Surely she could be attracted to a man and not have to give her life over to him. Her sisters were forever falling in and out of love. Just because she'd never felt anything for anyone before didn't mean she couldn't feel it now.
That made perfect sense, she decided. He was good looking, amazingly built, and the first vampire she met outside of her family. Of course, she would be attracted to him, but it didn't mean anything, it was only a mere attraction.
"I don't dislike you," she finally answered, and she didn't, he just scared the hell out of her.
"Could have fooled me," he retorted, his voice chillingly cold.
"I um, I need to go to sleep. I'm tired," she managed to stammer out.
"Spent all your energy cleaning?" The taunting tone of his voice raised her hackles and her temper. "You should have let Jess help you."
He hadn't meant to goad her, but her need to escape from him as quickly as possible aggravated him. Her eyes turned a deeper shade of violet as anger burst through her. At least when she was incensed, she wasn't looking at him as if he were the wolf, and she was the rabbit he was about to devour. Instead, she looked as if she wanted to kill him, and he found he preferred it.
Isabelle clenched her jaw, thoroughly infuriated by the arrogant jerk before her. He deserved Jess; they were perfect for each other.
"I didn't want to interrupt her important tanning, I'm sure you wouldn't want her to have any unseemly lines!" she snapped, acutely aware of the jealousy coloring her words. She only hoped he didn't notice it.
He’d baited her, but he hadn't expected her to turn it back on him. He’d expected her to tell him the truth about Jess refusing to help her, not for her to go along with the lie, and not to have her blatantly remind him of his relationship with Jess. It took all he had not to reply in kind, not to grab her and shake some sense into her, not to grab her and kiss the wrath from her.
Instead, he decided to change tactics. "Why are you scared of me?"
The question had the effect he wanted as her luscious mouth parted. "I'm not scared of anyone!" she cried.
He found it easy to believe, but something about him upset her, while something about her caused him to damn near burst out of his jeans. He shifted uncomfortably again and moved to the back of the counter, attempting to ease the pressure. He forced himself to keep his gaze focused on her face, and not the thin nightgown emphasizing her delicate curves and baring her creamy thighs. Thighs he was very tempted to touch, to taste, to have wrapped around him as he buried himself within her.
He hadn't thought it was possible, he sure hadn't seen it yet, but she looked aroused. Her lips parted, her breath quickened, and her eyes were darker as they warily met his. He smiled as he finally deduced the source of her fear. She was as attracted to him as he was to her, but for some reason, she didn't like the feeling, and it frightened her. For some reason, instead of giving into her urges as any sane woman would, she was determined to fight him every step of the way.
Isabelle trembled as the force of his lingering gaze slammed through her body. Everywhere his eyes touched her was on fire, particularly between her thighs. The tightening in her loins, the throbbing his gaze aroused, was unfamiliar, more than a little frightening, and yet oddly pleasurable.
That realization sent a bolt of dismay through her so strong she almost stumbled backward. She needed to get out of here. She needed to get away from him. He had moved away from the doorway. She would still have to go near him, but at least she wouldn't need to go so close.
"I have to go,” she stated.
Taking a deep breath for strength, she hurried across the kitchen, refusing to look at him as she stepped through the doorway. He grabbed her arm the second she stepped out of the kitchen. His touch seared into her skin and blazed through her entire body as she turned wild eyes on him.
"Let go!" she cried.
The predatory gleam in his eyes caused her breath to catch in her throat. "Is that what you really want, Isabelle?"
The way he said her name sent shudders down her spine and caused her legs to tremble with longing. "Yes!" she cried, while her entire body screamed no.
"I don't think so."
Before she knew what was happening, he pulled her roughly forward. She gasped as she was brought up against his massive chest. She didn't even have time to register the heat beneath her hand before he pulled her head back and took possession of her lips. The world seemed to drop away when his mouth, demanding and hot, claimed hers.
His tongue ran lightly along her mouth, tasting her as he nipped on her bottom lip. He took advantage of the startled cry escaping her to invade her mouth with deep, penetrating thrusts as he tasted and teased. Isabelle whimpered in response to the searing waves of heat burning through her veins as he stroked the roof of her mouth, her teeth, and her tongue.
"Kiss me back, Isabelle," he whispered hoarsely as he pulled a little away from her.
His hand tightened in her hair as his steel arm encircled her waist. His eyes, burning into hers, took her breath away and she was unable to tell him she didn't know what he meant. Before she could catch her breath, his mouth recaptured hers. Her heart hammered as the tingling in her loins intensified.
This time, when his tongue touched her lips, they parted willingly to his invasion. His tongue was hot as he thrust into her, and she hesitantly
