I didn’t need him to claim me to feel that way about him—I already did. I once again pressed my mouth to his.
Trent wrapped one arm around my back, and his free hand tangled in my hair, holding me to him as he deepened the kiss, skyrocketing the desire in me. Without breaking the kiss, I pushed firmly against his chest until his back hit the headboard.
I’d never been ready to go all the way with a guy before, and I wasn’t now, either, but I was close. The more time I spent with him, the more of myself I wanted to give him. But the idea of being that close to him was terrifying.
Not to mention, I still hadn’t told him my secret, and I couldn’t be with him so intimately when I was withholding the truth about something so life-changing.
“Trent?” I nipped at his jaw, and he groaned, the sound of approval spurring me on.
“Yeah?” His voice was strangled.
“If I asked you to claim me, would you?” I moved to kiss his neck.
He titled his head, his breath coming in shorter bursts. “You already know the answer to that.”
“Even knowing I can never change?”
Trent whipped me around so I was flat on my back, and I yelped with surprise. Dizziness swirled around me, and I had to blink several times to get my bearings.
“You need to stop doing that,” I said, only mildly annoyed.
“What’s with all the questions, Chloe?”
I shrugged, which was awkward considering my position.
“If you want me to claim you, all you have to do is ask.” His smile was pure seduction and possibly the hottest thing I had ever seen.
He lowered his head and captured my lips in a much too short kiss. He’d told me once that he craved me, and I finally understood what he meant, because despite having him right here with me, I couldn’t get enough.
Trent kissed my neck, and my pulse raced beneath his lips—I was powerless to stop it, and I didn’t really want to. I wanted him to know I was both terrified and excited at the same time, how his very presence brought me to life in a way I’d never dreamed possible.
“I’m not sure I’m ready for what that entails,” I said.
He eased back just enough to peer down at me, his gaze sympathetic. Brushing the hair from my forehead, he whispered, “I love you, Chloe.”
“I love you, too.” I tried to sound as sure as he did, but my voice chose that moment to give out, leaving me to sound raspy.
“And whenever you’re ready, I’ll claim you, but not a moment sooner. Promise.”
I shifted beneath him to get more comfortable. “For what it’s worth, there’s never going to be anyone for me but you, either. I’m just not ready to go all the way.”
He smiled. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. When or if you’re ever ready, I know you’ll tell me.”
I wished I was ready, because in the dark of the room, wrapped up in our little bubble, things were so clear to me—Trent was my future. Regardless of what happened with the Rose Coven or the curse or my family, Trent was the one thing that I could always count on. He was my constant, and he held all of me. Body, heart, and soul.
And I was his. Forever.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:
Date Night
“CHLOE! COME DOWNSTAIRS,” TRENT CALLED.
Why was he calling me to come downstairs? We’d spent all day down there hanging out with Jax and the twins. Trent was supposed to be coming up to bed.
With a sigh, I kicked the blankets off and headed to the living room. Dozens of candles were spread across every surface, the flames flickering and casting hypnotic shadows across the walls.
I slowly entered the room, my gaze wandering in every possible direction. A tray of cheese, pepperoni, crackers, and fresh fruits sat atop the coffee table.
“What’s this?” I asked, mesmerized.
“Date night,” he said proudly.
“Date night?”
He nodded. “I got rid of everyone for the evening so we could have some privacy.” Trent held his hand out to me, and I took it. He guided me toward the couch. “Sorry I can’t take you out on a real date, but it’s not safe.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled. “This is perfect.”
And so incredibly thoughtful. My heart swelled. I could imagine a lifetime of this with him—date nights, movie nights curled up on the couch together, laughter, whispered declarations of love.
He grinned, sat, and then pulled me down next to him. “So, what do you want to do? We can play video games or watch a movie.”
“Let’s just talk.” I tucked my feet under me and snuggled up next to him.
Wrapping his arm around me, he pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”
“Everything.”
I really didn’t know much about him, and I wanted to know everything. I needed to know everything so I could decide if my future with him would be on death’s deadline.
“Jax told me he went to culinary school. Did you ever go to college?” I asked.
“I did.” He nodded.
I waited for him to say more, but he was silent. “What did you go for?” I asked, hoping he’d start to give me better answers than one or two words.
“Everything.” He propped his feet on the corner of the coffee table, away from all the food. “I’d been a vampire for a couple of decades by that point, and the boredom was setting in. I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I went to college and took every class they’d let me take.”
“That sounds… fun.” I scrunched up my face.
Trent chuckled. “I figured why not learn everything I could, y’know? It wasn’t like I was on a time
