“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” heasked her.
She gave him a smile she didn’t feel. “We’llbe fine. Areyougoing to be okay?”
“As long as you’re safe, I’m good.”
Tears burned her eyes, and when he rested hispalm against her cheek, she instinctively turned into his touch andkissed his palm. He wrapped his other hand around the back of herhead and drew her close to kiss her forehead.
“Get inside,” he whispered as he kissed hercheek. “We’ll be back soon.”
Aida leaned closer to him as his warm breathand body melted the iciness inside her soul. “Be careful outthere,” she said and turned her mouth toward his.
She couldn’t think as Julian’s lips foundhers and the kiss deepened. She couldn’t breathe as the intensityof his touch robbed the air from her lungs, and she lost herself tohim. When she opened her mouth, his tongue slid in to intertwinewith hers; the heat spreading through her limbs caused her knees towobble.
His hand settling on the small of her backkept her on her feet as he pulled her flush against him. Theevidence of his growing erection pressing against her belly turnedher insides to goo. Her fingers clenched around the thick musclesof his arms as she clung to him.
It would be so easy to get lost in herforever, but he couldn’t. Reluctantly, Julian broke the kiss andpulled away from her. She blinked up at him before smiling. Herswollen, bloodshot eyes were still the most beautiful he’d everseen.
“I’ll be back soon,” he promised beforereleasing her and turning away.
Aida fisted her hands to keep from grabbinghim back as he walked to the stairs. He stopped when he saw herstill standing in the hall.
“Get inside, Aida.”
She hesitated before slipping inside andclosing the door behind her. Leaning against the door, she closedher eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to get her warringemotions under control. She had to keep her heart protected fromhim, but she was scared it might be too late. It had been too latefor that years ago.
Aida opened her eyes to find Cassidy staringat her from the kitchen. She held a bag of blood and a pair ofscissors in her hands. “Are you okay?” Cassidy asked.
“Yes.”
“Did that bastard hurt you?”
Aida’s hands went to her sore throat. “Itcould have been a lot worse.”
Cassidy’s face darkened as she snipped thetop of her bag. “It shouldn’t have happened.”
“There are many things in this world thatshouldn’t happen.”
“Too true.”
“You didn’t have to stay with me,” Aidasaid.
“I didn’t want to go with them,” Cassidyreplied. “I want to make sure they’re okay, but leaving my friendto haul around a dead body isn’t exactly my idea of a good time. Ijust hate when they get all manly man and think we can’t, orshouldn’t, do things.”
“It is assholey of them.”
Cassidy grinned before drinking some of herblood. Aida had lived around vampires long enough that seeing thisdidn’t faze her.
“So… what’s going on with you and mybrother?” Cassidy asked when she finished her meal.
“I don’t know,” Aida admitted. “I’m sure it’snothing, and he’ll be looking to move on again soon.”
She tried to sound as if this didn’t botherher at all, but she failed. The sympathy in Cassidy’s eyes set herteeth on edge. She turned her attention to the window across fromher.
“I don’t think it’s nothing to him, and Idon’t think he plans on going anywhere again,” Cassidy said.
“Did you think he planned on going anywherebefore?”
Cassidy hesitated before saying, “No.”
