chapter Five
Cara was having a hard time staying awake. Her eyelids kept slipping closed and her body feltsluggish, exhausted.
"I'm sorry," she told Alexis as she yawned for the ninth time. "I don't mean to be rude."
It wasn't Alexis's company that was dragging her down. Alexis was funny and matter-of-fact, and had told Cara all kinds of interesting things about the Vampire Nation and Seamus's role in Ethan's campaign. It seemed she had the blood from one very uptight vampire.
But now she was sleepy and it was taking everything she had to stay awake and vertical.
"Don't worry about it. Go to sleep if you're tired. You're still adjusting to the change."
Cara slid down in the couch, tucking her feet under one of the cushions. "I wanted to stay awake to see my animals, but I don't think I'm going to make it."
"I'm sure Seamus has it under control. He may be boring and rude, but he's very thorough."
Odd, but Cara wouldn't have thought of Seamus as either of those adjectives. She might have said persistent, intense, sexy, and domineering, but definitely not boring. And while he was confident, and had ruined her life and given her a really embarrassing orgasm that she wished she could forget, she wouldn't call him rude either.
Not to mention he was very cute.
"Cute?" Alexis said,her legs crossed as she sat in the big over stuffed chair. "You think Seamus is cute?"
"Did I say that out loud?" Cara was sotired, she wasn't sure what she was saying anymore. "Or are you doing that mind-reading thing? "
"Yep.Very annoying vampire trick, isn't it? Lock your thoughts around Seamus unless you want him hearing that he's cute. Personally, I wouldn't advise it. Not if you want to get out of here."
Yes, she wanted out of there. Her life as she knew it was gone. But she wanted out of Seamus's apartment. It was the only thing she was sure of before she collapsed into total oblivion.
When she woke up again, she was in a bed that wasn't hers and someone was warm and breathing deeply beside her. She hoped beyond anything it was Alexis, but somehow she really doubted Ethan's wife would be sleeping with her.Which meant it had to be Seamus, and the thought of being in bed with Seamus made her heart race from anger and something that might be desire, if she were honest with herself, which she didn't intend to be.
Nervous and disoriented, Cara became aware she was still wearing her jeans and the borrowed T-shirt?thank God she wasn't naked?and the room was dark, the drapes drawn. She tentatively rolled on her side, prepared to meet her maker, literally. Instead of coming face to face with Seamus, she saw it was herLabrador , Button, lying next to her.
Her old friend, familiar and cuddly, was immeasurably better than a sexy vampire in bed with her.
"Hey, sweet baby," she said in complete relief, petting her dog's head. He opened his eyes for a brief second, then snuffled back into sleep.
It was so normal, his reaction so uninterested and typical, that she wanted to cry in gratitude. She could give up a lot of things, but never her babies.
"Button's such a good baby," she murmured, snuggling in closer to him, wanting comfort and loving. "Where are Fritz and Mr. Spock, hmm?"
"Mr. Spock? Who the hell did you name Mr. Spock?"
Startled, Cara glanced over and saw Seamus standing in the doorway with Fritz at his side. Despite the darkness, she could see him clearly. He was wearing lounge pants and a Notre Dame T-shirt. His fingers played idly in her dog's back fur and Fritz looked perfectly content to be fondled by his new friend.
"Mr. Spock is my Chihuahua . Where he is?" Cara made sure the navy bed sheet was still over most of her body.Being around Seamus made her feel naked.
"He's scarfing down some really expensive dog food in my kitchen. I can't believe you named him Mr. Spock. No wonder he's such an asshole. I would be, too, if that was my name." Seamus came into the room, Fritz following along beside him like he was tethered to his leg.
"He's not an asshole!" Cara sat up, indignant. No one messed with her fur babies. "I named him Mr. Spock because of his ears, and he's very sweet." And how dare he walk around with Fritz like he washis dog?
