Jax rolls out of the bed carefully to avoid making any abrupt movements on the bed. He picks up his boxer and pants from the floor and begins to get dressed, but his eyes never leave the bed, where Samantha sleeps quietly, lying on her stomach, the sheets covering her naked body from the waist down. He smiles softly marveling at the view before him, then sighs. He’d rather stay and cuddle with her, relishing the rich spicy scent of her caramel skin all night, but he needs to check out the Shadow Den every three hours to make sure everything is alright.
He’s about to put on his boots and jacket when he hears a low grunt. Samantha flinches, grimacing and whining. “No, please,” she grumbles between incoherent noises she’s making on her sleep. He rushes to her side, laying on the bed and wraps her in his arms, one of his hands stroking her back gently, kissing her forehead.
Her whole body shudders for a moment and he soothes her. “Shh… it’s okay. I’m here.” Samantha begins to relax and she slowly returns the embrace, blinking a few times before waking up. As she opens her eyes, a sweet smile spreads across his face. “Hey,” he murmurs, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She cups his face with one hand and kisses him. His eyes open wide, but he gradually responds, parting his lips to give her full access to his mouth as his tongue caresses her bottom lip. They stay tangled to each other for a bit longer before pulling away.
“Hey,” she whispers against his lips.
“Do you always greet people with kisses like that when you wake up?” he smirks.
“Just the cute rebel vampires who like saving me,” she says, nuzzling his bare chest.
“What did I save you from this time?”
“Ferals…” she looks away, shifting on the bed uneasy. “I was at the ball again, trying to hide in the kitchen when the host of the party knocked on the door. When I opened it to let him in, two ferals attacked him. Lily closed the door, but I could still see being drained out and his body was left in the floor like it was nothing.”
He frowns and holds her protective on his chest. “That must’ve been hard for you to witness. No wonder you are still dreaming about it.”
“I thought it was happening again. But this time, it was different.”
“How so?”
“I felt safer because you were there.”
“Me?” Jax furrowed his brows.
“Yes. And you dressed the part, in a nineteenth-century outfit and all,” she smiled. “You were there, you danced with me before the attack, and when it happened, I felt your hands on me, holding me close, protecting me. You kissed my forehead and said it would be okay. That was when I woke up and you were here.”
Jax smiles shyly. “Sounds quite accurate to me. I would have saved from an attack of ferals. Though I think your mind took the liberty to add some unrealistic details. No way I’d dress like that. I may be old school, but nineteenth-century clothes is a bit of a stretch to me. I still prefer the clothes I used to wear in the 50s.”
“Because it included leather jackets?”
“Exactly.”
“Did it also include lots of hair gel and a quiff?”
“Don’t push it, Samantha.”
She giggles. “I do love your rogue vampire clothes, but you’d look dapper in a Victorian attire too.”
“Unless it becomes a fantasy of yours, I think I’ll pass,” he scoffs, making her laugh.
“I’ll hold you to that,” she grins, snuggling with him. “Hey, were you about to leave the room?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Because you didn’t have pants before I fell asleep.”
“Well, I was going to do my rounds here to ensure everyone’s safety.”
“So you basically save everyone all the time?”
“I try. But don’t worry. Even though your tendency to get in trouble annoys me, you’re still my favorite person to save.”
“Mmm…” Samantha shifts on the bed, entwining her legs with his. “Maybe I just want to keep you on your toes,” her fingertips roam down his torso, tracing the lines of his abdomen and she plays with the waistband of his pants, watching a bulge growing underneath it. “Have you thought about that?”
“Sam…” he groans, pulling her closer, his eyes hungrily gazing her caramel skin. Her pet name melodiously comes out of his lips, building a heat over her body.
“Do you still have to leave the room right now?” she purrs, planting a slow kiss below his ear.
“Unless I hear any screams or things falling on the ground, I’m sure everyone is safe for at least half hour,” his hands travel down her back, cupping her derriere.
“What if I want more than that?” She whispers, her lips almost touching his. “Would you leave your favorite person to save unattended? You never know how many troubles I can easily put myself into while you’re gone.”
He flips her over, holding her wrists over her head and pinning her on the bed. “You have a thing for complicated situations, don’t you?” His voice gets lower as his eyes go from deep brown to bloody red.
“Haven’t you heard? I’m a troublemaker,” she says, tilting her head up to kiss him, tugging his bottom lip with her teeth. He lets out a grunt. “Can I take control this time?”
He raises an eyebrow then release her wrists and turn her over, so she’s on top of him. “By all means, Samantha, show me what you’ve got.”
She dips down and hovers him, her lips just a few inches from his. “Gladly.”
