Free The Guardian's Keeper (The Guardian Trilogy, Book 1) by T.R. Raven Page B

together and then make out with me?”
    Nikoli closed the door behind him, frowning. “I’m sorry, I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly. I just wanted to get rid of Theresa.”
    “Thanks tons.” Claire folded her arms up and glared at Nikoli.
    “Ok ay, okay,’ Nikoli acquiesced. “I deserve your anger for that….but if you must know, it was hard for me to stop with just a peck on the lips.”
    “ Whatever, Nikoli. Go on, tell me how much you want me and I want you and how we can’t be together. Maybe I’ll just cross my fingers another bimbo will drop by for you so it’s convenient for you to kiss me again.” Claire was livid. “So you just let me know the next time you want to use me so I can make sure I’m avail-”
    Without warning Nikoli’s mouth was on hers. His arms around her, he kissed her slowly, gently. Claire responded instantly, returning his kiss.
    “Claire,” he broke away, “you make me crazy.”
    “ I make you crazy? I don’t do super-fast vampire speed moves and kiss unsuspecting people. I only-”
    Nikoli kissed her again more urgently, and Claire reciprocated in kind. She was lost. There was nothing now, nothing but this- Nikoli’s strong arms holding her, keeping her safe, his soft lips on hers. Nothing before or after this moment mattered, only this. Claire thought she would explode with happiness. Something still bothered her though. She broke off the kiss.
    “ I don’t want to do this Nikoli, if tomorrow you’ll just say it was a mistake. I know my attraction to you is not because of my bloodlines, I need you to know it too.”
    “ My beautiful Claire, I was so very wrong about us,” Nikoli confessed, stroking her hair. “I thought being together like this would distract me from my duties. I had it backwards- denying us this distracted me more. When I pulled in today and saw Theresa was here I panicked. I worried you would think there was something between her and I. When I saw you on the porch it was so natural- I kissed you because I wanted to, and to show Theresa and let you know that she means nothing to me.” He pulled her close and kissed her again, his tongue gently flicking into her mouth, probing.
    Claire moaned softly, her fingers running through his hair as she had longed to do. He pressed against her, running his hands up and down her back, then through her hair. He stopped, eyes closed.
    “Enough,” h e breathed.
    Claire almost scr eamed out loud in frustration. “So that’s it? You’re back to ‘No, let’s not do this’?”
    Nikoli’s eyes snap ped open, boring into hers. “Oh no, my lovely Keeper. Quite the opposite.”  He kissed her again for a moment. “I hope we do lots of this in the future, but for now, there’s only so much a man can take.” He kissed her hard, and pulled away quickly as his breathing became ragged. “I can’t promise I’ll be the gentleman you deserve if we keep this up right now. Your scent, your heat- I just want to consume you entirely.”
    Claire tensed with fear. Nikoli felt it and backed off immediately, sitting into the overstu ffed chair. “No, Claire, not like that, never like that,” he reassured her. “I meant consume-in bed,” he explained sheepishly.
    “Oh.” Claire felt stupid. “ I’m sorry, Nikoli. I thought you meant, well, you know. As for in bed,” she began nervously, eyes downcast, “I don’t want to disappoint you, but you should know I’ve never, well, done that. I’m a virgin.”
    Nikoli inhaled sharply then exhaled slowly. “That doesn’t concern me, though it is a good reminder for me to behave myself. I spoke poorly- ‘consume’ was a bad choice of words on my part.” He sighed. “What disappoints me is that you thought I’d hurt you, even for a second. I would never hurt you Claire.” He looked at her beseechingly.
    Claire sighed. “ I know that Nikoli, I’m just not used to the whole ‘my boyfriend is a vampire thing’. Especially when they start mentioning wanting to