"If that's sweet, I'd hate to see pissed off." Seamus sat down on the bed by Cara's feet, his legs spread and his forearms on his thighs, hands cupped together. Fritz trotted in between his knees and shamelessly rubbed his head under Seamus's ears.
"How are you feeling?"
"Are you talking to me or the dog?" she asked in annoyance."Because he looks pretty content."
"He likes me," Seamus said, making cutesy faces at her dog. "Don't ya , buddy? Yep, we're good friends now, aren't we?"
Fritz gave a happy bark.
Cara bit her lip and tried not to feel jealous. It didn't work.
Seamus turned to her. "But I meant you, actually. How are you feeling?"
That was a good question. Cara thought about it. She still felt a little tired, but otherwise fine.Great, in fact. Strong and highly aware of the room around her, of texture on her skin, the sound of the air-conditioning humming, and the amazing ability to see even though the room was dark. Physically, she was the new and improved Cara.
Mentally?She was feeling a little stressed, to put it politely.
"I'm fine."Total lie. Her whole life had been altered forever. She was borderline hysterical and altogether terrified, yet she had no intention of letting him know how vulnerable she felt.
"I brought a suitcase full of clothes and stuff from your apartment. It's in the corner by the closet." He gestured in that direction. "Why don't you get changed and we can give you a tour of the casino and discuss some relevant issues."
"What time is it?" She felt like she'd slept for hours, yet she sensed it was still dark outside.
"Just past midnight."
She stared at Seamus blankly. "But I didn't leave the club until almost two. How can it be midnight?"
"It's midnight on Thursday. You slept through the day."
"Thursday?"Cara shoved back the blankets. "Shit! I'm late for work." She swung her legs around until she was sitting next to Seamus, looking around frantically for her suitcase. She did not want to lose this job. It paid well, and the management understood her appeal to clientele was the mystery of the screen. Never had they asked her to dance without it, which kept her happy.
"I called you in sick for the next two weeks. Your manager was very understanding when I explained you got hit by a car."
Cara stopped en route to her suitcase and swung around. "You didwhat ? Maybe we need to discuss our issues right now, because you cannot just walk into my life and take charge. Rule number one: Back off."
Furious, she glared at him. He just petted Fritz and stared back at her, very calm and confident.
"Rule number two," he said. "Until I am convinced you understand all facets of your new life, and I'm assured of your safety from the two vampires who attacked us in the alley, you will not be working at the club. You will not be leaving this casino, or even this apartment, without an appropriate escort."
"That's ridiculous!"
"It's for your own good."
"What are you, my dad?" Cara stomped over to her suitcase, so angry she was on the verge of tears. She could not, would not, stay with him, doing whatever he wanted. She had always lived her life on her terms, free from the suffocating domination of men. The one time she had given up control, letherself fall in love, she'd only lived to regret it. She wanted to maul Seamus for doing this to her.
When she bent over to unzip her suitcase, her head spun a little, and her stomach burned. She tried to ignore it.
"No, fatherly is not how I feel about you."
Determined to ignore the sensual ripple moving over her body at the sexy huskiness in his voice, she zipped the suitcase open, still upright, and let the contents slide out toward the floor in a pile of bunched clothing. "I don't want to stay here," she said firmly.
"I know. But you don't have a choice." Seamus drummed his thumbs on his knees. "It's to protect you, Cara.To protect every vampire in the nation. If you stumble around not knowing what you're doing, you risk your exposure?and therefore our exposure?to mortals. Or you could inadvertently break our rules and bring censure down on yourself. I can't allow that."
"Alexis said you're anal to a fault." She pawed through the pile looking for some clean panties. And a bra would be really helpful. It was dangerous to walk around in a tight T-shirt without one around Seamus.
"I'm very organized.Thorough. If that's a flaw to Alexis, clearly we don't agree."
