Antoine's lips ticked up on one side before turning his attention to Darren. "Marcus was looking particularly unhappy with the plan. Have Wynn go speak with him."
I couldn't tell if he was asking or telling, but either way, Darren inclined his head and gave me one final look before heading out the door, leaving me alone with Antoine. Great.
"Uh, so..." I trailed off, clucking my tongue and snapping my fingers, trying to quell the nerves inside of me that came from being so near him. I didn't know how I was going to sleep tonight. "Darren said something about not knowing anything about vampires. That this," I gestured at the skimpy dress, "wouldn't be taunting Valentine into, you know, biting me."
Antoine strolled around the bed to where I stood, his eyes moving up and down my form. God, I wished the bond went the other way around so I could feel what he was feeling. I was sure he knew how rattled my nerves were. He stopped before me and reached a single, long fingered hand out to trace the line of the tulle at my neck, then down between my chest where the material split, before meeting the fabric at my waistline. Wherever his finger touched me burned, and I didn't know if I wanted him to stop or keep going.
"It's not a taunt," he finally answered, snapping me out of the trance I was in.
"What?"
"The dress. It's not a taunt." Antoine dropped his hand and met my eyes. "It's a declaration."
"Of what? ‘Cause it sure feels like you guys just like to see what you can get me to dress up in." My eyes narrowed into slits. "Do you guys take bets? See who can get me to wear the most outrageous thing? ‘Cause I'm telling you, if that's the case, someone's going to—"
"It's not." Antoine cut me off with a small smile that made my insides all gooey. "Think of it as a big fuck you to Valentine."
I snort laughed, my hand going up to my mouth to hide it. "Oh, is that right? So, you're pretty much doing the nana, nana, nana thing, huh?"
Antoine made a sound in the back of his throat. "Basically."
I hummed and laced my fingers in front of me, glancing down at the ground as awkwardness set in. This was the longest conversation we'd had since Antoine and I had sex. I was surprised he hadn't run away the moment he stepped out of the bathroom. But for once, Antoine wasn't leaving. He was standing there across from me looking as scrumptious and arrogant as ever, and I had nothing to say to him.
"You know," I began, finally finding my voice, clearing it as he met my gaze with those captivating icy blue orbs. "I should be mad at you. I still am," I added, as his lips twitched. "But in light of everything else going on, I guess I can put my anger on the back burner." Antoine started to say something, but I kept going. "For now."
Antoine watched me for a moment before taking a step closer to me. "I don't blame you, Piper, for being vexed with me." His eyes searched my face and trailed down my neck, lingering where he bit me. The nerves pulsed there as if craving his bite once more.
I resisted the urge to cover the bite mark with my hand.
"I am trying to do what's right," Antoine continued, his voice low as he seemed remarkably closer than before. My chest brushed against his jacket making my nipples pebble beneath the thin fabric.
"And leaving me to feel like a used piece of garbage was your go-to action?" I snapped, trying to cover my growing need with anger. "Because if that was your goal, you achieved it."
Antoine sighed and lowered his head slightly. "I cannot apologize more for my actions. I thought by pushing you away I was helping you. Helping the household. But..." He paused and lifted his head, his nose inches from mine. "Certain parties have made me aware of my bad judgment."
"You mean Darren ripped you a new one," I countered with a haughty glare that did nothing to cover up the quickening of my breath.
Those gorgeous lips twitched again. "Yes, well, I give as good as I get." Those words sounded far naughtier than they were probably supposed to, but it didn't keep my body from responding to them.
Antoine inhaled deeply and I flushed, knowing he could smell my reaction to him. Neither of us moved, our eyes locked in a never-ending stare off. I wasn't sure which one of us moved— and at the moment I didn't very well care—I just knew that Antoine's hands were on me and he tasted even better than when we first kissed. I chalked it up to my enhanced senses and wondered gleefully what else would be even more intense.
My thighs hit the mattress in a matter of seconds. A low stuttering gasp escaped from my throat as Antoine's mouth covered my nipple through the sheer fabric. Suddenly, I was thankful for the obscenity of the dress and hoped Antoine would rip it to shreds any second.
Shifting on top of me, Antoine settled between my thighs, pushing the strips of fabric away so that the tiny skirt rode up my legs, exposing my damp panties to the air. Long fingers found my folds beneath my panties and they thrust into me at the same pace as his tongue captured my mouth. My fingers curled into his hair, tugging him closer, and my legs wrapped around his waist, not able to get enough of him. Never being close enough. I grunted and gasped against his mouth with every move of his fingers and begged for more.
Tired of the foreplay, I reached down between us and grabbed the hardened length beneath his slack. Antoine released my mouth with a growl, his head arching back as he thrust into my hand. When I finally released him from his pants, and he was hot and heavy in my grasp, Antoine barred his fangs at me.
A small surprised cry came from my mouth, but he didn't try to bite me. Instead, he reached between us and guided himself to my opening. Our eyes locked as he slid home. Holding one of my legs up higher on his waist, he went deeper and harder than before. My eyes closed on their own as I gasped and writhed. I found myself going higher and higher as every nerve ending shot off in a sporadic symphony. When I was close to the edge, Antoine angled my head to the side. My eyes snapped open and there was a question in Antoine's gaze. One that only took me a fraction of a second to answer before I was tilting my head further for him.
This time, when Antoine's fangs pierced my skin, there was hardly any pain. There was a sharpness that only made the feel of him inside me even more sweet and I arched into it, wanting it harder, deeper. Antoine growled against my neck, his throat constricting under my hand where my fingers tangled on his nape. Each suck of my blood matched the movement of his hips, and that cliff I'd been dangling on dropped me like a sack of potatoes. My orgasm hit me hard and someone was screaming. It wasn't until I finally remembered how to breathe again that I realized the person screaming was me.