Surrendering(28)

His smile was easy, gentle. “Breakfast first, then a tour. How long do you need to get ready?”

“Thirty minutes is sufficient.”

“Thirty? I think I’m falling for you harder every minute I’m in your presence, love.”

And with those parting words, he turned and walked down the hallway, leaving her brain to swirl those confusing and terrifying words over and again for the next half hour.

___________





Dev





Thirty minutes to the second later, Dev knocked softly on Kate’s bedroom door. As he waited for her to answer, he thought of her in the shower. Water sluicing down her succulent, naked curves, made his groin tighten uncomfortably. He envisioned the droplets beading up on her fair skin. How her nipples would tighten from the cold once she shut off the tap. He ached to get her underneath him. He’d had a painful, never-ending hard-on for days that needed remedying. He hadn’t had to resort to using his own hand since he was a young boy but he was getting pretty fucking close to going there.

Kate opened the door, dressed in a long-sleeved, black clingy cowl-necked shirt and faded, well-worn blue jeans that molded perfectly to her shapely body. He couldn’t wait to get a view from the rear. Her raven hair spilled in soft waves around her shoulders and she’d put on a little makeup. She was simply exquisite.

She smiled up at him. “Hello again.”

Christ, she took his breath away. “Hello to you too. You look absolutely breathtaking, Kate. Are you ready?” At his compliment, he watched a blush quickly creep up her neck, onto her beautiful face.

“Yes, I’m ready. I hope jeans are okay? You look so nice and I’m afraid I didn’t bring any nice clothes.”

He grabbed her hands and took a step closer. “You look spectacular, love. Don’t give it another thought. Come on, let’s go.” He stepped aside to let her go first, admiring her voluptuous ass, beautifully molded by the denim fabric.

She was perfectly proportioned, but like most human women, she probably thought she was too heavy. He liked a woman who looked like a woman should, with curves in all the right places. Kate had them in spades.

“Would you like a tour before or after breakfast?” He led her down the hallway with his hand in the small of her back. He couldn’t be near her and not touch her.

“After, I think. I’m starving!”

“After it is, then.” Dev led her toward the dining room. He usually had breakfast brought to him in his office by his longtime butler, Leo, but he’d asked Leo to prepare a light meal and serve it in the smaller of the two formal dining rooms, so as not to overwhelm Kate.

He was starving this morning, but it wasn’t for human food. He had a bone deep need for Kate’s blood. Older vampires needed to ingest blood less frequently than younger vampires. A vampire Devon’s age could go a week comfortably without feeding. Two was doable, but pushing it. It’d been almost a week since he’d fed and while he could go another week with some discomfort, he wouldn’t even entertain feeding from another woman since he’d met his Moira.

When they reached the dining room, Leo was just placing breakfast on the table.

“Leo, this is Kate. Kate, Leo. Leo’s…many things, but my excellent chef is one of them.”

Kate smiled and extended her hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you, Leo.”

“Very pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

“My mother is called ma’am. Please call me Kate.”

Leo chuckled. “Yes, ma’am. Kate. Won’t you sit and enjoy the breakfast I’ve prepared?”

“Oh, wow. This all looks so delicious. Thank you Leo.” Leo quickly departed, giving them the privacy he craved.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I asked Leo to bring an assortment of things.”

She laughed. “Thank you. That was very sweet. A bit excessive, but sweet.”

Dev pulled out her chair and gestured for her to sit. She smiled up at him and took a seat.

“Wow, Leo must be quite the cook. This looks absolutely divine.”

“He’s a great chef. If cooking were left to me, I’m afraid we’d be limited to ramen noodles, grilled cheese and cold cut sandwiches. I do make a mean stew, though. Old family recipe.” His mother was a fabulous cook. She’d been gone almost five centuries now. He still missed his family deeply. Xavier had killed them before Dev realized the depth of Xavier’s madness. Dev had failed them and it haunted him every single day.

He couldn’t think about that at the moment. He needed to concentrate on Kate. He refocused in time to hear her say the tail end of something.

“…sometime.”