Yes, he was thorough. There was everything she could need in her suitcase. Toiletries, makeup bag, hairbrush, blow-dryer, pj's , matching bra and panty sets, an assortment of jeans and shirts, and gym shoes.
He had even packed her vibrator.
Cara felt her cheeks go hot. He must have gone through her dresser drawers. He must have foundthat drawer.The one that had various forms of stress relief, as she liked to think of it. He must have packed it to embarrass her, but somehow that didn't seem like something Seamus would do. Her first assessment made more sense?that he was just thorough, gathering everything he thought she might want.
Because she remembered that it hadn't been in her drawer at all. She'd left it out on the bed.In full view.After using it. Oh, help.
He must have assumed it was a necessity to her if it was out and ready to go.
Could she be any more mortified?
"What's the matter? Did I forget something? I can go back for you or we can buy anything you need in the casino. There are a dozen shops downstairs."
That he could sound so innocent, so helpful, ticked her off."Ones that sell these?" She picked up the vibrator and waved it in the air, wanting to make it clear to him she wasn't addicted to it or anything. She wasn't embarrassed she had it, but she sure in hell didn't want him to think sheneeded it. "Thanks for packing it, but I could have gone a few days without it."
Seamus'sjaw dropped. "I didn't pack that! Ethan packed your bag."
That made her rollher eyes. "Oh, right. Like Ethan, a married man, would just scoop up my vibrator."
"Maybe he didn't know what it was," Seamus said, but he was lying. Cara could tell by the way his eyes darted off her and onto Fritz.
"How old is Ethan?"
"Nine hundred and something."
Jesus. That almost sidetracked Cara. But she managed to give Seamus another glare. "Then he knows what it is, give me a break. And just admit it. You put it in here to piss me off."
"I did not put it in there," he said, his voice rising in anger. "But if it had been me, I wouldn't have packed it to piss you off. I would have packed it because it's damn hot to picture you using it on yourself."
Cara was sorry she'd brought it up. Because now they were staring at each other, both angry, both breathing hard, Seamus looking hot and bothered, Cara feeling hot and bothered. She would not picture lying on Seamus's bed, moaning in pleasure, legs spread, Seamus standing at the bottom of the bed watching her, his eyes dark, erection thick.
"Cara I can see your thoughts," Seamus said, his words trailing off into a groan.
"Shit! Stop doing that." She buried her face in her hands and rubbed hard, like that would erase the mental image of her going to town with Seamus as an audience. The burn in her stomach grew stronger. "Well, just so you know, I had it out because I was cleaning my dresser drawers, reorganizing. I don'tneed it."
"Okay," he said, but he didn't look like he believed her. "It's none of mybusiness, you don't have to explain yourself to me."
"Exactly."She shoved the vibrator in an outside pocket on the suitcase so she wouldn't have to look at it. When she saw it alongside Seamus, it made her want to rethink her whole no-men philosophy.Being with him seemed so much more appealing than a date with a jelly vibe. And that was very dangerous thinking.
"And even if I was attracted to you and did want to watch you satisfying yourself?not that I'm saying I am?it wouldn't be a good idea to act on that feeling."
"Right."She thought. Cara rubbed her stomach. That burning was getting worse. It felt like an ulcer was forming and spreading right as she was sitting there.
"Hungry?" he asked, standing up. Seamus clapped his hands and both Fritz and Button bounded toward the bedroom door and out into the living room. He closed the door shut behind them.
"I don't know." Was that hunger? It felt more like pain.Growing more vivid and agonizing with each passing second.
Seamus lifted his wrist to his mouth and slashed his skin open with his teeth. Immediately Cara smelled the blood, warm and vital, and her stomach cramped convulsively. "Yes, I think I'm hungry."Ravenous.
"We'll let you feed, then we'll discuss what you need to know about being a vampire."
"So that I can go home."Her eyes locked onto the beads of blood flowing from Seamus's wrist, trickling across his skin like a robust red wine. It looked delicious. It smelled even better. Cara licked her lips and swallowed hard, fighting the urge to leap up and cover it with her mouth.
