"Why you been avoiding me, huh?" He gazed up at her through slightly lowered lashes. "I'm beginning to think you don't like me very much."
His fingertips rode up beneath the hem of her short skirt. Her breathing increased and her heart thundered so hard that blood rushed in her ears.
"But you do like that. I can tell." His beautiful eyes became filled with desire. "So do I."
When his fingertips snaked their way much higher, nearing the edge of her panties, Sunny came back to her senses. Taking hold of his hand, she forced it from underneath her skirt. "Jamie . . . you need to stop . . . now."
"Why?"
For Jamie, it undoubtedly was that simple: If you liked someone or were attracted to them, you hooked up. No attachments, no entanglements, just pure, uncomplicated pleasure.
Not in her world.
He continued staring into her eyes, waiting for some kind of answer, and only then did she realize that their fingers had become entwined, neither of them letting go. "Because I don't even know you."
"But you could. . . ." He gave her a suggestive glance. "In fact, it's downright biblical. To 'know' me. Very Old Testament, since that was the euphemism they chose."
She flushed. "That's disrespectful."
"God invented sex," he said matter-of-factly. "I happen to believe in God and in great lovemaking. I don't see a conflict of interest."
Oh, for me there's one, she thought, trying to still the crazy tempo of her heartbeat and breathing.
"Well," she said on an unsteady exhale, "I don't believe in having sex with someone I just met."
He gave her a ravishing smile, his deep dimples popping into view. "Now, that, Sunny Renfroe, is a full-on crying shame."
He released her hand and turned to light his cigar. Instantly she missed the warmth of his touch, the heat that he'd been stoking inside of her. Stupidly, she had the urge to cry out, Never mind.
Let's start over! But the moment had been lost.
Jamie puffed on the cigar, blowing the smoke away from her. It curled into the dim light coming from inside the house. He leaned back in his chair again, and it threw him into the shadows. Sunny hated not being able to see him clearly. He had some of the most beautiful human eyes she'd ever seen, so bright, so vivid, especially the way they contrasted with his naturally golden skin.
"So how long does it take, then?" he asked casually.
"For what?"
"Until we've known each other long enough to have sex. For me to seduce you properly. A few hours? A couple of days? A week? Because I'm a very determined man. You should know that."
Sunny leaped to her feet. "I've gotta go."
"Oh, come on, sugar bug. Don't be like that. I'm not trying to scare you off. Sit down and hang out with me for a while. Tell me why it is you've been here most of your life, but I've never met you."
Sunny stood, frozen, trying to decide whether she dared risk staying, because Jamie did scare her—tremendously so, but not because she thought he'd ever harm her. Not that he could overpower her if he tried, not with her otherworldly abilities. It had all been in that one look he'd given her, the hidden sweetness that all his bravado and flirtation masked. Her heart had flipped over inside her chest, her breathing had grown shallow—and she'd known she could fall in love with him. Quickly, swiftly, tumbling all the way down as she fell.
And caring for any human in that way was strictly forbidden.
"Jamie, I really need to go back inside right now," she said, starting toward the porch door.
"Oh, come on and take a load off." Jamie wrapped one strong arm about her waist and brought her right down onto his lap before she could even react.
She found herself leaning into a chest that was hard and muscular, her own soft breasts pressing far too close against his strength. His breath was warm on her cheek, and although she expected him to try to kiss her, he did something far more surprising. He reached out and caught one of her curls between his fingers, his breath hitching momentarily.
"God, you know what's amazing about you?" he murmured. "I love your hair. It's beautiful. Well, I mean . . . if I had to isolate just one thing, it would be your eyes. I could lose myself in your eyes, Sunny. But I do love these curls."
Very gently, almost tenderly, he began stroking her hair, as if he meant to soothe away her fears of him, her anxiousness about what he was asking for.
He looked deep into her eyes, and although it was dark, she could see intensity in the depths of his gaze, almost as if he were searching for something. Only then did she realize she'd begun trembling slightly. He frowned. "Hey, now. I won't hurt you, sweetheart. I'm all meow, remember?"
She splayed an unsteady hand against his chest. "I forgot about the possibility of teeth and claws."
"Nah, I don't bite and I don't scratch. Well. . ." He laughed low in his throat. "That is, I'll stick to the parts you want nibbled and toyed with."
Her eyes slid shut. "Jamie, I . . . I'm not used to this."
