Nina had always observed Amaury from afar, always from a safe distance. This was the first time she was within inches of his face and his massive body. He was tall and muscled, big-boned, and broad-shouldered. But there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. His hair was as black as a raven, not quite shoulder length, and curling slightly at its ends.
But it wasn’t his hair or his strong body which captured her, not even the hands that kept her imprisoned against her will. It was his eyes. As blue and as deep as an ocean they stared at her—hypnotized her.
Maybe she could have shaken off his hands somehow, but not his eyes. Nor the sensual curve of his mouth, the fullness of his lips, or the strong outline of his jaw. Even his nose was in perfect proportion to his size, long and straight, almost Greek.
Never in her life had she come face to face with a man so ruggedly handsome and sensual at the same time. Despite the precarious situation she found herself in—captured by a vampire—she didn’t struggle to get out of his arms and away from his body. Rather, she found herself inching forward, moving ever closer to him to savor the heat that radiated from him. Amaury smelled of earth and leather, purely male. Her belly clenched in response. The wanton reaction of her body sent an alarm bell ringing in her head.
What in the devil was she doing? She should be kicking his sorry ass from here to Alcatraz, not ogling him like a star-struck groupie. He was the enemy, one of the men responsible for the destruction of her little family. Why was her body not moving when she should have at least tried some of her karate kicks to escape his hold?
His narrowed eyes were sharp and assessing, watching her with suspicion, yet he said nothing. She didn’t think he could still be shocked by the fact a woman had followed him, but something was restraining his tongue.
Nina lowered her lashes to gaze at his mouth and saw his lips part as if in invitation. Firm and sensual lips which beckoned for a brush against them, if merely to confirm she wasn’t dreaming the perfection in front of her.
No. Still the enemy. Bad vampire.
She could resist this temptation. She was strong – until he exhaled, and she took in his breath – musky and earthy. His scent was intoxicating, drugging, as if it contained a secret substance designed to make her dizzy. Moistening her dry lips, unable to think clearly now she stretched upwards and tilted her face toward him. Was he leaning toward her now, or was it an illusion?
Really bad vampire.
Yet, so enticing.
No!
She had to fight this, fight him.
Improvise!
Yes, she had to turn this around, make it her advantage. Find his weakness.
Think! You’re a smart woman, damn it, think!
That was it: a woman. She was a woman, and his weakness was women. She’d seen him in the company of many of them—yes, she could use that. It could work.
Or blow up in your face.
Nina didn’t listen to her doubting inner voice. Instead she inched forward once more, closer to his perfect face and pressed her lips to his.
He appeared startled, his lips remaining rigid for a moment. But then his hands released their deathlike grip on her arms, and he pulled her into his body. One hand circled her waist, the other steadied her head, his strong fingers burying themselves in her curls the way a lover would. Her heart leapt with relief—it was working. She would be able to distract him and escape.
But the moment his lips responded to hers, and his tongue invaded her, her body took over. His kiss flipped the off switch to her brain and shut out every sane thought she’d ever had—wiping her brilliant plan from her mind as if it had never existed.
***
Amaury drew the human female closer to him, crushing her breasts into his chest. Her short blonde curls felt soft under his hand, like silk.
As soon as he felt her lips part under light pressure, he responded with a guttural moan. And then he kissed her back. She welcomed his tongue dueling with hers, encouraging him to explore her. He wouldn’t disappoint her. Angling his head, he sought a deeper penetration and found her eagerly accepting his demand.
In her shapeless clothes he’d mistaken her for a juvenile delinquent, not the warm and willing woman she turned out to be. But what had really thrown him for a loop was the fact he couldn’t pick up on any of her emotions, which was more than a little unnerving and—fascinating.
Frankly, for once he could kiss a woman without focusing on his release. It felt like a gift from heaven to be able to enjoy a kiss like the one he now shared with her. A kiss full of fire, passion, and desire. He had no idea why she kissed him, who she was, or what she wanted, but her body pressed against his felt utterly right.