EcstasyEntwined (3 page)

Glinted?

She blinked to clear the cobwebs in her brain, sure that
she’d never met such an intriguing specimen of manhood. Surely he must have
mistaken her for someone else. Or was he playing some kind of a prank like they
showed on television?

The rigid set of his jaw smashed her doubts even as they formed.
She wrapped her arms around her stomach in an effort to calm the butterflies
that’d suddenly decided to flutter. Heat and cold simultaneously bombarded her
body, evoking a shudder.

This didn’t seem to be a joke and that’s what made her so
scared.
For
him—whoever he was. His spicy scent wrapped around her as
though it were a living thing and she took a hasty step backward.

He lifted a hand, grazing her cheek with his knuckles. The
strange glint flashed back in his eyes again. Must be an effect of the lack of
light, she decided, until she spied his slightly elongated fangs. Now wait a
goddamn minute! Who had fangs and a slightly pale skin as if— Realization sunk
in with utter clarity and a different kind of fear slid down her spine. What
did a vampire want with her?

“My sweet Lena,” he whispered in a tone that made her want
to lean into his touch.

Her stomach plummeted and the ensuing dizziness swayed her
on the spot. Dark spots crowded her vision before she gritted her teeth and
glared at the brooding stranger with the familiar voice that scrambled her
senses.

Oh my freaking God!

Chapter Three

Gregory trailed a finger under her jaw. “Long time, no call,
my sweet.”

She hissed as if he’d burned her, still staring at
him—disbelief and shock warring on her face. The initial flush rapidly bled
out, leaving a sickly green.

Ouch.
Not the reaction he expected.

He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, but
let his hand drop instead and waited, his muscles tensed, his jaw aching as he
waited for her to make a move. Her feminine scent mixed with cinnamon raked
over his senses. The air between them charged, sizzled or was that only in his
mind? Unlike him, she obviously didn’t seem hit by a bolt of lust.

Snap out of it, Lathrop.

Her order arrived, but she stood still, frozen as a statue.
Her throat worked and she made a choked sound. The few people who had rushed
into the coffee shop to escape the foul weather were starting to stare.

Holy hell!
He hadn’t meant to draw attention by
surprising her, but he hadn’t found any neutral place to contact her either
without seeming as desperate as a deranged stalker.

He gritted his teeth as her mouth opened and closed.
“You—you—”

“Yes, it’s me.” He leaned in close to her ears, his fingers
trailing over her arms, creating the impression of out-of-touch lovers. “Maybe
we should move to one of the cozy corners, sweetheart.”

She reared back suddenly as if waking up from a trance.
“No.”

Her eyes looked ready to pop out of her head before she
glanced around and registered the unabashed curiosity their actions, or rather
lack of action, incited. He tamped down a surge of irritation. What was that
about? Did she think she could entice him over the phone, but act the shocked
virgin in person?

“Look, Elena, can we just talk?” He raked his fingers
through his hair, unsure of how to proceed. “Please?”

She gave a tentative jerk of her head and turned to grab her
coffee. He let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He picked up
her muffin and followed close. If nothing else, the least he could do was tempt
her taste buds with her favorites.

He’d memorized every word of the file Leon had put together
on her, until every tidbit of knowledge was etched into his memory. He could
show her heaven if she gave them a chance, if he could convince her. To his
chagrin, the
if
s kept piling up. He shook his head and focused on her.

Rounding on him the moment she reached a corner, she put her
coffee down and grabbed his sleeves. “What do you want?” she asked.

What did he want? Gregory schooled his face into a mask of
indifference and pried her cold hands off his shirt, resisting the urge to kiss
her whitened knuckles. “You invited me, remember?”

He saw the exact instant she recalled her broken cry and the
way she’d begged him to fill her. Resisting the temptation to call her bluff,
he waited. His cock threatened to burst out of his pants when her eyes
darkened, the violet swallowing the gray.

“That—that was over the phone.” Pink spread across her face.
“Under different circumstances.”

He bridged the gap between them, pulling her deeper into the
shadows, hiding from anyone who still bothered to glance their way. “Makes no
difference.”

She gnawed her lower lip, her eyes churning pools of
emotions. “You don’t know what you’re asking for, Gregory.”

Her strangled whisper jerked him closer to her mouth, as
though he were a puppet whose strings were in her hands. At the last second, he
detoured, nuzzling her neck, groaning at the pulse of her blood under his
assaulting tongue. Her buttery cinnamon fragrance threatened to cut his control
loose.

