft skin over strong muscle of his chest under my hands. That was nice too.

His hand at my hip slid to the small of my back, just above my bottom and it pressed in.

More heat, more hardness, more pressure on my mouth, all of it controlled but delicious. Without a thought I helped, wriggling to get closer, liking what I was feeling.

His mouth opened over mine and, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, mine opened under his.

His tongue slid inside.

In a flash all gentle exploration was gone. The minute his tongue touched mine, my body exploded. My stomach dropped, my toes curled, my ni**les hardened and I felt a wave of fire rush between my legs.

It was fantastic.

Helpless to stop myself and not even trying, I pressed into him full body, trying to get as close as I could. Even though I was lying down, both of my hands slid up his chest and held onto his shoulders tightly like if I didn’t, I would fall.