Page 41 of Bad Luck Vampire

“No need to trouble yourself. I will get my own.” Alasdair stood to pick what he wanted while she stepped away and popped her plate into the microwave.

Sophie glanced to Alasdair while she waited for her food and smiled at his expression as he contemplated the breaded and deep-fried pickles.

“They’re dill pickles,” she told him, able to tell from his reaction that he’d never had them before.

Judging by his expression when he glanced her way, her explanation hadn’t helped much. “Are they any good?”

“I like them,” Sophie said with a shrug, and then added, “If you like dill pickles you’ll probably enjoy them.” When that didn’t change his expression, she suggested, “Try one. They’re good with the dip.”

Alasdair didn’t look like he was sure that was a good idea, but he did pluck one out of the container and add it to his plate before moving on to the shrimp.

“You didn’t have any shrimp,” he commented as he put several on his plate.

“They’re all yours. I’m not a shrimp fan,” Sophie said with a shrug, and then watched with amusement when he just dumped the entire container of shrimp on his plate.

Smiling faintly, Sophie turned back to the microwave and watched the digital countdown, then pulled out her plate. She closed the microwave door and turned, not realizing Alasdair had moved up next to her until she crashed into him. The collision knocked her plate up and Sophie gasped in shock and pain as the hot pizza and appetizers were crushed flat between them.

“Ow, ow, ow,” Sophie gasped, leaping back and pulling the plate away. The appetizers immediately fell to the floor, but the pizza didn’t. The heated cheese and toppings were plastered to her blouse and burning her through the thin material. She didn’t even think, but immediately tugged her shirt up out of her skirt and then jerked it open, sending buttons flying in her desperation to get it away from her skin.

Fourteen

“I’m sorry. Are you all right?” Alasdair asked from where he’d immediately knelt to begin collecting the appetizers from the floor. When she didn’t answer right away, he glanced up to see her standing there holding her blouse wide-open. His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he caught sight of her pretty white lace bra. But then his gaze dropped to the large angry red patch of skin on her stomach.

“Damn,” he muttered. Setting the gathered food on the counter, he grabbed the dish towel lying there and hurried to the sink to wet it. A moment later he was back, kneeling before her and pressing the now cold and damp cloth against the red patch of skin.

Gasping, Sophie instinctively sucked in her stomach in an effort to avoid the touch of the cold cloth on her hot skin and Alasdair peered up at her with worry.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, and then scowled and muttered, “Of course it hurts. Burns hurt.”

“No. It’s cold,” Sophie said on a half laugh. “I don’t think I got burned. It was just painfully hot. But I think I got the material away from my skin in time to avoid any actual damage.”

Alasdair glanced up at her, and then lowered his gaze to the wet cloth he was holding to her stomach. After a hesitation he lifted it away to examine her skin.

Sophie looked too, relieved to see that the angry redness was already beginning to fade. She hadn’t sustained an actual burn, but then she’d suspected as much when all she’d felt was shock at the cold of the damp cloth and no pain.

Her gaze switched to Alasdair then and, feeling suddenly uncomfortable standing there with her shirt open, she teased, “Unless you’re planning to kiss it better, I should probably—”

Sophie’s words died when he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips to her stomach. Startled both at the action as well as the shock of excitement it sent through her, she gasped, and grabbed his shoulders for balance as his tongue came out and slid over her suddenly sensitive skin. It was the last thing Sophie had expected, but not as unexpected as the effect it had on her.

Dear God it was just her stomach and yet the gliding of his tongue across her flesh there set off a storm inside her body. Excitement had goose bumps popping up across her skin, and a torrent of warm liquid was immediately pouring down through her body to pool between legs that were suddenly shaking.

As if aware of her response, Alasdair’s hands shifted to her hips, helping to hold her up as he pressed his face to her pelvis and inhaled in a way that made her worry that he could smell her excitement. When Alasdair then pressed his mouth there and blew his hot breath on the sensitive, tingling flesh through her skirt and panties, Sophie almost came on the spot.

“Alasdair,” she gasped, her hips shifting into the caress with a mind of their own.

He lifted his head slightly and peered up her body with hungry eyes that looked more gold than black, and then his hands left her hips to glide up her stomach and cover her breasts on top of her lace bra. Sophie immediately shifted her hands to cover his and let her head fall back on a moan as he began to massage her aching flesh.

Sophie looked down again when she sensed movement and saw that he was rising up on his knees so that his face was level with her breasts. She held her breath and didn’t protest when he tugged one cup aside to free the eager globe inside. When Alasdair then covered it with his mouth, drawing not just the nipple but a good portion of the breast itself into his mouth, she cried out and shifted her hands to his head, urging him on as he began to suckle and tug at the excited flesh.

It was a lot. Too much. And not enough at the same time and Sophie was suddenly desperate to have his mouth on hers. Unable to find her words, she instead tugged on his hair in a silent effort to urge him upward.

Alasdair responded at once, letting her breast slip from his mouth as he straightened to his feet and covered her lips with his. She opened at once, inviting him in and groaning with relief and pleasure when his tongue slid in to fill her. His hand was at her breast again, squeezing the heavy globe and then lightly pinching her nipple, and Sophie groaned into his mouth, her hips shifting against him. Wanting more, she reached her hand down between them to find the hardness she could feel pressing against her, but Alasdair caught her hand with his free one and tugged it behind her back. The move arched her more fully against him, and he broke their kiss to take advantage and lower his head to her breast once more.

Sophie’s eyes popped open on a cry of excitement at the jolt that sent through her, and then screamed in shock as her gaze landed on the window over the break room sink and she saw a shadowed figure staring in at them.

When Alasdair stiffened and pulled back to peer at her with surprise, she slid from his arms and scrambled to tug her blouse closed, explaining breathlessly, “Someone’s out there.”

Alasdair turned toward the window, but of course the person was gone. Still, he walked over to look out, and then turned and hurried from the room. A moment later, Sophie heard the chime of the door opening, and slowly followed his path out into the reception area to keep a wary eye on the now unlocked door as she waited for him to return. She spent that time trying to do up her blouse, but there were precious few buttons left now. It was also still covered with cheese, tomato sauce, and chunks of meat that were cold and clammy against her skin through the silky material and made her grimace with disgust. She really wanted to rip the damned thing off, but she didn’t have replacement clothes here. Just the sweater she’d worn on top that morning because it had still been cool.

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