He didn’t reply. Couldn’t. His gums throbbed with the effort
to rein in his bloodlust and her defiance only made it harder. He needed her
soft and compliant until his initial hunger passed. The more she resisted, the
more she provoked his lust. How could he tell her that and not scare her
senseless?

His fangs elongated and he allowed himself a slight scrape
on her skin—to satiate himself for the moment without piercing her… enough to
show her he wasn’t joking.

She stilled for an instant as if recognizing him for what he
was. Would she push him away now that she knew he was a vampire? Except for her
soft sigh, she showed no indication of her discovery.

“Gregory…”

Dread chased away his initial elation. What was she thinking?
Feeling?

He clenched his fingers with effort. If he touched her
intimately now, he couldn’t guarantee remaining a gentleman. “If you’re unhappy
that I tracked you, I apologize—”

She shook her head, cutting him off. “No. It was nice
meeting you. But you have to go.”

Why?
he wanted to ask when her violet-gray gaze
filled with sadness. With her wavy brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, she
looked the opposite of an alluring siren set out to seduce mankind.

“Are you worried that you might hurt me with your voice?” he
asked.

Her blanched face spoke volumes. “Please, go,” she repeated.

If he wasn’t such a determined bastard, the wobble in her
tone would have made him turn back, acknowledge her fears and get the fuck out
of her life. The desperation with which she had called his helpline—her need to
connect—even with an unknown entity on the phone, had resonated with him. No
one else evoked anything other than sympathy or a sense of righteousness he got
from a job well done. He and Elena couldn’t be more suited for each other even
if they tried. He hadn’t come this close to lose her because of her
stubbornness to see reason.

There was another tricky matter to contend with… His fangs
still throbbed with the need to taste her blood, to assuage the lust roaring
through him. Every second he’d spent away from her had been pure agony. A few
seconds in her presence soothed him and stirred his arousal. His cock still
pushed hot and hard against his slacks, not caring they were in public.

In an effort to hide the obvious, he took a seat, gesturing
her to do the same. Defying him, she remained standing. He caught her wrists,
tugging her over to sit beside him. Her nostrils flared and she pressed her
lips into a thin line.

He bit down on the tempting prospect of getting her to open
her mouth with his tongue. “You know you can talk to me, Lena. I’m not such a
monster.”

She sagged beside him, picking up her mug of probably now
cold coffee. “Easy for you to say when your voice doesn’t make people go mad.
Your voice doesn’t kill anyone. And I assume your helpline is a way to get
immortals to connect with each other.”

“Figured that one out, did you?” He reached out to tuck a
wayward curl into the colorful hairband. “If my thrall wouldn’t work on you,
your charms won’t work on me.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in and continued
before she could protest. “I’m just asking you to give us a chance before
pushing me away.”

Leaning back in the spacious, comfortable booth, he observed
the play of emotions across her face. He had her there and she knew it.

“I—” She licked her lips. “I don’t know what to say.”

Hope sparked to life inside him. He could afford to be
magnanimous, as long as she didn’t give him the boot. If she by chance asked
him to get lost, he’d be tempted to take more drastic measures, like tossing
her over his shoulders to take her home or getting down on his knees to beg.
Neither prospect enticed him.

He bit back a snarl when the darkness he’d managed to keep
at bay for the whole week reared its head. “For now, eat.”

Hesitation warred on her face. She closed her eyes and took
a deep breath before twirling the spoon and taking it to her mouth. Her tongue
darted out to lick the creamy concoction and he bit back a groan. Silence
reigned for a few minutes.

“Feel free to dig in, but make sure you order one more for
me.” She gestured to the muffin while alternatively sipping her coffee and
nibbling the whipped cream.

“Sure.” Grinning, he accepted what he recognized as a rare
offer. His woman loved her sweets. He couldn’t wait to find out what else she
couldn’t live without and if that might include him. He was ready to use
anything at his disposal to sneak into her life, including what he did
best—taking charge.

“After eating…” Her head whipped up, her gaze fixed on his
as he deliberated on his next words, chewing on the heavenly muffin. “We’ll
continue our discussion in a more private setting.”

Private setting?

Elena gulped her coffee, choked and sputtered into the paper
towel she grabbed just in time. Gregory scooted closer in an instant. Her eyes
watered as he pulled her onto his lap and smoothed his hand over her back,
cursing when the coughs racked her body. She took the proffered glass of water,
taking baby sips to clear her burning throat.

