Bloody Hecate, its an armory.
Must be the weapons he used when engaged in hunting. Dozens of titanium stakes were lined along the back of the wardrobe. Pistols and a crossbow and an assortment of blades. She marveled over the throwing stars shed only seen used in movies. Ninja stuff. Did he use all this in the fight against vampires?
Daring to draw her fingers along the cool column of one of the stakes, she took it and held it, finding it was much lighter than expected. A flashlight was twice as heavy. Careful with it, she knew that the actual stake part came out of one end with some kind of release mechanism
You take that snooping thing seriously, dont you?
Startled, Verity squeezed the titanium column. The stake sprang out, jerking her arm back to hit Rook in the chest with her elbow. He wrangled her wrist and spun her around, an expert offensive move that he may have only practiced on vampires previously.
Uh. She gasped and looked from the deadly stake, pointed toward his chest, to his smirk and those laughing blue eyes. Sorry?
Be careful. That thing could take out an eye.
Or a life, she whispered, releasing the weapon to him. He extracted it from her shaking fingers and set it inside the cabinet. Im sorry. It was open a little, and Iwell, I did say I was going to snoop.
You should be chastised for such daring. He looked at her over his shoulder. And Im of a mind to do that.
But I was justuh She sighed and lifted her chin, losing all powers to reason as she fell into the depths of his intimately delving stare.
The man answered her astonishment with a kiss that landed on her mouth as softly as a butterfly. But as their lips joined, the too-gentle pressure demanded they seek one another more forcefully. Pulling her body against his, he claimed her in that moment. His fingers moved along her hip and curled, forcing her closer. His other hand swept through her hair and clutched it aside her cheek. He tasted like the herbs hed used to season the meal, which mingled with the wine lingering on her tongue. His mouth seared fire against hers, teasing her to match his urgency.
And she did.
Every part of Verity shimmered, seeking, grabbing, wanting this delicious connection to never stop. It was as though she had not been kissed for centuries, and finally, exquisitely, she was being fed the life she had never known she needed.
Rooks hand swept down her derriere and his fingers traced along the ruffles that hemmed her miniskirt, his fingertips every so often touching the bared skin between skirt and thigh-high stockings.
Verity pressed up higher onto the tips of her toes, clinging to his shirt collar to keep him at her mouth. She needed his breath. Their connection made her feel as powerful as she did when throwing fire. Combustible, that was the word for this embrace. And if she could, shed melt right into his arms. May he lay her across his vast bed of untold exotic pleasures and continue his exploration with a million more kisses.
Suddenly the kitchen buzzer tinged, and he abruptly pulled away from her. Verity gasped, stepping on her tiptoes to maintain balance at the loss of such utter sensual strength. The kiss had completely discombobulated her in the best way possible.
He bracketed her face with his hands. Dinners ready.
Screw dinner. Another kiss, please?
Seeming to completely dismiss that hed just kissed her silly, Rook closed the wardrobe doors, secured the latch, then strode out of the room.
Verity obediently followed him into the kitchen and sat when he pulled out a chair for her. Her body was still in the bedroom, crushed up against his powerful build. Her mouth was at his
Licking her lips to savor the taste of his chastising kiss, she pressed a palm over her heart. So fast, it rushed toward something she hadnt thought to ever know. Excitement, adventure, romance. It all sounded deliciously decadent.
Yet hed walked away from the kiss as if it had meant nothing more to him than, well, peeling away the rind from the lemon as hed prepared the meal. Perhaps he was not as enamored of their embrace as she had been. Or maybe it had simply been as hed stated: a punishment for her snooping.
If so, then what other kinds of mischief could she get into that required such admonishment?
Play it cool, Verity. It hasnt been that long since youve been kissed. Why the silly swoon this time? Hes just another man. Take it slow or youll end up in another wacky relationship with a stalker.
But Rook wasnt any other man. They had met for a reason, and she wanted to learn why.
When he offered white wine, she held up her goblet. Its scent was ridiculously strong, and she picked it out, even over the herbs and cooking aromas. Raspberries? she guessed.
Very good. A friend of mine owns a vineyard in the south of France. They plant raspberries and peaches within the vines.
After a sip, she said, Its delicious.
