Lucifer’s Daughter(12)

Auric chuckled. “So, Muriel the bartender, do you still think I"m stalking you?”

“I certainly hope so,” I said. At his startled look, I chuckled. “Doesn"t every girl want a man to be obsessed with her? To follow her every move and shower her with attention?”

“Funny, I would have taken you for the type that went after what she wanted.”

“You don"t know me well enough to know if I have a type.”

“Not yet, but I"d like to,” he said softly. His thumb stroked the back of my hand, sending little electrical shocks of awareness through me.

My heart fluttered at his words and, like a princess in a fairytale, I could feel myself falling under his spell. I had to remind I was a princess of Hell, and fuzzy happy endings were for books, not girls like me. I needed to stay alert. Something still seemed off. This charming smooth-talker did not resemble the rough-and-rude guy I"d taken him for when we initially met.

“How come the first night in the bar and in the park you seemed a lot more uncouth? Yet tonight, you"re more...” I paused looking for the right word. “Gentlemanly. Do you have a split personality or something?”

Auric chuckled. “The night I went to your bar, I"d gotten some not-so-pleasant news. The guys thought a drink would calm me down. I apologize if I seemed abrupt. I have a hard time sometimes connecting with people I don"t know. Actually, my friends were quite surprised by how quickly I warmed up to you. It usually takes me a lot longer.”

I didn"t know what to say at this backwards compliment. Nor did I know if I should trust it.

Words were easily spoken--and broken. Arriving at my building, I found myself reluctant to see him go. I knew inviting him up would be irresponsible, but ... I looked up at him. His scarred face hid partially in the shadows, but his green eyes gleamed brightly.

What was it about this dark, mysterious man that drew me like a magnet? No danger brought us together this time. I"d lost most of my earlier uneasiness, and had to admit I enjoyed his company. That I found him attractive was undeniable, and yet his very appeal frightened me. I remained torn--knowing he should go, but wanting him to stay.

Auric let go of my hand to place both of his on my waist, pulling me towards him. I looked up, my heart thumping madly, and I could see the flash of his eyes as his visage drew closer to mine.

My eyes fluttered shut and I tilted my face up. The warmth of his breath tickled me. His lips hovered so tantalizing close. Then a whisper of a caress. Such a soft touch, yet it packed a mighty punch to my libido, making me gasp. His lips brushed across mine again and he pulled me closer to his body, branding me with his heat. My arms slipped around his waist, and I shuddered at the feel of his hard body. His lips pressed harder against mine, the wet edge of his tongue teasing me. I parted my lips slightly...

“Auric!”

Someone shouted his name, and I wanted to scream at them to go away. I think Auric might have felt the same way, for I heard him sigh. I opened my eyes and saw him looking down at me ruefully.

“Tell him to go away,” I whispered.

“He wouldn"t have come to find me unless it was important,” said Auric.

“Fine then,” I said, miffed. I didn"t bother with a goodbye, I just left; an exit marred when I fumbled my key in the lock. Auric"s strong hand folded around mine, steadying it. I opened the door, still refusing to look at him, but he put his arm across the doorway and blocked me from entering.

“I"ll see you tomorrow,” he whispered, before giving me a hard kiss on the lips.

I wanted to say “No, you won"t,” but he strutted off quickly to meet his friend, who was waiting just up the street for him.

I rubbed my tingling lips. Jerk. I still couldn"t believe he"d ditched me for his buddy. Talk about a low blow to my feminine ego. But he"d kissed me!

I trudged up the stairs to my apartment, more confused than ever. Tonight, unlike our other meetings, had been nice. No uncomfortable questions, no violence. Just more confusion on just what my feelings were for him. Like, dislike, lust... Lots of lust.

The skin on my hand still tingled from him holding it, an old-fashioned, courtly gesture that still surprised me. He didn"t seem like a man who held hands. Or a man who"d joke. And I"d been wrong about his kisses, too. They didn"t just feel good, they felt great. If I"d thought I was aroused the night before, tonight my body burned with it.

I locked the door to my apartment and stripped, to lie naked on my sheets. The friction of the material on my sensitive skin made me writhe. In a sense, it had probably been a good thing I hadn"t invited him up. My hormones were completely out of control around him. I might have done something foolish–and pleasurable--I thought, as I twisted one of my nipples hard while my other hand slid down over my belly to delve between my thighs.