Page 21 of Mortal Heart

She let out a furious yell and tried to kick him in the jaw with her other foot, but he caught that one too. From her inverted position, she punched him square in the gut. Her fist struck rock-hard abs. He didn’t so much as blink—just kept smiling.

With few options left, she said to hell with fighting clean and swung her elbow straight at his groin with all the momentum she could muster. Before she could make contact, he tossed her right side up, caught her by the waist, and set her back on her feet in front of him where she’d started.

It didn’t escape her notice that despite the fact she’d attempted at least a dozen punches and kicks, only two of which had managed to hit their targets, he hadn’t done anything more than prevent her from striking him. And of course his feet hadn’t moved a millimeter.

“What the hell was that?” She was breathless again, but for an entirely different reason. “You goad me into a fight, and then you just stand there? What are you trying to prove?”

Ronan’s reply took her entirely by surprise. “I don’t think we have anything to prove to each other.” He tucked some loose hair behind her ear. “Do you?”

“Everyone always hassomethingto prove.” She held her ground, even when he caressed her shoulder. “Don’t pretend you don’t. All this black leather and riding a Harley and ‘I’m a big bad loner’ stuff is all about proving how tough you are, right?”

He tilted his head. “Is that what you really think?”

“No,” she admitted. “But youaretrying to prove something to yourself.”

He didn’t answer her, but she knew by the way his brow furrowed that she’d guessed right.

“The problem is, it’swayharder to convince yourself of something than it is to convince someone else.” She gathered up her jacket and T-shirt from where she’d dropped them on the floor. “So good luck with that.”

“But I still say we have nothing to prove to each other.” He tipped her chin up with his fingertips and looked into her eyes. “It makes a nice change from people we’ve been with in the past, don’t you think?”

She wanted to tell him to go to hell, that she hadn’t had anything to prove to any lover, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him. Not about this.

In every relationship she’d ever had, no matter how brief, how it began, or how it ended, she’d felt as though she had something to prove. Even her friendship and partnership with Alice had felt that way up until very recently. Alice’s neurotic need to protect everyone made Arkady feel as though she had to prove she didn’t need protecting.

Her most recent affair, an on-again, off-again fling with former Vampire Court enforcer Matthias Albrecht, had consisted almost entirely of trying to prove to each other how strong, stubborn, andrightthey each were. No wonder they’d been doomed from the start despite their mutual attraction.

Ronan, whatever the hell he was, had just told her they had nothing to prove to each other, and she thought he might be right. And if that was the case, she had no idea how to act around him. She wasn’t just in uncharted territory—she was in an entirely different dimension.

His gaze stayed locked on hers. “It’s a first for me too,” he said, his voice strangely rough. “But Idoknow one thing: how much I want to do this.” He bent his head and kissed her.

She was in no way surprised to discover Ronan was one hell of a kisser, or that he tasted of tequila. Strangely, he also tasted like something that reminded her of the ocean. Her busted lip hurt when his kiss became more demanding. She didn’t mind a bit of pain, however, not when it came courtesy of a man this bewitchingly attractive.

You have a case, her conscience protested.No time to knock boots, remember?

Shut up, she ordered that annoying inner voice.It’s been a long night. I deserve to have some fun.

With a little moan, she dropped her T-shirt and jacket again and arched against Ronan. He pulled her close, one hand cupping her head and the other at the small of her back. Her hand slid up his thigh and gripped his very firm ass.Mmm.

“Like that, do you?” He smiled against her lips. “I had a feeling you might be that sort of woman.”

The intensity of her desire made her feel dizzy. “What sort of woman do you mean?”

“The sort who likes to either kick a man’s ass or find other ways to entertain herself with it.”

She grabbed a handful of his shirt. He let her pin him against the wall next to the kitchen door. “That doesn’t scare you off?” she asked. “What I might like to do?”

He trailed his mouth along her jaw. “I’ve faced some pretty terrifying things. Your kinks in no way scare me…but theydointrigue me.”

Distracted by what he’d said and the fact she was pretty sure he meant it, it took her a few moments to realize his lips were right where the vamp had bitten her. When she tensed, he kissed her in that same spot and nuzzled her again. She tried not to flinch but failed.

“Your body is your own and no one else’s,” he told her, raising his head to look into her eyes. “Tell me not to touch you there and I won’t. Or let me turn it into something good to think about instead.”

She wanted to give him permission to do just that, but she couldn’t. Not yet. Not until the vamp who’d bitten her was ash.

“I have a better idea.” She took his hand and put it on her belt. “Give me something good to think about by touching me somewhere else.”

“Don’t you want to shower first?” he teased as he unfastened her belt. The button and zipper of her jeans followed next. “I thought blood and black magic weren’t sexy.”

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