"Yes, so you can home. I don't want to keep you here either, Cara. You are a distraction for me." Seamus sat back down on the bed and flexed his fist several times. "Come sit with me."
He didn't have to ask her twice, especially now that the blood was flowing freely, all down to his elbow, and pooling in a delicious little puddle above his palm.
She walked toward him. "Why am I a distraction to you?"
Seamus took her hand and turned her around so she was facing away from him. "Sit right here, in front of me, inside my legs."
Nostrils flaring, Cara did what he asked, settlingherself between his thighs on the edge of the bed, staring at the closet. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her body excited and alive and desperate all at once.
"You're a distraction because I am attracted to you. I have a personal policy of staying the hell away from women, and each minute I'm with you, you test that resolve."And as if to prove that point, he ran his lips along her temple, slipping his left hand around her waist, gently stroking.
"I have a personal policy to stay away from men." Cara turned toward his wrist. "And you're testing my resolve, too." Seamus put his bloody flesh on her lips and Cara licked through the fluid.
"Then we should definitely concentrate on getting you ready to go home," he said, even as his fingers trailed down between her thighs and stroked across the front of her jeans.
"Absolutely."The blood still tasted disgusting to her, but her body needed it, in a way that made the taste irrelevant. She sucked and swallowed, closing her eyes in pleasure. "Oh," she moaned. "That feels better."
"Good," Seamus whispered into her ear. He popped the button on her jeans while she drank from him, and his hand slipped between her panties and jeans to cup her, his touch hot and firm.
Damn, that was good. She never thought to stop his touch, to push him away. She wanted the sensation of his stroking her, welcomed his touch, the way it added to the pleasure of the blood, the hot need pulsing and spiraling higher and higher.
Cara drank harder, testing her new fangs by puncturing Sea- mus'sflesh herself. He gave a groan of surprised pleasure. Cara leaned back, her backside bumping against his erection. She started a rocking rhythm, bumping back to hit his body, thrusting forward to put pressure from his hand on her. She gripped his arm with her fingers and sucked harder still, drinking faster, her excitement rising like helium, inflating her from the inside.
Seamus yanked her panties aside and slid his finger across her wet heat. They both moaned. He started thrusting forward when she would bump back, so they were colliding together violently, mimicking sex,sending shivers of arousal throughout her body.
"You like to feed from me, don't you?" he asked, dipping his finger down into her, then pulling it back, slippery and elusive as it teased around her clitoris.
She nodded, not wanting to take her mouth off his flesh. Wiggling to try and force his finger where she wanted it, she felt herself careening closer and closer to explosion. He was barely doing anything, but every inch of her was zinging with pleasure, tense with desire, and the quest for violent satisfaction.
Stroking in her faster and faster, thrusting against her, Seamus buried his lips along the back of her neck, pushing her hair out of the way with his mouth. When he bit her, teeth sinking into her flesh unexpectedly, sharp and powerful, Cara broke her own hold on his wrist long enough to suck in a shocked breath.
Then she came in a rip-roaring orgasm that would have sent her shooting to the floor if his hand wasn't holding her in place, his teeth firmly buried inside her neck.
The shocking spasms rocked out from the center of her body, drenching her in ecstasy as Seamus pushed inside her with a finger, and pulled out of her with his fangs. She swallowed the blood in her mouth, accidentally biting her lip in her excitement.
"Oh, my."Wiping at her lips, Cara rocked one last time against Seamus. "I thought you said that doesn't happen every time."
"It doesn't."
"Oh." She thought about that for a second, her body reacting to the blood, her energy kicking up, her limbs tingling. Shoving her hair back, she closed her eyes against the light-headedness the orgasm had given her. Her brain was scattered, but when she pulled it together, she realized something. "So "
"That means we have a problem."
