Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“They may be right, but the TET link seems to be a pretty close second,” Torus said thoughtfully. “It lets us hear each other’s thoughts and feel each other’s emotions. And since neither of us has ever experienced a Soul Bond before, we wouldn’t even know if we were missing anything—which I don’t think we are,” he added.
Molly looked up at him uncertainly.
“What are you saying? Do you want to stay together after the court case is over? Even though we can’t Bond?”
“Bonding isn’t everything,” Torus told her. “I used to believe I could never be with a human female because you’re all so small and fragile—and I was convinced that I would never fit with one.”
“Well, you were right about that,” she pointed out.
“But that doesn’t matter to me now,” Torus went on earnestly. “Because of you, Molly—you’re the one I want. I know our sizes are mismatched, but our souls fit together perfectly. So yes, I want to stay together even after the case is finished.”
“But…that would mean you’d never get to have sex again!” Molly protested.
Torus frowned.
“What do you call what we’ve just been doing, sweetheart?”
“That’s not what I mean—you know what I mean,” she exclaimed. “You can’t fit, er, inside me, Torus. And I just don’t think it’s fair to ask you to give that up forever.”
“I’m not giving anything up,” he said, frowning. “Your pleasure is my pleasure, little bird—I come every time you do. When I feel your orgasm through the TET link it’s so strong I can’t help myself.”
“You mean…?” She raised her eyebrows delicately and nodded down at the end of the bed, where he had been kneeling as he tasted her.
“Mmm-hmm, afraid so.” Torus made a face. “I’m going to need to run this bedcovering through the cleaner later on.”
“Wow…” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll stay with me, sweetheart. Even after all this is over,” Torus murmured. Stroking her cheek, he looked down into her eyes. “I want to be with you, Molly—even if we can’t fit together the regular way. None of that matters to me—what matters is you.”
She nibbled her lower lip—a habit she had when she was nervous or uncertain about something, he’d noticed.
“I want to say yes, but I’m not sure I should,” she confessed at last. “I don’t know of any human guy who would be willing to be with a woman he couldn’t, er, fit with.”
“Human males are worthless—I thought we established that,” Torus said and the growl was back in his voice.
“Not all of them,” Molly protested.
Torus thought of the cowardly bodyguard who had known that Molly was being abused and did nothing. And even worse, her ex-Mate who had hurt her again and again and kept on hurting her emotionally even after she was out of his reach physically.
“I have yet to meet one who proves me wrong in my opinion,” he said coldly. “Anyway, I don’t care what a human male would want. I am a Kindred male and I want you.”
“Let me think about it, okay?” Molly asked softly. “It’s a big step to take.”
“No, it’s not—we’re already Joined,” Torus pointed out. “All you have to do is stay with me.” He stroked her cheek. “Stay with me and love me and let me love you, sweetheart.”
Her hazel eyes grew wide and he heard her thinking,
“I can’t believe he used the L word!”
“Why—is that a dirty word?” he sent back through the TET link.
“No, it’s just…a lot of human guys wouldn’t say it because they’re scared of commitment,” Molly sent. She still sounded stunned.
“Again, I’m not human—I’m Kindred. And I don’t fear committing to you,” Torus told her firmly.
And he pulled her closer, cradling her close to his chest and hoping his Bonding Scent would work on her. Now that he had admitted how he felt for the little human, there was no going back for him. He didn’t care if they couldn’t truly Bond—the TET link was good enough for him. It allowed him to hear his Mate’s thoughts and feel her emotions—he didn’t think he was missing anything by not having a Soul Bond with her.
As for the two of them not being able to make love the traditional way, that didn’t bother him either. In fact, he would be perfectly happy just tasting her until both of them came forever. The TET link provided such an intense pleasure loop it was like nothing else he’d ever experienced—not to mention the fact that he was already addicted to her scent and flavor. She was delicious and he wished he could taste her again right now…
“Do you really mean that?” Molly asked in a low voice. “You want to, uh, taste me again?”
“Oh, did you catch that? Sorry, sweetheart.” He leaned down to kiss her softly on the mouth. “But yes, I would love to taste you again—if you’ll let me.”