Page 17 of Midnight Enchantment

Raedan sensed Liliana’s nervousness as he waited for her to let him in. She had been on edge around him before, but this was different. Not quite fear, he thought. Not exactly anxiety. Perhaps it was just a normal female reaction to dating a man she hardly knew—a man her family had repeatedly warned her to stay away from.

She was a vision, he thought as she opened the door. The pink sweater matched the flush in her cheeks, the clip in her hair rivaled the sparkle in her eyes.

“Come in,” she said, taking a step back. Odd, she thought, that hotel thresholds didn’t repel vampires the way they did in private homes. Perhaps it was because tourists didn’t own the rooms, but only rented them.

“I thought we’d go out.” His gaze moved over her. “Dancing, perhaps?” It would give him a perfect excuse to hold her in his arms. “And dinner, if you haven’t eaten.”

“That sounds nice,” she agreed. “Just let me grab my purse.”

Lily’s eyes widened when she saw his car—a royal blue Audi RS 5. “Did you just buy it?” she asked when she saw the paper license plate. She wasn’t much of a car buff, but she had recently seen this very car advertised in a TV commercial.

“I bought it last night, as a matter of fact,” he said as he held the door open for her.

“Oh?”

He shrugged. “We had a date and I needed transportation.”

“So, you bought this just to take me out?”

He grinned at her. “Maybe I wanted to impress you,” he said as he closed her door.

“You could have rented a car for a lot less.”

“Not one like this one.”

She watched him walk around the front of the Audi. He moved like a jungle cat, she thought, all taut muscle and danger wrapped up in a beautiful hide.

He opened his door and slid behind the wheel. “So, are you impressed?”

“Very. It’s gorgeous!” And must have cost a fortune, she thought.

“Then it served its purpose.” When the engine purred to life, he pulled out of the hotel parking lot and turned left.

“Where are we going?” Lily ran her hands over the dark-gray leather, which was buttery-soft to the touch.

“What are you in the mood for?”

She hesitated a moment, then said, “I’m not really hungry.”

“No?”

She fidgeted in her seat. “I know you don’t eat, so … ”

“But you do. Unless dining with me will make you uncomfortable.”

“I thought it might makeyouuncomfortable,” Lily said. “Watching me. Or maybe you don’t miss it after so many years.”

“I don’t, and watching you dine will not bother me.”

“Well, I haven’t had dinner.”

“So, what are you in the mood for?” he asked again.

“Italian, I guess.” It was always her first choice.

“I know a little place not far from here. They have a small dance floor in the back.”

“Sounds perfect.” She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he drove, noting the easy way he handled the car, the clean cut of his profile, the way oncoming headlights cast silver highlights in his dark hair.

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