Stefan's Salvation(14)

"I wasn't sure you'd come in." Her soft voice touched him like a caress. It was as if

she'd known he was there. She had her back to him as she calmly continued to slice

tomatoes on a cutting board by the sink. It startled him to realize that she had known he

was outside watching her.

"I told you I would." He resisted the urge to kick the door closed and drag her

upstairs to the bedroom to continue what they'd started last night. Instead, he carefully

pushed the door shut, crossed his arms over his chest and waited, trying to gauge her

mood.

She shrugged, seemingly unconcerned as she moved the slices of tomato onto the

sandwich she was making. "I know you said you would, but you never know when

plans might change."

Stefan sensed that something was very wrong with Laurel Rose, but he couldn't

quite get a fix on what it was. Her mind was closed to him. If he pushed hard, he knew

he could probably gain access to her thoughts, but he was loath to do so. That wasn't

the way to build a lasting relationship. Besides which, he didn't know if her psychic

abilities would enable her to feel the intrusion and right now the last thing he wanted to

do was frighten her or make her angry with him.

He cocked his head to one side as he studied her. Her movements were jerky as she

slapped a slice of wheat bread on top of the mound of ham, cheese and tomato she'd

layered onto another slice. She cut the sandwich in half, her movements quick and

economical, and transferred it to a plate. Grabbing both the plate and a glass of milk,

she set them on the kitchen table, pulled out a chair, sat down and began to eat.

Laurel Rose was doing her best to ignore him. Stefan wasn't sure if he should be

pissed off or amused by her actions. "Why would my plans change?"

She'd picked up her glass of milk, but instead of taking a sip, she slammed the glass

back onto the table. Milk sloshed over the sides of the glass. "I don't know. I thought

perhaps you might have plans with your friend Karen."

Who the hell was Karen? Laurel Rose was glaring at him now and Stefan racked his

brain, trying to figure out what she was talking about. It took him a minute, mostly

because he found it hard to concentrate on anything but Laurel Rose. With her eyes

blazing and her cheeks rosy red, she looked good enough to eat.

He tried to hide his growing smile when he finally remembered who Karen was.

But obviously he didn't do a good enough job. Laurel Rose shoved her chair away from

the table and stood. Her chair tipped over, clattering to the floor behind her, but she

ignored it. Stefan expected to see steam flowing out her ears, she was so angry. But he

was so delighted, he felt like laughing. She was jealous. And that had to mean that she

felt something for him.

"You don't even remember, do you?"

Stefan had enough experience with women to know he had to deal with this

quickly and cautiously before it escalated and got completely out of hand. "Yes. I

remember Karen."

His honesty seemed to take her aback. "Oh." She shrugged and tried to look

unconcerned. "I thought you might have plans with her. She's very pretty."

All Stefan's good humor fled. The anger had drained from her, leaving hurt in its

wake. It was one thing for her to be angry with him, but he could not bear the thought

of causing her pain. "She is pretty, but you are beautiful."

She snorted. "Yeah, right." Bending down, she picked up her chair and righted it.

"You don't owe me any explanations."

His brows snapped together as he frowned at her. She didn't believe him.

Uncrossing his arms, he stalked across the room. Laurel Rose backed away from him

until her back hit the kitchen counter. There was nowhere else for her to go.

Stopping right in front of her, he placed a hand on the counter on either side her,

effectively caging her in his embrace. Her eyes widened as he crowded closer to her and

she shifted uneasily as if sensing his growing anger. He wasn't touching her anywhere,

yet he could feel the heat from her body.

He leaned down until his face was close to hers. She parted her lips, her tongue

darting out to lick them. "Obviously, I do owe you an explanation."

"No. Really, it's none of my business." She shifted from one leg to another.

"Everything about me is your business." Her big eyes grew even wider at his

pronouncement. "Just as everything about you is my business."

She opened her mouth to speak and he placed his finger over her lips to stop the

argument before it had a chance to begin. "I met Karen and her friend at a bar last night

before I came to you. They were both very pretty and very eager and more than willing

to have sex with me."

