Page 79 of Shadows of Eternity

She made a face at him. “If all you want is a back rub, stretch out on the sofa.”

“The bed’s more comfortable,” he said with a wicked grin.

With a long-suffering sigh, she took his hand and led him into the bedroom. “Can you undress yourself, or do you need help?”

Stifling a laugh, Rohan said, “Help is always welcome.”

With a shake of her head, she removed his shirt, his belt, unfastened his trousers. “Shoes,” she said, pointing at his feet.

Obligingly, he toed off his boots, his fingers threading through her hair as he stepped out of his pants and sat on the edge of the bed.

Leia removed his socks and tossed them aside. “Lay down.” He stretched out on his back on the mattress. Lord, he was gorgeous, she thought, every fiber of her being eager to touch him, to hold him and never let him go.

He smiled a knowing smile when his eyes met hers.

Leia fisted her hands on her hips, her brows raised. “I thought you wanted abackrub?”

“Well, my front could use a massage, too.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she muttered as she stepped out of her skirt, peeled off her sweater and removed her underwear. “This is going to cost you,” she warned as she stretched out beside him.

“Name your price,” he said, his voice whiskey-rough with desire. “Everything I have is yours.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“What did you think of our future son-in-law?” Brian asked as they got ready for bed that night.

“He seems very nice. He’s quite charming, and it’s obvious that he’s crazy about Leia. Did you see her engagement ring? I’ll bet it cost more than our first house.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong?” Cynthia asked, laying her hair brush aside. “Didn’t you like him?”

“He’s hiding something.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure, but I can feel it. There’s something just a little off about him.” When Cynthia looked skeptical, he said, “I was a cop for over twenty-five years, Cyn. I know when someone is hiding something. I’m going to make a few calls tomorrow, ask Chet Wilkins at the Hollywood Station to do a background check on him.”

“I hope you’re wrong,” Cynthia said. “If he’s got nothing to hide and Leia finds out what you’re doing, she’ll never forgive you.”

He snorted. “If it turns out he’s a serial killer, I think she’ll thank me.”

“And if he isn’t?”

Brian shrugged. “Better safe than sorry, my old sergeant used to say. Doesn’t it strike you as odd that she’s nevermentioned him before and now, all of a sudden, they’re getting married?” He shook his head. “I hope I’m wrong, but it won’t hurt to do a little digging into his past.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Rohan left Leia’s apartment and went for a walk shortly after she’d fallen asleep. He had a lot on his mind. His biggest concern was for Trent’s safety, with Josiah a close second, and Leia’s father a distant third.

He supposed he could let Trent and Josiah fight it out. That would be one less hunter to worry about, because if it came to a fight, Trent didn’t stand a chance. Vampires grew stronger as they aged and Josiah had the strength of hundreds of years. Trent might have a slight advantage if he could catch Josiah at rest, but even then, it would be negligible. Even at rest, vampires could sense when they were in danger.

As for Leia’s father … He shook his head. He had to give the man points for being suspicious as hell about him. Not many humans sensed that he was different, but Brian Winchester knew something was off. Rohan wondered briefly if any of Winchester’s kin had been hunters in days gone by. Not that it mattered. If Leia’s father got too nosey or too suspicious, Rohan would simply erase the doubts from his mind.

He had just dined on a lovely young female when Josiah materialized beside him. “I was hoping you’d left town,” Rohan muttered as his sire fell into step beside him.

“You’re never going to forgive me for turning you, are you?” Josiah remarked, seeming surprised.

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