You may claim an epicurean mastery of Pariss macarons, but I challenge anyone to match me at wine.
I bow to your sommelier skills. But is wine the way to your heart?
No.
Then what is?
You have your unreadable secrets. I have mine.
He set a plate of quinoa and vegetables before her. Verity closed her eyes, drawing in the crazy-good scents, until Rook touched her shoulder to sweep her hair back.
Meeting his gaze, they shared a smile that said everything she had wanted that kiss to mean to him.
This meal wont be anything to talk of after that kiss, he said.
So he had been affected by it.
Smiling to herself, she forked in a bite. True, his kiss had been delicious, but the food was nothing to sneeze at. Ive only known you a few hours and already youre spoiling me. If you keep feeding me like this, I may never leave.
Is that a promise? He winked and poured a goblet of wine for himself.
* * *
While Rook loaded the dishwasher, Verity wandered into the living room. She didnt feel compelled to help. Domesticity was not tops on her list. Admittedly, she spoiled herself with maid and catering services. She could afford it. An immortal witch with a mind to living many centuries compiled a nice portfolio over the years, and a cache of seventeenth-century gold given to her by a former lover who had taken infatuation to new levels was something she would appreciate for centuries to come.
The sudden awareness that Rook was behind her made her bow her head and smile. He was so quiet. Stealthy, like a hunter. But a sexy, cool stealth that disturbed her need to remain cautious around him. She was normally not so quick to jump into a mans arms, let alone allow him to kiss her, but with Rook all her personal boundary rules seemed ridiculous.
Trust? Certainly not. But trust had nothing to do with lust.
He wanted to touch her? Bring it on. And dont stop, pretty please.
He raked his fingers up through her hair, clutching a good portion of it, and tugged her head and shoulders back until she bent at the waist. Looking down at her and holding her firmly before him, he traced a finger down her neck and the vee décolletage of her T-shirt, leisurely skimming the mounds of her cleavage. To be held like thiscontrolledexcited her.
Your skin is soft. With a twist of his hand, he righted her to stand straight. His fingers never left her cleavage, and they felt like a cool summer breeze against her warm skin. Your skin is like the flame you seem to have mastered. Ive known witches over the years, and most avoid fire.
Because it can bring our death.
He nodded, his jaw tensing. Burning a witch at the stake, or in any other manner, was the worst and most assured way to end their life. Had he witnessed such a travesty? Verity got the impression he suddenly wasnt in the present moment, so she sought to lure him back.
With a teasing dip of her tongue out the corner of her mouth, she held up her palm, and with nothing more than a thought summoned a fireball the size of a plum to hover above her fingers.
Rooks eyes alighted with the flames reflection, and his smile grew. Marvelous. And so controlled. May I? He opened his palm as if he wanted to hold it. Can I?
If I allow it, you should be able to hold it a few seconds without getting burned.
She tilted her palm, and the ball of ensorcelled flame rolled onto his hand without touching skin, only skimming above it. Her magic kept it from settling onto his palm, and she had to concentrate to make it stay there. He didnt flinch at the heat, and she gave him credit for that. Perhaps his cooler skin also made it possible to hold it as long as he was.
Lifting his hand before his eyes, with his other fingers he touched the top of the ball. Incredible. The flames licked at his fingertips and he hissed, retracting and shaking out his palm and dropping the fireball.
Verity bent to sweep a hand through the flame, extinguishing it before it hit the wood floor.
Sorry. He studied his fingertips. Ill leave the fire magic to you.
You had to try it, she said, taking his hand to inspect the damage. I sense you are a man who likes to control whatever you can. You exude power.
Is anything wrong with that?
Not at all. So long as you dont corrupt that power with greed or malevolence. She kissed his fingertips, which were warm but had not touched the flame long enough to receive more than a red blush to the skin. You want to play with something dangerous thatll warm your hands?
She stepped back, teasing her fingers along the neckline of her shirt. A dip of her head, and she looked up through her lashes at him. The hunger in Rooks eyes brightened. He followed her as she backed across the room, nearing the Buddha statue. Only when the windowsill behind her stopped her progress did he smirk. Triumph. She was now trapped by the hunter, unless she dodged to the side.
