She looked away. "I–I've been too…harsh with you."
"Lass, ye have every reason to be suspicious. Ye were almost murdered a few nights ago. But those vampires who attacked you were probably cruel and vicious before they were transformed. Death doesna change a man's heart."
"Then you were a good man," she whispered.
All his desire came flooding back. "I try to be."
Her gaze met his. "What do you want more than anything?"
Right now, he felt like he could gaze into her green eyes for a century or two. They were amazing, the way they flared with anger, twinkled with humor, or softened with compassion. "I want to be loved, honestly and truly loved, for who I am. And I want to love a woman with all my heart for all my life. I want to ache for her mind, for her body, for her companionship."
Her eyes widened. "Oh."
The scent of her hot, rushing blood filled the car, and his nerve endings thrummed in response. He wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to him. Could she feel the waves of desire flowing off him?
Yes, he would swear she did. Her heart was pounding fast. Her breathing was erratic. He leaned closer.
"You—your eyes," she whispered.
He knew they were turning red, for his vision was now tinted pink. He slipped a hand around her neck.
She didn't pull away. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and he couldn't resist any longer. He kissed her.
CHAPTER 8
She stiffened slightly, but he didn't give up. Ian moved his mouth over hers, gently coaxing her to respond. And she did. She relaxed, leaning into him. His heart expanded in his chest, and he pulled her closer.
He nibbled on her bottom lip. Her mouth opened with a soft sigh, inviting him inside. He ran the tip of his tongue across her lips. They were moist and sweet.
A horn blared behind them, and they both jolted in their seats. Toni gasped and pulled away. Ian faced front and realized the light had turned green. He stepped on the accelerator.
Bloody hell, what was he doing? For the last few days, he'd convinced himself that a little flirtation didn't harm anyone. But kissing? He couldn't stay in denial anymore. He was breaking the noninvolvement rule, and Toni would be in big trouble if the truth got out.
He glanced at her. Her face was pale, and she was pressing her hand against her mouth.
"Are ye all right?"
"Yes. No." She lowered her hand.
He noticed the slight tremble before she clenched her hands together. "I shouldna have…kissed you. I'm sorry."
She closed her eyes briefly. "We won't think about it. Or talk about it. It never happened."
He remained silent, for he knew he couldn't agree. He would think about it. He would relive it in his mind, over and over again.
"It doesn't matter anyway," she continued in a breathless voice. "You want a Vamp woman. We're not at all suited for each other. It was a—a mistake."
Mistake, his arse. He'd do it again in a second. He hoped he hadn't frightened her, though. She'd gone through a lot of turmoil lately.
A sudden blast of music erupted, filling the strained silence. Toni gave him a confused look, then glanced around the car. The musical refrain repeated, and Ian began to comprehend the words sung by a female vocalist.
"I think it's coming from yer handbag." He motioned to the bag at her feet.
"Oh, it's my cell phone." She pulled the bag into her lap and fished out the phone. "Carlos changed the ringtone. I guess he likes Pat Benatar."
"Love is a battlefield?"
"His idea of a joke," she muttered as she wrenched the phone open. "Hello? Carlos! How could you do this to my phone?"
Ian tried to listen, but the wail of a nearby police siren made it impossible to hear Carlos's words.
"I don't know where you got that idea." Toni winced as she glanced at Ian. "Our association is purely business."
They were close to Horny Devils, so Ian began looking for a place to park.
"Okay," she continued in a whisper. "I'll talk to you later. Bye." She slipped the phone back into her handbag.
"Something wrong?" Ian asked casually.
"No, everything's fine."
Then why was her heart still racing? "Carlos seemed a bit…different to me."
She shrugged. "He's gay."
Ian recalled the pained expression on Carlos's face when he'd exited Toni's bedroom. "Did he tell you he's gay?"
"Well, no. We assumed he is, 'cause he acts like it."