Free Midnight by Elisa Adams Page A

She raised an eyebrow
in challenge. “I have to warn you, though, I liked it.”
    He shook his head and laughed. “You were supposed to.”
    “Is it always like that?”
    “Pleasurable? Yes, unless I deliberately choose to make it
painful. During sex, the pleasure it brings is incomparable. How else would we
be able to get anyone to agree to it?” He paused. “But like it was between us,
that was unusual. It’s not always so strong.”
    “But it is, sometimes?” She was getting worried. What she’d
felt was almost too intense to bear.
    “Once in a while.”
    “How often?”
    Marco sighed. “I don’t remember the last time it was so
good. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
    She shook her head. No, it was the exact opposite of what
she wanted to hear. She could deal with good. Hell, she could deal with great.
But earth-shattering was another matter entirely. She didn’t know how to handle
her feelings when she knew nothing could ever come of them. Besides the obvious
differences in lifespans, she knew practically nothing about him. She still
wasn’t sure if she wanted to stay, but the thought of another round of his
particular brand of sex made it tempting.
    “I suppose you want to go now.” He didn’t look happy about
it. Good. Perhaps it was his turn for a couple of lessons.
    “I’ll think about it.”
    He looked surprised, but he covered it quickly. Heaven
forbid the man show a little emotion beyond anger or annoyance.
    The more she thought about it, the more she considered
staying for a couple of days. Being here with Marco was certainly better than
sitting around in her townhouse, waiting for the bills to pile up while she was
unable to get another job. She’d rather be here for a little while than out
waiting tables at some sleazy restaurant again.
    His expression cleared. He’d come to a decision. “There’s
nothing to think about. You’re not going anywhere.”
    Well, staying sounded like a good idea until he opened his
big mouth. Who did he think he was, trying to force her into it? If she did
anything, it would be of her own free will. “You left the door unlocked.”
    “My bedroom door. Just the bedroom door. The outside
doors will remain locked unless I’m with you.”
    She shook her head. “Wait a second, after last night you’re
still going to keep me prisoner here?”
    He nodded. “That was the whole point of bringing you here.
This isn’t a social excursion.”
    She took a deep breath and counted to ten, trying to control
the urge to punch him. Why was it so difficult for him to admit he’d had a good
time? “I explained to you that I’m done with those movies. What more do you
want from me?”
    “What would you do if I let you go now? Would you run to
your friends, the tabloids, and tell them about me? I put myself, and a lot of
others, at risk when I told you what I really am. I have to know I can trust
you before I let you go.”
    “Please. I live on the outskirts of L.A. Do you know how
many psychos there are running around thinking they’re vampires?” she asked. “Besides,
what makes you think you can’t trust me? You barely even know me.”
    “That’s exactly why I need to keep you here for a little
while longer. Trust is a very hard thing to earn, especially when I get the
feeling you’re looking for a way to escape.”
    “Can you read minds or something?”
    He laughed. “No. I can’t read minds. For some reason,
though, I’m in tune to you.”
    She was in tune to him also, but she wasn’t going to share
that knowledge just yet. It might be something she could use later, unless he
decided to stop trying to control her life. “So you’re going to keep me here,
against my will, until you feel you can learn to trust me?”
    “Are you really here against your will?”
    She had to think about that one. On the one hand, she would
do anything to get free. On the other hand, what would she go back to? She had
no life, no job, and no friends that weren’t