His erection snugly between her cheeks, hand still down her pants, Cara knew he was right. If she did this every time she drank blood around Seamus, she could forget about her independence. She'd morph into his love slave, begging him for more while offering to do his laundry. She would pout when he was late, feel jealousy when he glanced at other women, and would constantly worry about her weight. In short, she would become her mother, the way she'd been with Cara's jerk of a father.
No thanks.
"You have to let me leave," she said, trying to stand up. His hand in her pants kept her firmly in his lap.
"You have to learn how to be a vampire first."
"Then start teaching." She grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of her panties. What was he waiting for, a private escort out of there? "I mean, about other things than this."
Seamus thought if anyone was going to be the teacher in this relationship, it should be Cara. She was the most sensual woman he'd ever met. She danced naked?damn well, he might add?she had a vibrator that matched her decor, and she twice now had embraced the eroticism that feeding could inspire and had had an orgasm.
Neither time had she apologized or looked all that embarrassed. In fact, at the moment, as she stood up, she had a sly little smile of satisfaction on her face, despite her no-nonsense words.
She wanted to leave. He got it. But was there any reason they couldn't fully explore the attraction between them while he taught her all things vampire? And she taught him all things hot and sexy? That was what he had wanted when he'd gone to speak to her in the first place.An explosive affair.A rediscovery of sexual pleasure with a woman who appreciated an orgasm for the sake of an orgasm.
Not commitment, no ties, just some amazingly hot sex to get him through another two hundred years.
It was sounding better and better and he wanted another nip at her flesh.
Cara yanked open the bedroom door. All three dogs tumbled into the room. The cats followed a second later at a more leisurely, blase pace.
Satan dashed over toSeamus, his tiny legs a blur as he ran right up to him, gave a little leap in the air, and started barking violently. Seamus looked down at him. "What?" He and the Chihuahua weren't coming to terms with each other yet.
"Does he need to go out?" Cara asked, down on her knees petting a dog and a cat at the same time.
"I have no idea." It's not like the dog was crossing his legs or anything. How the hell was Seamus supposed to know? "We're going to have to hire a dog walker for during the day when you're sleeping. Day life isn't an easy feat for a young vampire. Especially since you're used to the night shift anyway." And he really didn't want any doggie accidents in his apartment. The carpet had just been cleaned.
Cara didn't say anything, but her lips pursed. A second later, she said, "Why can't I just walk them at night? They can sleep during the day with me."
Seamus sighed. "You could do that, but is it fair to the dogs to never go outside during the day?"
Her face went pale. She looked like she'd been slapped.
"Cara " He didn't know what the hell to say. Reality was a bitch.
"Get out."
"What?" Her face was buried in Fritz's fur, but he was almost certain she'd told him to leave.
"Get out! I want to change."
She looked dangerously close to tears, so Seamus didn't even hesitate. She wanted him gone, he was out of there. A woman in tears was the last thing he knew how to deal with.
Not sure whether to shut the door or not, he left it open, but Cara slammed it the second he cleared the doorframe.
"Don't worry, I don't need my heels," he murmured.
"I heard that!" Caracalled, her voice shaky.
Okay. Seamus would just take himself off down the hall, thanks. His dining room had a table, but he used it and the sideboard as a home office since he didn't need it for meals. He popped open his laptop, checked the schedule for the week, and cleared out his e-mail. They had only five weeks until the election.
The numbers from the latest poll danced in front of his eyes. Ethan and his opponent, Donatelli , were almost neck and neck.
Donatelliwas winning with young vampires, and those who were called Impures , born to rogue vampires and mortal women, like Brittany Baldizzi had been. Donatelli supported finding these mortals with vampire blood and turning them. Ethan opposed the practice, feeling it was a dangerous policy of population explosion.The more vampires, greater the risk of exposure. There was also some question of whether or not Impures had full consent in their turning.
