with the full force of his powers of suggestion. By Valhalla, who did she think she was?
With a growing sense of unease, Cole flipped the note open and scanned the missive. He dropped his head back on his shoulders. The string of Norse profanities that burst from his lips would have made a berserker blush.
Yanking the door to the study open, Cole glanced to both ends of the hallway. Tipping his head back, his nostrils flaring, he sucked in a deep draw of air, searching for her. It wasn’t hard to find her. The scent of wild honey beckoned him. Following her scent trail down the hallway, he ignored the sound of music blaring from the back yard.
56
Moving with phenomenal speed, Cole swore beneath his breath as he skidded down first one hallway and then another, mentally kicking himself. How had she’d gotten so far ahead of him on those ice-pick heels? For the first time in he couldn’t remember how long, he’d stopped thinking with his head and let another part of his anatomy take over his cognitive abilities—and he wasn’t talking about his fangs. In the process, he’d gone and royally pissed off the one woman he’d meant to impress…or reassure, at the very least.
By Thor, how could he have mistaken her for some damned groupie?
In all fairness, he hadn’t been expecting her for at least another hour or so, but still, he didn’t have any excuse for what just happened. In the past, he’d never allowed his attraction for a female to rule him, body or mind, and now he was beginning to understand exactly why.
He caught up with her just as she jerked the front door open. Cole skidded to a halt, biting back a hiss as brutal sunlight poured in through the doorway, pooling on the cool marble a few short inches from the toes of his boots. She shot a scathing look over her shoulder and stepped blissfully where any sane Vampyre feared to tread. Straight into a sizzling, direct UV caress.
He’d screwed up, big time. He wouldn’t get another chance with her. He had to fix this. What the hell was he supposed to say to her?
“Alexandra…” Gritting his teeth against the ferocious sting of sunlight on his sensitive Vampyre flesh, he rushed after her.
She paused again, just long enough to sniff down her nose at him and roll her eyes in unmistakable disbelief. Undeterred, she dug in her purse as she made her way down the steps.
57
Navigating the gravel drive must prove tricky in heels like that, but she did an admirable job of maintaining her dignity as she darted for her vehicle.
The beauty snapped over her shoulder, “Get a clue, buddy, I’m not interested.”
“Alexandra,”
Cole growled insistently, shielding his eyes with one hand as he reached out with the other to snag her elbow. Gods, what he wouldn’t give right now to be able to control her thoughts. The first thing he’d do was to convince her to go back inside, out of this sizzling sunlight. His gaze slid down the tantalizing curves of her body. Then maybe he’d convince her that those clothes were too uncomfortable. That the only thing she should be wearing…was him.
She glowered at him, yanking her arm from his carefully restrained grip. “Just give your boss the note. Do yourself a favor and find someone else. In case you didn’t hear me, the answer is no—not interested—not even tempted.” The interest in her eyes was plain to see. The temptation crackled between the two of them like a bolt of lightning shot straight from Thor’s hand.
Like hell, she wasn’t tempted. Cole narrowly managed to bite back the angry retort, but it still echoed inside his head.
His fangs stretched, an occurrence that only happened in an extremely heightened emotional state, or when he fed. Fiercely battling his body’s involuntary reaction to her, he drew a deep breath and held the transformation at bay by sheer dint of will. Chasing her scent down the hall sure as hell hadn’t helped him keep the predator within leashed, either. Even
With a growing sense of unease, Cole flipped the note open and scanned the missive. He dropped his head back on his shoulders. The string of Norse profanities that burst from his lips would have made a berserker blush.
Yanking the door to the study open, Cole glanced to both ends of the hallway. Tipping his head back, his nostrils flaring, he sucked in a deep draw of air, searching for her. It wasn’t hard to find her. The scent of wild honey beckoned him. Following her scent trail down the hallway, he ignored the sound of music blaring from the back yard.
56
Moving with phenomenal speed, Cole swore beneath his breath as he skidded down first one hallway and then another, mentally kicking himself. How had she’d gotten so far ahead of him on those ice-pick heels? For the first time in he couldn’t remember how long, he’d stopped thinking with his head and let another part of his anatomy take over his cognitive abilities—and he wasn’t talking about his fangs. In the process, he’d gone and royally pissed off the one woman he’d meant to impress…or reassure, at the very least.
By Thor, how could he have mistaken her for some damned groupie?
In all fairness, he hadn’t been expecting her for at least another hour or so, but still, he didn’t have any excuse for what just happened. In the past, he’d never allowed his attraction for a female to rule him, body or mind, and now he was beginning to understand exactly why.
He caught up with her just as she jerked the front door open. Cole skidded to a halt, biting back a hiss as brutal sunlight poured in through the doorway, pooling on the cool marble a few short inches from the toes of his boots. She shot a scathing look over her shoulder and stepped blissfully where any sane Vampyre feared to tread. Straight into a sizzling, direct UV caress.
He’d screwed up, big time. He wouldn’t get another chance with her. He had to fix this. What the hell was he supposed to say to her?
“Alexandra…” Gritting his teeth against the ferocious sting of sunlight on his sensitive Vampyre flesh, he rushed after her.
She paused again, just long enough to sniff down her nose at him and roll her eyes in unmistakable disbelief. Undeterred, she dug in her purse as she made her way down the steps.
57
Navigating the gravel drive must prove tricky in heels like that, but she did an admirable job of maintaining her dignity as she darted for her vehicle.
The beauty snapped over her shoulder, “Get a clue, buddy, I’m not interested.”
“Alexandra,”
Cole growled insistently, shielding his eyes with one hand as he reached out with the other to snag her elbow. Gods, what he wouldn’t give right now to be able to control her thoughts. The first thing he’d do was to convince her to go back inside, out of this sizzling sunlight. His gaze slid down the tantalizing curves of her body. Then maybe he’d convince her that those clothes were too uncomfortable. That the only thing she should be wearing…was him.
She glowered at him, yanking her arm from his carefully restrained grip. “Just give your boss the note. Do yourself a favor and find someone else. In case you didn’t hear me, the answer is no—not interested—not even tempted.” The interest in her eyes was plain to see. The temptation crackled between the two of them like a bolt of lightning shot straight from Thor’s hand.
Like hell, she wasn’t tempted. Cole narrowly managed to bite back the angry retort, but it still echoed inside his head.
His fangs stretched, an occurrence that only happened in an extremely heightened emotional state, or when he fed. Fiercely battling his body’s involuntary reaction to her, he drew a deep breath and held the transformation at bay by sheer dint of will. Chasing her scent down the hall sure as hell hadn’t helped him keep the predator within leashed, either. Even
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