Vampires Are Foreve(68)
“No?” Thomas grinned. “You berated me in Portuguese. For all I knew you were telling me I was the sexiest thing you’d seen in your life.”
“In your dreams,” Inez chuckled.
“Yes,” he agreed and, when she glanced at him in surprise, added, “And much about you is subtle. You are intelligent, but don’t flaunt it, quietly confident in your business abilities, you’re able to make refined distinctions and judgments, and then there is your beauty and sex appeal.”
Her lips had parted slightly with surprised pleasure at his words until the last one, and then they pressed together firmly and Inez shook her head and assured him, “I am no beauty and sex appeal is not even in my vocabulary.”
“You have both,” Thomas responded solemnly. “But both are delicate and understated, not the bold brassy stuff some women flaunt. For instance, you have lovely, wild hair.”
Inez grimaced with distaste. “I have wild hair, all right. I can’t do a thing with it.”
“But it’s soft and sexy and makes you look like you’ve just climbed from bed after making love for hours…and it makes a man think of making love to you for hours.”
Inez stilled, her head bowed, her hand unmoving on the cat.
“And your lips are full and soft and slightly swollen as if you’ve just been kissed. It makes a man think of kissing you,” Thomas continued, and then reached out to run his fingers lightly over the sleeve of the blouse she’d changed into for the flight home when they were back at the hotel. “And you favor silk blouses, wearing them buttoned higher than most so that just the barest hint of cleavage shows, enough to make a man wish he could see more.”
Thomas let his hand drop away, brushing it lightly over her derrière as he added, “And well-cut slacks in a draping material that fall over the curve of your behind, making a man wish to follow that curve with his hand.”
Inez finally turned marveling eyes to him and whispered, “Boy, you’re good at this seduction business. A girl could fall in love with a guy like you.”
Thomas caught her face in his hands and assured her sincerely, “Every word I’ve spoken is true, Inez. That’s how I see you and how I’m going to make you see yourself. I promise.”
Seeing the soft sheen of tears in her eyes, he lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to first one brow, then the other. He was about to press a kiss to her lips as well, when the tabby on the window sill suddenly stood and decided to join the party. Launching itself onto its back legs, it rested a front paw on his arm and head-butted his chin as if to say, “Hey, buddy! What about me?”
Thomas and Inez both chuckled at the demanding behavior and then she broke free with a laugh and said, “What was that you were asking me about jealousy? It looks to me like you were asking the wrong feline.”
He grinned and collected the cat into his arms to scratch it under the chin.
Inez shook her head at his indulgence and said, “Now, it’s behavior like that that has always made me a dog person.”
Thomas glanced after her with surprise, following when he realized she was leaving to head into the next room. “Are you really a dog person?”
“Of course,” she answered idly, running one hand along the built-in buffet in the dining room. “Dogs are loyal, affectionate, direct, kind, helpful, and playful. What’s not to love?”
“I’m loyal,” he informed her, watching her move around the room. “Affectionate too.”
“You’re also direct and kind,” she agreed. “And even helpful and playful.”
Thomas smiled as she walked to the door and then she glanced back and teased lightly, “You’re definitely a dog.”
Grinning, Thomas set the cat down on the floor and trailed her out of the room.
“Are you following me, mister?” she teased lightly when he entered the next room.
“Of course, it’s what dogs do,” he pointed and then added with a wicked grin, “They chase pussy.”
Inez burst out laughing. “Oh, you’re bad.”
“You started it,” Thomas said promptly and caught her hand to draw her against his side and steer her toward the door. “Come on. Let’s go find a café, I’m hungry again.”
“But there are two more rooms,” she protested.
“I’ll bring you another time,” he assured her, urging her to the stairs leading to the main level.
“Promise?” Inez asked quietly.
“Most definitely.” He hugged her to his side and then released her to descend the stairs.