Page 77 of Visions in Blood
“Did you influence my reactions?”
I flinched.Some part of me understood why he’d asked.Another part was hurt by it.
“Don’t answer.I’m sorry I asked.”
I shook it off.“No problem.I get it.”I forced a smile.“Your reactions were your own.”
I was not going to talk about this and was halfway across the monstrous-sized bed when he caught me and rolled me over.He stared down at me, and I squeezed my eyes shut.He shook me until I opened them and got caught in his gaze.
“Don’t do this.Don’t overreact.”
When I stared daggers, he released me and laughed.“If the tables were turned, you would have asked the same question.”
I opened my mouth, but after an absurdly long moment, I shut it.
“Just one more question.Do you know how you did it?”
The words wouldn’t come out.I wanted to say hell no.That I needed his help to figure this out, but it was too soon.I wanted time to think about what had happened.It was just as new to me.I hadn’t any time to consider it, roll it around, see how it tasted, and figure out if I could do it again.I would tell him, after I had time to reflect on this new magical part of me.Until then, I did the only thing I could think of to stop him from asking more questions.
I flung myself into his arms, planting a fierce kiss on his lips.And he must have decided the discussion could wait for another time, because neither of us came up for air for the next two hours.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
I hadto get out of the house.Good grief.Last night kept replaying in my head all day, and I’d barely heard what anyone said.That might have explained a couple blank stares I’d received.But my evening with Devon—turning the tables on him—I hadn’t expected the evening to be so passionate, so carnal, so frickin’ amazing.
I was itching to talk to Ginger, but there wasn’t an inch of this place safe enough to talk without a vamp being within earshot.It wasn’t that I was embarrassed, but Devon hadn’t mentioned if the evening should be kept a secret.The best recourse would be to stay silent until he said something.
The clock chimed four and knocked me out of my musing.I dropped the book I’d been not reading on the side table and jogged up the stairs, stopping at Ginger’s door, which was partially open.I knocked before peeking around the door.
“Hey, is it safe?”
A short laugh.“Is it ever?”
I had to agree after pushing my way past a pile of clothes dumped on the floor and glanced around.It just got deeper every day.Other pieces of clothes were strewn around the room—a few shirts here, a couple of sweaters there, and a skirt over a lamp of all places.Jewelry was scattered across the dresser and a tray of sweets laid on the bed, where Ginger had sprawled to paint her toenails.
“I do admire your ability to make anyplace immediately feel like home.”I shoved shoes off a chair before dropping into it and heaving a leg over a stuffed arm.
Ginger grinned like a cat.She had no shame.“I’m too bored to clean.This place isn’t exactly walking distance to anything.Not like our new apartment.If I spend any more time in the pool, I’ll permanently prune.Soon I’m going to be forced to watch one of those shop from home channels.”
“Heaven forbid.”I feigned outrage, and we both giggled.“Hey, seriously, want to go out tonight?”
“Lucas is on assignment.”
“I mean without a bodyguard.”
Ginger closed the bottle of polish and frowned.“I doubt Devon will allow that.”
I gave her a wink.“Leave that to me.”
Four hours later, after pampering in front of a mirror and a long dinner at a posh downtown restaurant, the two of us sat with our back to the bar as we watched the dance floor.
“What exactly did you promise Devon to get him to let us go out on our own?I thought there was a reason I was staying at the mansion.”Ginger sipped her mojito, her gaze moving across the dancers but not doing her normal ogling in a search for some hunk to dance with.That spoke volumes for whatever was going on between her and Lucas.
Now I paused in how to answer her.This whole evening had been to get her advice on what to do about Devon and our incredible night together.And as silly as it was, I had no idea how to bring it up.I didn’t want to take the shine from her own relationship with Lucas, which she hadn’t shared with me.Whatever it was, it was enough to cool her jets while men watched her every move.
I grabbed my drink from the bar and used the spear of olives to stir the dry vodka martini.“We have an arrangement.I’m a thief and can take care of myself.I’ve proved it enough times.We have a nondescript car with no route or plan in mind.And no one has been trailing us.”I shrugged my shoulders as if it were no biggie.
He and I had made a deal that came with promises of more classroom training mixed with options that were too intimate to share, considering I hadn’t told her about the previous evening.But I couldn’t stop grinning thinking about the suggestions he offered for the optional tasks I would owe him.
