“My middle name.”
A smile tugged at his lips as he drew fingers down her cheek. “We need to get back on the road.”
“Miles to go and all that.” It would be so easy to close the distance. To press her lips to his and let him block out the world for another few moments. Her gaze flicked to his lips.
“Exactly.”
Step back, she ordered herself. You have more willpower than this.
Unfortunately.
Melissa stepped out of his hold, mourning the loss of his touch even as she tried to convince herself she didn’t. Her body didn’t care what Tarian was. All it wanted was more of his pleasure-inspiring touches.
Grabbing the plastic bag from the ground, she headed for the car. With every step she felt Tarian at her back like a silent shadow. One she was far too attuned to.
Though to give credit where it was due, the silence in the car was far less uncomfortable when they pulled back onto the road. Instead of brooding over Tarian using her for his own purposes, her mind had his kiss on repeat. If only he could shake her distrust as easily as he stirred her libido, this trip might not be the nightmare she’d feared.
…
He’d made a mistake. He shouldn’t have kissed her. Shouldn’t have given in to temptation.
In the grand scheme of things, the feelings of two beings made no difference whatsoever. They had a mission to complete. One that did not necessitate any more contact than was needed to ensure their survival.
He’d had no reason to kiss her.
Except she’d looked at him with such loathing. Such distrust. It should be nothing new. After all, he’d destroyed his fair share of her species over the years. But he’d never held one first. Never seen the way they laughed, enjoyed the sound of their voice, hungered for their touch.
Not until Melissa.
With her, he couldn’t separate what he knew had to be done and what he wanted to do for his selfish own ends. The opinions of her kind never mattered to him—except this time it was everything.
He didn’t want her to hate him.
Tarian closed his eyes at the ridiculous thought. Their happy ending would be reaching New York and having Melissa warm up to him enough to stop the axe that was about to fall on his people. Nothing more. Her forgiveness was not part of the equation.
And then she’d looked at him, her expression so lost he’d reacted without thinking. All that mattered was wiping the desolation off her face.
Now he had to pay the price. The taste of her lingered on his lips. The memory of her fingers sliding through his hair, her body pressing intimately against his, ran on a constant loop in his mind. And, like a starving man, he craved more.
Get a grip. He could keep his hands to himself, and not give her yet another reason to dislike his race. This mission was too important to entangle with inconvenient feelings. More than just their lives depended on their success.
I will be strong, he promised. Strong enough to protect her from anything.
Even himself.
Chapter Nine
Melissa couldn’t remember ever being as happy to see a Motel 6 sign as she was right then. They’d spent the last half an hour looking for a place to stop for the night and though the silence had been far more companionable since their stop, a break from Tarian would be a welcome respite.
“Motel just ahead,” she said.
Tarian turned to follow her pointing finger. “Just in time.”
The dawn tugged at the edges of her senses, reminding her soon she’d have to seek shelter. The motel was as good a place as any. With a bit of luck, she’d be in her own room, away from the addicting necromancer in no time. She needed some distance before they got back on the road tomorrow. Tarian would be able to trap her with sweet words and tantalizing caresses if she wasn’t careful, and she didn’t want to stumble into any more mistakes where the man was concerned. Time apart would give her a chance to breathe and harden her resolve to keep her hands to herself.
As she drove into the parking lot she noted the large number of cars. “We might have to find something else,” she said.
Tarian checked his watch. “Let’s grab anything they have. We’re pressing our luck if we keep looking.”
“Next time you flee a pack of maniacs, stop to grab a cell with Google Maps.”
“I’ll make a note of that,” he drawled.
He probably doesn’t want me around a phone, she mused. Smart man. Though she wouldn’t call for a rescue, she’d never promised not to contact her family to let them know she was safe. Surely there was no harm in that.
Hotels have phones. She just needed to wait until Tarian gave her an opening.
Tarian pulled the motel door open for her as they walked into reception. A sleepy night clerk jerked upright when they entered.