Astra used his napkin to sweep up the offending bite of dumpling and carried it into the kitchen to throw it away.
Damn, she really knew how to ruin a moment.
When she returned to the dining room, Rune had another napkin in his hand, and he was wiping his eyes with it.
“Are you all right?” she asked again.
“Yeah, just took me by surprise, that’s all.” His expression was sheepish. “I sure ruined the moment, huh?”
Since his words exactly echoed her own thoughts in the kitchen, Astra shook her head. “I probably shouldn’t have been so blunt. I’m sorry.”
His eyes widened again. “Sorry? Don’t be sorry!” Rune took a deep breath. “What I mean is…I was surprised that you said it, but I’m also flattered.” He cleared his throat. “Unless you changed your mind.”
“Considering I almost killed you with a dumpling, maybe I should.”
Rune got to his feet and came around the table to where she stood by the bar between the kitchen and dining area. He put both arms around her waist, pulling her closer. In her heels, they were nearly eye-to-eye.
“I don’t want you to leave,” he said. “Please don’t.”
Astra stared into his eyes. “But I feel terrible that I nearly killed you.”
He laughed. “It takes more than a dumpling to take out a vampire.”
“Still…”
“You can make it up to me,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at her as he leered.
Astra shook her head. “You’re terrible.”
“No, I’m not. I can prove it if you’ll let me.”
“That’s not what I was talking about,” she said, but she was still laughing.
He pulled her closer so their bodies touched.
“If you want to feel less guilty, I have some ideas.”
Astra gave his shoulder a light smack before she put both arms around his neck. “You know what, maybe I don’t feel so bad after all. It’s clear that you’re not fazed in the least.”
Rune shrugged. “Hey, if I hadn’t been choking, I probably would have pounced on you across the table.”
As he said the words, he lowered his head, his lips running up the side of her neck in the lightest of touches.
Astra shivered as he pressed a kiss to the skin just below her ear.
“There is one thing we need to discuss first, though,” he whispered.
She licked her lips. “What’s that?”
A light scrape of fangs where his mouth had just touched made her shiver again.
He lifted his head so he could stare down at her, his hands smoothing down her arms. “You haven’t been with a vampire before, right?”
“Right.” She cocked her head. “Are you that different from any other male?”
“A little.” He cupped her face and gave her soft kiss. “When my emotions are heightened, my fangs will become longer and my voice changes.”
That wasn’t too scary, but speaking of fangs…
