Free The Witch's Vampire (New Adult Paranormal Romance) (Mystery Springs Series) by Jami Brumfield

Sophie, I want to taste you." He could hear her heart speed up and her pulse race as his tongue slid across her salty neck. His body shook with the need to take her while his mind attempted to regain control. The sweetness of her scent was overwhelming and he felt himself get lost in her, all of her; her scent, her touch, her skin, her taste. The things he wanted to do to her in that moment should have been illegal. 
     
    “Excuse me?” Rafe cleared his throat, his words were like a cold pail of water being dumped on both of them. They fell apart faster than was humanly possible. Sophie suddenly felt like she was sixteen years old kissing a boy in front of her father, not a twenty-one year old adult.
     
    “Dad.” Shame ran through her as she reached to grab her cotton jacket.
     
    “Mr. Waters.” Giovanni stood up straightening his t-shirt, black jacket and jeans.
     
    “You can call me Rafe, Gio. We’re friends despite the fact that you’re interested in dating my daughter.” He tilted his head narrowing his eyes on Giovanni. “You  are  interested in dating my daughter, right? This isn’t a fling, is it?”
     
    “Dad!” Sophie shouted, appalled at his line of questioning, and finally getting back on her feet. “All we did was kiss. We haven’t even addressed what this,” she pointed to Gio and herself, “is.”
     
    Rafe didn’t look at Sophie. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with you kissing my daughter on a whim, Gio.”
     
    “Father!” this was fast becoming the most horrifying moment of her life. “I’m not a kid anymore. Look at me, full grown adult standing right here. Who I kiss and why I kiss him is my business.”
     
    “It’s okay, Sophie. Your father is right. We should take things more seriously on this front. Perhaps we can go out on a date and get to know each other?”
     
    “Wow! Really?” Sophie had never felt so embarrassed and she couldn’t believe that Giovanni was asking her out only because her father was looking at him with a disapproving glare. Giovanni waited expectantly which only infuriated her more. She took a deep breath, “no thank you. I think I’ll pass.” She turned and left the two men on the porch alone.
     
    Gio and Rafe stared after her. When the door slammed, Gio couldn’t hold the chuckle in any longer. Rafe stared at him with fatherly concern. “I’m sorry, Rafe, but your daughter intrigues me.”
     
    “So this is more than just a random thing?”
     
    “Quite possibly, Rafe, but I just met her and there’s a lot to figure out.” He didn't know how to tell him that he felt he'd known Sophie all his life, that she drew him to her like a moth to flame. He didn't know how to even begin the discussion because he couldn't understand how fast he was developing feelings for her. If he didn't understand, how could he explain it to a protective father?
     
    “Like your consort?”
     
    “Yes, Marissa and my father’s approval. He doesn’t support the idea of mixing bloodlines.” Truth was Marissa was a minor concern. She was more of a friend than anything else, but his father was going to be a hard sell. He knew the only way to deal with the issue at hand was to be honest and tell his father he wanted to date Sophie, get his permission. His brother, Nicolai, didn’t ask permission when he tried to date a shape-shifter and that relationship almost created a war. Another brother, Johnny, was put to death for loving an Amazon.
     
    “Well, that may create a problem.” Rafe agreed.
     
    “I deal with fixing problems all day long. I will figure out a way.” Gio looked at Rafe expectantly. “Did you have something you wanted to talk about when you came out here?”
     
    “Oh, yes. Marissa and Nicolai are here.”
     
    Gio nodded and headed toward the door. Rafe stepped in front of him. "Please understand, Giovanni. Even though we're friends, and we have a treaty in place, if you hurt my daughter, I won't hesitate to hurt