After Dark (Between the Veils Series, Book One) (6 page)

Temperance fought for breath, her chest struggling to expand against his weight. Every feeble attempt only succeeded in crushing her breasts tighter against his chest as her nipples beaded into hard buds. She thought he whispered something in her ear, but she couldn’t make the syllables out above the pounding of her pulse. Colored dots flashed across the blackness as she finally forced her eyelids back open.

Avery stared down at her, his added height making her feel small, feminine. He didn’t try to kiss her again. He merely watched her with those expressive eyes. She darted her tongue out to moisten her lips, cursing when his gaze fell to her mouth, his eyes clearly telling her that next time, he’d be the one to lick her lips.

She pressed her head against the wall, fear gnawing at her gut. She liked the way his weight held her immobile, trapping her without making her
feel
trapped. She stole a quick breath, hoping her voice didn’t crack when she spoke. “I’ll admit he’s attractive but…” She swallowed again when his gaze hardened. “He’s not you.”

One side of his brow arched. “Is that a good thing?”

“I guess that depends.”

“On what?”

She slowly blew out the breath she’d stolen, watching it rustle the edge of his shirt. “On how far we decide to take this.”

The edges of his mouth twitched. “I thought you didn’t do casual well?”

“And I thought you weren’t asking for a one-night stand?”

The smile that slowly spread across his lips made the room dim. He leaned in, teasing her with a light brush of his mouth across hers. “Sounds like it’s a good thing, after all. And I’m more than tempted to show you just how far I want to take this, but I can hear the others milling around. I’d hate for them to catch us like this before I send them on their assignment for the day.” He made one more pass with his lips then stepped back, putting a few feet between them.

Temperance swayed, the sudden loss of his body shifting her balance. She palmed the wall, hoping it simply looked as if she were pushing off. But as their gazes clashed, she knew he hadn’t missed his effect on her.

She straightened her shirt, wondering when her hands had started shaking. “I’ll go pack a bag for the cemetery. I’ll meet you at your car later.”

He nodded his agreement just as four of the other investigators clamored into the room, pushing at each other to reach him first. Avery gave them a halfhearted smile before drawing their attention with some well-meaning words and a promise of spiritual encounters. They hurried behind him as he left the room, his low voice bouncing off the lounge walls.

Temperance listened to him leave, still too lightheaded to move. What the hell had she done? He’d given her the perfect opportunity to bow out, yet she’d taken the bait and admitted she had absolutely no intentions of walking away…from the investigation or him. Hell, she’d all but told him she wanted him as her lover.

A weary sigh escaped her lips as she stumbled to the table, bridging her weight as she drew a deep breath. Chances were, she was just another notch on his four-poster bed, and that she’d regret ever accepting his invitation to New Orleans. But as she brushed her fingers over her neck, following the same path his mouth had trailed just moments earlier, she knew it didn’t matter. Demons and ghosts be damned. She was going hunting, but the only spirit she intended on catching was Avery Smith.

Chapter Four

Avery scrubbed his hand through his hair as he grabbed his keys and headed for the main door. He’d spent the morning talking with the other investigators, convincing them their time was best spent touring the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, a couple of hours drive north of New Orleans, than trying to unearth local ghosts during the celebrations still rioting through the streets. He’d called in more than a few favors to arrange the trip, including an overnight hunting session and access to all the equipment he wasn’t taking to the cemetery. Blake had gone ballistic when Avery had asked him to head the expedition, once again reminding Avery how he preferred to stay behind the scenes. But with a fair amount of groveling—and a promise to concede to Blake’s request for a much needed vacation—his brother had finally agreed. Of course, Blake knew the real reason he wanted the other investigators out of the way, but he’d done his best not to smile smugly at Avery as the man had packed their truck with gadgets and headed out.

Avery sighed. Temperance was definitely going to be his downfall. That, or his greatest achievement. Either way, he’d taken a plunge off the deep end, and he wasn’t sure whether to swim to shore or let the current carry him away. For the first time in his life, he felt uncertain. And he’d never had that problem around women before. Shit, he’d never stopped long enough to worry before. If a lady wasn’t interested, he just shrugged it off. He knew his personality wasn’t for everyone, or his job, and he accepted that. But for some unfathomable reason, he cared what Temperance thought of him. And the fact she perceived him as an ass bothered the hell out of him.

He cursed, jogging down the steps as he headed for the parking lot. He knew his television interviews had painted him in a less-than-desirable light, but he’d always just assumed that came with the territory of being somewhat famous. He’d never stopped to think that it might drive a wedge between him and the one lady he couldn’t get out of his mind. Ever since her little confession this morning, he’d daydreamed about having her. How good she’d feel naked against him. How loud she’d scream his name as he tasted her release on his tongue. It’d taken an obscene amount of concentration just to listen to the other investigators talking without hitting his head on the wall.

And I thought you weren’t asking for a one-night stand?

Her words echoed in his head as he rounded the corner and walked across the pavement. Was he really prepared to commit to a relationship? She’d made it more than clear she wasn’t interested in anything less. That alone should have been cause for a full retreat. But imagining her in his bed on a somewhat permanent basis had only inflamed his desire until he’d spent the better part of the morning with his dick pushing against the confines of his pants. And if that wasn’t enough, her perfume had somehow transferred onto his shirt, and he’d been forced to inhale the fruity perfection for hours.

Avery groaned as he caught sight of her standing beside his car. She was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, which clung to her curves with devastating clarity. If she was trying to turn him on, she’d succeeded.

