Page 22 of Midnight Masquerade

As soon as she falls limp against me, I wrap my arms around her, holding her close as we both tremble and gasp. She tucks her face into the crook of my neck, her hot breath pelting my skin.

I press my lips to her hair, breathing in her sweet scent.

"Drake?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"This was way better than finding bodies in your basement," she breathes against my ear.

And I fucking smile like a crazy person. I'm in love with her. God help me, but it's fucking true. Somehow, some way, I've fallen head over fucking heels for every wild piece of her.

"I'm not letting you go until you're in love with me," I rasp.

She lifts her head, her cinnamon eyes wide. "What?" she whispers.

I brush my knuckles over her flushed cheek, my heart in my throat. "I'm keeping you right here in this bed until you're in love with me, unicorn."

She stares at me for a long, silent moment. Part of me expects her to freak the fuck out on me. Call it instinct or intuition, but something tells me that love scares the shit out of her. She's alone because she runs from the possibility of it, not because she's hidden herself away like I have.

But Madeline is as unexpected as she is perfect. And as brave as she is gorgeous. She doesn't freak the fuck out.

She swallows audibly, her wide eyes locked on mine. "What…" She licks her lips. "What if I'm bad at it, Drake? What if we're bad at it? We could be, you know."

"You aren't bad at love, unicorn." I cup her cheek, holding her tightly. "You're afraid of it because you've seen it wielded as a weapon. But you were made to love and be loved. I'm going to prove it to you."

She exhales a shaking breath, resting her head against my shoulder. "I think you already are."

"Good." I smile, tipping her over backward with my hand cradling her head. I crawl over her, smirking. "Because Halloween isn't over yet. And I'm not leaving this perfect body until the sun comes up, baby."

"Stay on your side of the bed, Drake Whitlock!" Madeline cries, throwing a pillow at me. "I mean it!"

I chuckle, grabbing her around the waist to haul her across the bed toward me. She squeals, but she doesn't fight to get away. Not even when I pin her beneath me, kissing her senseless.

"I'm on my side of the bed, pretty unicorn," I breathe against her lips.

"My vagina is out of service, Drake. It hung up aDo Not Disturbsign and everything," she whispers, pouting.

"Poor baby. Do I need to kiss it better?"

"Yes. No! I mean, no!"

My body shakes with laughter. Fuck. She's perfect in every way. But she's right. I've already fucked her three times. She needs a break and some sleep. If I'm too greedy, I won't be able to fuck her again tomorrow.

That's unacceptable.

"You're the horniest virgin I've ever met," she grumbles, jabbing me with an elbow.

"Every virgin is horny, unicorn. It's our permanent fucking state of existence." I brush her hair away from her face, kissing the corner of her mouth. "And it's not my fault you have a soft little body and a hot little cunt that keeps begging me to fuck it again."

"Don't blame me because you…" She breaks off, yawning.

"Tired, baby?"

"Um, yes." She looks at me like I'm crazy. "You wore me out."

I chuckle again, tucking her up against me. "Then let me just slip the tip in, and we'll go to sleep."

"Slip the…" She stares at me with wide eyes.