"Sneaky rascal, aren't you?"
He grinned. "As for the money, I doona have nearly as much as Roman or Angus. They have billions." He punched a button on the keypad, then opened the car door. "I only have a few million."
She gave him a wry look. "You should be ashamed. What have you been doing all these centuries—goofing off?"
With a chuckle, he motioned to the open door. "Are ye no' cold?"
"I'm confused. Why work at all? Why not stay in Scotland and drive your fancy cars all night?" She hunched over to climb into the car.
"I did that for several decades, but it got old." He enjoyed the view as she separated her legs to get into the front seat. Her tiny skirt hitched up dangerously high. "I wanted more excitement in my life."
"I guess you're getting it." She frowned as she tugged at the hem of her skirt.
"Aye, that I am." He smiled as he shut her door. Then he circled the vehicle and slid behind the steering wheel.
He drove to the West Side Highway, then turned north, headed toward Hell's Kitchen. Whenever he glanced to the right, his gaze gravitated to her legs. Slim and muscular, they could squeeze a man tight around his waist. He inhaled sharply when she rubbed her hands up and down her thighs.
"Do you mind if I turn up the heat? It's a little chilly in here."
He held on to the steering wheel with a death grip. "It seems quite warm to me, but go ahead."
"Thanks." She leaned toward the center of the car to fiddle with the temperature control.
Unfortunately, the air vents blew her sweet scent straight into his face. A wave of desire cascaded from his nostrils to his groin. Spending time alone with her had been a bad idea. Instead of getting answers, he was getting a hard-on. "What is yer full name, Toni?"
She waved a hand, dismissing his question. "I met Roman last Monday. He told me his wife, Shanna, is mortal, and that some other guy has a mortal wife, too."
"Jean-Luc, aye. I attended his wedding in September."
"If these other Vamps are marrying mortals, how come you're too prejudiced to even date them?"
"I'm no' prejudiced." His gaze drifted to the bare, golden skin of her luscious thighs. "I find some mortal women verra attractive." Dear Mother of God, she was crossing her legs.
"I just don't understand why you're refusing to date mortals."
"Because I want to be honest. With a Vamp, I wouldna have to lie about who or what I am. I want a relationship built on complete honesty."
She lowered her gaze to her hands clenched in her lap. "No…secrets, then?"
"Nay. And no judgments. A mortal would have trouble accepting my past, but another Vamp would understand and no' find fault with the things I had to do to survive."
She glanced at him sharply. "You mean using women for food and sex?"
He gritted his teeth. "That's exactly the sort of judgment I'm talking about. I admit I took blood when I needed it, but I have never forced myself on a woman."
"How can you be so sure? Didn't you use mind control?"
"I'm no' a rapist." He turned onto West Thirty-fourth. At least her accusations were doing a good job of squelching his lustful desires. "I willna blame ye for interrogating me since ye were attacked only a few nights ago. I'm sure ye canna help being touchy."
"I'm not touchy. I'm pissed."
"Doona mistake me for a Malcontent. When I enter a lady's mind, I can hear her thoughts, and I never stay where I'm no' welcome."
"You never controlled a woman's thoughts to make her succumb?"
"Nay. In my case, I used mind control to convince women I was older than I looked."
"So you did trick them."
"My bloody face was the trick, Toni, and there was no escaping it. It made people think I was fifteen, when inside I was a fully grown man. I had to use more trickery to make women see me the way I wanted to be. I canna be proud of all that deceit. That's why it is so important now that I be honest. Another Vamp would understand that."
"You could be honest with a mortal."
"I could hardly approach a mortal and say, 'Hello, I'm a vampire. Would you like to go out with me? I would have to lie to her at first, and I refuse to do that."
"There are plenty of women who would date you because you are a vampire."
He pulled to a stop at a red light and faced her. "I doona want to be loved because I'm Undead. No more than ye would want to be rejected for being mortal."