Hold Me Closer, Necromancer - Lish McBride [82]
“Something,” Brid mumbled. “Thanks.” Her voice sounded slightly hoarse.
I placed my chin on the top of her head. I rocked her slightly, trying to think of something, anything, more useful.
“Something,” she repeated. Her shaking slowed. “Thought of something.”
I didn’t even get out a full what before Brid spun around and grabbed my chin, pulling my head down and gluing my lips to hers. Despite the force, her lips were somehow gentle, and she tasted a little of beef stew, something I hadn’t found to be particularly erotic until just now. One of her hands slid back into my hair while the other sneaked around my waist, pulling me closer to her. Her hands were soft and hot. I grabbed her waist, the tips of my fingers sliding under the T-shirt, finding the smooth skin at the small of her back.
“Wait.” I pushed back, reaching for air.
“What?” I could hear the tinge of exasperation in her voice.
“Are you—” I stopped. “Is this—” Taking a deep breath and mentally kicking myself, I continued. “I don’t want this to be something you feel pressured into, something you’ll regret later.”
“You said you’d help me. You promised.”
“I know.”
What felt like my T-shirt hit me in the face.
“Good,” she said. “Now take off your pants and shut up.”
I only have so much restraint. I didn’t get undressed as fast as Brid, but I was close.
Brid lay on top of me, naked and sweaty, her head tucked under my chin.
“Thanks,” she said. “I feel much better.”
“Any time. When you feel restless, hungry, bored, a little sleepy. Literally, any time.”
She laughed softly. “I take it you enjoyed yourself, then?”
“Hell yeah. In fact, I plan on recommending werewolf sex to all my friends.”
“So that’s it, huh? You’re going to pawn me off on your pals?”
“No, they’ll have to find their own.” I gave her a squeeze.
“Except for the girls. My mom always told me to share and play nice with girls.”
“Ew,” she said, sliding off me but cuddling up to my side. “I can’t believe you just mentioned your mom.”
“You started it.”
I heard a thumping noise, like somebody had just run into something, and then a mumbled curse came from somewhere outside the cage. I froze, and Brid went rigid beside me.
A young girl’s voice piped out of the darkness. “Son of a bitch! Honestly, who the hell puts furniture in the middle of a room?” Her voice crackled with indignation. “And in a room with no windows. This is turning out to be such a huge pain in my ass—”
She stopped midtirade, and I heard a small clicking noise. A bright ball of light suddenly burst into existence above the head of a young girl. She blinked at the light, apparently satisfied, and then turned her eyes on us. Tiny ebony eyebrows shot up, and her mouth quirked into a wicked little smirk. Gray eyes flicked to the cage and back to us.
“You guys have quite an interesting alternative lifestyle here.” The girl’s manner of speech and facial expressions made her seem older, but she looked ten and innocent, with two soot-black pigtails, freckles, and a black-and-red Catholic schoolgirl uniform. She even wore kneesocks and saddle shoes.
I grabbed my jeans and turned away, trying to pull them on. “Please,” she said, “like I haven’t already had the full tour.” She whistled when she noticed my back. I assume because of my injuries. I mean, my ass just isn’t that spectacular. “Who’s been kicking the crap out of you?”
“Everyone.” I zipped up my pants. I threw my Batman T-shirt at Brid along with my boxers when she made no move on her own to get them. She gave me an amused smile before slipping them on.
“Right,” the girl said, “business.” She whipped out a BlackBerry and began hitting buttons. “Please tell me one of you is Sam LaCroix.”
I raised my hand. “Present.”
“Finally.” She walked up to the bars, pointing an accusing finger in my face. “You are a rather troublesome young man to find.” She hit a few more buttons on the BlackBerry. “I freaking hate nicknames. I tell people, give me the whole name, it’s easier. But nooo.” Her brow furrowed, and she focused her attention back on me.