“Yeah,Roquefort. I’m more of an ordinary cheddar kind of girl.”
“There’snothing ordinary about you, Harper. I could say you’rehextraordinary.”
“Thanks. Butsince we’re talking cheeses—weirdly—” she grinned, “no more of yourcheesy jokes. I don’t think I could stand another one.”
“You seemed toenjoy them.”
“Nope, theywere awful. Surely the cringing and eye-rolling gave it away? Infact, they were blood-y dreadful.”
Why did shehave to mention blood? He’d caught the sweet scent of her blood allevening, wafting across the table whenever she moved. He was doingso well, resisting her, but the thought of nuzzling into her paleneck, maybe giving it a nip or two… one exquisite drop of herblood…
Stop.Control it.
He offered hera smile, praying her witch senses couldn’t pick up what he’d beenthinking. “Ha ha, very funny. Now who’s being cheesy?”
“No, seriously,those vamp jokes really sucked.”
Dear God, nowshe was really teasing him. Maybe. Hopefully.
“Shall we go?”he asked for want of a distraction.
She frowned.“But we haven’t paid.”
“No need. It’son me.”
“I like to paymy own way.”
He was all forequality, but she didn’t have to pay, not here. “No, it’sfine.”
“I insist.” Shebeckoned a waiter over before he could stop her. “Can we have thebill, please?”
The waiteroffered a confused glance his way. “It’s okay, Antoine.”
Antoine noddedand walked away.
Her frowndeepened, making a delightful crease appear between her prettyeyebrows. “What’s going on?”
“Like I said,it’s on me. Or rather, this is my restaurant, so there’s no need topay.”
Most women wereimpressed when he mentioned he owned the restaurant, one of manydotted all over the globe, but judging by the glare coming fromHarper, she was not impressed in the slightest. A new one onhim.
Why did hesuddenly feel like a pretentious jerk? He scrubbed the back of hisneck.
“So…” she saidslowly. “You own this place?” She regarded him for several seconds,her eyes narrow and accusatory. “I’m not sure if I should beannoyed or insulted.”
Confused didn’tcome close and his usual self-confidence faltered. “What? Why?”
“You arrange anamazing date at a fabulous, very expensive restaurant, and thenyou—”
“An amazingdate?” he interrupted. His confidence returned.
“One of thebest,” she admitted.
Maybe he hadn’tlost his charm after all. Why would he doubt himself? Women adoredhim. Why would Harper be any different? But she was different, andthat difference, the spell she seemed to have over him, intriguedthe hell out of him.
Out of nowhere,his canines tingled. He clamped down on his molars, his vampiricinstincts threatening once again.
“If this wasyour best date—”
“One ofthe best,” she corrected.
“Then why wouldyou feel annoyed or insulted?”
“Because I’mtrying to work out if you’re a pompous jerk trying to impress me byflashing your wealth, or an outright cheapskate for treating me toa meal that cost you nothing.”
Ouch.Talk about another blow to his confidence. Her scathing words damnnear knocked him out this time.
She pressed herlips together, her eyes flashing with… amusement? Then she brokeinto a grin that made the world shift towards her. “You should seeyour face right now.”
Her gentlelaughter warmed something inside.
“Has no oneever challenged your presumed charisma, vampire? What did youexpect me to do, drop at your feet and play the smitten maiden,like I’m sure countless women have done before?”
Damon grinnedback. He fell for that one. He couldn’t remember the last time he’dhad this much fun. “Maybe not this time, witch, but I’m willing tobet you will the next time you see me.”
“So, you thinkthere’ll be a next time?” she said, her flirtatious tone implyingthere would be. “Maybe if you reel in the over-confident charmerimpression, I’ll think about it.”
“How about Igive you a lift home? You know, so you can have more time to thinkabout it?” He winked.
“Let me guess,you have a chauffeur waiting outside in some posh Rolls Royce orsomething?”
“No, it’s aclassic MG, actually.”
She made himwait before answering. “Okay, you can drive me home, but onlybecause it’ll save me the cab fare—and only to my door, vampire, noideas about coming in for… err, coffee.”
Does shereally mean coffee, or is she hinting at something else?Clearly she didn’t need to worry about money since she owned adating agency business, so the excuse about the taxi was prettylame. “Nothing further from my mind.”
With a smirk,she replied, “No, of course not.”
* * *
Damon pulled upoutside the basement flat and left the engine on. “To your door, aspromised.” He turned to Harper. “Thanks for a lovely evening, andsorry about the cheesy jokes, but you’re the first non-human personI’ve been able to try them out on.”
“So, you onlyagreed to this date so I could be your guinea pig?”
Hell, he’doffended her again. “Not at all… I didn’t mean…”
She laughed.“I’m kidding, Damon.” Harper fake-punched his chest, then left herhand there, her expression suddenly serious as she uncurled herfingers. “I had a lovely evening too.”
Her warm touchignited something within, a peculiar, enticing sensation he couldnot ignore, like nothing he’d ever experienced before.
She fixed himwith an intense gaze, her grey eyes glinting with—dare hehope—desire?
Her lipsparted.
Damon inchedcloser.
She grabbed hisjacket lapel and drew him closer still.
Her provocativescent surrounded him, captivating and dangerous, and he waspowerless against the intrinsic pull deep inside his gut.
His caninestingled. Alarm bells went off in his head.
He shouldn’t bedoing this.
The warningsigns were there, but he had to kiss her, had to know her taste,the softness of her lips…
Unable to stophimself, Damon dipped his head and kissed her. Tentative andgentle, she responded to his embrace. He deepened the kiss,succumbing to the power she had over him.
Her eyelidsflickered and closed.
Damon cuppedthe back of her neck, tangled his fingers in her tousled hair. Hiskisses turned frantic and ardent, the urge to taste every part ofher overwhelming. Her rapid heartbeat thundered in his ears. Thesound of her blood pumping through her carotid artery drove thebeast inside wild, lured him to her like a panther to its prey.
He fisted herhair, tugged her head back and exposed her pale neck.
Her soft moantipped his vampiric instincts over the edge. His fangs elongated.Just one bite…
Harper openedher eyes.
He met hergaze, imploring, needing her permission
