***
Echo recognized the look in Keegan's eyes. He was in love with her. Beelzebub. How did that happen? More importantly, what was she going to do about it?
She could ask for reassignment. Beelzebub. That would go over well. She imagined the conversation: My Lord, I need you to appoint someone else to Mr. Black. Why? He’s in love with me. So?
Yes, exactly. So? If Keegan despised her, would she want off the case? No. She’d tell him to suck it up and get used to it.
So, suck it up, Echo.
Her skin shivered beneath his touch. Her body shuddered. She bit her lip against the delicious sensations coursing through her. He could do things to her that made her wish for a mortal life.
Luckily, the moment passed quickly. She couldn’t imagine willingly putting herself victim to viruses and diseases, growing old, wrinkling like a prune, age spots, bones creaking and trembling with the slightest of movement. No, that wasn’t the life she would envision for herself and wondered how humans cherished it so. Of course, if every day started like this, she might think differently.
But she’d been on her own for centuries. She came and went as she desired, did what she pleased and answered to no one. Why would she want to give up any of that? There was a lot to be said for an independent and solitary life.
When she wanted companionship and coupling, there was always an abundance of lovers. They might not have Keegan’s cute cleft in his chin, or eyes that shifted from blue to green with emotion, or his soft lips, or the darling curl that dangled over his right eye, stubbornly refusing to stay in place, but her suitors would suffice.
Suffice? What was she doing? She never settled. Yet, here she was championing herself to accept second-best.
He took her bottom lip between his teeth. Beelzebub. She’d never seen such beautiful lips. She closed her eyes. The weight and warmth of his body, his glistening, perfectly toned skin, his gentleness, sent her mind and body reeling.
As she lay contentedly in his protective arms, she wondered why things couldn’t stay like this forever. She flirted with the idea for a moment, but then discarded the notion. Wishing and hoping for something that could never happen was a gross misuse of time. Time was precious and should never be squandered on musings.
She opened her eyes and hugged him tightly.
He buried his head in the crook of her arm. “I could get used to this.”
“To what?”
“Waking next to you. Starting the day by making love with you.”
“Sex,” she said, wanting him to see the difference.
“That was love, honey. Pure and simple.”
With a smile that could only be described as sly, he pecked her lips, swung his legs over the side, and stood. “I’m taking a shower. Care to join me?”
She practically drooled at the sight of his nakedness. The man was an Adonis. Her traitorous body reacted before she could close her gaping mouth.
Within an instant, she was wrapping her arm around his waist and happily walking toward the bath with him.