Forever As One (8 page)

More.

Glimmers of intensity became all-out tremors
of need, and those gave way to eruptions of complete orgasmic
ecstasy, and each one carried her cries of joy to the world. Again,
and again, and so many times, she lost count, and then something
changed. His rhythm altered, going to a harder, faster, and tighter
degree, while everything on his body tautened, resembling
flesh-wrapped iron everywhere she clung, and then he went stock
still, flinging his head back to send an unearthly groan that
trembled as it hung in the air. Vangie watched as he stayed in that
position, his entire body shaking until the mattress shifted
beneath them. And then he slackened, brought his head back down and
pierced her rapt gaze with his.

“My…
Frja
.”

She could’ve asked what that endearment
meant, but it didn’t matter. The look of absolute adoration on his
face, combined with the intensity deep in his eyes didn’t have
another definition. She was looking at love. And that’s when the
tears started.

He’d made her cry?

Dane twisted onto his back, taking her with
him, while spurts of bliss continued to radiate from where their
loins still joined. Fulfillment and complete satisfaction filled
him, sent there with her every pulse beat. He could identify every
feature of the room. Light. Sound. Smell. Wonder. He’d never felt
as he did right now. Ever. Reality seemed an eternity away, but it
intruded the moment he’d seen her tears.

“I sincerely hope those are tears of joy,
Evangeline. If not, we are going to have a severe problem, you and
me.”

He sent the remark to the ceiling above them.
She moved her head, hopefully to nod. He hoped it was a nod!

“Is that a yes?”

She moved her head again, and he pulled her
closer, bringing her fully atop him so he could prolong the
experience of being at one with her. Melded. Fitted. Combined. And
for these precious few moments in an eternity of them, it felt like
they still were. Words completely failed him at the extent of what
he’d just been gifted.

He’d found his mate! She was everything he’d
dreamt of and more! Perfection. Harmony. The planet might have
stopped revolving for all he cared. Time could cease. Truth
disappear. Facts wane. They were nothing compared to the reality
that was his dead heart picking up every beat from hers, sending
pulse noise to his ears.

He hadn’t changed her. Not yet. When it came
down to it, he found he couldn’t force her. He loved her too much!
He wanted her to return it. And for that he needed time! More than
the three hours or so left of the night. He wordlessly sent that
request to the span of space above him, as well. Look at him;
begging the fates for more of the one commodity that had seemed
eternal. It was unbelievable.

Her hair was loose about them. He couldn’t
remember pulling hairpins, but there wasn’t much clarity during
that gray area when he’d been focused on getting her naked skin
against his. Dane frowned slightly. He’d unbuttoned her suit
jacket, blouse, bra…pulled off her skirt. There wasn’t recollection
to where her pantyhose and other items might be, and nothing about
hairpins. Didn’t matter. He could be atop them for all he cared.
Dane lifted a lock of hair and separated the strands between his
fingers, watching it divide. Glossy. Clean. Fine.

Everything about her was absolute, stunning
perfection.

There was a lot to do and nothing on him
wanted to start. He had to get the ship moving. Stay off radar.
Hide her from Akron while he located those who’d ordered her death
so he could return the favor. It wouldn’t be easy. She appeared
innocuous, more like a day-trader than an assassin’s mark. He might
have to call in a favor from the Crusader knight, Invaris. Or that
Leonard fellow. As much as Dane distrusted humans, Len was all
right. Trustworthy. Good shot. Great at the little details.

She’d ceased crying if the little sniffles
were accurate. Thank goodness. He was clueless about an emotional
female. He should probably offer and then find tissues. Or
something. She sighed softly, touching his neck with just a hint of
air. The reaction went all the way through him, as ripples of goose
bumps were followed by tremors. And if the physical manifestations
he’d been gifted with included crying, they were really going to
have trouble.

Dane settled her hair back, stroking it into
place on a shoulder before moving his hand lower, meandering about
a back and the curve of buttocks that were everything feminine and
soft, and perfect.

“Thank you.”

Her whisper stopped his explorations. He
didn’t know how to answer, so he didn’t. He simply froze in
place.

