But of course, that would never be her.
“Reservation for Redgrave,” Abbey said to the maître d’.
He paged through his reservation book. “Right this way, Ms. Redgrave.”
She startled, her heart skipping a beat. Before she could correct him, however, he was walking away.
“After you,” Lucian purred in her ear.
Head held high, she followed the maître d’ to their reserved table and the woman already seated there.
“Shall I bring another chair?” the maître d’ asked, clearly confused.
“No, I’m not staying.”
He smiled as if he’d just solved the puzzle of what a woman like her was doing with a man like Lucian. Abbey ground her teeth as the man left.
Do your job, she chided herself. Turning her attention to Janine, she put on her most welcoming tone. “Miss Scott, may I present Mr. Lucian Redgrave?”
The succubus beauty rose to her feet with the same smooth grace Lucian commanded. Was it a supernatural thing? Abbey wondered with ill humor.
“Mr. Redgrave, this is a true pleasure.”
“Lucian, please,” he replied, bowing over her hand.
“Lucian,” the woman all but purred. “Then you must call me Janine. I’m sure we will be great friends before the night is through.”
Abbey fought the urge to roll her eyes. Sometimes the couples she introduced needed a little help breaking the ice but clearly that wasn’t necessary here.
“I’ll leave you two alone. Enjoy your evening and thank you for choosing Fated Match.” The words nearly stuck in her throat.
Lucian’s gaze left the beauty as Abbey turned to slip away.
“Thirty minutes,” he whispered for her ears only.
She glanced back to see her vampire pulling out the chair for Janine. Heading for the bar, she knew the thirty-minute request was nonsense. Anyone could see what a striking match Lucian and Janine made.
She chose a stool out of view of the dining room. “White wine,” she said to the bartender. “And charge it to Lucian Redgrave’s tab, please.”
If she had to be stuck here instead of at home in her comfy pj’s and fuzzy slippers, then Lucian could damn well buy her a drink.
Chapter Five
It had been centuries since he’d had a succubus.
Lucian twirled his wineglass as he listened to Janine’s anecdote about her colleagues. The woman was charming. She was poised, beautiful, and connected. From what he remembered, the sex was explosive with her kind. In short, she was everything he needed in a mate.
Except her straight black hair wasn’t a frizzy, bouncing ball of chaos, and her liquid lavender gaze wasn’t the cool green he longed to see.
Bloody mortal was messing with his head. She was supposed to be an amusing distraction, but she was accomplishing the task a little too thoroughly. He should be focused on the gorgeous creature before him and all he could think of was Abbey’s lips and how much he desired to feel them on his.
He smiled at Janine when she looked at him expectantly before launching into another tale. The woman could talk. Which was fine by him. He had far more interesting events to replay in his mind. Like how Abbey had melted into his arms when he’d almost kissed her last night.
Lucian bit back a growl of pleasure. She had been beautiful in his embrace, all fiery and alive. He could almost taste her pulse on his tongue. What would she taste like when he finally managed to drive his fangs into that slender throat?
He almost smiled, knowing he was getting ahead of himself. The woman was proving remarkably difficult to seduce. But perhaps that was part of her allure. No one had refused him in longer than he could remember. Women did not usually hold themselves back when he looked their way. And they certainly didn’t cite a dislike of his race as a reason to avoid him. Before his month was done, he would convince Abbey that vampires were not just excellent lovers but the best species of the supernatural world. She’d never refuse another of his kind again.
The thought didn’t bring him the pleasure it should have. He wanted her accepting of vampires, all right, but he’d rather she focus on just one. At least, until he’d had his fill of her.
Still, he had time. There was no need to rush such a delicious interlude. Anticipation would only sweeten her surrender.
“I’m not doing it for you, am I?”
Lucian mentally shook himself and refocused on the succubus. “Pardon?”
“You’ve glanced at your watch twice in the past three minutes.”
Had he? How unforgivably rude.
“My apologies,” he said. “I meant no disrespect.”
Janine took a sip of her wine. “Look, we’re both busy people. I have no desire to waste an evening if this isn’t going anywhere.”