Seamus rubbed his temples. Ethan had one last major trip scheduled to New York . They had just spent the summer on the campaign trail, traveling fromSaint Petersburg to Berlin and on toParis . They'd done a flyby down inSouth America before heading back to the States. They were doing everything they could to win another term.
But Seamus was worried.Very worried. And instead of planning strategy or ferreting out Brittany 's father, he had turned a stripper. It was like spitting on vampire policy. He clicked on his Excel spreadsheet for Ethan's appearances for the remainder of the month. He was doing another debate, a fund-raiser dinner, and a speech at the United Bloodworkers Union. It didn't feel like enough.
Cara could jeopardize the campaign. If she did something inappropriate, they'd be in trouble. Hell, her mere existence was going to cause a lot of eyebrows to shoot up. Seamus was known to toe the line, always. They would take Cara and turn her into an issue, make her a statement of the Carrick policy's weaknesses.
If Ethan lost the election over this, Seamus would never forgive himself.
Which meant Cara was not going to be able to leave Seamus's side until the election was over. She wasn't going to be able to even leave the casino.
This was not going to go over big with her.
Seamus wondered if there was a way to convince her he was right that didn't involve tears or screaming.
He'd much prefer it involve orgasms, and one for him, too, this time.
But the look on her face when she stomped her way into the dining room convinced him he was going to have to try an alternate form of persuasion initially. One that didn't involvehim letting her feed off him. He still couldn't believe he had done that.More than once. It was totally against the rules and completely unnecessary. He had an entire fridge of bagged blood he could be giving her. Instead, he was slitting his wrist and letting her take from him because it gave him immense pleasure to feel her drawing on him, to see the ecstasy on her face, to feel like if he gave her his older, more powerful blood, it would somehow make up for the guilt he had.
And it really bothered him that she kept insisting his blood tasted bad. A small, illogical part of him didn't want her to taste mortal blood from a bag, decide it was delicious, and disdain his offerings. Right now she needed him, wanted him.
And he needed counseling. He'd lost his ever- lovin' undead mind.
"What are you doing?" she asked, peering over his shoulder.
"Just checking e-mail, verifying Ethan's schedule for the week, checking the election polls."Thinking about her.
"So you really are Ethan's campaign manager?"
"Yes."
"How old are you?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She'd changed into clean jeans and a red T-shirt that hugged her very impressive breasts.
"Three hundred and seventy-one last April."
"Are you Irish?"
"Yes. Are you Korean?" He wanted to know who Cara was, her likes, dislikes, what made her tick. They were going to be living together for a while, and it was important they talk, find some common ground.
"A quarter Korean.The other three fourths, who knows, something European."She gestured to the very chest he'd been ogling with a rueful look. "No Asian woman has a chest like this naturally."
"And yours is? Natural?" That pleased him more than it should.
She leaned against the table, dogs hovering around her ankles. "Yes. Not that it's any of your business.
"I need to call my grandmother's nursing home and give them this number. My grandma is pretty far gone with dementia, and I want them to know how to reach me."
"Sure, I understand. I can call the nursing home tomorrow if you have trouble staying awake past sunrise." Seamus pushed his chair back from the table and crossed his leg over his knee. "Anything else you want to know?"
"How did you become a vampire?"
That was easy enough. "I was an Irish farmer until Cromwell. Then I defied my father and joined the rebellion against the English. I was a good soldier, until I met Ethan. He ran his sword through me. Then for whatever reason, he pulled me off that field and gave me this life back."
"So it's his fault you died? And he felt guilty and made you a vampire?"
"Yes." He had always been grateful to Ethan for that. War was war and by all rights he should have died.
"Hmmm I see a pattern here. Sounds exactly like what you did with me."
Where was Freud when you needed him?"Maybe."
"So give me the book of rules. I want to study all this and go home. I don't know how I'm going to go to school, since there aren't any night classes, but I want to be in my own apartment at least. And I can't be gone for more than two weeks at work or they'll replace me."
