“So what happens then? What happens if I go with you against my mother’s wishes, and against what is right for me, and then I fall in love with you? Do I keep my mouth shut else you’ll dump me like yesterday’s paper?”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “It isn’t like that.” She laughed, the sound hollow. “I’ve heard about you and Vera. I know how that went down, and now you want to do it with me. How am I supposed to look you in the eye and not say I love you every time I look at you? How can I ignore that? You know enough about me to know that I don’t hold my words for anybody. I’ll say it. I’ll say it until you maybe even start to feel a little something back.”

Her little speech came to a careening stop when he spoke. “You think you could love me?” he asked in a soft voice. He looked at her strangely, an odd light to his eyes.

A blush crept over her cheeks and she struggled to keep from looking away from his piercing eyes. “I...I, no. Of course not. Besides, what would it matter to you?” He looked away, the piercing connection broken. “Indeed.”

“Listen, I’ve got to go.” She reached behind her for the door handle, curling her fingers around it.

She paused before opening the door as if waiting for something. She was met with silence. She rushed out the door without a word.

Christine ripped the carrots from the ground like a madwoman tearing out her own hair.

The leaves broke in her hands and the bundle of carrots only came out part way. She growled and grabbed hold of the vegetables one last time before giving a vicious yank. The soil gave way and the carrots burst forth, spewing clumps of soil on her face and clothes.

Christine sat back, panting, and spit a clump of dirt off her lips. Normally with a bright warm day like this she’d love to sit outside and enjoy the sun, but she was in no mood. Not today, not since her fight with Dmetri. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why he’d gotten to her so badly. A fling while he stayed here was one thing, but going to live with him?

Impossible.

Why did the man have to be so...frustrating? She marched down to the row of herbs and began yanking on basil leaves.

“Stupid vampire,” she muttered.

She no longer knew what she was more angry at: that he wouldn’t budge on the matter or that she actually liked the idea of going with him. She had so much fun with him, well, when they weren’t being attacked. She loved how uncomfortable he got when she laughed at him or did something he thought was unexpected. He lived such a controlled life, and she got a huge kick out of knocking down his tough exterior.

“One kick at a time,” she muttered

Plus, he just made her feel good. She stood with her bundle of vegetables and came face to face with her problem.

“Damn, how long have you been creeping on me?”

Today Dmetri wore...casual clothes. She’d never seen him in anything other than a suit.

Even when he’d been helping to clean the bombed houses he’d done it in loafers and a suit.

Today he wore a pair of khakis and a neat button-down shirt. It still looked more expensive than anything she owned, but it was an improvement. And damn if he didn’t look great in it.

“I don’t creep. As I said before, I can’t help it if you can’t hear me.” She glared at him. “Now’s not the time to piss me off, Dmetri.” Genuine surprise flitted over his features. “I wasn’t trying to piss you off. I just wanted to see you.”

“Oh,” she said softly. How did he do that? With a simple word he sent butterflies scurrying in her belly and her heart racing like a bunch of galloping horses.

He reached towards her and she froze, breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t seen him in nearly a week and now being this close to him made her feel like she was back on that first date again. He rubbed his fingers across her cheek, brushing off some soil she’d missed.

He took a breath so deep she heard him release it. His eyes met hers and they locked together. “I think that I missed you.” His lips pulled into a frown as if he wasn’t happy with the thought.

Hearing his honesty, no matter how much he didn’t seem to like the idea fueled her desire. “I did too.” The tension around his mouth eased, and the fingers on her cheek cupped her with his cool hand.

He straightened just as quickly as he’d done it, breaking the connection. “Come, walk with me.” He didn’t wait to see if she’d follow.

Rolling her eyes, Christine caught up to him. “Where are we going?”

“To the forest.”

“What for?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he looked down at her, his eyes wild and dark. “You shouldn’t wear clothes like that.”

Taken aback, Christine looked down at herself. She wore her ‘gardening shorts’ that had long started to fray at the bottom, no shoes, and a baggy shirt.

“Why, because I’m dirty?”

She heard him make a sound that almost resembled a laugh. “No, because I can’t think when you wear that.”

They entered the canopy of trees and instantly the bright sky darkened through the blanket of leaves and branches.

Feeling saucy, she stopped and cocked her hip out to the side. “Dmetri, can’t handle a little pair of shorts?”

He stopped, his eyes leveling on her hips, her legs, and then her mouth. Her mouth watered in response to the heat in his eyes. He took a step, then another step until he was pressed against her from chest to thighs. Her chest rose and fell like waves crashing on the shore. She embraced the feelings he brought forth and curled her hands in his shirt.

“It’s not the shorts, millaya moya. It’s all the skin it reveals.” His hands swept down to cup her bottom and pull her tightly against him.

“Oh.”

His lips swooped down and her breath caught. “You tease me.” She laughed unsteadily, her eyes on his, their lips a breath away. “I haven’t teased you yet.”

Slowly, he shook his head. “When you come home with me, I’ll buy you wardrobes of little shorts. You’ll wear nothing but them and your bare feet for me.” He pulled back to look down her legs. Her toes threatened to curl into the patch of grass she stood on.

“But I thought you preferred dresses, lingerie, and all that fancy stuff.” His eyes brightened and then she heard it—his laughter. The sound was rich, accented, husky. It sent chills down her spine.

“I used to...until I saw those damn shorts on you.” He leaned down to touch her thigh and slowly rub his hand up until his fingers met the frayed fringe. When his fingers began to play underneath the material her body tightened, liquid heat pooling between her legs.

“Dmetri...”

“I want you.” His gruff voice made her breasts feel tight, heavy, and only he could alleviate the ache.

In a move so fast her head spun, he turned her around and pushed her into the nearest tree. She braced her hands on the hard trunk even as her eyes searched the area around them.

“Not here! There are sentries everywhere, Dmetri!”

Either he didn’t hear her or he didn’t care because his hands reached around to cup her breasts through the baggy shirt. He didn’t waste any time before rolling her nipples between his fingers and squeezing the soft flesh. She bit her lip hard to keep from making a sound, but her heavy breaths sounded incredibly loud in the quiet forest.

His hands squeezed her breasts, plumping them, and then trailed down her stomach and under her shirt. His hands were cool yet his touch burned. When he reached for the button of her shorts, she stilled.

“No, we can’t.”

“I’ll hear anyone who nears...and kill them,” he said hoarsely. He opened the button and pulled down the zipper. When his fingers delved inside, it took everything in her not to cry out.