She pressed one gentle kiss to the corner of his lips and they parted underneath hers, the hands holding her flexed. Her blood warmed, coming to a slow boil the longer she touched him.

She wanted to touch more, feel more of him. He was so different from lykaen men, so different from any of the men she knew.

“Millaya moya, ” he said.

She didn’t understand what he said but she understood his tone—warning.

Christine didn’t hold back any longer. She was floating above the earth with the taste of sweet wine on her tongue and the delicious feel of a strong man in her arms. She pressed her lips against his and conquered.

Her tongue slipped between his lips, felt the sharp points of fangs, and then glided along his tongue. It was smooth and he tasted heady, decadent. She’d kissed many men in her life, but none had she kissed like this. Like she wanted to show him how badly she wanted him, like she was trying to learn more about him.

She angled her head to the side and coaxed her tongue against his. For a few moments, he didn’t return the motion, as if shocked or unsure. But then he did, and she moaned.

She thought she was in control, that she’d taken the reins with her need, but she was so wrong. He mastered her with one simple touch. His hands tightened, curling her against him more comfortably, and then he was kissing her.

This kiss was nothing like the gentle pecks he’d given her before. This kiss stole her breath from her and gave it back. His tongue swept inside her mouth and mated with hers in a sensual rhythm that had her panties growing wet and her nipples hardening as sweet desire warmed her. She never thought it’d be like this.

His lips moved against hers, tasting her from different angles, sucking her lips into his mouth, and brushing his tongue along it. Christine’s saucy plan had just backfired and now she was losing control.

She squirmed in his lap. Her pussy throbbed, needing to be touched and as she wiggled, she fell fully against his thighs and felt his massive erection. She gasped against his mouth and he made a sound somewhere between a growl and a purr before capturing it again. His tongue thrust faster inside her mouth and she met it stroke for stroke, each taste, each touch making her hotter and hotter.

How had she been glad he kept his hand above her dress? She was mad with desire now.

She needed him to trail that hand up her bare thigh, squeeze her, and move upwards to where she really needed him. She wanted that hand at her back to reach around and squeeze her breast, relieve the ache in her tight nipple. But he didn’t, and she couldn’t stop squirming in his arms.

A harsh cough brought her up for air. Panting, lips wet and swollen, she looked up to see their waiter standing there with a scowl on his face. She might have blushed with embarrassment but her cheeks were already flushed.

She moved to stand, but Dmetri tightened his hands on her. She couldn’t bear to look at either man.

“Can I help you?” Dmetri asked, cold steel in his voice.

The waiter blinked, hesitation stirring in his eyes. “Um, Sir, you can’t do that here.” Dmetri stood with her in his arms. Now feeling real mortification, she struggled until he let her go.

“Fine.” Dmetri pulled out his wallet and threw some money on the table, and then he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the restaurant. It was like being pulled on a leash by an impatient dog owner. She tripped in her heels and tried to yank her hand away.

“Dammit, let me go.”

He didn’t. He held her hand tighter and led her towards his car.

“Dmetri, seriously this is completely unnecessary. What is wrong with you?” Desire faded fast in lieu of frustration.

He stopped at the passenger side door and finally released her hand. It didn’t hurt but she rubbed at it anyways. He had his eyes closed as if he was getting himself under control. She was about to ask what was wrong again when he opened his eyes and nailed her with a look so powerful it took her breath away—and scared the shit out of her.

“Dmetri...”

She started to back away even though he hadn’t made a move. Instinct warned her of danger. Her back hit the car and she slid alongside it towards the back of the car, hands held out in front of her, placating.

He followed her. His long legs ate up the short distance between them and then he pressed his body against hers. She gasped as her nipples, still sensitive from being hard only minutes before, rubbed against the hard plane of his chest. His hands came up to cradle her jaw, arching her face towards his. His expression was almost thunderous.

“Never kiss me like that again.” His accent was so thick; it ran his words together in a growl.

She had been staring at his lips, slender, arched perfectly, when he said that. It took a minute for her mind to wrap around the strange words.

“What? Why?” She knew he wanted her. He couldn’t hide the erection he’d sported inside or hide the way he looked at her. If he dared to say it was because he didn’t want her, she’d knee him in the junk right here and now.

“Because...” His eyes closed as if in pain.

“Because...” she said.

His eyes shot open, leveled on hers. Then he leaned down close, their noses nearly touching. “Because I almost took you…on the table…inside the restaurant.” She shivered at the sound of his voice, his accent so thick she could swim through it. That kiss had unraveled him that badly? Her mind spun. She could easily see him doing that. Pushing her back on the table and taking her in the restaurant with no care for spectators or modesty. The thought was incredibly exciting.

Her eyes fell to his lips, so close to hers. She wanted to taste them again, feel them moving across hers. So she leaned forward, eyes closing gently. The hands along her jaw stopped her scant centimeters away.

“Did you not hear what I just said?” His voice was hoarse, dry.

“I did but what does that have to do with—”

He cut her off, his body leaning harder into hers. “Then what makes you think I wouldn’t do the same out here in a quiet, empty parking lot, millaya moya? ” Eyes wide, all she could say was, “Oh.”

He grimaced in pain then gave her a hard fleeting kiss before pulling away. Though he didn’t pull away so much as jump from her as if she were on fire. His eyes lingered on her body in all the places she wanted him to touch—her breasts, her stomach, her legs and in between. He tore his gaze away, jaw clenched, and stalked to the driver’s side.

“Get in.”

Christine leaned against his polished car and watched him from over top the roof. He looked...about to lose control. Her curiosity piqued and she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d do if he actually lost control. Hell, he’d still been in control when he kissed her in the restaurant, and when he pulled her outside. Now that he’d gotten his shit together, he was ready to drive her home and say ‘night-night’.

Would he actually take her out here?

She was walking around to him before the question finished in her mind. He stiffened but his lips parted in surprise...before falling to her sashaying hips. She didn’t do it on purpose, she just had wide hips and that’s how they swung; it helped too that she wore heels.

“Well vampire,” she said, curling her hands into the lapels of his jacket, “I think I want another kiss.” She wanted a lot more than that, starting with an orgasm that would make her blind, but this was only a first date and she was still feeling light and fluffy inside.

His hands curled around hers then started to push her away. “Nyet. Get in the car, Christine.”

Body growing tight and responsive just being near him, Christine licked her lips then called on her lykaen strength to pull down on his jacket. His eyes widened in surprise, but it worked, and his head lowered.