“Seriously?” I push his face away. “Stop this, okay? You’re Jay Gatsby, the vampire who has turned dozens of people and drinks from his staff regularly. You are not wimping out on me. I appreciate that you don’t want to hurt me, but I offered, all right? I don’t want you biting anyone else, only me, until I turn. And then I guess we’ll both have to feed from other people. But for now, when you need blood, I’m the one you come to. Is that clear?”

“Until you turn?” he says.

“Yes. You said you would make me a cheetah—give me immortality, or at least as close as we can get to that in the real world, if this even is the real world and not some wacky alternate dimension I’ve slipped into—”

“Daisy.”

“Fine, we’ll talk about the turning thing later. For now, you either drink from me of your own free will, or I’ll make you, so you don’t die.”

He hesitates, milky eyes narrowing, a soft snarl in his throat.

I give him my most wicked smile. “Come on, Jay. Bite me.”

He grips my shoulders and his fangs plunge into my neck.

It’s terrifying, because I feel incredibly, helplessly fragile in his powerful hands, but at the same time I know I’m safe and the man I love is taking part of me into himself, which if I’m being honest is pretty hot.

The jolt of pain fades to a deep sucking sensation, like it did when Cody drank from me. At first I don’t care for the suction—it sets my teeth on edge and sends a chill over my bare skin. But then Jay gives this low, delighted moan, and a flush of heat soars through me, erasing every bit of the discomfort.

His damp hair tickles my neck and jaw, and his scent wafts to my nose—spicy cloves and oakmoss and freshly mown grass. His fingers clasp my shoulders tightly, but not painfully.

When his bracelet vibrates, his fangs slide out of my flesh—and then his tongue passes over the area, sealing the punctures with long, slow licks.

“There’s a shot we give to some of our regular donors to help them replenish their blood volume faster,” he says. “You’ll need one, since both Cody and I drank from you.”

“Okay.” I feel kind of floaty and strange, maybe because of the blood loss, but also because I’m wearing a thin, wet swimsuit, and my bare skin is still pressed to his. We’re both taking ragged breaths, heat pulsing between us. When Jay starts to move away, I grip his arm and tip my head up, my profile skimming his.

His mouth grazes mine, a delicate brush of smooth skin. I kiss him, light and quick. Once, and again. When I dip my tongue between his lips, I taste the coppery salt of my own blood.

His dick is rigid under his swim trunks, and every muscle of his body is taut with want.

“Do it, Jay.” I skirt perilously close to that persuasive tone, but I don’t go there, because all I want is his pure, unbridled consent. “Take me. Right now. Right here.”

With a growl, Jay lunges, gripping my thighs and hitching me onto the desk. His kiss is brutal, a thick lash of tongue through my mouth, lips bruised against teeth. He clutches me with half-restrained force, runs his palms up my neck and then over my shoulders, dragging down the scant triangles of fabric over my breasts. I reach between my legs and tug aside the material there, and then I yank down his shorts.

For another tangled, heated second we kiss, while the burning tip of his cock drags along my center; and then I hitch myself forward and he drives in. We notch together perfectly, the fit so tight and smooth that I release a broken sigh from the pure pleasure of it.

“This is how it’s supposed to feel,” I whisper against his cheek. “I didn’t know.”

“I was made for you,” he says. “I always knew it. You and I were inevitable, Daisy. And I’ll do anything—” His voice cracks with emotion, and he thrusts harder, hands braced on the desk while I wrap my arms around him for leverage. The angle is just right for me—his pelvis grinding into mine—and I feel myself starting to convulse, quivering right on the edge.

“Yes, yes,” I gasp; and then Jay’s claws emerge, and he circles the tip of my breast without slackening his pace one bit. I shatter into blissful fragments, clutching him desperately, releasing my cries into his parted lips. He crashes into me a few more times and comes hard, his claws screeching against the desk, leaving long grooves.

