Free Pretty When They Collide by Rhiannon Frater Page B

“And that was the end of that little fad.”
    “ So if you actually manage to capture this dhamphir, what will you do with her?”
    Frank crawled across the bed to Aimee ’ s side and wrapped one wet lock of her long hair around his hand. “Maybe keep her. I could forcibly bond her to me. Chain her up, feed her my blood until she ’ s loyal. Maybe she could be my new companion.”
    Frank ’ s eyes were dark and searching. Aimee rested her hand against his cheek and leaned toward him. “No, you won ’ t.”
    “ Bah!” Frank pulled her closer by her hair. “Why do I want you so? Why do I dread the thought of you not being at my side, when at the same time I wonder if I shouldn ’ t just kill you?”
    “ Because I ’ m power, Frank,” Aimee answered.
    Nuzzling her neck, Frank grumbled in French.
    Tilting her head away from him, she closed her eyes and struggled not to clench her hands into fists. His sharp teeth raked over her throat, but didn ’ t break the skin.
    “ Maybe it ’ s because you ’ re unattainable. I own you, but I can always tell in the depths of your eyes that you ’ re not really mine. Even when you were completely smitten with me, you were never truly mine.” Frank ’ s voice was thick with passion, lust, and anger. His hands slid under the robe , caressing her. “My ill-tempered little witch, why won ’ t you be mine?”
    Though he was touching her in all the places he knew would arouse her, Aimee felt disconnected from her own body ’ s response. He was right. She had never truly been his. Even at the height of their decade-long relationship when she had been enthralled with his every word and gesture, she had never truly opened up her heart and soul to him. Frank was her first love, her first relationship, the first person to ever arouse her and make love to her, and yet she couldn ’ t remember ever feeling truly connected to him. She had never felt a spark like she had experienced in that brief moment in the elevator with the mysterious woman.
    “ Maybe I ’ m a lesbian,” Aimee said, turning her head to face him. Surprisingly, the words came out more as truth than a jest to rile him. That realization was both a thrill and shock.
    Frank laughed against his her lips. “Right. Good one. No lesbian ever sucked cock as good as you do.”
    “ Fuck you, Frank,” Aimee snapped, her anger flashing through her like a hot flame. As quickly as it hit, the blood bond struck , turning her to ice, making her numb.
    “ If you insist.” Frank shifted onto his knees, scooped her up in his arms and tossed her partially robed body onto the center of the bed. Crawling up between her legs, the black silk of his pajamas whispered over her thighs. “Let ’ s talk about the dhamphir. You bumped into her when we got out of the elevator. What did you feel with your witchy radar?”
    Aimee felt her breath leave her at the memory. Her fingers tingled at the thought of the dhamphir ’ s touch. “I felt something I can ’ t describe.”
    “ And yet you said nothing,” Frank said, his anger once more just below the surface. “I just realized that. You touched the dhamphir and said nothing.” He was shifting around, trying to undress himself.
    “ No, I didn ’ t, because she didn ’ t feel like a threat to you,” Aimee answered somewhat truthfully. She lay beneath him , unyielding and detached from his efforts to seduce her.
    Staring deep into her eyes, Frank ’ s power sank into her, seeking the truth. The seconds ticked away. At last Frank said, “I sense that ’ s actually an honest answer.”
    Aimee was grateful that Frank couldn ’ t read her thoughts, but only sense her emotions.
    Finishing stripping off his pajamas, Frank ran his palms lightly over her arms , drawing them up over her head to pin them in place. “So, can you deal with her? Find a way to subdue her? Make her our little slave?”
    “ I have a researcher getting me the information,” Aimee answered coolly. “I