Page 63 of Road Trip with a Vampire

Or something like that.

After what felt like an eternity, the other people got off theelevator. And then we finally arrived at our floor. By the time we’d walked to the end of the hallway and arrived at our suite, I’d made up my mind.

Wordlessly, Peter keyed open the lock. I didn’t think I was imagining the way his hands shook as he opened the door for me, then followed me inside.

It emboldened me, seeing him nervous and just a little bit undone.

I closed the door behind us, then turned to face him. He stood a good ten feet away, his eyes on anything and everything but me.

“Maybe we should just kiss and get it out of our systems,” I said. No point in beating around the bush.

Peter’s eyes snapped to mine, wide with surprise. “What?”

I took a deep breath. “I’m feeling…” How did I say this without sounding like a sex-obsessed fool? “Affected, I guess. By our conversation in the bar.”

His throat worked as he stood there, rooted to the spot. He made no move towards me, gave no sign that my offer was something he wanted.

“Oh,” he said.

Oh?

What didthatmean? I hadn’t thought I’d have to work for this. My confidence sagged. “It’s fine if you don’t want to,” I backpedaled, suddenly feeling foolish. “You probably say things like that all the time.”

He frowned. “Things like what?”

Was he really going to make me say it? Hehadto know what I was talking about. But when he only stood there, waiting for me to clarify, I caved. “The part where you said you wanted me,” I mumbled.

“Oh,” he said again. If there’d been a rapid-blinking vampire competition in the Olympics, Peter would be in the running for the gold. “I…”

By that point, I’d had it. “So did you mean it or not?” I blurted.

His eyes traveled down to my lips and stayed there for the length of a heartbeat. Two. When they met mine again, his had darkened. “I meant it,” he said. “I want you so much I can’t think straight when you’re near me.”

My breath left me. My toes curled in my shoes. I leaned back against the closed door for support, not even realizing I’d done it until my headthunkedagainst the wood.

“Oh,” I murmured, echoing his sentiment from earlier.

He huffed a small laugh, then came a step closer. Another. He leaned in close, resting his arm against the door above my head. His mouth was so close to mine, I felt the cool waft of his breath on my upturned face.

“I want you,” he said again, voice rough. “I just don’t know if I should act on that.”

“Why not?” I asked. I winced at the pleading in my voice. Especially since just moments ago I’d acknowledged to myself that this was probably a bad idea.

“A few reasons,” he said carefully.

Damn his reasons. I wanted to feel his lips on mine.

“It would just be one kiss,” I said. “I won’t ask for anything else. But if I don’t kiss you tonight, I worry that…”

His eyebrow lifted. “What?”

I swallowed. “I worry that I’ll be too distracted to focus on anything else. Because I want you, too.”

There it was.

His eyes blazed. We were so close that if I tilted my chinupward just a fraction, we would be kissing and this discussion would finally be over.

“And you think kissing will remove the distraction,” he murmured.