"Yes, but—"
"But you don't want me," Jo finished for him bitterly, and then asked, "What? You're gay? 'Cause I have to say, if you're gay, you did a very good imitation of a straight guy here this afternoon."
"I'm not gay," Nicholas assured her on a sigh.
"And yet you don't want me… me, your life mate," she said with feigned good cheer. "Weird, huh?"
"It's not that I don't want you, Jo," he said, and then cursed with frustration and admitted, "Jesus, all I can think about is you. I nearly gave myself hypothermia taking a cold shower this afternoon, then nearly scalded myself with a hot one to warm up after, and I still can't think of anything but you. You naked, you half naked, or even you not naked but in a short little skirt that I pull up so I can bury myself in you."
Jo blinked as that image rose up in her mind. She didn't normally wear skirts, but she had one or two for special occasions and did have one little black leather number that would be perfect for what he suggested. If she'd been wearing it last night, Jo suspected Nicholas would have tugged it up and they'd have gotten a lot further than kisses and caresses before they'd been interrupted by the sounds from the men in the garage.
Damn, Jo realized with dismay, just a couple of words had gotten her hot all over again. Sighing, she said, "So what's the problem? You want me, I want you…" Jo paused and frowned, and then said, "Of course, I'm not talking marriage or anything here. We need to get to know each other better and I am very busy. But I wouldn't be averse to the occasional dinner or movie followed by really hot sex."
"Jo," Nicholas said quietly, and reached across the table, holding his hand out.
She placed her hand in his and felt a quiver of excitement shiver its way up her arm and then spread through her body when his fingers closed over hers. Jeez, she had it bad, Jo acknowledged, and then noted the way Nicholas stiffened, swallowed, and closed his eyes and suspected he was having a similar reaction. They both had it bad, and really she'd had enough talking, they should move this discussion to the bed and talk with their bodies, she thought faintly, running her thumb softly over the back of his hand. Nicholas released her at once and sat up.
"I want you," he admitted grimly, and his eyes were glowing silver again.
Jo suspected that was a tell with him. Like an inbuilt mood ring; when his eyes were sky blue, he was serene. Molten silver meant hot and horny. Which was fine with her, she was feeling rather hot and bothered herself.
"But I can't claim you," Nicholas added firmly.
"Claim me?" she echoed blankly, and then gave a laugh. "You make me sound like lost luggage, Nicholas. No one can claim me. I have free will."
When Nicholas looked all mournful and sad and merely shook his head, Jo rolled her eyes. She supposed it was some tortured vampire thing she didn't understand, but she wasn't in the mood for it, her body was still tingling from just holding hands with him, not to mention the memories of what they'd done earlier.
Standing, Jo moved around the table and dropped into his lap. She slid her arms around his shoulders and said, "Fortunately for you, I'm free and willing."
"Jo," he said sadly, but she didn't want to hear it and covered his mouth with her own. Nicholas kept his mouth closed and reached for her arms, presumably to push her away, but the moment she let her tongue slide out to run over his lips, he froze.
Jo smiled, and then slid her lips to his ear and nibbled briefly before whispering, "I ache for you."
Nicholas sucked in a harsh breath, and then it was like something snapped. Suddenly his head jerked around so his lips could claim hers, and he launched himself to his feet with her in his arms. In one quick step he was tumbling her to the bed, and then the phone rang.
"Ignore it," Nicholas growled, leaning to tug her borrowed T-shirt out of her jeans and push it up to reveal her breasts.
Jo gasped as he bent his head to suck the nipple of one into his mouth, and then scowled with irritation as the phone rang again. She never had been able to ignore a ringing phone. It might be something important. Cursing under her breath, Jo reached out to grab the phone and pulled it to her ear, gasping, "Hello?" as Nicholas drew on her nipple, sending excitement rocketing through her.
"Mrs. Smith? This is the front desk. There's a pizza delivery here for you."
"Oh… um… yes," Jo moaned as Nicholas pressed a hand between her legs. Shaking her head, she reached down to push his hand away, and cleared her throat before muttering, "That's fine. Send him…" She paused on a gasp as Nicholas nipped lightly at her nipple. Fortunately, the officious-sounding woman on the other end understood.