“I—I didn’t know. I mean…I knew. I did. I
just didn’t believe it.”

“What?” Good. His voice was still low and
masculine-sounding. Not a bit of emotion attached to it.

“I didn’t know…that making love could be
so…you know. Wonderful. Amazing. I mean, it’s just…
wow
.”

If he still possessed a spirit, it was
soaring, elevated beyond magnificence, hovering atop joy. The
sensation transferred to his entire body, lifting them both a
fraction before he caught it and collapsed back. She’d never
understand. Not yet. He didn’t want to spoil a thing by speaking of
curses and vampirism. Death and rebirth.

“You?”

He grunted and she lifted her head to look at
him. The moment she did, he moved his gaze to the ceiling instead.
His emotions were too raw. What she’d given him was too vast. Too
new. Too unbelievable.

“Was it…good for you, too? Oh, geez. What a
lame cliché.”

He licked his lips, tasting dried blood,
jerked slightly at the intensity that flared all along him, and
then moved his eyes to hers.

“You are everything to me,
Frja
.”

“What does that word mean?”

“
Frja?
She is the goddess of love.
Of perfection. From the old country.”

“Oh, no way.”

“You don’t believe my words? Or the adoration
you evoke in me?”

He reached out with a finger and traced it
down her nose to her mouth, using it to outline her lower lip. The
tremble that scored her frame transferred right into his, making
him lurch slightly. He’d never felt that sort of thing, either.

“I am not perfect. Nobody is.”

“You’re difficult to convince. Ever. Always.
Is that it?”

“I have cellulite.”

“You’re very funny. You know that?”

“I’m serious. I’d get lipo to remove it,
but…well. Everything costs money.”

“You do not use surgery on perfection,
Frja
.”

“You need glasses, Dane. I swear.”

“I speak, but I must not be saying the right
words. Evangeline, please. You are my mate. My woman. The only
woman for me. Ever. I swear it.”

“Dane—”

He placed his finger atop her lips,
interrupting her. “You have the ability to change the very elements
about me. I’m unable to see anything other than perfection when I
look at you. Do you understand? To me, you’re not just wonder and
beauty; you are the epitome of them. A goddess among mere mortals.
If I falter, it’s due to my fear at failing to show the proper
homage.”

“Wow. You’re quite the player, aren’t
you?”

Dane’s face fell. “You disbelieve me?”

“Of course.”

“But, why?”

“Because…oh, I don’t know. Look around you.
Look at you. I mean, seriously. You’re an absolute babe. Amazingly
cut. Hard. Muscled. Gorgeous. Uh…I mean, really. Look. I don’t even
need to factor in that you’re a bazillionaire. You have to scrape
women off. I’m just one in a continual chorus line of them. You
probably notch the bed post around here somewhere.”

He could guess who’d messed with her
self-esteem, and the only reason he wasn’t killing Mister Harper
was because the bastard was already dead. Dane moved both hands to
her upper arms, held her for the roll that placed him atop her,
still fully sheathed between her legs. And then he lowered his chin
and growled. He tried to keep control of it, but the sound still
made the air about them pulsate.

“Oh. Yeah. Don’t let me forget to add that
part.”

“What…part?”

“The vampire side.”

Dane went perfectly still as his eyes
widened.

“What? I wasn’t supposed to notice? Oh, come
on. You even had your teeth fixed. I can’t imagine why. You already
have women hooked just by showing up somewhere. I’m going to guess
you needed to reel them in by adding sinfully sexy to your
portfolio. That’s why you paid for tooth alterations, isn’t it? And
I have to tell you. It was a waste of money. They look fake.”

“Nobody calls me a fraud,” he informed
her.

“Add me to that. I didn’t say it,
either.”

“You infer it.” He narrowed his eyes.

“Let’s just say….it’s hard to believe your
sincerity. To a woman you just…uh, you know…met.”

“A woman I just made love to. Or are you
going to deny that, too?” He pushed his groin into hers so she’d
have no doubt about meaning.

“Love and lust are two different things,
Dane. And I’m full of clichés tonight, aren’t I?”

“Why do you keep trying to turn this into
something superficial and light? I’m completely serious and yet you
mock me. I’m at a loss. What can I say to convince you?”

