Love at Stake (Entangled Covet)(66)

His eyes darted to the left and she knew she’d caught him by surprise. “But…why?”

And there it was, the reason she couldn’t be with Christian and, most likely, could never be with Lucian either. Even if he wanted her.

“You see what I am as inferior,” she said. “You want to change something that is an essential part of me because it doesn’t match the mate you want. I’m not saying I’d never consider being supernatural if there was a good reason, but I’m saying I wouldn’t do it because it’s better than what I am now.”

“You’d be stronger. Faster. Immortal.”

“Being slow lets me smell the flowers,” she said. “Being weak helps me rely on others when I need them. Being mortal makes everything I do that much more precious because I only get one shot at doing it right.” She cupped his beautiful face. “Listen to me, Christian. I’m not saying no because I love Lucian. I’m saying no because I’m not really the woman you need. We don’t understand each other or value each other the way mates should.”

“We could learn.”

She smiled sadly, wishing she believed him. “Your mate is waiting out there,” she promised. “And when you find her, a 96 percent rating or 47 percent rating won’t make the least bit of difference. She’ll be yours and you won’t have to convince her to be with you based on someday growing to love each other. You’ll love her right away and you’ll know everything I’ve said here tonight is true.”

“It could be centuries,” he said.

“Or it could be tomorrow. Do you really want to be committed to me when she walks into your life?”

He sighed. “You might be right. But now, I’m here with you and what we have”—he pulled her up against his hard body—“is real.”

The heat of his skin permeated her clothes. She inhaled the familiar scent of pine and earth and weakened a little bit.

“We might not have forever but we can have the present,” he whispered, rolling his hips against hers. “I can make you forget your hurt. I can show you joy.”

She leaned her head against his chest, wanting to say yes. It felt so good to have his strong arms around her. So good to have a man look at her with desire in his eyes and know he valued her for more than her body.

But he wasn’t the one she loved, and while rebound sex might sound good in theory, she knew the regret would crush her in the morning.

“I’d be using you,” she whispered against his warm skin.

“I wouldn’t mind.”

“But you should.” Abbey pressed a light kiss to his collarbone before stepping free from his arms. “Thank you for coming for me, Christian, but this is as far as we go.”

“Because of the vampire?”

She saw the fire leap into his eyes and shook her head. “Lucian is out of my life. This time, it’s about you and me. We will never happen, Christian, as much as I might want us to. We’re just not the right fit for each other. Even for a night.”

For a moment, he said nothing. Abbey waited, not uncomfortable with the silence. She knew when he walked out the door this time, he was going for good.

“I wish I could have convinced you,” he said at last.

A rusty chuckle escaped her. “Me too. But you know I’m right.”

“Infuriating human wisdom.”

“Something like that.”

He sighed in acceptance. “All right. You win.”

“Thank you.”

“At least give me a kiss good-bye, honey, and I’ll leave you in peace.”

She stepped back into his arms without hesitation. When his lips touched hers this time, there was no swarming passion. Instead his kiss was kind but brief. The kiss of a friend, not a lover.

It would have been the perfect good-bye if not for her front door exploding open.

Christian swept her behind him with one arm as claws elongated from his fingertips. A growl so inhuman it raised the hairs on her nape escaped him.

The man who stepped from the hallway was the last person she expected to see.

Lucian stared at the wolf with murder in his red eyes. He bared his fangs in a vicious hiss and moved to launch himself at Christian.

“Stop,” Abbey cried, ducking around Christian. “Lucian, if you spill blood on my carpet, I will hunt you down.”

The vampire blinked, his unnerving gaze focusing on her. “What is he doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Christian snapped.

“Stop it, both of you.” She grabbed Christian’s arm and tugged him back, not missing the way Lucian’s gaze turned an even brighter ruby.

“Christian, go,” she said.