Free B00XXAC6U6 EBOK by Caris Roane

I’d love some.”
    He gestured with his hand for her to precede him. She led the way across the foyer to his great room, an open area of his house encompassing a north view of the mountains.
    He directed her to sit at the island bar, where earlier he’d served her coffee, then moved easily from the pots and pans, to the fridge, and back. He was comfortable in the kitchen and Regan couldn’t help but smile. Ian had been a bachelor a long time, but when she’d dated him, he wouldn’t have spent a second building a fire and setting up the spit to roast some meat. He’d had staff back then to take care of him and he’d made use of them.
    Though he had a housekeeper now, apparently he no longer minded doing some of the cooking.
    “Did you make the coffee, too?”
    “Sure.” He chuckled softly. “I know what you’re thinking. I remember how you went into the woods yourself so long ago and collected firewood. It pissed you off that I ordered my servants to the task.”
    She smiled. “I was perfectly capable of scouring your land for some deadfall. And so were you.”
    “You even started bringing your axe to my house.” The vegetable beef soup was heating in a pot on the stove and already smelled heavenly. Ian leaned on the island marble, his smile warm as he held her gaze.
    “I’m a resourceful person,” she said, “though I will confess it’s much easier now with food grown in bulk and shipped to markets, with electricity and how about the microwave?”
    Ian grinned. “One of my favorite things. That and cell phones. I mean, not everyone can communicate telepathically and I can reach any of my Guardsmen at any time. What did we do without all our gadgets?”
    She shrugged but smiled. “We headed into the forest. Do you remember the time you brought down a buck?”
    “Of course. Used my bow and arrow.”
    “You shared it with the village, too, the one at the base of the Rim near the Peralin River. Pikon, I think, at least that’s what I remember. You know, I swear that’s when I fell in love with you.”
    His brows rose. “Because I gave away venison I’d never be able to use?”
    “You could have dried it. You didn’t have to share.”
    He sighed, his gaze shifting past her but not appearing to land on anything particular. “I suppose, but it was a rough winter that year and some of the families had it hard. How could I not have shared? What kind of mastyr would that have made me?”
    He turned back to his soup and using a wooden spoon, stirred slowly. He already had thick slices of bread all buttered and toasting in the oven.
    Her gaze became fixed to the back of his head. Vojalie wasn’t entirely right that Regan didn’t know Ian. She knew he was generous and self-sacrificing as most vampire Guardsmen were.
    Her heart got that swollen feeling again. She leaned her elbow on the cool marble, and dropped her chin into her hand. She had to repress a heavy sigh. She was close to mooning after the man all over again.
    “I’ll do it, Ian, the protective blood streaks. I think it’s the smart thing to do. Maybe I can’t be bound to you right now, but I know we’ll be better off if we follow Mastyr Malik’s lead.”
    Afterward stacking up the toasted sour dough on a plate, he ladled soup into two bowls. He met her gaze. “That means a lot to me.”
    She wished he wasn’t so damn handsome. Just looking at him sent desire skyrocketing.
    He brought a bowl around for her as well as a spoon and napkin. “Dig in,” he said. “I have a feeling this is going to be a long night.”
    ~ ~ ~
    Ian could hardly taste the soup. For some reason, the jasmine-lime scent Regan carried as a blood rose had invaded the kitchen, though he didn’t know why. The problem was his cock loved it, couldn’t get enough, and wouldn’t settle down especially knowing she’d be opening a vein soon to create the protective streaks on his arms. He almost groaned at the thought.
    He dipped his spoon in the soup but didn’t dare