She jerked back as if she'd been struck. "Both of them," she squeaked before quickly

averting her eyes.

Stefan nudged her chin back up with the edge of his hand. At first she resisted, but

suddenly she tipped her head back and glared at him. "Yes, both of them." Unable to

resist her lips any longer, he brushed them with his. They'd barely touched when she

pulled her mouth from his.

Sighing, he continued, even though he'd much rather be kissing her. "I didn't know

you when I first saw them. And I wanted them. Both of them. It's been a very long time

since I had sex, Laurel Rose." There was no way he could make her understand the

endless, bleak years that he'd lived through. "I'd planned to spend the rest of the night

fucking both of them in any and every way I could think of until I was totally sated."

Her breath was coming in short, hard gasps as if she couldn't get enough air into

her lungs. She put both of her hands on his chest and tried to push him away. "I don't

want to hear any more."

Stefan crowded closer until his body was covering hers. His cock was hard and

straining against the zipper of his jeans, so there was no hiding his arousal as it pushed

against her soft stomach. This time when she opened her mouth to protest, he captured

her lips with his. He thrust his tongue inside, searching the heated depths of her mouth,

wanting to map and explore every texture, every taste.

The hands that had only moments before tried to push him away now curled into

his shirt, tugging him closer. She went up on her toes, the movement making him groan

as her stomach pushed harder against his erection. He could smell her growing arousal

and knew that in spite of her anger, she wanted him.

Gripping the sides of her face in his hands, he forced himself to pull away from the

kiss when all he wanted to do was strip her naked, lower her to the floor and fuck her

until she was screaming her release. But this was too important. To her. To them. It had

to be settled now so that no questions or doubts remained.

They were both panting hard, but he tilted her head upward until she was looking

at him. "Then I heard someone in the bar speak your name. I didn't even know you, but

just the sound of your name on his lips made me want you. And even though I went

outside with Karen and her friend with every intention of having sex with them, I

couldn't. I didn't want them any longer."

Her hands slid up his arms and she clutched at his wrists. Her fingers weren't long

enough to wrap all the way around and he could feel her fingernails digging into his

skin. "Is that true?"

"I will never lie to you, Laurel Rose." She licked her lips as she studied him,

obviously gauging his sincerity. He refused to even blink as she searched his face.

"From the first moment I heard your name, I knew that no other woman would ever

satisfy me. From the first moment I saw your face, I knew that you were meant to be

mine."

She closed her eyes as if to shut out his words. She released her hold on him and

shook her head. "I don't understand any of this. You're practically a stranger, yet I feel

as if I know you deep in my heart and soul. I sense that you're a dangerous man, yet

I'm not afraid of you." Laurel Rose opened her eyes and stared up at him, her dark blue

gaze pleading for reassurance. "Why is this happening?"

He ran his hands over her shoulders, urging her even closer to him, offering her

unspoken reassurance. With one hand on her back and the other cupping her head, he

cradled her close to his heart. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him

tight, silently accepting his presence in her life.

"Why is this happening now? I honestly don't know, Laurel Rose." He kissed the

top of her head and buried his face in her hair, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"All I know is that we are connected. We are meant to be together. You are mine. I have

searched for you my entire life. I will never hurt you, but I will allow nothing and no

one to come between us."

He took a step back and her arms dropped to her sides. "I want you. Make your

choice." Stefan knew he was taking a chance by allowing her the opportunity to refuse

him. It was a calculated gamble, allowing her to feel as if she had some control in this

situation. But Stefan was nothing if not honest with himself and he knew if she said no

this time, he would not stop his campaign to seduce her.

She stared at him, her face solemn. She said nothing, but gave a quick nod and

turned, moving toward the kitchen door. He watched in disbelief as she walked away.

He'd been so sure that she wanted him. Every muscle in his body clenched in denial,

urging him to grab her and claim her. But he was rooted to the spot as she got further