Read Online The Vampire and the Vixen by Debra St. John - Free Book Online Page A

caramel.
    “L-likewise.” The word caught along with the breath in her throat.
    He held out his hand. Her heart accelerated, anticipating the contact. She placed her hand in his.
    Sure enough, a tingle of electricity raced through her when his strong fingers squeezed hers. When he raised her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips over her knuckles, her heart stopped entirely, then resumed with a rapid beat.
    Beside her, Tracy, who Kelsey had all but forgotten, muttered, “Oh.” A touch of surprise laced the single syllable.
    Seconds—heartbeats—passed. Lost in the heated depths of Rafe’s eyes, Kelsey started when Arthur spoke.
    “Rafe is—”
    “Arthur, it’s almost time for your speech,” Sherry interrupted. Even Arthur’s no nonsense assistant had gotten into the spirit of things and was dressed as Mary Poppins.
    “Already? Time flies when you’re having fun.” Arthur turned to them. “My apologies. I’ll just leave you to chat, then.” He headed toward the raised dais on one side of the room, his plum colored jacket tails streaming behind him. The Willy Wonka top hat soon disappeared in the crowd.
    “That’s a great costume, Mr. Alexander,” Tracy said.
    Rafe’s sensual mouth quirked. An answering tickle tingled in Kelsey’s stomach. “Why thank you.” His gaze remained on hers even as he responded to Tracy’s comment.
    “O-kay.” Tracy looked from one to the other. “I’m going to find some more of those mini quiches.”
    Rafe nodded toward the empty glass in Kelsey’s hand. “Would you care for another glass of wine?”
    Did she dare? She was already half drunk on Rafe’s presence. The man exuded charm and charisma. And more sex appeal than should be legal. Adding alcohol to the mix would surely push her over the edge. She needed to keep her wits, or there was no telling what she’d do.
    “No, thank you.”
    “How about a dance, then?” The music had shifted from monster classics to a more traditional waltz.
    A thrill of anticipation zinged through her. “I’d like that.”
    “Excellent.” His fingers brushed hers as he took the glass from her. The tension notched tighter. He set the glass on the tall, round cloth-draped table, then held out his crooked arm. “Shall we?”
    She hooked her arm through his. He led her out onto the parquet floor, and then found a spot between Robinson Crusoe and Scarlett O’Hara, Harry Potter and Jane Eyre. The vast differences in the dancing couples’ reading tastes made her smile.
    But then Rafe slid an arm around her waist to draw her close, and Kelsey forgot all about the other couples. When her breasts brushed the hard planes of his chest, she nearly forgot her own name. He led her easily through the triple count steps of the dance. The skirt of her heroine costume swirled around her legs. His black cape fluttered as he guided her though a turn. They didn’t speak, but his dark, intense gaze never left hers.
    Her reading tastes usually leaned toward traditional historical romance, but here, in Rafe’s arms, she fully understood the pull of the highly popular paranormal genre. The room faded, and Kelsey could almost imagine herself back in another time, dancing in the arms of her vampire lover.
    He leaned in to kiss her neck, his mouth brushing the pulse beating there. She tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes on a dreamy sigh. He barred his teeth, allowing his fangs to descend. He bit through the delicate membrane of her skin. The delicious shock of it flickered in her belly.
    Caught up in the very vivid fantasy, it took half a dozen heartbeats to realize the song had ended. She opened her eyes and blinked. Her pulse still sped. Her tummy still quivered. His gaze had darkened. Had he read her mind?
    She pressed her hands to her flaming cheeks and glanced around. “It’s warm in here.” She waved a hand. “It’s so crowded.” Would he buy the excuse?
    A spark of amusement lit his eyes. “Would you like to step outside for a