Page 43 of Yearning For Her

He dragged his gaze up to Willow, taking in her appearance slowly. She’d changed into snug jeans and a dark green off-the-shoulder top with a matching belt around her waist. Her hair hung about her shoulders in soft curls. Even her makeup was a little more elaborate than it had been earlier. Despite her insistence that they were not going on a date, it seemed she’d been anticipating him.

Kian grinned. “This your usual evening attire, or did you dress up just for me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t let this get to your head. I just happen to be hungry.”

“Well, you seem to be in luck. I happen to be here to take you to dinner.”

Fuck. Where am I taking her? Didn’t forget that tiny detail, did I?

“Great.” She slipped outside, closed and locked the door, and dropped her keys into her purse. She smiled as she shouldered the bag. “Let’s go eat.”

As delighted as he was by her enthusiasm, Kian couldn’t help his suspicion. “You seem oddly excited considering you’ve been adamant about not dating me, Willow.”

Willow pressed two fingers to his chest and walked them up to the base of his neck. “Because…this is not a date, Kian.” She tapped his chin and stepped down from the porch, following the walkway toward his car. “This is you taking me to dinner. So we can eat.”

He caught his bottom lip with his fangs as he stared at her ass. Was she aware of the sensuality she radiated? Was she aware of the power she had over him?

“Tonight is certainly about eating,” he said as he hurried to catch up with her. He darted past Willow at the last second, reaching the car just before she could, and spun to face her again, drawing in her delectable scent. “And it is certainly a date.”

She laughed. “You’re incorrigible.”

He opened the door and stood aside, waving her in. “And you’re a temptress.”

“Still not a date,” she singsonged as she entered the car.

Kian offered her a charming smile. “So confident, and yet so wrong.” He closed the door before she could respond.

Just wanted to remind you, Kian, that you have no fucking idea where you’re going.

This suave seducer act is about to crumble if you don’t think of something.

Anything.

Clenching his jaw, he walked around the hood of the car, mind racing but oddly…empty.

He’d watched humans for centuries. How could he have no solution to this dilemma? It should have been so easy. He spent most nights around the very bars and restaurants mortals always frequented! How had he learned nothing, retained nothing? How had he missed all the details that should’ve been of aid now?

Because my goal was always to fuck and feed.

The places he’d prowled were hunting grounds selected only because they’d be filled with humans in the right mental state to easily fall under his spell. It didn’t matter what kind of food they were eating, what alcohol they were drinking, or the décor of the fucking restaurant. None of that was important.

All that mattered was the pleasure. The power.

That wasn’t the case with Willow. He couldn’t feed from anyone but her, and she had no intention of making it easy for him. She gave him samples. Sips. Each was more potent than anything he’d received from anyone before, and each was more maddening than the last. He’d always received whispers from mortal happiness—drops of energy, barely noticeable. It had always taken sexual gratification to feed him.

Yet her happiness, her joy, was sustaining him, even after he’d been starving for weeks. That shouldn’t have been possible. Why her? Why now?

He knew only that he needed more of it.

He needed all of it. All of her.

Willing the tension out of his expression, he opened the driver’s side door and entered the vehicle. Willow chuckled.

Kian arched a brow. “Something amusing?”

“After finding out what you are, it’s strange knowing that you drive a car like a normal person.”

“How else would I get around?”

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