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“How am I in the doghouse when this wasn’t my fault?” he asked, and the light of amusement was evident in his eyes.
So, he thought this was funny – well, she didn’t. That fate thought it acceptable to choose her mate for her riled her in ways she couldn’t even begin to put her finger on, but it was there, bubbling under the surface.
What, just because the man was as sexy as hell and loaded with muscles that were as powerful as his grin, she was supposed to jump in with both feet? That wasn’t happening.
“You’re thinking about me naked, aren’t you?” Parker asked, rattling her cage and snapping her out of it.
“You think you’re worth thinking about naked?” Evie asked, tipping her head to the side and regarding him through narrowed lids.
Parker opened and closed his mouth once, and she knew she had him stumped. Then she saw a light flash in his eyes, and a slow-to-boil wicked smile spread his lips. “Why don’t we find out?”
“Show don’t tell?”
“If you like.”
“I’d really like this whole mate thing not to be happening. Don’t you think I have enough drama in my life without dealing with a toddler as well?”
“Jennifer is hardly…” he stopped talking when he caught her meaning. “Honey, I’m all man.”
Evie’s eyebrows made a beeline for her hairline. “Honey, if you were all man, would you need fate to find a woman for you?”
His mouth formed an O as his eyebrows slopped down and almost covered his eyes. “Fate just pointed me in the right direction; I still have to woo you.”
Evie racked a chuckle. “How’s that working out for you?”
One big arm of steel whipped around her waist, spinning her towards him and pulling her body against his hard-muscled chest, and Evie gasped in surprise. That was when his soft, demanding lips came down on hers.
A flare of annoyance got chased away by a flash of excitement and that rush of knowing. Love at first sight was a thing, but if a kiss could seal the deal from the moment their lips touched … that kiss would be the one to do it.
When Evie didn’t protest, Parker deepened the kiss, revelling in the feel of his mate in his arms, her body pressed to him, and her lips, soft, warm and inviting, leading him on.
Now he got the whole mate thing – one kiss, and you just knew this was where you wanted to be for the rest of your life – home.
~
“Whatcha doing?”
Lexington’s melodic tones reached deep into Faith’s brain and set off the alarm bells. Alone on the decking of the bar afterdark was probably asking for trouble, but she had her witchy skills and wasn’t afraid to use them.
“Why are you here?” she asked, trying not to sound as if he’d scared the hell out of her while deflecting from the question.
“You’re welcome,” Lex replied with a smug tone.
“I am, geez, lucky me.” Faith did not want to play his game but couldn’t help herself. Toying with friendly vampires always had its upside; they were a challenge she couldn’t resist.
“Lucky all of you as I stepped in with my vampire powers to save the day,” he said with a lopsided grin just for her.
“Go on then, spill it,” she said. The only problem she had was the damn need to know – she was the donkey with the carrot on the stick, and being unable to resist gossip and intrigue could be annoying sometimes, but who was she to fight it?
“Not one of you witches noticed the guy taking photographs today,” he scolded her, but gently. “I took care of it.”
“You kill him?”
Lex screwed up his face and hit her with a look of disbelief. “Because I’m a vampire?”
Faith’s shoulders rose and fell in a slow shrug. “That could be a thing.”
“Well, it isn’t a thing,” he replied, trying to sound a little miffed, but he was used to being the guy nobody totally trusted with their life or blood.
