It was quite possible his head might explode from overload. A dragon going through puberty. What kind of universe did he live in that it would be so sadistic as to make dragons go through puberty? “Oh, my God. I don’t even know what to ask first.”
She held out her hands in mock surrender. “Don’t ask me. Honestly, she didn’t say much other than to provide some reassurance. There are a couple of websites she wants me to give to you for reference. She’s going to text them to you. Get me your laptop, and I can work from here looking them up. This is so exciting!”
For a brief moment, he’d almost forgotten where they were and why they were here. “You,” he said somberly, “will do no such thing. That info can go to Drew, who will look it up.” Bast went to her, hating the disappointment he saw now. The bed creaked as he sat down. “Your only job is to get well. To let me help you do that. I need you to spend a little time considering my offer to become one of us. If it’s not something you can do...” He’d spend the rest of her life trying to convince her to change her mind. “Then at least we need to prepare for whatever medical procedures can reverse your condition. Agreed?”
The glare she beamed him with should have made his balls detach and run for cover. “Why are you doing this?”
Frustrated, hopeful, worried, Bast leaned forward until his forehead touched hers. He inhaled her scent, pulling it deep into his lungs. He closed his eyes and tried to think of the best way to make her understand. Voice low, he said, “I need you. Not because I’m sick. Not because I’m a dragon. I need you because you see me. You’ve never feared me. You’ve never looked down on me. You accept me with all of my flaws and even then, you don’t want anything from me. And I know that you don’t need me very much, but Alice—”
“What?” she interrupted. He opened his eyes. Saw into her startled ones. “Is that what you think?”
He pulled back slightly. Just a little, afraid that any distance between them now would somehow become permanent. “How could you possibly need me for anything? I have nothing to offer you.”
She kissed him quickly. “You silly, arrogant man. Of course you do. Do you remember the woman you met not long ago? The one who was running scared with no purpose and no direction? The one who’d just as soon steal from you as smile at you? She’s gone now. You did that, Sebastian. But I won’t become a vampire, not because of that.” She grabbed his arm when he tried to pull away, halting him. “Not even because I’m scared as hell. I need a better reason than that to commit myself to your kind of life.”
Throat tight, he tried to come up with something to give her. His money meant nothing to her. The sex, as phenomenal as it had been, certainly wasn’t reason enough. Friendship might get her to at least think about it. Maybe... God, he really didn’t have much to offer, did he? With a sigh, he said, “I guess the only reason I have is my love.”
This time, she added more distance. “You love me?” she whispered.
Something about her caution made his heavy heart begin to pound. “I do. I love you very much. Enough to want to spend the rest of my life with you. To want you as my mate.” Here came the hard part. The moment before the rejection he always seemed to face. From his mother. His friends. The community. “Do you think maybe you could love me one day?”
“I think I can.” She pressed her lips to his. Held them there for three heart-stopping beats before pulling away again. She added in another whisper, “I think I already do.”
“Thank you, God...” His mouth crashed down on hers again and he kissed her. Kissed her with every bit of his love. With all of the admiration and feeling he had for her.
They could do this together. They would get through it.
“Sebastian Kent.”
Startled, Bast whirled, free hand reaching for a gun that wasn’t there. He’d left it with Drew upon entering the hospital and passing through its metal detectors. Hope Haven would not allow gang members to finish the jobs they’d started.