sydrian

Adrian Ivashkov wasn__ easy to surprise, but I surprised him then when I brought his mouth toward mine. I kissed him, and for a moment, he was too stunned to respond. That lasted for, oh, about a second. Then the intensity I__ come to know so well in him returned. He pushed me backward, lifting me so that I sat at the table. The tablecloth bunched up, knocking over some of the glasses. I heard what sounded like a china plate crash against the floor.Whatever logic and reason I normally possessed had melted away. There was nothing but flesh and fire left, and I wasn__ going to lie to myself__t least not tonight.

You have no idea how cute you look with all those snowflakes in your hair,_ he murmured.__nd you look cute with hypothermia. I hope to God you can get a real coat while you__e here.

You know," he said, "under normal circumstances, you inviting me to the bedroom would be the highlight of my

So many details came into focus. The shape of his lips, the line of his neck. ____ not dangerous,_ I breathed.He brought his face toward mine. __ou are to me.__nd somehow, against all reason, we were kissing. I closed my eyes, and the world around me faded.

My nails dug into his back, and he trailed his lips down the edge of my chin, down the center of my neck. He kept going until he reached the bottom of the dress__ V-neck. I let out a small gasp, and he kissed all around the neckline, just enough to tease.

What were you thinking?" I demanded once we were moving to the music. I was trying to ignore his hands. "Do you know how much trouble you may have gotten me in?"Adrian grinned. "Nah. They all feel bad for you. You'll achieve martyrdom after dancing with a mean, wicked vampire. Job security with the Alchemists.

She sat up, cheeks flushed and golden hair tousled. She was so beautiful that it made my soul ache. I always wished desperately that I could paint her in these moments and immortalize that look in her eyes. There was a softness in them that I rarely saw at other times, a total and complete vulnerability in someone who was normally so guarded and analytical in the rest of her life. But although I was a decent painter, capturing her on canvas was beyond my skill. She collected her brown blouse and buttoned it up, hiding the brightness of turquoise lace with the conservative attire she liked to armor herself in. She__ done an overhaul of her bras in the last month, and though I was always sad to see them disappear, it made me happy to know they were there, those secret spots of color in her life.

You know," he said, "under normal circumstances, you inviting me to the bedroom would be the highlight of my day."I jumped up.