Page 18 of Immortal Unveiled

Was she flirting with him? He leaned over the small round table. “What are you trying to say?”

Kim’s cheeks suddenly flushed.

“Cabernet for the lady,” the waiter appearing at that moment said and placed a glass in front of Kim, forcing Manus to shift back again.

“Thanks.” Kim seemed to welcome the interruption and reached for the glass as if it were a life raft and she were drowning. She took a drink, then set the glass back on the table and flicked her hair back over her shoulder. “So, what about you? You said you were working on a case?”

Manus shook his head, laughing. “That was so not smooth.”

“What was not smooth?”

“You changing the subject.”

“I wasn’t changing the subject.”

“We were talking about old sweaters, and I asked you a question, which you didn’t answer. Instead, you’re asking me about my job. I’d call that changing the subject, wouldn’t you?”

“I thought men liked talking about their jobs.” She chuckled. “Or talking in general.”

Manus clutched his heart. “Direct hit! I’m wounded.”

Kim rolled her eyes and laughed.

It was the first time he’d seen her truly relaxed and carefree, the first time he realized that there was more to her than just external beauty. She had a glow that radiated around her. A warmth that came from a fire deep inside her. A heart that was full with love and grief, with compassion and pain. A heart so vulnerable it hurt him just thinking of what he could do to it if he ever allowed himself to do more than just flirt with her. Because that’s what they were doing: flirting. And that’s where it had to end because he wasn’t capable of being more than a fling, a one-night stand. That’s all he’d ever been to anybody: a man for one night. A man incapable of allowing himself to love because all love ever got him was pain.

Still, he couldn’t get himself to end the evening yet. Hell, it was still Happy Hour, so he ordered another Scotch. Kim needed an evening to relax and have fun, and fuck it, he needed the same. But what he didn’t need was get drunk and do something stupid that he’d regret later. So, despite the fact that he liked his Scotch, he drank slowly. Happy Hour turned into evening, and a few bar snacks later, it was time to take Kim home.

From his observations, Manus knew that she’d moved out of her mother’s house and back into her condo. The building was in a nice part of town but not pretentious. Manus took Kim’s keys to unlock the door to her apartment, then pressed them back into her palm.

“Thank you for the great company,” he said, ready to turn on his heel and leave.

A hand on his arm stopped him. “Why don’t you come in?” Kim took a step toward him, her body almost brushing his in the narrow doorway. Her lashes fluttered, and her hand moved up his arm.

Manus swallowed hard. “Uhm, Kim, I, uh…”

She put her index finger over his lips, stopping his protest. And, hell, why was he protesting in the first place? His pants were already tight across his crotch, his cock hardening at the thought of what Kim was offering him. A night of sex, of passion. Hadn’t he wanted that the first time he’d laid eyes on her in that coffee shop? So why was he hesitating now? Why was he having scruples?

“Manus,” she murmured, her head drawing closer. Her lips were red and plump, her cheeks rosy.

He dropped his gaze in order not to have to look at the temptation her mouth represented. It was a mistake he realized too late: the view he got of her cleavage was more than any man with a heartbeat should have to resist. He ripped his eyes from the lovely sight and collided with her gaze. Immediately, he knew it would have been better to keep staring at her breasts because trying to resist being drawn closer by her eyes was harder, much harder. It was a battle he couldn’t win.

“Fuck!” Manus cursed. It was the last thing he said before he sank his lips onto hers and kissed her.

There, standing in the doorway to her condo, he pulled her against his body and crushed her lips with his, sliding his tongue between them, finding no resistance. She welcomed him without restraint, pressing her body to his, moving her hands over his back, down to his ass, grabbing him in a way that left no doubt in his mind as to what she wanted from him. Which was exactly what he wanted from her.

He pressed her back against the door, grinding his cock against her soft center. Her moan vibrated against his lips, and her breath engulfed his tongue. He tasted the red wine, and it reminded him of the amount of alcohol she’d had. If she wasn’t drunk, then she was at least tipsy. In any case, she wasn’t in a state to make a decision. He had to make it for her. Or tomorrow, she would regret what had happened.

Another minute of this, and he wouldn’t be able to stop, but he knew he had to, so he ripped his lips from hers.

“I’m sorry.” Manus avoided looking at her. “We can’t do this.”

He felt Kim’s stare on him but was already turning.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured too low for her to hear because he was already walking away. “I wish I could make love to you.”

But it wouldn’t do either of them any good.