Page 56 of Twilight Destiny

“Rosa.” He whispered her name, his voice raw with need.

“Where have you been the last two days? I was so afraid I’d never seen you again.”

“It wasn’t easy, staying away from you.”

“Why did you try?”

“You know why. It’s hard to be near you, want you, and not have you.”

“I guess I’m the first woman to tell you no.”

He laughed softly.

She looked up at him. “Am I?”

“You are, indeed, my sweet girl.”

“I didn’t mean to ruin your reputation.”

His gaze, hot as a fourth of July firecracker, raked her from head to heel. “The night isn’t over yet.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Maybe a promise,” he whispered, and captured her lips with his. His tongue ravished her mouth as he pulled her body closer to his, letting her feel the heat of his arousal. She flattened her hands on his chest, intending to push him away, only to lose herself in the magic of his kisses. His tongue was a flame as it dueled with her own. She felt herself sinking into him, had a vague sense of a fire crackling to life in the hearth, the feel of the floor beneath her, the welcome weight of his body wrapped around hers.

She gasped his name when she felt the prick of his fangs.

As if she’d doused him with ice water, he reared back, a look of horror on his face.

“Dammit,” he growled.

She blinked at him, shocked to see blood on his lips. It took a moment to realize it was hers.

Rising, he took hold of her hands and lifted her to her feet, his gaze not quite meeting hers. “I’m sorry.”

Rosa pressed her fingers to her throat, sucked in a breath when he moved her hand out of the way and ran his tongue over the tiny wounds she could feel there.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “If you’re smart, you’ll tell me to leave and never invite me inside again.”

Going up on her tiptoes, she laced her fingers behind his neck. “I guess I’m not very smart. You stopped in time. Didn’t you?” she asked, suddenly uncertain.

He nodded curtly.

“Then why are you so upset? You didn’t ravish me. You didn’t drink me dry.” She cocked her head to the side. “Did you even come close?”

“No,” he said. “But I might have.”

“But you didn’t. I’m willing to give you a little more, if you need it.”

“Woman, you’re asking for trouble. You know that, don’t you?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. And maybe it would help ease your craving.”

“It probably would,” he agreed. “But are you willing to take that chance? Dammit, woman, you don’t know how easy it would be to turn you. How tempting it is.”

“Promise me,” she said seriously. “Promise me you won’t do that without asking me first.”

“How do you know you can trust me to keep a promise like that?”