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“Maybe…” Chen whispered, his eyes still lowered, but there was now a hint of a smile on his lips. “Maybe I grab Yichen with one hand and you with the other. I drag you both to China with me.”

His heart fluttered, but Moon couldn’t decide if it was from excitement or panic.

Wasn’t that a sexy dream? Someone so interested in him, they wanted to drag him to a far-off country and keep him there. Who didn’t want to be desired that intensely?

But the harping of his friends had helped to get at least one foot on the ground and his head mostly out of the clouds.

It’s been twenty-four hours. Just twenty-four hours. Be smart!

“That is tempting, but I’d hate for you to carry me to China, then discover that you’re bored with me after only a month or two.”

The frown demolished Chen’s fledgling smile. Yeah, reality sucked.

“We still have time to learn about each other. I want to know everything about you. From your human years and all of your vampire years.”

Chen stiffened. The motion was small. Moon almost missed it. The vampire’s body tensed, and his expression chilled.

“I…I’ll go get the keys to the car. We should leave now, so you have time to rest ahead of your mission with Li Xiang tomorrow.” Chen darted off toward the house the second he finished speaking, leaving Moon standing in the driveway confused.

A wall had slammed between them that hadn’t been there since last night. They’d made such progress. Chen had started to relax. Moon had felt like they were on the verge of honest-to-God banter.

Now Frosty the Snow Vampire was back!

What had he said?

Only that he wanted to know everything about Chen. That seemed logical. They were trying to get to know each other. If Chen was teasing about carrying him off to China, he wasn’t interested in a one-night stand or a fling.

So the problem was Chen’s past. There was something there he wasn’t comfortable talking about with Moon.

Well, considering the vampire was over two thousand years old, there was a damn good chance there were a few somethings in his past that he wasn’t proud of.

Fuck. Moon was twenty-four, and there were multiple decisions and actions in his past he wasn’t excited to share with Chen.

Moon huffed. He’d have to prove to Chen Bo Cheng that he wasn’t interested in the man he had been all those years ago, but who he was now. The one who rescued him and carried him on his back. Who put up with his nonsense and kissed as if he were drowning.

The front door opened, and Chen approached, the same stern expression on his angular face. He was dressed in a pair of gray slacks and a white sweater that clung to his broad shoulders and lean, muscular chest. His short hair was mussed as if he’d run his fingers through it, which made Moon want to mess it up some more.

Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.

As Chen neared Moon, the witch darted to step right into his path. The vampire barely stopped himself in time to keep from colliding with Moon. With Chen already off balance, Moon rose on the tips of his toes to press their lips together. For a heartbeat, Chen remained frozen, not responding to the kiss but not pulling away either.

But in the next heartbeat, Chen wrapped his arms around Moon. He pulled their bodies together while tipping his head to the side, deepening the kiss and wringing a moan of pure lust out of Moon. Everything about Chen’s touch was intoxicating. Reserved and controlled one second, but in the next, he was passionate and all-consuming. His alluring fragrance drifted past them, filling Moon’s nose while he drowned in Chen’s touch. Grabbing Chen’s back, he dug his fingers into powerful muscles, aching to be closer.

Chen broke off the kiss and stared at Moon, his eyes appearing almost completely black in the darkness. “What was that for?”

“You looked like you could use it. I definitely needed that.” Moon hooked his arms behind Chen’s neck and grinned. “I gotta say, you’re an incredible kisser. Seriously. Toe-curling, forget-my-own-name, just-want-to-melt kisser.”

The vampire’s lips twitched as if he were fighting a smile. His eyebrow lifted as he offered Moon a bland expression. “Are you sure? I was afraid I was out of practice. It’s been a while.”

Moon leaned in so that their noses bumped. “What’s a while? Months?”

“Longer.”

“Years?”

“Longer.”

A shiver ran through Moon. Decades? Centuries? Was there a chance that Chen could be counted as a virgin again if he went more than an average lifespan without getting laid? There was something wickedly tantalizing and addictive about being the first person to kiss those lips in years.

And there was so much more he wanted to do with this man.

“Okay, yeah…we should get going, or we’re never going to get back before sunrise.” Reluctantly, Moon released Chen, and they walked over to the car.