Page 46 of Blood Lovers

“Yeah. You know. When you’re a kid and you’re playing tag, or whatever. And you have a base. A safe zone.”

I look over at the bed. It’s not made, but the sheets really are clean. Then I look back at her. “Yep. That’s what it is. The safe zone.”

“OK. So here’s how we’re going to handle this whole sex thing.”

I have to cover my mouth to hide my grin.

“Are you paying attention?”

“It is undivided.”

“I’m not taking my clothes off.”

“It might be hard to have sex if you won’t do that.”

That eyebrow shoots up again. “You’ve never had sex with your clothes on?”

I think back, searching for a time, then shrug. “Nope.”

“You’ve never had alley sex?”

“Alley sex? Like, outside a club or something?”

“Exactly.”

“No.”

“Wow. Really?”

“But you’ve had alley sex?”

“No. I’m a prude. That’s why I’m keeping my clothes on.”

I guffaw. “So… why are you asking me about alley sex?”

“Because that’s the number one way in which people have sex with clothes on. A quickie in the alley. It could be a bathroom. You’ve never had sex in a bathroom?”

“In a club?”

“Or a Starbucks.”

“Have you had sex in a Starbucks bathroom?”

“No. Again, I am a prude.”

I lean in to her, place my hands on her hips, and look down into her eyes. Wow. They are a very pretty shade of green. “I think I get where you’re going.”

“You do?” She looks almost as delighted about me catching on as she did for the prospect of non-stop TV porn.

“You are better than this place.”

She winces. “I don’t mean to be a princess, Ryet. I’m not a princess. But I’m having trouble reconciling my naked body in this room.”

“Got it. Here’s what we’re gonna do.” My hands slip up a few inches, find the bottom button on her coat, and pop it open. I’m looking her in the eyes when I do this, and she’s holding her breath. I continue unbuttoning my way up her front, and when I get to the top, I ease the coat over her shoulders and down her arms.

I do not let it touch the floor and when she realizes I’m going to hang it up in the closet, she lets that breath out.

I turn back to her, studying her now that I can see more. She’s wearing a sage-green, long-sleeve thermal shirt that totally sets off her eyes. It clings to her body, revealing an hourglass figure that was well hidden under the quilted flannel lumberjack coat.