In Blood and Worth Loving Read online

  He arched a brow. “Hungry?”

  She nodded. She hungered for food, sex, and tenderness.

  “Then eat.” He pushed his cock back in his briefs and placed an arm around her shoulders, and led her to the island in the middle of the kitchen. He pulled out one of the stools and held it while she sat.

  He surprised her further by washing his hands before he returned to the range.

  She smiled. “This is what I call service.”

  He walked over to her and licked the side of her neck and caressed her ass. “I aim to please, honey.” He paused before he met her gaze. “Do I?”

  He was full of surprises. She would never have expected that question from such a handsome male and accomplished lover. In that moment, he seemed almost as vulnerable as she felt. She caressed his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair. “Yes. Oh, yes, Adrian. Never in my wildest fantasy did I imagine sex could be as satisfying as it is with you. You touched both my body and my emotions.”

  He turned away without responding.

  She turned to watch him.

  At the sink he wet a dish-towel and swung it over his shoulder before he picked up a serving spoon and a plate.

  She inhaled when he set a plate filled with eggs, bacon, and French toast in front of her. “It smells delicious, Adrian.”

  “Good.” He returned to the counter, his hand hovering over the percolator. “Coffee?”

  “Yes. Thanks.”

  “How do you like it?”

  “With cream and sugar.”

  He returned to the island with coffee and a glass of orange juice.

  The orange juice had lots of pulp—just as she liked it. She looked at him as he sat on the stool beside her. “Fresh squeezed?”

  He nodded and handed her the wet towel.

  Smiling at him, she wiped her hands. “You think of everything.”

  He arched a brow, a warm, intimate look in his steel blue eyes. God, he was so handsome. And he was hers—at least for the weekend.

  He slipped his palm under her shirt. While she ate, he alternated between rubbing her back and massaging her ass. Within minutes her nipples were hard and her pussy filled with moisture.

  “Adrian! You just finished fucking me.”

  He straightened to look at her. “I just finished fucking you?”

  Her cheeks burned. “Okay. We fucked each other.”

  Apparently satisfied by her answer, he leaned over to nibble at her neck. “I love the smell of sweet, tight pussy, filled with my seed and ready to be fucked again.”

  She moistened her lips and glanced at the empty space on the island in front of him. “Aren’t you eating?”

  He caressed her thighs.

  She sucked in a breath and parted her legs.

  He slipped his free hand between her legs to finger her wet slit. “This is what I want for breakfast.”

  She closed her legs, trapping his hand between her thighs. “Do you eat, Adrian?”

  “Food? Yes.”

  She frowned. “I didn’t think vampires ate.”

  “Some do. Some don’t. We’re not all the same, Brandi. Some of us cast reflections. Some don’t. Some are lucky enough to be able to father kids. Some aren’t. Some kill indiscriminately. Some don’t.”

  She put her fork down and turned to face him. “Can you?”

  “Can I what? Father kids?”

  She nodded.

  “You know how old I am. I’ve never yet managed to impregnate anyone.”

  “You’ve tried?”

  He nodded. “Only for the last forty years.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Like most human males, I wanted to be a father.”

  She felt guilty for being glad he wasn’t. If he’d had a child, surely the mother would be in his life. She didn’t allow the errant thought of what it would be like to have his baby to linger.

  He stroked her neck. “Don’t you want to be a mother?”

  She nodded. “I’d like to have two, maybe three kids one day.”

  They stared at each other in silence for several moments.

  Feeling as if he were probing her thoughts, she moistened her lips and lowered her lids. It was time they changed the subject before she did something foolish—like admitting the idea of having his baby intrigued her. “Have you ever killed anyone, Adrian?”

  He shrugged. “I’m a vampire. Have I killed before? Yes.”

  “Will you kill again?”

  “Probably.”

  She stared at him. “Why? Why would you kill?”

  “Because I met someone who needed killing. Why else?”

  She didn’t like how casually he discussed taking someone’s life. “Have you ever killed a woman?”

  He met her gaze. “You’re wondering if I’ve ever killed a lover.”

  She nodded. “Have you?”

  “I can promise you that I won’t kill you, Brandi.”

  “That’s a relief, but it really doesn’t answer my question.”

  He shook his head. “If I answered your question, I’d have to kill you,” he deadpanned.

  “Be serious, Adrian.”

  “And there are much nicer things I’d like to do to and with you, honey.”

