Page 39 of Sexual Appetites of Vampires

She reached out to grab him.

“Only a moment, I promise,” he said and squeezed her hand before releasing it.

She sighed with frustration, wondering what could be more important than making love with her, and then she realized what had separated them—the phone was ringing.

It was like being doused with cold water. If the phone was working, then that meant—she turned to look out the window. It had stopped snowing.

Lara stepped away from the ladder, her skirt falling to her ankles as she did. She caught clips of what Michael was saying, and dread began to clench at her stomach.

After returning the phone to its cradle, he walked over to her. “That was the private contractor that handles my snow removal. He says that the main roads will be passable later today and that he will be here early tomorrow morning to dig me out and that he should be done by noon. He also had a message from Martha. The bed and breakfast will be open tomorrow and your roomready for as long as you need to wait for your car service to come and get you.”

Her stomach twisted tight. Today was her last day with Michael. Tomorrow it would all be over and they would part.

CHAPTER 13

Lara felt tears stir in her eyes and the next thing she knew she was wrapped in Michael’s arms.

“We’ll make the most of this day,” he whispered, “a memory to last forever.”

She didn’t want just a memory of him; she wantedhimforever.

“I need tea,” she said and fled the room, fearing she’d burst into tears and make a fool of herself in front of him.

The phone rang again, preventing him from following to her relief. She needed time to get herself together. How the hell would she ever manage to get through the rest of this day, knowing tomorrow she would have to say good-bye to him?

She set the kettle to boil when a thought struck her.

Tell him you love him.What can it hurt? He could possibly feel the same. At least this way you’ll never regret not taking the chance.

Don’t you think he already knows? He hears your thoughts,and he’s said nothing. What does that tell you?

Her heart felt like it plummeted off a steep cliff.

How did one stop from thinking? It wasn’t possible. Her mind was always going, though she could keep it busy withnonsensical thoughts. The kettle whistled and Lara made herself a cup of chamomile tea.

Michael entered the room.

“I should get in touch with my car service and see when they can pick me up,” she said with what she hoped was a passable smile.

“I’ve already taken care of it,” he said without a trace of a smile.

Her heart plummeted again. He had already made plans for her to leave. “Thank you,” she said, trying to stretch her smile, though she had no desire to smile, and kept her thoughts from going where she didn’t want them to go.

He looked ready to step toward her, and she couldn’t let him kiss her. She just couldn’t. She quickly switched her thoughts to packing her suitcase, thinking of item by item that needed to be folded and packed. She kept the image steady in her mind, fighting back the one that tried to break through...her sobbing uncontrollably in his arms.

“I should pack and make sure I’m ready for tomorrow,” she said, stopping him in his tracks.

“You have plenty of time,” he said and inched closer to her.

No, not near enough time, she thought, though said, “Tomorrow will be here before you know it.”

His arm hurried around her waist, snagging her before she could slip out of his reach. “Then let’s not waste a minute.”

He kissed her and she was soon lost in a haze of delectable sensations. One thought and one thought alone penetrated her foggy brain, and she couldn’t stop it no matter how hard she tried.

You’re forever mine. I love you.

The next thing she knew she was once again up against the library ladder and just as wet and throbbing for him to be inside her as she had been before.

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