LOL you guys… such romantics. Your wish, my command. Lots of you named this one.

Sorry I missed the Thurs/Fri target. :/ Work got in the way.

Prompt #36: Kiss

As we streaked through thick stands of dark green forest and flew across winding, bubbling streams, I told myself that our escape from Seattle was a right and proper pre-caution and that I was simply making sure that we were far enough away from the site of the destruction to avoid any risk of perceived involvement.

Seeing as how my Isabella was still clinging to me and how I could still feel the unexpected (and nearly mind-numbing) warmth of her mouth against my neck, she was obviously shaken up beyond any notion of logical behavior and as such, was clearly in no condition whatsoever to answer questions or stares or anything of the sort. Frankly, I wasn't altogether certain that further screaming wasn't still on the table. Hence, removing my love from the scene of her brush with death was truly the prudent choice.

And for the sake of full disclosure, I should probably go ahead and admit that it was a wise choice for me, as well, especially since my fingers were still itching from an irrational desire to tear that godforsaken truck apart even further for threatening her wellbeing to begin with. Yes, my Isabella was the one who stepped out onto the street, but still… it almost killed her and that made me… angry. Which was not a good thing for breakable entities such as trucks and people and buildings.

I told you that the whole mating thing turned us into crazy, irrational beings.

So see? All things considered, my rationale for running no less than one hundred and fifty miles away from Seattle was perfectly reasonable.

Okay, fine, so maybe running that far was a bit of an overreaction on my part. Maybe. But look, given that there was a very high (if not one hundred percent) probability that this was the only moment in my entire, endless existence when I would experience the sublime sensation of my mate's lips willingly on my person… so, shoot me for wanting to draw it out just a little bit. You would too if you were in my shoes.

But of course, right about the time we broke through a line of pines onto a wide grassy knoll, my annoyingly loud Victorian conscience and sense of propriety got the better of me, practically screaming that I was being a cad (I'm old like that, remember) for taking advantage of my mate's woozy state in such a way.

Go figure.

And since I was me, reluctantly, not at all happy about releasing the soft, sweet-smelling (understatement) woman in my arms, I sighed, trotted over to flat rock at the edge of the clearing, and gently sat my Isabella down. And then I cursed silently in a dozen languages at the loss when I pried her arms from my neck.

"Are you all right?" I asked, using my softest voice – the one that always seemed to get me my way when it came to the female persuasion – as I scanned her lovely face for any sign that she was not. Her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink from our run, her lips even pinker, and her dark eyes were remarkably clear and assessing. Odd, I mused, considering that her obviously incoherent behavior suggested that they should have been otherwise.

My Isabella looked at me for a moment and then frowned. "Why?"

Now I frowned. "Are you all right?" I asked a little louder. I'd long suspected my mate's hearing was a little off anyway.

"I heard you." Her delicate brow furrowed, and I had to school my fingers to keep from smoothing the harsh line away. "I'm fine. Why? Do I look all mangled up or something?"

"What?"

"I asked you if I looked all mangled up or something?" she replied, louder, as if I, the vampire with preternatural hearing that rivaled virtually any creature on the planet, was the one who couldn't hear.

This was absurd.

"No, you look just fine," I mumbled. Honestly, just fine sounded a lot like blasphemy since utterly beautiful and perfect was a lot closer to the truth, but I didn't say that since this conversation had already taken a sharp turn into the realm of the bizarre.

"Thank you," she said.

And I blinked.

And she shivered.

And my jacket came off my body in record time.

Forcing myself to slow my motions to something remotely human so as to not frighten her, I draped the cool leather over her narrow shoulders. "Sorry it's not warm already."

My mate shook her head, and I swore I caught the slight lift of one corner of her mouth. I was very… perplexed. And even more so when she reached up, tugged my jacket tighter around her slender frame, and took a deep breath.

"You smell good."

I blinked again.

Because you know, I didn't really have a response to that.

Although I did want to scream, Who are you?!

Realm of the bizarre? We were way beyond that now.

Try The Twilight Zone.

In a brief second of rising panic, I wondered if I'd somehow missed a chunk of metal conking her on the head, so I quickly rescanned her vitals, much in the way I had when she'd passed out in her apartment (my fault), expecting to find something to explain this strange behavior.

But no, my love was… fine. Her heart rate was steady, if not slightly accelerated. Her breathing was normal. No dilation of the pupils either, which, by the way, were centered on me in an extremely disconcerting fashion.

Damnable bewildering creature!

Not saying a word, we stood there for a long moment. Two long moments maybe. Just… stood there, not speaking, her almost smiling at me, and me… well, mooning after her like a besotted fool. Which was, admittedly, just par for the course.

Right about the time I finally opened my mouth to say… something, my mate's hand shot out from under my coat and moved toward my abdomen, in the process reminding me that I'd forgotten to step back away once I'd covered her shoulders. No more than a foot of empty space separated us. As she suddenly realized what she was doing, her hand stopped just before touching me and hovered mid-air. "Can I?"

I wasn't sure what I said – probably nothing because at that moment, my mind, in all its vampire complexity and vastness, went absolutely blank – but I must have done something. A second later, as if in slow motion, I watched, gaping, as her palm, as hot as a fiery brand, flattened against the rigid plane of my stomach. Her fingers spread and then slowly closed, curling my shirt into her fist.

And then, she tugged.

Being, first off, dumbfounded, and secondly, the slave to her will that I was, I obeyed, easing in closer and closer, until I felt her knees frame either side of my hips.

Apparently satisfied by my compliance, Isabella released my shirt, smoothing away non-existent wrinkles, and then flattened her palm once more against my abdomen. The slight lift of her lips became more pronounced when the muscles there gave an involuntary flex. Her hand slowly slid up my chest, figuratively, and maybe literally burning me to death, before continuing to the side of my neck.

Beyond all doubt, I was absolutely certain that at any moment, I would surely burst into flames. Yet I couldn't even begin to will myself to move.

"So smooth," she murmured, stroking my skin. "Nothing like I thought."

I swallowed.

Not venom because my mouth was as dry as a desert.

Those lovely, scorching fingers curled around my nape and then she pulled down ever so slightly, a nothing force against my strength yet enough that my neck instinctively and immediately bent at her invitation, even as she leaned up to meet me. My mate's lips were… right there, and her breath, warm and sweet, made me damned near lose my mind.

"Isabella," I panted, screwing my eyes shut, avoiding the impossible temptation of having her so incredibly close. I swallowed again and fisted my hands in my pockets so that I wouldn't grab her and do… things. Because surely, surely she was out of her god-blessed mind right now, and I told myself over and over that I could not – would not – take advantage of her, no matter how much every cell in my body clamored to do just that. "You're not yourself right no–"

"Shut up, leech," she murmured, instantly silencing my feeble protest… right before she removed that final inch of space and pressed her sweet mouth to mine.

I may or may not have made a very un-vampire-like whimpering noise.

PROMPT #37? And don't even think about saying sex, lol