  “Adrian—”

  “I’m bored with talking about me, Brandi.”

  She decided pushing would only annoy him and spoil the mood. “Okay. What would you like to talk about?”

  He slid his free hand up to pinch her nipples. “I’m jealous,” he murmured.

  Surely he didn’t know about Doug. She frowned. Even if he did, how likely was he to envy Doug or any other man? “Of who?”

  He nibbled at her ear. “My shirt.”

  She drew back to look at him. “Your shirt?”

  He nodded. “Because it gets to caress your breasts and cover your large, lovely round ass.”

  She blinked at him. “What did you have for breakfast?”

  “Nothing yet.” He thrust his fingers into her pussy.

  She gasped, opened her legs, and pushed his hand away.

  “Why do you ask?” He arched a brow. “What? Did you think I was incapable of sweet talk?”

  “Actually, yes,” she admitted.

  He rewarded her honesty with a sharp spank on each cheek.

  “Ouch!”

  “I’m as capable of sweet talk as the next man.”

  “But more prone to slapping my ass than any other male I’ve met.”

  “Don’t blame me because you have a big ass made for spanking.”

  “You weren’t impressed when you first saw it.”

  He kissed her neck. “I’m impressed now, honey.”

  She felt shy yet sexy. “What impresses you most?”

  “Everything.”

  She drew away from him. “You can’t expect me to believe that.”

  “Why not? It’s true.”

  “I saw the look on your face when you first arrived, Adrian.”

  He compressed his lips. “Let’s not go there again, Brandi. When I say everything I mean everything. I like the rich, chocolate color of your skin. Your large, natural breasts enchant me. You already know what I think of your ass. We won’t even discuss your pussy.”

  She felt almost giddy because she knew that she had managed to change his opinion of her. She didn’t doubt for a second that he now found her attractive. “Why don’t we discuss my pussy, Adrian?”

  “First, for the remainder of the weekend, it’s not your pussy. It’s mine.”

  Her stomach muscles clenched.

  “And second because if we discuss it, I’m going to want to fuck it again.”

  She shrugged. “So? Do you see anyone objecting?”

  “Are you flirting with me?”

  She shook her head. “No. Why do you ask?”

  He slapped her ass. “Do you know what happens to irresistible women who flirt with me?”

  Irresistible now was she? “They get fucked?”

  “Oh, yeah, hon
ey. They get fucked repeatedly…harder and deeper each time.”

  “So who’s stopping you?”

  He stood up, kicking his stool aside.

  Noting the look in his dark blue eyes, she knew how they’d be spending the morning. She smiled and reached out to rub her palm over the tent in his briefs. “This feels almost like a dream.”

  “I thought the same thing.”

  “You did? When?”

  “Last night while I watched you sleep.”

  “You watched me sleep?”

  “Yes.”

  She smiled. “Did you like what you saw, Adrian?”

  “Apparently so or I wouldn’t still be here.”

  She slipped her hand in his briefs to palm him. “I’m glad you’re still here.”

  He removed her hand from his briefs.

  “Don’t you like being touched?”

  “It depends on who’s doing the touching, but I think you can safely assume I like your touch, honey.”

  Her smile widened. “Then what’s the problem?”

  “Who says there’s a problem?” He lifted her off her stool and swept her up into his arms.

  She linked her arms around his neck. “You’d better be careful, Adrian,” she warned.

  “Of what?”

  She stroked her fingers through the dark hair at his nape. “A full-figured woman can easily get used to a male who can not only pick her up, but effortlessly carry her up an entire flight of stairs and still have the energy to love her until she can’t stop coming once he gets her in bed.”

  A slow smile spread across his handsome face, quickly followed by warm, deep laughter. When he sobered he met her gaze. “Why are you staring at me?”

  She caressed his cheek. “You must know you’re a handsome male.”

  He shrugged.

  “Actually, you’re more drop-dead gorgeous than handsome.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  “Have you ever met a woman who didn’t?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about other women. For me tonight, there are no other women. There’s just you, sweet, sexy Brandi.”

  She wondered what her chances were of getting him to want more than a weekend with her. “You’re smooth as well as handsome.”

  “And you are sultry, sweet, and irresistible.”

  There was that delicious word again. Irresistible. She caressed his neck.

  He smiled.

  She trailed her fingers over his lips. “When you smile and laugh…”

  “When I smile and laugh—what?”

