Sorry?For what—biting her before they made love? She wasn’t sorry, notone bit. Damon evoked a darkness within, something she’d alwaysknown existed, but no one had even come close to revealing itbefore. It was as if he’d peeled back the layers of who she trulywas, and for the first time in a hundred years, she felt alive. Sheshook him gently. “Damon, wake up.”
Damon openedhis eyes.
“Morning,” shesaid.
He smiled andher heart skipped a beat.
“Morning,beautiful.” He tucked a stray curl behind her ear.
His gentletouch made her gasp. Goosebumps tingled over her skin. She closedher eyes and nudged her cheek into his hand, revelling in thesignals arrowing straight to her core.
He snaked hisarm around her waist, pulled her towards him. Cool lips foundhers.
“You weretalking in your sleep,” she murmured amid his delicious kisses.
“I was? Whattime is it?”
Who cares?
Damon stoppedkissing her and moved beside her. “Shit!”
Her eyesflashed open. “What?”
He vented afrustrated sigh. “It’s late, and as much as I want to spend allmorning making love to you, I have a flight to catch.” In a suddenmove, he propped up on his elbow. His expression took on that of anexcited schoolboy. “Come with me.”
“Huh?” With hismuscular body so close to hers, she could barely focus. “Whereto?”
“Come with meto France. I’ve got to work, the usual stuff, but we can spend timetogether as we travel to the vineyards.” He planted a kiss on herforehead. “I’ll show you the real France, the people, the food.You’re going to—”
She pressed herfinger to his lips. “I can’t.”
His facedropped. “Why?”
She’d alwayswanted to travel, and going to France with Damon sounded wonderfuland romantic, and so very perfect. “I don’t have a passport.”
Disappointmentetched across his handsome face. “Get one, Harper, soon. I want toshow you where I grew up. We can drive down to the south of France,go over the Viaduc de Millau and on to Languedoc. We can visit themedieval town of Carcassonne and take a walk along the banks of theCanal du Midi. Together. You and I.”
The thoughtappealed. A lot.
“This is crazy,Damon. We hardly know each other.” Her words lacked conviction.
His eyesdarkened. “I know how I feel about you.”
Her bellytingled.
“If I’m movingtoo fast, tell me, but you can’t deny something beyond our controlis going on here. Do you believe in fate, Harper? That you’re meantto meet that one special person, and it only happens once in alifetime?”
She’d lived onthis earth for a hundred years and never experienced anything sointense, so irrational and wild, yet being with Damon felt socompletely right. “I do now,” she whispered.
His face litup. “Does this mean we’re officially going out, as in dating?”
She smirked.“Hmm, let me think about it for a minute.” She tapped her chin inan exaggerated fashion. “Maybe, if you stop telling those awfuljokes…”
His grinflashed with mischief. “Never.” He leapt on top of her. “Have youany idea how happy you’ve made me, Harper?” He kissed her until shegasped for air.
She tried tofend him off, her attempt half-hearted. “Damon, you’ll miss yourflight.”
“Sod theflight. I need you, Harper. Now.”
She giggled andopened her legs.
“Holy mother ofNeptune!” Zarya barged through the door, a mug of tea in her hand.“Someone hit the jackpot.”
Damon scrambledoff her and covered them both with a sheet.
“Zarya, don’tyou ever knock?”
“Soz, didn’tknow you had company.” She lifted a mug in salute, her explanationclearly a lie. “I brought you tea, but I see you’re busy.” She eyedDamon approvingly. “Would you like a cuppa? I made a pot. I’mZarya, by the way.”
“Hello,” saidDamon. “Harper told me she had a broom-mate.”
Harper rolledher eyes and nudged Damon’s arm. “You already did that joke.”
“Not to yourfriend, I didn’t. Forgive me if I don’t get up, ocean priestess.”He gestured to his nakedness beneath the sheet.
“You’reforgiven, and I prefer the term mermaid.”
“Sorry.” Damonflashed one of his charming smiles her way. “Maybe there’ssomething you can help me with—why did the mermaid swim across theocean?” He paused for effect. “No? To get to the other tide, ofcourse.”
Her friendgrinned. “You think you’re a comedian, eh?”
“If you canthink of a better fishy joke, let minnow.”
“Magic powersthat be, your jokes are getting worse by the minute,” Harper toldhim. “Zar, this is Damon.”
Her mouthdropped. “Damon? As in, the newbie vamp who…” She trailed off, thenslurped a mouthful of tea and recovered. “I can see why Harperhasn’t shut up about you since last week. She’s smitten with you,you know.”
Harper clearedher throat. “I am here.”
“How did youtwo meet up again?” Zarya asked.
“We got stuckin a lift.”
“I thought youwere going to meet the website designer guy?”
“I did. Heturned out to be Damon’s brother.”
“No way! Whatare the chances?” Zarya sat on the end of the bed, sipping the teaas if she hadn’t made it for Harper at all, and seemingly not inthe least bit bothered she’d interrupted them. “Must be fate orsomething.”
Harper glancedat Damon and smiled.
He smiled back.“You two women clearly have a lot to discuss, and I really do needto catch that flight.” He took Harper’s hand and kissed it like amedieval suitor, then made as if to remove the sheet.
Zarya’s eyeswidened. “Whoa, there!” She leapt off the bed. “I already got aneyeful earlier, thanks. Twice in one day is too much, even for me,Mr Confident.”
Damon chuckledas Zarya legged it to the door, tea splashing on the carpet. “Bye,Zarya,” he called after her, a look of curiosity on his face. Helowered his voice. “Do you think it hurts when her mermaid’s tailbecomes legs?”
“No, I don’tthink so. Why?”
“No reason,just curious. I’m still learning about all the supernatural beingsin this world.” He returned his attention to her, mesmerised by ababy-blue curl as he brushed it away from her shoulder. “Stayexactly where you are, and when I get back from France, we’llfinish what we started.”
She arched aneyebrow. “If you think I’m going to stay in bed waiting for you,vampire, you’re delusional.”
“I can dream,can’t I?” He kissed her, long and lingering. “I’ll only be away fortwo days, but I’ll call you, okay? Or you can call me.”
“Okay.”
He jumped offthe bed, giving her an uninhibited view