She tipped her head slightly and considered
him, slipped a tongue onto her lips to moisten them, smiled slowly
at him while batting her eyelashes. That look had a devious tint to
it.

“Marry me.”

“Okay.”

“Without a pre-nup.”

“Okay.”

“In the morning.”

“Uh…”

“You see?” Now her smile wasn’t remotely
devious. It was triumphal.

“See what?”

“You and me. And all this mates-for-life
talk. It’s not real. It’s nice. Don’t get me wrong. It’s more than
nice. And fun. You showed me just how much fun. But it’s not
real.”

“I never said anything about for life,” he
replied.

“Oh. That’s right. You didn’t. You should
probably let me up, so I can get dressed and check into my hotel. I
also have to contact the people who want your property before they
send out the National Guard or something.”

“You can’t just bed me and then leave
me.”

“That’s my line, Dane.”

“Tomorrow. I mean, today. Sundown.”

“What?”

“I’m marrying you. At sundown. No. Better
make it midnight.”

“You don’t have to marry me, Dane. It was a
test. You failed.”

“What? How can I fail a test if I don’t know
the rules?”

“Welcome to the war of the sexes, Dane
Morgan. By the way, I think you’ve taken the naïve party boy
schtick a bit too far. Give it a rest and let me up. I need to make
a call. I don’t want someone reporting me as a missing person and
then finding me on your yacht. I couldn’t handle the
embarrassment.”

“Are you trying to anger me?”

“Not really…but if it gets me freed, I’m all
for it.”

Dane pushed to his side and opened his limbs,
releasing her. “Don’t go too far.”

He watched her roll off the bed, trying to
take the sheet with her. She was totally wrong about her body.
There wasn’t a hint of cellulite to mar any of her perfection. She
looked luscious, curvy, soft, and wholly womanly. She knelt out of
view. He sat to watch her sort through the pile of clothing on the
floor.

“I’m on a ship, and I can’t find my clothes.
How am I leaving? Where did you put my purse?”

Dane scrunched an eye. Pondered it. And then
shook his head. The purse was part of that gray area he’d
suffered.

“You can’t keep me captive by hiding my cell
phone, Dane.”

“Use mine.”

“Your pockets are empty.”

He watched her toss his pants.

“On the dresser.”

“Where?”

“Any of them. All of them. I have lots of
phones and lots of roaming plans. Go. Pick one.”

“I need a robe.”

“Oh. I don’t think so.”

“Jerk.”

“Welcome to my war between the sexes,” he
replied.

She took his t-shirt and pulled it over her
head - raising strands of hair with the static - before she stood
up, tugged the garment down to the tops of her thighs and then
glared at him. It didn’t work. She could glare all she liked; he
still thought she was adorable. And the t-shirt didn’t do much to
conceal her. Not the way she’d pulled at it. All that happened was
thin cotton molded to every curve. He folded his arms but couldn’t
move his eyes as she stalked across the room, grabbed one of his
phones, and opened it.

She had an excellent memory. He watched her
spend a couple of seconds dialing in the air before looking down
and punching buttons. Then he had to pretend he couldn’t hear
everything by pasting a completely blank expression on his face in
the event she looked.

“Karakov Enterprises. With a million ways to
help you locate what you need.”

Karakov? Sounded Russian.

“This is Evangeline Harper calling. Let me
speak to Serge, please.”

“It’s three thirty a.m., Miss Harper. Serge
Karakov is not available.”

“Tell him I have an answer from Florida.
He’ll take the call.”

She turned to look across at Dane. He
regarded her without expression. And then another voice answered,
causing her to turn her side to him. That was no great loss. She
had a gorgeous profile, too. He was going to have an eternity to
watch her and enjoy every moment of it. What a wonderful
thought.

“Miss Harper? Miss Evangeline Harper?”

“You told me to call when I had a firm figure
for you.”

“Uh…yes. That I did. I’m just…surprised to
hear from you. That’s all.”

He was surprised to hear from her.
Sounded it, too.
That’s the clue Dane needed. His lips tipped
up before she swiveled in place and almost caught his expression.
He blanked it again.