Page 20 of The Incubus and the Bodyguard

Something sparked between them then, hot and electric.

Vlad’s pulse spiked. He hadn’t felt anything like it since?—

Yeah, best not go there.

Delphine focused fully on him, like she could sense the attraction sizzling between them and was debating what to do about it.

“You know what I think?”

“What’s that?” Vlad said almost breathlessly.

“I think you’re trouble.”

Heat pooled in Vlad’s veins at the banked heat in her gaze.

“Good trouble or bad trouble?” he said, his tone dropping an octave.

She didn’t miss his attempt to seduce her. “Is there a difference?”

“Usually. Sometimes the line gets blurry.”

Delphine studied him over the rim of her glass, something knowing in her expression. “I get the feeling you’re speaking from experience.”

“Maybe.” Vlad arched an eyebrow, emboldened by the smoldering fire in her eyes. “Want to find out?”

A hint of amusement pulled at the corners of Delphine’s mouth. “Are you propositioning me?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you’re saying yes.”

A bark of laughter left her then, the sound surprising her as much as it did him. She shook her head, her cheeks dimpling. “You really are trouble.”

“You haven’t answered my question.”

Delphine drummed her fingers on the bar. She came to a decision, set her glass down, and turned to face him fully. Her knee brushed his thigh, the contact sending sparks dancing along his nerve endings.

“Here’s the thing,” she said slightly coolly. “I make it a rule not to go home with strangers.”

“We’re not strangers.” Vlad gave her his most charming smile. “We’ve been drinking together for at least twenty minutes.”

Delphine rolled her eyes a little. “Ah, yes. Practically bosom buddies.”

Vlad cocked his head toward where Cortes had been sitting. “I even introduced you to my friend.”

“Your friend with the weird habit of flicking at imaginary things?”

Vlad nearly choked on his whiskey.

Damn. She’s good.

“Speaking of imaginary things.” Delphine glanced down, her gaze landing exactly where Tarang sat.

The tiger went still.

Vlad’s heartbeat quickened. There was no way she could actually see his familiar. But something in her expression made him wonder.

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