"Being held by a man who wants to give you pleasure? A gorgeous thing like you? I find that impossible to believe."
"Trust me."
"Now, see, you don't seem to trust me. Am I coming on too strong? Or is it an issue with me in particular? Because from where I'm sitting, you on my lap and my arms around you, I wouldn't be anywhere else right now. And what is that perfume? You have the most unusual scent all over your skin. It makes me want to taste you."
"Jamie!" She pushed at his chest in frustration. "You are coming on too strong. Way too strong."
"And yet you're still sitting squarely in my lap. I don't see you rushing to escape." He held his hands up in surrender. "And I'd hate for you to go, but maybe that's best. So long as you promise I can see you again."
She shook her head, turning away from him, and still didn't move from atop his lap. "I'm not . . . not experienced. Idon't...I can't do this. Okay? Please just let me go."
He cupped her cheek, slowly urging her to face him. For a long moment, he looked into her eyes. "Sunny, baby, how is that possible?"
"You're the one who didn't think I was even human," she said, distress mounting. His myriad signals were confusing, the way he vacillated between seduction and teasing and now gentleness.
She found it harder and harder to sort out his intentions.
"Well, are you?"
"You've had your hands all over me. Don't I feel human?"
He caressed her cheek. "You feel soft and beautiful and warm." He sighed, his eyes drifting shut. "Good Lord, you feell. . . like everything I need." Slowly he encircled her in his arms, holding her close, like a treasure.
He made her whole body burn with those words and his touch, but he didn't confirm that he'd let go of his suspicions. She had to break contact before he used his famed hunting skills to deduce what she really was.
"You should let me go," she insisted.
He took one long puff on his cigar, studying her, but not releasing his hold on her body. "You're sure?"
"Please."
Releasing her gently, he helped her back to her feet with polite grace. Straightening her clothes, she took a step toward the French doors that led to the home's interior. But before she could open them, Jamie was behind her, pressed close to her body.
His warm breath brushed against the nape of her neck. "I'll give you an hour to reconsider," he whispered seductively. "I'm not in the habit of begging, but I want you something fierce, Sunny Renfroe. I promise I won't hurt you, and I won't dishonor you . . . but I will make you feel things you've never known before. If you're will ing to risk all of that, meet me down by the creek in exactly an hour. Look for the glass gazebo to the right of the dock. I'll be there waiting for you. Don't disappoint me . . . please."
She turned to look at him, but he was already moving back into the shadows.
He'd basically begged her to come to him. What was he thinking? It was like he'd temporarily lost his mind around the woman, become enchanted.
Jamie stared through the glass porch doors and watched Sunny hurry toward the sofa where Shay and Kate sat. She kept neatening her hair, her clothes, and he smiled at how shy she really was. She hadn't been lying about her lack of experience; he was sure of it. But as she sat down stiffly between his sister and Kate, he panicked slightly. Was she going to tell them what he'd just done? If she did, there was no way she'd ever show at the gazebo, and that disappointed him fiercely—and not just because he wanted to ferret out her true identity.
He hadn't expected her innocence to seduce him. Now he wanted to give her everything he'd just promised . . . and much, much more. If he learned her true nature in the process, that would be an extra bonus, but it was no longer his main desire or concern.
Shay turned to Sunny, saying something, and he held his breath, wondering if Sunny would confess all. Well, it wasn't like Shay or Kate should be surprised. He was Jamie Angel, after all, and if they expected him to avoid Sunny Renfroe, then his little sis shouldn't have suggested he might find the woman appealing.
He turned, not wanting to see whether Sunny blabbed about his proposition . . . or his failed seduction attempt. With a heavy groan, he leaned against the side of the porch and closed his eyes. His entire body was on fire, absolutely burning for Sunny. Tonight was supposed to be about subterfuge, about unlocking all her clever mysteries. Instead? He was fully fucking smitten with the female. Not good.
Beyond that, he was harder than stone inside his jeans, which meant the next hour would be painfully slow—if she even showed at the gazebo. Reaching between his legs, he rubbed scraping denim against his erection, aching for Sunny with downright frenzied intensity. No woman in years had affected him so strongly and instantly.
Wait! That was it. He opened his eyes with a start, hand still poised against his groin. No other woman had ever brought such heat into his body. Ever. She'd clearly placed some kind of erotic spell over him, proving her supernatural nature; otherwise he wouldn't be wound so tight.