Free Worlds of Obsession (Celtic Otherworlds) by Kella McKinnon Page B

“Please.” 
    She walked to the sofa, but her mind was already working overtime, trying out possible scenarios.  If this was some sort of a secret location, was this guy in a gang?  Or did he work for a top secret government agency?  Maybe the mob?  He certainly carried himself with the power and grace of a trained fighter.  And that body… god.  She carefully lowered herself onto the plush seat, watching him all the while.  He sat down next to her, but several feet away, almost as if he didn’t want to get too close.  Even so, he had an incredible physical presence, unlike anything she had ever felt.  It was as if danger and strength and sex appeal were just constantly rolling off him in hot, thick waves.  It was doing funny things to her heart-rate, and her body had apparently already decided to go ahead without her, if the damp rush of heat between her legs was any indication.  Wow .  That had never happened…
      “What is your name?” she asked abruptly.  If he had a name like Fred or Bob, it would kind of take away from the overall package he had going on, but somehow, she didn’t think that was the case.
                  He considered her for a moment, as if trying to decide whether to tell her.  “Bastien”, he said finally.
                  Liv smiled.  That name fit him perfectly.  “I’m Liv.”
                  “I know.”
                  She frowned in confusion.  “How do you know my name?”  She couldn’t remember telling him…
                  He shrugged.  “It’s on your driver’s license.” 
                  “You went through my purse?”
                  He shrugged a second time.  “You were unconscious.”  He went on, before she could even think of an adequate reply to that sort of reasoning.  “You’re from Boston.”
                  Even his slight accent was sexy.  “Yes… I’m on vacation.  Or at least I was on vacation.”  She crossed her arms and glared at him.  She would be again, when she got out of here.  Only… she felt strangely reluctant to go just yet.  She was so enjoying looking at… Bastien.  He was the complete vision of her masculine ideal.  Perfection.  Everything from his squared-off jaw with a sexy divot, to his long, dark silky hair, and his brown, almost black eyes that burned with depth and intensity.  She was having a hard time looking away for even a moment.  She could practically feel the hormones flooding her system right about now, disappointed that nothing had happened last night after all, and perfectly willing to remedy the situation.  Her body knew a beautiful, virile male when it saw one, that was pure biology, and completely beyond her control.
                  “What about your family?” he asked casually, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully with one hand.
                  “What about my family?”
                  “Where are they?”
                  “I don’t really have much in the way of family”, she answered absently.  Why was he asking about her family?  Unless he was planning on ransoming her or something.  Well, good luck with that, because there wouldn’t be anyone willing to pay.  
                 
    ***
                  Bastien took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling as if would provide the inspiration he was looking for.  How exactly did one ask such a delicate question?  He just wasn’t any good at this kind of thing… he should have gotten Erath to talk to her, but the thought of Erath alone with her, using his considerable charm to learn all of her secrets… it just wasn’t going to happen.  Liv was his responsibility, because he had found her, and he would see this through until she was back where she belonged.  It wasn’t, he told himself, that she had been there in front of him when his body reawakened after