“So you’ve decided what you’re gonna ask in return?”
She licked her lips, knowing her entire being was going to revolt at her reply. “I’m not asking for anything in return. You’re here to save your pack, and that’s kinda beautiful to me. We’re not like that. Succubi, I mean. My aunt Portia is, but she’s an anomaly, and usually, her motives are a little bit more mysterious.”
“Wow, I don’t know what to say.”
“Hold on, now.” Ruby needed to figure out what to do with her life, and she couldn’t do that if Portia were always lurking. “You’re still gonna have to pretend to be into me,” she said. “Or else Portia will try and work her usual tricks to get her way.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, it means spending some time together. Maybe the occasional kiss or hand holding. Do you think that you can deal with that?”
“Sure. Yes.”
She frowned. “You didn’t give yourself much time to consider there.”
“Not much to consider. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing here. I don’t know anything about other paranormal creatures, just shifters. If we gotta play a couple for me to get some good intel, I’m not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“Okay, then. So. It’s settled. We’re an item with the sole purpose of keeping Portia at bay.”
“Yup.”
“We should kiss on it.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized what she had said. She tried to backtrack and take it back, but Portia was still lurking in the shadows of the trees.
Then there was Ethan.
The man didn’t hesitate. She asked to kiss on it, and he complied. He lowered his head once again and pressed his lips to hers.
When the fireworks exploded as soon as they made contact, she was ready for it this time. She gripped the front of his shirt and pulled herself up to get better access to his hot mouth.
Ethan’s tongue drew along the seam of her mouth, seeking entrance. She parted her lips just enough to let his tongue dip in and out. His hands gripped her waist, but he didn’t keep them there for long. He dropped them down to her ass and squeezed the handful.
Okay, so it was more than a handful. Ruby had curves, and apparently, Ethan was totally fine with exploring them.
I am in so much trouble.
SEVEN
RUBY
Ruby lay in the bed, looking up at the ceiling, trying very hardnotto think about a certain pair of blue eyes and a mouth that was made to be kissed.
It was impossible, of course.
No matter what position she tried to settle in, Ruby kept on imagining Ethan lying next to her. Two kisses from the wolf shifter, and her brain was completely addled. Scrambled by the wolf.
It was no good. Oh, sure, Portia would be all for it. She would no doubt encourage her to go for it, but there was the obvious truth that she and Ethan wouldn’t last. There was a built-in end because of what she was.
This was precisely what she had to figure out now that she knew the only way she could leave the succubus life behind.
Yup. She and Ethan couldn’t be together for the long run.
Not that Ruby wanted that with a man she barely knew.
But her dreams of being a mother had gone up in absolute smoke as soon as she learned the truth. Couldn’t she console herself in Ethan’s arms?
Resigned not to spend her hard-earned holiday feeling bad for herself, Ruby got out of bed, took a shower, taking her sweet ass time washing her hair. The long and thick strands took a lot of hard work to brush and style, but today she was taking the time for herself.
Not because she had to get a soul to Lucifer. Not because a mark was waiting for her.