She pulled the collar up to her nose and inhaled deeply. "I like me in your shirt too."
Jackson wondered, could I possibly smell as incredible to her as she does to me? He considered hiding his blood, but decided there had been enough secrets between them, so held the glass up. "Do you mind?"
"No, actually I thought you might have gone out hunting."
"What? You thought I would leave you in my bed and hunt?"
"I don't know. I know you haven't fed all day."
"I haven't hunted since before the day I met you in the park."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Oh my God." Tears collected on her lashes.
"Why are you crying?"
She touched her cheek to his face. "I am amazed that you would do that for me."
"It's not all that hard. Sarah hasn't had fresh blood in years, that is, up until recently with Skippy."
"Why haven't you asked to feed on me?"
"Because I can't."
"It's okay, I want you to."
He explained the absence of his fangs.
"That's strange. Do you think it's psychological or physical?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe now that you know I want you to, they'll work. Here try." She cocked her head to expose her neck.
Jackson laughed, "I love that you are so willing, but if my fangs didn't make an appearance tonight, I doubt they ever will." He ran two fingers along a vein in her neck then kissed it.
She met his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." She seemed so sad for him. He took her face in his hands. "You fulfill me in so many ways I never dreamed of, this isn't that big a deal. I would love to share that intimacy with you, but don't think for a minute this diminishes my feelings for you." They sat quietly, Jackson finishing his blood with her curled up in his lap, and then he carried her back to bed.
***
Jackson found Sarah in the kitchen making breakfast. "You guys want waffles?" She asked.
"No thanks, we're going out for breakfast, just having coffee here."
"What was all the noise last night? Sounded like you were rearranging furniture."
He smiled ear-to-ear back at her, as he left the room. "No more butterfly sex for me."
"What..? Oh my God! You lucky bastard!"
Elisabeth sat up when he brought in the coffee. "Why do I keep waking up alone in this bed?"
He laughed and kissed her forehead. "Because you sleep like the dead." He handed her a coffee. "I thought we would go out for breakfast, swing by your house so you can change and pack a bag, then go pumpkin picking. Sound good?"