Must Love Fangs

toweled off, I headed for my puzzle.

Chapter Eleven

I was just putting away the completed puzzle when Josh wandered into the room, yawning and scratching his head. He looked so deliciously disheveled that it made my pulse race.

He moved to my side and glanced at the puzzle box. “Did I sleep for long?”

“Seven hours.” I was envious.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in for a kiss. I went reluctantly, feeling awkward. Wasn’t this the part where he was supposed to tell me he’d call me sometime and then skate out? But he nibbled at my lips, and when I softened against him he began to languidly kiss me, his tongue sliding into my mouth with a slow promise. By the time he released me I was dazed, desire pulsing through my body.

His mouth inches from mine, he chuckled low. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep so late. We could have had more time for . . . other things.”

Heat flickered through me, especially when his hands slipped to my ass and began to knead it. I tried to focus my thoughts. “Do you have to work tonight?”

He nodded, molding my hips against his. “More vampire guarding. The usual.”

And I had to work, too. Too bad we couldn’t stay here all night and simply hold each other. A lovely thought. Josh certainly didn’t seem ready to move. He kept caressing my backside and watching me with that possessive, intense gaze. I touched a hand to my hair. “I suppose I should start getting ready for work.”

And he probably wanted to get going.

But he didn’t seem to be in a hurry. He kissed me one more time and then released me. “Want to go out for breakfast?”

“It’s dinnertime for everyone else.”

Josh’s smile was achingly sweet. “Not for you and me.”

That made us sound like . . . something more. Did he always go out to breakfast with his dates afterward? I’d gotten the impression that he got away from them as quickly as he could. But the two of us were in that weird zone that was more than friends but less than a couple. Friends with benefits.

And friends could go out for breakfast.

“Sure,” I said. “Give me fifteen minutes to get ready.”

• • •

I wasn’t surprised when Josh suggested the diner. I didn’t even mind when he left me to go hunt down Carol and pull her into a big bear hug. The elderly woman lit up at the sight of him, and I smiled in response.

I felt that way whenever I saw him, too. There was something so boyish and exuberant about Josh. He was open and flirty and pleasant to everyone—everything I was not. What on earth did he see in me?

Voyons, it was obvious: he had told me himself. He was a predator, and predators liked the chase. I’d been playing hard to get, and now I wasn’t hard to get anymore.

I felt a twinge of anxiety. Was I going to be another one-night stand?

But that was what I wanted, right? So why was I even thinking these things?

Carol showed us to the same booth we’d had last time, gave me a knowing wink, then headed off for coffee. The evening was young and the restaurant was full. When I slid into the booth, Josh slid in beside me, just like last time.

Except this time I didn’t pull away. And this time he put his arm around my shoulders, drawing me close and kissing my temple. Affectionate. Sweet. Loving. Like a real couple.

Which we couldn’t be. Disconcerted, I grabbed the menu. “What are you getting?”

“The usual,” he said.

I grinned, amused. “I think I’ll go with something smaller this time.”

I ordered a breakfast platter when Carol returned, and Josh spent a few minutes chatting with her about how she was doing, and her cats. His arm remained around my shoulders the entire time, and Carol didn’t blink at the sight.

Did he bring many dates here? It didn’t seem like a date spot. Was she used to seeing him with his arm around random females? The thought made me unhappy.

As soon as Carol walked away, my phone rang. I fished it out of my purse and winced at the name displayed. Dad. I’d been avoiding him ever since my insomnia had hit and I’d started pursuing my crazy plan. I felt a little bad about that, but he was so wrapped up in Posey that I didn’t think he noticed. His calls were less frequent and tended to be about the exciting places they were going, and why didn’t I join them.

“Hi, Daddy,” I said, giving Josh a warning to be quiet.

“Salut, ma petite puce,” he boomed into the phone.

“How’s it going, Dad? How’s the trip to Vegas?”

“We’re back early,” he said. “You sound like you’re in a restaurant! Hot date?”

“Not exactly. Just breakfast with a friend.”

That friend slid his hand on the inside of my thigh and nipped at my shoulder. My entire body flushed in response.

“Friend, huh?” Josh murmured against my neck.

My dad was still chatting. “Have you been seeing this friend for long?”

“Not long,” I said lamely. Thank God Josh couldn’t hear the conversation . . . or could he? Shifters had good hearing. “So you enjoyed Vegas?”

“Vegas was great! But Posey spent all her money and we got bored. The show she wanted to see was cancelled, so we thought we’d come back and see you instead.”

It was getting difficult for me to concentrate on the conversation, since Josh had his hand on my thigh. I could have sworn it was inching up even higher. Josh was watching me with an intense gaze, even as the food was set down. I gave him a faint smile, trying to concentrate on the call. “I’m working all week, Dad. I don’t know if I can—”

“You get off at eight a.m. tomorrow, right? Posey and I’ll bring you breakfast! It’ll be grand. You know we’d love to see you.”

I wanted to see my dad, too, but I wasn’t sure about him coming over. I was worried he’d suspect something. “Gee, I don’t know.”

“Oh, come on,” he said cheerfully. “Posey’s been saving you some Avon samples, and she’s dying to show them to you. And you should bring your friend so I can meet him.”

This was rapidly getting worse. “Daddy—”

“What’s the matter?” Josh murmured against my neck. “Don’t want to be seen with me?”

I froze. “I just—”

“Come on, honey. I’m dying to see you again.”

Josh pressed a kiss to my neck and then began to nibble at my free ear. His hand slid higher up my thigh, until he was practically cupping my sex under the table.

“Okay,” I squeaked when his tongue flickered at my earlobe. Anything to get off the damn call. “Just call me in the morning, Dad.”

“See you then,” he said cheerfully. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” I said, and hung up. As soon as I did, I squirmed away from Josh. “What are you doing?”

“Getting myself an invite to breakfast, looks like,” he said with a grin.

“My dad thinks we’re dating now,” I hissed, annoyed.

He shrugged and picked a piece of bacon from my plate, ignoring his own platters of food. “I promise not to propose marriage, then.”

“Josh, he doesn’t know about my disease. I don’t want him to know.”

He stared at me, surprised. “You haven’t told him?”

“I haven’t told anyone but you.” I shook my head, remembering Dad’s ravaged face as he’d sat at my