hint of fear.”
Couldn’t hide that from a Vampire. “Do you want me?”
Or was he making an idiot of himself?
“When I first started working for Owen, I used to get so jealous seeing you two together. You were so perfect together. And I used to wonder what he saw in a human. Then I realized it wasn’t because of what you were, but who you were. You are passionate about your work, about your lover. You’ve proved how far you will go for someone you care about. I want to be caught up in that.”
Jack put his arms around her and drew her close. His lips landed on hers, caressing and tasting. She opened her mouth and their tongues met. He let himself give in to the kiss instead of holding back, yet an uncomfortable doubt lingered in his mind.
Was Owen now wondering what Jack was doing and how he was doing it? Or was Owen trying not to think about it? Owen had told him to strengthen his relationship with Katya and take her to bed—and he wanted to, he was hard, his blood was hot—but it was more than sex. Somewhere he’d started to respect her for joining his fight to save Owen. And that little bit of respect had lodged in his heart. He was falling for her and that felt like betrayal.
He drew back, his hands still resting on the small of her back, and looked into her blue eyes. Now he understood why Owen had been angry and hurt about what he’d done, even though Jack had looked the other way—Owen was already in love with Katya.
“What’s wrong? Are you worried I’ll bite?”
Jack shook his head. “I trust you not to rip out my throat and keep Owen for yourself.” He even managed a small smile. “I’ve never been in love with more than one person. Have you?”
She tilted her chin to look up at him. “No. But I think it’s possible and I want to try.”
“You don’t feel any guilt?” Was that what he was feeling, or was it an uncertainty that everything would come crumbling down and leave him with nothing.
Katya shook her head. “Does Owen? What did he say?”
Even now she was concerned about Owen. It was strangely reassuring. “He wants us to be closer, to form the third side of a triangle. Apparently that’s the only way this will work.”
She nodded. “I trust him. If anyone would know, it would be him.”
“He’ll be thinking about us.”
“Mmm. So let’s not disappoint.” She threaded her fingers through his hair and drew him into a kiss that held nothing back. Her fangs slid over his lip with a slow rake that sent a tremor down his spine, but she didn’t break the skin this time and assume he wanted to be bitten. “Do you want me to bite?”
Jack swallowed. He did. But the only Vampire he’d allowed to bite him since he was almost killed was Owen, and even that had taken time. This was different, Katya was different. For saving Owen, he’d give her whatever she wanted. “Yes.”
Until he’d spoken, he hadn’t realized how much he wanted to feel her bite and put the old memory behind him. While there was no scar, no outward sign of the trauma, it was time to create a new memory. He took her hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, led her upstairs to the room he usually shared with Owen.
The sheets were still askew from where he hadn’t bothered to make the bed. He’d been unable to close his eyes because of the curiosity crawling in his veins. He glanced at Katya as she pulled the clip out of her hair and let the pale strands fall down her back in a long, silken wave.
Then she began unbuttoning her shirt. She’d always dressed professionally, even though Owen worked from home. He’d always thought it a little formal—he only got dressed up for meetings with clients—but he saw the attraction of a woman in a suit. His gaze lingered on her fingers as she revealed the curve of her breasts.
But he was distracted by her fangs pressing against her lip. The memory of pain sharpened and was closely followed fear. It was irrational. He liked to be bitten, but he trusted
Couldn’t hide that from a Vampire. “Do you want me?”
Or was he making an idiot of himself?
“When I first started working for Owen, I used to get so jealous seeing you two together. You were so perfect together. And I used to wonder what he saw in a human. Then I realized it wasn’t because of what you were, but who you were. You are passionate about your work, about your lover. You’ve proved how far you will go for someone you care about. I want to be caught up in that.”
Jack put his arms around her and drew her close. His lips landed on hers, caressing and tasting. She opened her mouth and their tongues met. He let himself give in to the kiss instead of holding back, yet an uncomfortable doubt lingered in his mind.
Was Owen now wondering what Jack was doing and how he was doing it? Or was Owen trying not to think about it? Owen had told him to strengthen his relationship with Katya and take her to bed—and he wanted to, he was hard, his blood was hot—but it was more than sex. Somewhere he’d started to respect her for joining his fight to save Owen. And that little bit of respect had lodged in his heart. He was falling for her and that felt like betrayal.
He drew back, his hands still resting on the small of her back, and looked into her blue eyes. Now he understood why Owen had been angry and hurt about what he’d done, even though Jack had looked the other way—Owen was already in love with Katya.
“What’s wrong? Are you worried I’ll bite?”
Jack shook his head. “I trust you not to rip out my throat and keep Owen for yourself.” He even managed a small smile. “I’ve never been in love with more than one person. Have you?”
She tilted her chin to look up at him. “No. But I think it’s possible and I want to try.”
“You don’t feel any guilt?” Was that what he was feeling, or was it an uncertainty that everything would come crumbling down and leave him with nothing.
Katya shook her head. “Does Owen? What did he say?”
Even now she was concerned about Owen. It was strangely reassuring. “He wants us to be closer, to form the third side of a triangle. Apparently that’s the only way this will work.”
She nodded. “I trust him. If anyone would know, it would be him.”
“He’ll be thinking about us.”
“Mmm. So let’s not disappoint.” She threaded her fingers through his hair and drew him into a kiss that held nothing back. Her fangs slid over his lip with a slow rake that sent a tremor down his spine, but she didn’t break the skin this time and assume he wanted to be bitten. “Do you want me to bite?”
Jack swallowed. He did. But the only Vampire he’d allowed to bite him since he was almost killed was Owen, and even that had taken time. This was different, Katya was different. For saving Owen, he’d give her whatever she wanted. “Yes.”
Until he’d spoken, he hadn’t realized how much he wanted to feel her bite and put the old memory behind him. While there was no scar, no outward sign of the trauma, it was time to create a new memory. He took her hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, led her upstairs to the room he usually shared with Owen.
The sheets were still askew from where he hadn’t bothered to make the bed. He’d been unable to close his eyes because of the curiosity crawling in his veins. He glanced at Katya as she pulled the clip out of her hair and let the pale strands fall down her back in a long, silken wave.
Then she began unbuttoning her shirt. She’d always dressed professionally, even though Owen worked from home. He’d always thought it a little formal—he only got dressed up for meetings with clients—but he saw the attraction of a woman in a suit. His gaze lingered on her fingers as she revealed the curve of her breasts.
But he was distracted by her fangs pressing against her lip. The memory of pain sharpened and was closely followed fear. It was irrational. He liked to be bitten, but he trusted