Forever for Rose

Chapter Thirty Three.

Hours later I lay cuddle up beside Dalton where he lays on his back in bed, my head nestled into his shoulder.

It's dark, the only light coming from the small TV in the corner, casting little shadows over Dalton's sculpted chest. I watch his chest rise and fall slowly, dancing the tips of my fingers down it and over his ribs silently. His muscles tense when my fingers reach his abs and I slowly tilt my head back to look up at him. His eyes are closed but his lips are turned up slightly.

"Dalton?" I whisper softly, brushing my fingers against my slightly swollen lips from all the kissing a while ago.

"Yeah?"

I snuggle a little closer. "Why aren't you asleep?"

He chuckles quietly. "I'm supposed to be able to sleep with you like this?" He runs his hand down the side of my naked body and then lets it rest back on my hip.

"I can go put on some clothes if-."

"Don't you dare move." He demands tightening his arm around me even though I didn't make any effort to actually move.

"Yes, Sir." I giggle and he takes my chin between two fingers and leans my head back so that I'm looking up at him. He lays a soft kiss on my lips and then his hand trails down my neck and settles on my chest between my breasts. He presses his palm flat and I have to hold my breath a little to keep it from hitching.

"I love this." He whispers.

"My boobs?" I ask and he rolls his eyes while he shakes his head.

"No, guttermind, your heartbeat." He clarifies then let's his hand stray, making me gasp. "Though you won't get any complaints out of me about these either." He smiles wickedly. As much as he touches me it'll never be enough.

I try to breathe as evenly as possible with his hands on me. "My heartbeat?" I repeat. "Really?" I ask. "I've always kind of hated it. It made me feel different, being the only one in my family who has one. I never used to get away with anything because the stupid beat always gave me away when I'd try to lie. My parents could always tell."

"Poor baby." He laughs.

"Don't tease me." I tell him sternly. "I hated always feeling like an outsider in my own family because of my heart. Something that should have been normal."

He leans in to kiss my head. "Well, I love it." He tells me again. "I like to listen to it, like you said, I could tell by the rhythm the effect I was having on you even when you were trying to pretend I didn't." I can't help but blush. Being human around a bunch of vampires makes you an open book. "And I love how when I do this," He leans me back, so he can get to my neck, kissing it while his hand cups my chest. "It beats wildly against my hand. It's so damn sexy." He presses his hand flat against my breast bone again.

I can't deny the effect his touch has on me. My heart runs wild while my mind turns to literal goo. I'm putty in his hands. "Well," I choke out. "I bet if your heart could still beat I could make it do that too."

He rolls over next to me so that he's facing me, his eyes staring into mine. "Sometimes when you touch me, I think I feel it trying to beat again."

My eyes prick with tears and I can't get my lips to his fast enough. He kisses me back with a gentleness I never would have expected out of him, then he tucks my head beneath his chin and holds me close to him for a long time.

"Hey," I whisper. "You never told me the other half of your story." I point out, my curiosity growing.

"That's because it's a piss poor story."