Chapter Seventeen
Abigail’s mind raced, along with her heart, as she mentally ticked off any reasons Gregori might have to be alone with her. Unfortunately, no matter how she figured it, she kept reaching the same conclusion: he was planning to seduce her.
It was dark inside the gazebo, so she couldn’t see his expression to gauge how serious he was. His posture seemed tense.
She took a deep breath of the heady rose-scented air. “If you’re concerned about the alliance, I can assure you that my father will honor—”
“I’m sure he will. That’s not why I brought you here.”
She swallowed hard. Seduction remained on top of the list. “If you’re concerned about the doll we found, then you needn’t be. Roman explained it all to me. He said you only bring her out of the closet for bachelor parties.”
He nodded. “I never dated her. She’s hard to talk to.”
Abigail smiled weakly. “Well, you can always talk to me.”
“That’s exactly what I want to do.”
She blinked. “It is?” What happened to seduction? Well, this was a relief. Or was it? She winced inwardly with a sudden realization.
She was disappointed.
Good Lord, she must be losing her mind.
He shifted his weight. “I want to talk about us.”
Us? “I . . . hope we’ll be traveling together to China in a few days—”
“How do you feel about me?”
She hesitated. What on earth could she say? That he was the most handsome, attractive, and charming man she’d ever met? That he was the sort of man she’d dreamed of? That she wanted him to long for her as much as she longed for him? That his act of stealing her away made her dizzy with excitement? He’d taken charge with boldness, and it made her knees tremble.
But how could she admit any of that? He was a vampire. As much as she yearned for heat and passion, she was still, underneath it all, a sensible, practical person. She couldn’t fall in love with a vampire.
He yanked at his tie. “Are you . . . repulsed that I’m Undead?”
She winced. “No. You were attacked. You didn’t ask for this. You did the best you could under the circumstances.”
He stepped toward her, and she stepped back.
“Are you afraid of me?”
“Should I be?”
“I would never hurt you.” He took another step toward her. “I’m going to kiss you.”
Seduction. She’d been right all along. She stuffed her hands in her coat pockets. When she bumped into his stress ball, she clenched a fist around it. “Don’t you think you should ask permission first?”
He shook his head. “If I ask, you might refuse.”
Bold and aggressive. He sliced right through her defenses and seized hold of that secret primitive part of her that ached to be loved by such a strong, determined man. An Alpha hero like the guys in her mother’s books. A man like Gregori who would take an entire night to worship and pleasure her to her heart’s content.
But she couldn’t give in. A relationship with him was impossible. Completely, irreparably impossible.
She lifted her chin. “You would kiss me against my will?”
He touched her chin with his finger. “I would have to change your will.”
“I doubt you—” She stopped when he dragged the tip of his finger down her throat. Goose bumps skittered down her arms, and she shivered.
“Scholar,” he whispered.
“Gori,” she whispered back.
The corner of his mouth curled up, causing his cheek to dimple. “The brain and the beast?”
Unfortunately her brain wasn’t working well. There had to be a dozen reasons why she needed to stop him, but she couldn’t think of a single one.
His hand slipped around to cup the back of her neck. His gaze met hers, and his eyes had turned a brighter, more emerald green. “Do you know how much I want you?”
She shook her head.
“You’re so brilliant.” He kissed her brow. “So brave.” He kissed her temple. “And beautiful.” His lips skimmed over her cheek.
“No.” She planted her hands against his chest to stop him as his mouth hovered less than an inch from her own. Good Lord, she wanted him so much.
But she had to resist. “It’s impossible.”
His hand tightened around her neck. He leaned his head forward till his brow rested on hers. After a moment of silence, he whispered, “You can say it’s difficult. Hard. Challenging. Don’t say it’s impossible.”
She pushed at his chest. “But it is. You know it is.”
He released her and stepped back, frowning. “Why? Why is it impossible?”
She fisted her hand around the stress ball in her pocket. “We don’t have a lot in common. I’m a . . . scientist, and you’re not. I’m—”