Read Online Heart of Stone by Christine Warren - Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Warren
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didn’t suffer from fear or jealousy or possessiveness.
And he certainly didn’t consider himself capable of caring for a human. So what was it about Ella Harrow that made him react so differently than he had in the past? It was something he might have to ask Gregory.
As soon as they found him.
Ella squeezed his arm tightly, and he scowled down at her.
“Fine.” The word sounded less than sincere, but he had led the other humans to believe he was Ella’s lover, so if they believed him to be irrationally jealous or possessive as well, so be it. It didn’t make it true. “I will wait for you. But if you have need of me, call out, and I will be by your side in an instant. Do you understand?”
She looked up at him with a combination of surprise and wariness in her gaze. It made the gray depths of her eyes darken like storm clouds.
She nodded. “I understand.”
A strange impulse grabbed Kees, and he found himself grasping her around the waist and tugging her against him. She had to crane her head to keep her eyes on his face, and he took advantage by swooping down and sealing his lips against hers.
She stiffened in his arms. Her hands went up to press against his chest, and he tightened his grip in warning. Let her think he feared the detective and the others seeing through their act. In reality, he simply wanted to savor the moment.
She felt soft and sweet against him, a sweetness that was mirrored in her taste, all warm sugar with a hint of spring violets. Her lips even felt like the petals of a delicate flower, and they bloomed open when he traced his tongue along the plump surface of the lower one. Diving in, Kees forgot all about their audience and continued kissing her for the simple pleasure of it.
He experienced a surge of desire that took him by surprise.
Desire? For a human? When he pulled back, she looked up at him through hazy eyes, her brows drawing together in confusion. He understood the feeling.
“Go answer your questions,” he murmured. “I’ll wait right here until you return.”
And maybe while she was gone, he’d be able to figure out just what the hell was going on, why she made him feel more like a man than like a monster.
She offered an uncertain smile and turned to follow the museum director and the detective down a hall toward the rear of the house. Kees watched her go, ignoring the curious looks of the other humans. None of them could possibly be more puzzled by his behavior than he was.
What had the little human done to him?
* * *
What in heaven’s name had the gargoyle done to her?
Ella sat in Lefavreau’s office facing his desk and the classically handsome police detective perched on the corner. The director had told them to make themselves comfortable, handed McQuaid a file containing all the museum’s paperwork on the provenance of the missing statue, then returned to join the others.
Ella knew she should be focusing on ways to get a good look at the information in that folder, but her attention lingered back in the ballroom. More specifically, on the lips of a certain male monster who seemed determined to throw her off balance at every turn, first by not killing her, and now by pressing on her the most intensely sweet kiss of her life. What in God’s name was going on?
“Guess your boyfriend’s the possessive type, huh?”
McQuaid’s voice broke into her thoughts and dragged her attention back to the present. She felt her cheeks flush.
“I don’t—I guess. I mean, we haven’t been seeing each other very long,” she stuttered, her gaze sliding away from his. How was she supposed to explain something she didn’t understand herself? “I’m not even certain how serious it is.”
“Well, looked serious for him, at least. Not that I can blame him for feeling possessive over such a lovely woman.”
Before Ella could decide if that comment was flattering or uncomfortable, McQuaid looked down at the folder in his hands and flipped through the
And he certainly didn’t consider himself capable of caring for a human. So what was it about Ella Harrow that made him react so differently than he had in the past? It was something he might have to ask Gregory.
As soon as they found him.
Ella squeezed his arm tightly, and he scowled down at her.
“Fine.” The word sounded less than sincere, but he had led the other humans to believe he was Ella’s lover, so if they believed him to be irrationally jealous or possessive as well, so be it. It didn’t make it true. “I will wait for you. But if you have need of me, call out, and I will be by your side in an instant. Do you understand?”
She looked up at him with a combination of surprise and wariness in her gaze. It made the gray depths of her eyes darken like storm clouds.
She nodded. “I understand.”
A strange impulse grabbed Kees, and he found himself grasping her around the waist and tugging her against him. She had to crane her head to keep her eyes on his face, and he took advantage by swooping down and sealing his lips against hers.
She stiffened in his arms. Her hands went up to press against his chest, and he tightened his grip in warning. Let her think he feared the detective and the others seeing through their act. In reality, he simply wanted to savor the moment.
She felt soft and sweet against him, a sweetness that was mirrored in her taste, all warm sugar with a hint of spring violets. Her lips even felt like the petals of a delicate flower, and they bloomed open when he traced his tongue along the plump surface of the lower one. Diving in, Kees forgot all about their audience and continued kissing her for the simple pleasure of it.
He experienced a surge of desire that took him by surprise.
Desire? For a human? When he pulled back, she looked up at him through hazy eyes, her brows drawing together in confusion. He understood the feeling.
“Go answer your questions,” he murmured. “I’ll wait right here until you return.”
And maybe while she was gone, he’d be able to figure out just what the hell was going on, why she made him feel more like a man than like a monster.
She offered an uncertain smile and turned to follow the museum director and the detective down a hall toward the rear of the house. Kees watched her go, ignoring the curious looks of the other humans. None of them could possibly be more puzzled by his behavior than he was.
What had the little human done to him?
* * *
What in heaven’s name had the gargoyle done to her?
Ella sat in Lefavreau’s office facing his desk and the classically handsome police detective perched on the corner. The director had told them to make themselves comfortable, handed McQuaid a file containing all the museum’s paperwork on the provenance of the missing statue, then returned to join the others.
Ella knew she should be focusing on ways to get a good look at the information in that folder, but her attention lingered back in the ballroom. More specifically, on the lips of a certain male monster who seemed determined to throw her off balance at every turn, first by not killing her, and now by pressing on her the most intensely sweet kiss of her life. What in God’s name was going on?
“Guess your boyfriend’s the possessive type, huh?”
McQuaid’s voice broke into her thoughts and dragged her attention back to the present. She felt her cheeks flush.
“I don’t—I guess. I mean, we haven’t been seeing each other very long,” she stuttered, her gaze sliding away from his. How was she supposed to explain something she didn’t understand herself? “I’m not even certain how serious it is.”
“Well, looked serious for him, at least. Not that I can blame him for feeling possessive over such a lovely woman.”
Before Ella could decide if that comment was flattering or uncomfortable, McQuaid looked down at the folder in his hands and flipped through the
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