To see fear etched so deeply in her features hurt him to the core. “You’ll always be safe with me.”
She lifted one hand and reached for his face, stroking her fingers over his cheek. “When I’m with you, I can almost believe it.” She brought her face closer. “When you hold me, the nightmare seems to be less real.”
He felt his blood heat at her nearness, his vampire side registering the change in her demeanor. Where fear had reigned only moments earlier, hope was blossoming, and arousal was growing.
“Maybe if you hold me closer, we can make this horror disappear. Maybe then I’ll wake up from this nightmare.”
Her lips beckoned, looking more enticing than ever. He already knew what they tasted like, and that fact made resisting even harder.
“Lilo, it’s not going to make this go away. I have to tell you—”
“Please, Blake, I know you don’t find me unattractive…” She sniffled. “I felt it when you kissed me.”
He sighed. “That’s not the point, Lilo, but you’re vulnerable right now. It wouldn’t be fair if I took advantage—”
“You’re not taking advantage.” She lifted herself on her toes, bringing her head level to his, her lips even closer now. “I’m taking advantage of your goodness. Please make love to me. I need this now. I need to forget.”
Blake’s heart thundered out of control. “Lilo, please, you don’t know me. You might regret this.”
“Regret going to bed with a man who’s done everything in his power to help a friend? No, I won’t regret that.” She brushed her lips over his.
“Lilo,” he murmured, still trying to hold onto his control.
“Unless you don’t want me…”
“Of course I want you!” he ground out. “But I’m not who you think I am.” But he was a man, one who couldn’t deny that the sexual attraction between them was burning like a wildfire now. One he wouldn’t be able to douse.
“Then make love to me. Because tomorrow we could all be dead. Killed by those evil things.”
Despite his better judgment, he yanked her to him. “We shouldn’t do this,” he said before capturing her mouth in a searing kiss.
No, they wouldn’t be dead tomorrow, but by tomorrow Lilo would know that he was a vampire, and then she’d never allow him to touch her again. And the thought that he might never find out what it felt like to lose himself in Lilo’s body and find ecstasy with her, was something he couldn’t bear. And though he knew it was wrong, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom, not for a single second letting go of her hungry lips.
He knew he would pay for this sin in short order, but right now he didn’t care.
Right now he was all man, all vampire, hungry for a woman who tempted him like no other.
20
Blake kicked the bedroom door shut with his heel and carried her to his bed. He knew he was beyond stopping now. Soon, Lilo would hate him for what he was about to do. The least he could do at this point was give her more pleasure than she’d ever experienced. Then maybe, just maybe, once she found out the truth, she would remember how gentle his touch had been. Not like a vampire, but like a man worshipping her.
He laid her on the sheets and released her mouth. A disappointed mewl came over her lips, and she pulled him back with a hand on his nape.
“Don’t stop,” she murmured.
He brushed a blond lock from her forehead and gazed into her heated face. “I won’t stop until you and I are both completely satisfied, trust me on that.” Nothing less would do. But he also wanted to establish one thing first. “But I’m not going to rush this.”
He pulled back a little farther, shifting on the bed so he wasn’t crushing her with his weight, and let his gaze travel down her torso. She wore a long-sleeved tightly-fitting jersey top with buttons down the front. Beneath the soft fabric, the outline of her bra showed. When he lifted his eyes back to her face, he noticed that she was pulling her lower lip between her teeth, sucking in a breath.
Not breaking eye contact, he moved his hand lower, letting his fingers slowly trail down her front until he reached the peak of her left breast. There he stopped and began to circle her nipple. A sharp intake of breath confirmed that his touch had the desired reaction.
“Yes!” she let out.
Male pride blooming, he captured her breast in his hand and squeezed the responsive flesh, feeling her hard nipple brush against his palm. If she responded with such enthusiasm to this tame touch, she’d be screaming in ecstasy as soon as he laid her bare and was caressing her in earnest.