He shrugged his shoulders, but inwardly he laughed. “It didn’t stop you from getting naked.”

Her slap against his shoulder didn’t even register. It was virtually a caress.

“You can set me down now.”

No way. Her body felt too good and his shaft had its own ideas of how to continue the night. And frankly, for once his cock and he were in perfect agreement.

“Would you rather make love on the couch or in bed?” Personally he’d prefer taking her to his bed, but if she was more comfortable on one rather than the other, he’d have no problems going with her choice.

Instead of an answer her cheeks colored a beautiful shade of pink. Could he make her blush even more?

“In the kitchen or the bathroom maybe? On the roof terrace?”

Yes, her blush could go even a shade deeper. And make her look even sexier. How she could possibly still blush after what she’d allowed him to do in the elevator, and what she’d done to him the night before, was absolutely beyond him.

He lowered his face close to hers, looking into her beautiful brown eyes. “It’s okay to admit that you enjoyed what we just did. I won’t tell anybody that this fierce slayer has a soft side.”

Nina met his eyes and didn’t flinch. “Then I guess I won’t tell that this vampire isn’t all as tough and mean as he makes himself out to be.”

Of course he was tough! And mean! He should be feared for what he was and for what he could do. Was she suggesting he was weak? He let out a dark growl.

“Yes, yes. You can growl all you want, you big bad vampire.”

Mocking him, was she?

“You want big and bad? I’ll give you big and bad.”

With a determined gait Amaury carried her into his bedroom and dropped her onto the bed. For a moment he just stood there, looking down at her. Then he touched his erection, stroking it suggestively.

“How big do you want?”

Nina appeared fascinated as she stared at him, her eyes glued to where his cock stood upright. He was eager to fill her with it, plunging his throbbing shaft into her until she couldn’t take any more.

Her mouth formed just one word. “Big.”

Her arms pulled him down to her, and he fitted his body to hers. She felt right, pinned underneath him. And she wouldn’t be able to escape unless he allowed it. Luckily escape seemed to be the furthest thing from her mind. Or why else would she wrap her legs around him and pull him into her center?

Amaury welcomed her open invitation, and so did his cock which already pressed against her thigh. The skin-on-skin contact was enough to shoot a wave of heat through him.

In the background, he heard a faint ringing noise, but he blocked it out. For once, he cursed his enhanced senses. He didn’t want to be distracted from the pliable body in his arms, the soft fingers exploring him, the sweet scent engulfing him.

Nina deserved his entire attention. And she would have it. For a moment, he closed his eyes and blocked out everything else. With joy, he realized that no emotions bombarded him. His mind was clear. Peace.

When he opened his eyes, his gaze collided with hers.

“What’s wrong?”

He sensed a twinge of alarm in her voice and shook his head, smiling. “Nothing! Absolutely nothing.” For the first time in centuries. No pain. No foreign emotions. It was just him, all by himself.

“Are you waiting for something?”

Impatient minx.

“Yes, for you to shut up, chérie.”

Amaury muffled her protest with his lips. His erection settled against her soft core, and he nudged forward, finding her wetness. Tight—oh her entrance felt tight. Would she be able to take him?

Why hadn’t he jerked off earlier? While masturbation would do nothing in the way of blocking out the emotions and the pain in his head, at least some of his girth would have eased. Right now, he was close to bursting.

Her pelvis tilted toward him, silently asking for penetration, but he pulled back. Couldn’t hurt her. Too big. No. He should prepare her better. Maybe another orgasm would help her tight muscles relax. Or better, finger fuck her first, stretch her narrow channel. He didn’t want her to associate their lovemaking with pain. Already he had to work against her aversion to vampires. Now pain because his dick was too big? Couldn’t do that. No. She would hate him. And for some reason that wasn’t the kind of emotion he wanted her to have for him.

He needed patience to get to his goal.

The loud ring from the phone next to the bed startled him, but a moment later his attention was diverted when Nina’s hands clamped over his ass, trying to force him to plunge into her. Impatient she certainly was, and she obviously had no idea how savagely his cock could damage her tender muscles if he drove into her without her being properly prepared.