Her hand was out. Seamus stared at her in disbelief. "Cara, I don't have a written manual for vampirism. The rules are verbal for the vast majority of us. There are hard copies, but only the ancients and the president have access to them."
Cara crossed her arms. "How am I supposed to know if I'm doing it wrong or right?"
"I'll tell you."
"I don't want to be with you," she said, her teeth grinding together.
"Sorry." He meant that.Sort of. "But that's the way it is."
She made a hideous noise and threw her arms up in the air. "You're like a block of wood. You'reimpenetrable . Your expression never changes. You always look vaguely annoyed. Even when I'm you know"?her voice dropped down to normal tones? "you don't even react. You don't try to have sex with me. Not that I want you to. But you don't even try. Are you gay?"
"No!" This was why he avoided women. They were freaking crazy. How could she not notice his erection? How could she not see his drool when he looked at her? And why did she want topenetrate him in the first place? She didn't even seem to like him.
"I am not gay. And I don't try to have sex with you because I don't want to take advantage of you when you're confused and adjusting."
"I'm confused?"
"You're not?" Was she saying she wanted to have sex with him? Seamus felt an erection spring up of nowhere.
"I don't think so." She chewed her bottom lip.
Very convincing." Uhh what are you in school for?" When in doubt?confusion, cluelessness ,utter know-nothingness?change the subject.
Cara frowned. "I'm in veterinarian school. I intended to be an animal doctor, though this has the potential to seriously screw that up."
Well, that explained the fur menagerie. "Maybe you can take some of your classes online." Seamus loved the Internet. It was the best invention since electricity.
"I hope so."
Then to his utter horror, she gave a sniffle.
"I've worked so hard dancing at night, classes and studying all day " Her words wobbled and her lip trembled.
Oh, crap. "Cara, I'm sorry. I really am. I'll help you figure it out. We'll get it all worked out and everything will be fine." Or he'd impale himself. He couldn't stand to see the look of unhappi-ness on her face, knowing this wasall his fault.
She pressed her mouth with her palm and took several breaths like she was getting herself under control. "Why did you approach me last night? Was it to feed off me?"
"Well." He should have known he'd be called to the mat for this sooner or later. Honesty seemed like the wisest course. That's what he always told Seamus when campaigning, just come clean and apologize or it will bite you in the ass later.
"Normally we discourage live feeding from mortals. I haven't live-fed in a few hundred years. But last night I saw you dancing. I was attracted to you, to the way you move, the way you understand your own body." He felt hard just remembering. It didn't help that her eyes were dilating, that he could feel sexual tension vibrating between them harder, faster, and louder than that little toy of hers could ever manage. "I wanted to seduce you. That was my primary goal."
Her cheeks went pink. "You wanted to have sex with me?"
He nodded. "I thought I might encourage you with a little vampire persuasion."Which sounded cheap and disgusting now that he was repeating it out loud. He was such an Irish pig. "But I assure you I wouldn't have done anything you didn't want me to do." Like that made it sound any better.
"So I looked like the kind of woman who would be up for a good time?"
He wasn't going to answer that on the grounds that she might castrate him.
Instead, he said, "I thought you were beautiful.The first woman to tempt me into impulsiveness in two hundred years. Clearly I should have put more thought into it, given the way it's turned out."
"Clearly."
But to his relief, the trembling lip was gone, and she didn't appear all that upset.
Seamus turned to print off a fresh copy of the week's agenda, grateful to have dodged that silver bullet.
He wasn't prepared for Cara to insert her curvy, sexy body between him and the computer screen. Startled, he found himself eye to eye with her breasts. Whoa, boy. Much better than his geometric shapes screen saver.
When he managed to drag his eyes off her chest and look higher, he watched in fascination as her lips opened sensually and her hips swiveled toward him.
"How about a lap dance, soldier?"