There were still a few hours of night left, but all he cared for right now was to crawl into bed with Nina securely locked in his arms. Nothing less would do.
In the cab ride home he put his arm around her shoulder, and finally the stubborn woman leaned against him.
“Are you hurting?”
“Just a little.”
“Are you sure?” He tipped up her chin to make her look at him. “You’ll have to let me know when something bothers you, because I’ve never learned how to figure out what a person is feeling just by looking at their face. I’ve always relied on my gift for that.”
“I guess that makes you just like any other man then.”
“That’s not a consolation.”
“You’ll get used to it. All men do.”
“I’m not all men.” To prove it, he took her lips with his mouth and kissed her. When he released her she was breathless. “Still think I’m like all other men?”
“Not sure. Could you give me another demonstration?”
The wicked glint in her eyes was back. That was something he could work with. Wicked, he knew how to handle. Amaury sunk his hand into her locks and cupped her head to hold her to him. His mouth fitted perfectly to hers. He’d missed her sweet scent and her hungry tongue.
The moment Nina welcomed him into her moist heat to dance with him, he lost all sense of time and place. He scraped his teeth against her lips just enough to elicit a shudder, before he used his tongue to smooth over the tender spot and soothe her.
“You okay now, coming home with me?” He spoke against her lips, not breaking the contact completely.
“Why?”
“Because I can’t bear to know you’re out there on your own. When you’re with me, at least I know you’re safe.” He inhaled her breath and nipped at her lips.
“Is that really why?”
Amaury sighed. “I want you in my arms. Is that so terrible?”
“Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” Her tongue traced the outline of his mouth.
“Because you drive me so mad sometimes, I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.” He’d never been this honest with any woman. But he couldn’t lie to her. Nina was driving him nuts, constantly, making his head spin, and at the same time she calmed his mind, blocked out other people’s emotions for him, as if she’d put a shield around him.
She deepened her kiss, and Amaury pulled her into his lap, angling his head so he could get more of her, more closeness, more warmth, more Nina. Just how much would be enough?
Twenty-one
Nina eyed Amaury when he led her into his apartment and locked the door behind them. She was back in the lion’s den and getting more comfortable by the minute. Only four nights earlier she’d tried—unsuccessfully—to kill him. Now this thought was the furthest from her passion-clouded mind.
In the taxi, his kisses had practically knocked her socks off. Amaury had pressed her so close to him, she’d barely been able to breathe, let alone think.
He’d proven over and over that he wanted to protect her, even after she’d intentionally provoked him when she’d given him the finger. She’d been so pissed off thinking he’d known her feelings about everything that she’d been spoiling for a fight. It wasn’t right that he’d know what she felt, when she wasn’t at all sure about her feelings herself.
“Are you hungry?” His question was unexpected.
“Actually, I haven’t had any dinner. But it doesn’t matter.” She could hold out until the morning, even though her stomach immediately started grumbling.
“I have some leftovers in the kitchen.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not into blood.”
“In that case, how about some coq au vin with Potato Gratin? You’re not vegetarian, are you?”
He took her hand and walked toward the kitchen. Nina had no choice but to follow on his heels.
“Why would you have human food in the house?” She remembered that he’d told her about the food earlier in the evening, but she’d frankly thought he was pulling her leg.
“I like cooking.” As if that was the most normal explanation there was. A vampire who liked to cook.
“But you don’t eat.”
Amaury motioned her to sit down at the kitchen island and opened the fridge.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t like the smell of food.”
While he took out various containers and spooned their contents onto a plate, she watched him and noticed how comfortable he seemed in the kitchen.