Verity planted her feet. She preferred the capture.
Rook did not disappoint.
He swept a palm along her thigh and hooked her leg with a hand, coaxing it up along his hip. Pressing her back against the window frame, he placed a hand over her head as he leaned in and captured her mouth with another of his devastating kisses.
Verity tugged him closer with the leg she had wrapped behind his hip, and he nudged his erection against her Hard and ready. Goddess, but she could unzip him and take him in hand if she could get beyond the fact that this was happening so quickly. Theyd shared a drink at a café and then supper, and now
The devouring. Which she didnt mind at all if she didnt think about all the reasons to mind it. Reasons that included the fact that she knew nothing about this man and generally she was a bit more prudent when it came to intimacy.
His kisses tickled along her jaw and up her cheek, where he nuzzled into her hair and his breath hushed across her ear. The touch sent shivers up and down her skin. Verity coiled against him, wanting to pull him into her and become one with his powerful distraction of masculinity.
You were right, he said at her ear. You are as hot as the flame but infinitely more interesting to play with.
He slid a hand over her chest and she gasped, tilting back her shoulder to fit her breast against his palm. A squeeze of her nipple stirred up a moan, and in response he bent and mouthed her roughly through the fabric.
Rook, she gasped. This is
Fast? he guessed, nudging his nose along the neckline of her shirt. A finger dragged the stretchy fabric aside. A dash of his tongue traced the rise of her breast. So sensitive there. You want me to stop?
Uh Did she?
Hell no, and blessed be, yes.
She grasped behind her, and her fingers landed on the carved woodwork coasting a windowsill. Leaning away from him only thrust up her breasts and offered him more of what he wanted.
Yes, this is too fast, her conscience finally blurted at her. She and the hunter should take it slowly. Couldnt give him everything he wanted so quickly. Bad things happened when she gave inlike stalking.
Verity shoved at his chest.
Rook stepped back, putting up his palms. Sorry.
Dont be, she said quickly and offered him a sheepish smile. Swishing a curl of hair over her shoulder, she took a much-needed breath of air. I didnt want to stop you, yet I needed you to. It is a bit fast. Not that anything is wrong with fast. I just think
I got it. He dashed a hand across his lips and flicked a wink at her. Youre right. I tend to take things that I want when a little prolonged desire is best employed. We should savor this.
She nodded eagerly. Savoring is good.
At the same time she wished she wasnt so prudent to hold him off, and instead, could grab him by the shirt and pull him back for more.
Any way I can convince you to go along with me to headquarters tomorrow to look at mug shots?
Still dont want to take sides.
The victim chooses her own side. Very well. I wont push you to do anything that would make you uncomfortable.
Being labeled a victim did not sit well with her. She had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet the idea of missing out on his coercive sensual skills made Verity drop her shoulders. Should she reconsider helping him? What if she refused to help unless he kissed her?
Come. Its time we called it a night.
He tugged her hand into his and led her through the living room and into the kitchen, where he promptly helped her on with her sweater. Gathering her long hair into his hands, he pulled it from the sweater and let it fall across her shoulders. He nuzzled his face into her hair and wrapped a hand around and across her stomach from behind.
You have gotten inside me, Verity.
And yet you claim an inability to read me.
Frustrating, but the mystery of you is as sweet as a vanilla macaron.
Hed guessed it right. She had always considered herself a vanilla macaron.
Mmmyour hair. I want to lose myself in this. He bunched up her tresses against his face. Youd better leave now before I decide to keep you here against your will.
Sounded rather adventurous, actually.
But Verity declined her lusty imagination. With a nod, she turned to give him a quick kiss. Thanks for a lovely evening.
He stroked her neck over the vampire bite. This should be gone by tomorrow, yes?
We witches take a little longer than most paranormals to heal. Give it a few more days.
Sure. Thatll give me an excuse to see you again. To make sure youre looking as good as new. Bonsoir.
Closing the door behind her, she exhaled and shook her head. Damned vampire bite. Did it bother him? Surely, as a hunter, he wouldnt like to look at anything left behind by a vampire. Shed have to practice her cover-up skills with makeup before she next saw him.
Date number two couldnt arrive fast enough.