Didn’t the man—the vampire—know the word subtle? His
insistent hardness dug into her back. Her face flamed, her breathing threatened
to warp into overdrive again. She squirmed, giving an easy laugh, only to have
it come out a chortle. Her coat slipped and she landed beside him in a heap.

Way to go, girl!

“There,” she croaked, trying to cover up her embarrassment.
“Now I’ve gone and wrinkled your suit.”

He brushed off her concern with a wave of his hand. “That’s
nothing. You are the one who matters.”

His words shouldn’t have registered, but instead, they
returned the flutter in her belly, along with an arousal that soon spread to
her limbs as surely as wildfire. She jumped back in an effort to put more
distance between them, attempting to quell her awakening instincts—that of a siren
set on seduction.

“You okay?” he asked, frowning at her prolonged musing.

Okay now or okay to take him home?

She cleared her throat. “I guess so.” She rubbed her palms
over her eyes and glanced around. Thankfully, the crowd had long dissipated as
the rain had slowed into a drizzle. She sensed the coiled tension emanating
from him in silent waves. What did she do now?

“Jeez!” A sigh slipped past her lips and she opted for
honesty. “This is all so awkward.”

He caught her wrist again, his fingers branding her skin.
“What is?”

“I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I just needed someone
to talk to. And—” She took a deep breath, willed herself to ignore his hopeful
expression and continued, “You were just a voice to me. I never imagined
running into you in person.” She dared a glance at him beneath lowered lashes
and tugged her hand away.

Giving her a charming grin, he pulled out his cell phone
with a flourish. “Ah! Calling you I can oblige.”

Why did slugging him seem such a great idea? She bared her
teeth. “Is that supposed to be funny?”

“I tried.” With a contrite look, he ran his fingers through
his hair, mussing his perfect persona, turning more approachable by the minute.
“So, meeting me is a bad thing because…?”

She allowed herself to brazenly take him in. And stared, her
mouth open. After all, he was the one who barged into her comfort zone. She
didn’t do tall, devastating strangers, dammit! Much as she might like to.

She curled her fingers on the soft suede cushion, the urge
to fist her hands in his hair and pull him down until his lips captured hers,
too overwhelming. His spicy scent mingled with the aroma of baking and coffee,
enticing her to dizzying heights.

“Earth to Lena.”

The wry twist of his lips managed to pry her tongue from the
roof of her parched mouth.
Ah, his question.

“I know nothing about you,” she blurted.

“Why do you think there’s this thing called dating?” He
smiled. “We could do that if you want to. Anything else?”

“Yes.” She gulped, realizing that sex was going to be more
prominent than the other aspects if she agreed to take him home. She needed to
know if she could trust him. “Your helpline promised anonymity. How did you
find me?”

He plunged his hands into his hair, thoroughly mussing his
hairstyle, and his eyes locked with hers. “I couldn’t trace your call due to
the security measures I put in place. I—I asked for help from a friend, someone
who got me your details,” he said with a grimace, as if calling in favors
wasn’t his cup of tea.

As if he were as wary as her. She shook her head, trying not
to read too much between the lines. She believed she’d kept a low profile. Fat
lot of good it did when someone easily traced her here.

For all she knew, he could be a serial killer. One who
bestowed the vampire’s kiss in the middle of wild, passionate sex. Her neck, as
if on cue, throbbed in time with her clit, wanting both. Maybe he killed women
by giving extreme pleasure. She chortled at the thought. Sobering up, she
swallowed past the bitter taste on her tongue. She didn’t like imagining him with
any other woman.

She glanced at his rugged face. She’d expected to feel
angry, but the way he’d probably broken a few rules to get to her sent a wave
of want pulsing through her and a longing for him to assuage her desires. Her
insides unfurled with excitement, even though common sense warned her to stay
put.

Questions clamored in her brain, which seemed to have
short-circuited in his presence. Curiosity propelled to ask, “Why?”

He ran a warm finger over her cheek and paused at her lower
lip before he curled his hand around her waist, pulling her close. Heat licked
her skin where he touched.

“Why would anyone take such pains to track down someone they
knew only over the phone?”

Opening her mouth to answer didn’t dislodge the sudden lump
in her throat. Over the phone was one thing and in person was another. She
swallowed and tried to speak again. “I don’t know. You tell me.” Her voice came
out hoarse, a whisper.

Without replying, he cocked his head, waiting for her to
figure it out. She did, but still couldn’t help the obvious question from
slipping out. “What do you really want, Gregory?” she asked again.