  “You take my breath away.”

  “You do that for me as well.”

  The admission pleased her and gave her the courage to go on. “And you make me wonder and hope.”

  “Wonder and hope what?”

  She shrugged. “For…more.”

  He tensed. “For more than what?”

  “I can’t help wondering what it would be like to have more than just this weekend with you, Adrian. I want to be your woman. Your only woman.”

  “My only woman?” His smile vanished.

  She frowned. Why had his voice cooled? “Rayna said you were ready to settle down.”

  “And you think I…Don’t, Brandi.”

  “Don’t what?”

  He shook his head and looked away.

  She pressed her hand against his cheek and turned his head so she could look in his eyes. “Don’t what, Adrian?”

  “Don’t ruin what’s left of the weekend by trying to change the rules mid stream.”

  “What rules?”

  “The ones we both agreed to—a single weekend of sex.”

  She stared at him, shaking her head. “Is that really all you want from me, Adrian?”

  He placed her on her feet. “Yes. That’s all I want from you, Brandi.”

  Recalling his tenderness, she placed her hands on his chest. “I don’t believe that.”

  “Believe it. I want a single weekend of sex. I won’t deny that sex with you is superb, but I’m not aware of having said or done anything to make you think I wanted more.”

  She allowed her hands to drop to her sides. When would she learn that sweet talk meant nothing to most men? It probably meant even less to a vampire. She nodded. “Fine. I won’t forget all you want is weekend sex.”

  She waited—hoping he’d say something to give her hope.

  His silence gave her all the answer she needed. “Fine. Have it your way, Adrian.”

  “I usually do.”

  How could he speak to her with such cool disregard after all the sweet things he’d said? She sucked in a breath and walked away from him. He made no effort to stop her from storming out of the kitchen.

  Chapter Eight

  Adrian ran a hand through his hair. What the hell was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she leave well enough alone? Why did she push and push until she pissed him off and goaded him into saying things he’d later regret? He’d allowed her to jerk his chain the night before. Clearly that had been a mistake because now she wanted to change the rules of the weekend. If he allowed that, the next thing he knew she’d be trying to lead him down the aisle.

  When he settled down, it sure as hell wouldn’t be with a human woman prone to resorting to tears every time she didn’t get her way. He should be with Marcella instead of with a female who gave every indication of being capable of wreaking havoc with his life and his emotions if he were foolish enough to linger around her too long.

  He frowned, knowing he was partially responsible for her misconceptions. You make me burn like no other woman ever has. He knew better than to say things like that to a human woman. A fem would have taken such a declaration for what it was worth while a human woman imagined every horny man who told her love lies was in love with her.

  Human women were unpredictable and too emotionally demanding. A man never knew where he stood with them. Fems were different. He thought of Marcella. She was safe. Their relationship presented no surprises. He’d had nothing but surprises from the moment he met Brandi.

  Unfortunately there was very little possibility of his ever being able to impregnate Marcella. On the plus side, she didn’t turn his world upside down or expect to be his only lover. Brandi had already managed to get under his skin. If he were going to minimize the emotional havoc she generated, he needed to get the hell away from her ASAP.

  The memory of turning to find her standing in the kitchen doorway wearing nothing but his shirt and then sharing one of the most emotionally and physically satisfying fucks he’d ever experienced made walking away difficult. Yet that’s what he needed to do. It’ll be a cold day in hell before you let a human woman jerk your chain anymore. So get your ass in gear, Redwolfe.

  Back in the bedroom, Brandi pulled off Adrian’s shirt. She tossed it on the bedroom floor and stormed into the bathroom. When she got back to Philly she was going to call Doug and accept his proposal. To hell with Adrian Redwolfe. She allowed herself the luxury of a brief cry before she got out of the shower to dress.

  She returned to the living room to find Adrian seated on the loveseat, fully dressed.

  He looked up at her entrance but didn’t speak.

  She placed her weekend bag on the carpet near her feet. “Will you take me home?”

  He made no effort to rise. “Yes—on Monday.”

  She shook her head. “I want to go home now.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Are you serious? I’ve had my fill of your company.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes and I don’t want you touching me again.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Please take me home.”

  He gave her a cold stare. “Meeting you reminds me why I think so little of fickle human women.”

  Damn him. “And after sleeping with you, it will take an entire weekend of douching before I’ll even begin to feel clean again!”