Dying to Date(50)

Her heart clenched. Unless some miracle happened, one night in his bed was all she’d ever get.

Why am I surprised? Her bad luck had run strong since the night her mother had died, when a five-minute delay in their accident would have had Lucian at their side.

“Okay,” she agreed. “Let’s drive fast.” So she could enjoy her time with a man who had every cause to hate her, yet didn’t. A man who had gone above and beyond to protect two races, without a word of thanks. A man who made her burn brighter than she could imagine her true mate ever would.

A man she’d be walking away from all too soon.

He helped her back into her seat before pulling onto the road. Melissa allowed the conversation to lag, knowing there was nothing more that needed to be said. For the first time, in a life filled with diplomacy and double talk, words were simply unnecessary.





Chapter Twelve


Melissa stepped into the hotel room and flicked on the lights. This was the last night she’d have to sleep on sheets that smelled of astringent and shower with tiny bottles of formulaic body wash. Tomorrow she’d be back in her own bed.

Without Tarian.

She glanced back at her partner as he shut the door behind them.

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “We could get room service.”

“No.” He strode toward her. “At least, not hungry for food.”

Heat flooded her at the lust in his expression. Melissa tamped down the butterflies in her stomach when he reached for her.

Tarian danced her into his arms to bring a smile to her face.

“You’re far too serious,” he murmured as he walked her backward toward the bed.

“Don’t worry. Vampires can’t get frown lines.”

“Tomorrow you will be in the arms of your family.”

She nodded. “And our alliance will be at an end.”

“I’m not ready for that.”

Melissa closed her eyes, knowing the feeling. “Me neither.” But there was no delaying the inevitable. They needed to reach Lucian in time to plead Tarian’s case.

“One last night,” she whispered, looking up at him. “One last touch.”

“Like this?” He trailed his fingers down her cheek.

“That’s a little more subtle than I was thinking,” she said. “I want more.”

A soft smile flitted over his face. “From an enemy?”

She pressed her body against his. “I don’t think that word has applied for a while now.”

His lips claimed hers.

Melissa moaned as she twined her arms around his neck. One brush of his fingers and her panties were soaked through.

This isn’t wise, her inner voice cautioned.

Screw it, she replied. She was this far down the rabbit hole. Might as well enjoy the madness.

Grabbing Tarian’s shirt, she pulled him back toward the bed.

“We don’t have to worry about the dawn this time,” she said, her fingers skimming over his rock-hard erection.

Tarian hissed through his teeth. “Melissa…”

“Don’t start something I can’t finish?” she said. “Short of a group of zealous necromancers descending on this hotel room, nothing is going to stop me.”

He raised his head to meet her gaze.

“I don’t care,” she whispered, seeing the question in his eyes. “What happens next, what we are to each other… I don’t care. For once in my life, can’t I just leap?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I’m here to catch you.”

His arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the floor. Laughter bubbled up in her throat as he tossed her onto the motel bed.

Melissa righted herself, bouncing on the mattress.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked, crawling back onto the center of the bed.

“Not a single thing.”

Tarian gripped his shirt and tugged it over his head in one easy motion.

Hot, she thought, licking her lips in anticipation. She’d battled her desires for days and now here he was. No barriers, no pretenses. Her golden opportunity.

“Quid pro quo, right?” she asked, rising to her knees. Gripping her shirt, she pulled the cheap polyester over her head.

“More,” he replied, staring straight at her breasts.

Melissa dragged a teasing finger along the rim of her bra. “If you want this gone,” she murmured, pulling down on the lace to give him a peak of a nipple. “Then you need to lose another piece of clothing.”

“Women have an unfair advantage in this game,” he said, pushing the denim of his jeans over his hips.

She smoothed her triumphant smile with a hand. “Looking good, Tarian.”

He stood before her in only his boxers. “Bra,” he demanded. “Off.”