This is what I was missing before, a trust that’s bone-deep, immovable. It’s the foundation for everything—adventures and quiet moments, blood and kisses, cuddles and kink. I love him beyond sense, beyond expression. He’s the complement to every side of me, from the Daisy who likes to curl up poolside with a fruity drink to the Daisy who wants to be chased naked through gardens at night. He loves me aimless or determined, scattered or focused, cautious or reckless. And I love him the same.

Jay is kissing me through the ebbing pleasure—sweet, earnest kisses with wicked little dips of his tongue into my mouth. I think I’m crying a little from the sheer joy of us. Yes, I’m definitely crying. Great, now I’m that girl.

I hop off the desk, swiping at my cheeks and tugging my swimsuit back in place. “I need to clean up and change.”

“Go,” he says. “I’ll get that shot for you, and you need to hydrate.”

I escape as quickly as I can, hopeful that he didn’t notice the tears.

Once I’m done changing, I lean on the counter in the women’s locker room and stare at myself in the mirror. “Get a grip, Daisy,” I whisper. “No more crying during sex.”

Jordan sweeps into the bathroom at that moment. “You okay, babe? Jay sent me in here to check on you. Thinks he hurt you or something. And he wanted me to give you this.” She holds up a tiny syringe.

I lower my voice, glancing around to make sure there’s no one within earshot. “He drank from me just now, and I kind of ran away afterward.”

She frowns. “I know it takes some getting used to…”

“That’s not why I ran. We also did…other stuff, and I started crying.” I bite my lip. Damn it, why are the tears welling again?

“Oh, honey.” Jordan circles my shoulders with a lean arm. “But you like him, don’t you?”

“It’s not that. I’m just… I’m sad about the whole Tom thing, you know? I wasted so much time on him because I didn’t know what I really needed and wanted. What I have with Jay is just… It’s…” My face crumples, and Jordan hugs me, patting my shoulder with awkward sympathy.

What I have with Jay is beautiful. It’s healing. He makes me feel valuable, wonderful, strong—all the things I haven’t felt for a long time.

I just have to keep letting myself realize that my future isn’t dark anymore. It’s brightening, flooding with warmth, because of Jay. Because of my strengthening friendship with Jordan. Because I’m allowing myself, finally, to be fully and wholly me without those dark voices in my mind holding me back.

Sighing, I nod to Jordan, and when she releases me, I splash my heated face with cool water. “I’m good now, thanks.”

“Damn, your cheeks look tasty when you’re flushed.” Jordan draws a glossy nail down my face. There’s a flicker of white in her eyes, the hint of hunger. “I should go find a donor.”

“You mean go drug someone and then bite them.”

“Let’s not start, okay? Jay has some of the guests wearing red bands if they’re hopefuls—vampire candidates—and willing to donate, so I’ll look for one of them first. But yeah, if I can’t find one, I’ll be taking blood from someone else. You can just put your judgy face away.”

“Fine.” I swipe my hand over my face. “There, it’s gone. Go have fun. And thanks for checking on me.”

“Always, babe.” She breezes out of the locker room.

I take another second to pat my cheeks with a paper towel. Then I inject my thigh with the contents of the syringe and leave the locker room.

Jay is dressed again, staring at the people clogging the pool and lazy river. When I touch his arm, he jumps. “Daisy! Are you all right? Did I scare you, hurt you? Jordan said you’re fine, but—”

“I really am fine. Just got a little overwhelmed, but in a good way.”

His brow is still furrowed, so I reach up and pretend to smooth it out with my fingertips. “Stop worrying. You did nothing wrong. I started tearing up because of all the deep emotional stuff I was feeling, and I didn’t want you to see me ugly cry after sex, okay?”

“If you’re sure that’s all… Because if I did anything to upset you or hurt you, Daisy, I’ll fix it.”

“No, Jay.” I cup his face between my palms. “You sweet, gorgeous man. I’m good, really. And… Wait, why is your pocket buzzing?”

He pulls out his phone, and his eyes light up. “I set an alarm so we wouldn’t miss it. Come on!”

We hurry through the crowd, up some stairs and along hallways and through a bedroom, passing through some French doors onto a small balcony at the back of the house.