He slowed down as he neared the car, clicking the button to open the doors. “Does this mean you’re not going to insist on driving yourself?”

She shrugged, tossing her bag in the trunk when he released the latch and opened the back. “It’s not fixed yet, and…” She sighed, leaning against the side as he repositioned her bag. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love riding in this thing.”

“I bet you’d love driving her even more.” He tossed her the keys, smiling at the way her eyes widened in surprise. “Go on. She corners like she’s on rails.”

Temperance ran her fingers over the keys, looking from him to the driver’s seat and back again. She seemed conflicted until a girlish giggle bubbled free, and she grabbed the door, pulling it open before jumping inside. A whispered breath floated across the interior as she shifted her ass in the seat, palming the wheel as if it were alive. “Damn. Now I know why you parade around in this car. It’s like sex without the mess.”

He laughed, shaking his head as she continued to fondle the gear shift. “Are you purposely trying to derail our attempts at investigating this demon? Because if you keep talking like that, we aren’t going to make it out of the damn parking lot.”

She looked over at him, holding his gaze before she slowly lowered it to his crotch. His cock jumped at the intense scrutiny of her stare, and he wished she’d caress his shaft the way she touched the damn stick.

Her mouth kicked up into a smile as she slipped in the key and turned over the engine, sighing at the pleasant hum of the motor. “I wouldn’t want to be the cause of you missing the demon, now would I?”

She shifted her attention to the road, but not before Avery saw the flash of panic in her eyes. She wanted him, of that he had no doubt, but the thought of sharing his bed terrified her. He released a heavy breath. He needed to slow things down, show her he was in this for more than just a quick fuck in a hotel bed. And while that thought terrified him, he felt the certainty of it down to his toes. Temperance Dunnigan had cast a spell over him as surely as the demon had marked her as its intended target. All he had to do was destroy one without compromising the other.

He groaned inwardly as they headed out, nothing but the sound of the road beneath the tires filling the empty space. He glanced over at her, watching as she took pleasure in the simple act of driving. He didn’t miss the way she took the corners a bit faster than necessary or how she accelerated hard before easing off as she reached the speed limit. Seems his little vixen liked fast cars as much as he did.

He nodded when she caught him staring at her. “Looks like I’m not the only one with a penchant for sports cars.”

Her smile lit up the small space. “I never said I didn’t like them, just that I…”

“See them as an obscene display of wealth.”

She flashed him an exasperated glance. “Those were your words, not mine.”

“True, but you didn’t disagree with me.”

Her mouth turned down into the beginnings of a frown. “I suppose we just come from two different worlds.”

“Not different worlds, darling. Different tax brackets. But since I inherited mine, I can’t really claim any success, now can I?”

She looked his way again, a confused furrow creasing her brow. “And I haven’t really been fair. Judging you because you have money makes me just as much of an arrogant ass.”

He didn’t hold back the devious grin that curved his lips. “Your ass is many things, but arrogant isn’t one of them.” He nodded at the road. “Take the expressway, darling. We’re not going back to Saint Louis today.”

She flicked a concerned nod at him. “Where then?”

“I’d like to return to Metairie and the mausoleums there. I have a feeling our friend might be more adventurous if we try to attract his attention in a somewhat secluded space. The other cemeteries will be full of tourists at this time of day, if they’re still open. Best we try our luck where we know he’s struck—and succeeded—before.”

Temperance nodded though he could see her reservations in the way her jaw flexed and released as she unconsciously tensed her muscles.

He reached for her hand, his heart racing when she didn’t try to pull hers away. “Scared?”

Her eyes found his for a second before her lips pulled tight. “Would you think less of me if I said I was?”

“On the contrary, my dear. It’d only strengthen my opinion of your intelligence.”

She chuckled, sparing him a glance this time. “Why?”

“Because fear makes one cautious and caution is an intelligent extrapolation of the current situation.” He winked at her. “Besides, it wouldn’t be right for me to be the only one with their teeth chattering away.”

“I hardly think you get scared easily.”

His face sobered. “If it was just my ass on the line, it’d be one thing. But Blake was right. I’m not about to get reckless with yours.”

“And you were right in assuming I can handle myself. Now that I have a basic idea what I’m up against, I won’t be such an easy target.” She gave him a hardened stare. “I’m not some damsel that needs saving, Avery, so don’t start treating me as such.”

“The thought never crossed my mind.”

She snorted, shaking her head as she glanced his way. “Honesty, baby.”

He chuckled. “Fine. I’m understandably concerned about your welfare. Happy?”

She shrugged. “It’s because of the sex, isn’t it?”

When he just lifted his brow at her, she continued.

“The prospect of sex changes things. Makes people act differently than they would if it wasn’t there, hanging over them like some kind of judgmental cloud.”

Avery sighed, tightening his fingers on hers. “Believe it or not, whether I think I’ll be able to lure you into my bed isn’t a factor here. I’ve seen what this…demon can do and quite frankly, I’m not completely certain our plan is a sane one.” He met her confused expression. “Again, this won’t work if you don’t give me the benefit of the doubt at least some of the time. I’m really not out to sacrifice pretty women to save my own ass and further my career.” He smirked then, giving her a heated look. “Though I do like the fact you’re considering me as a possible bedmate, however remote it may be.”

She laughed. “I’m pretty damn sure I gave my hand away this morning. And I promise I’ll think only honorable thoughts about you from now on.”

“Not too damn honorable, darling, or I’ll never succeed in the
luring
part.”

“Let me kick some demon butt, and I’ll concede to that, too.”

He grinned, wondering how he’d never recognized this side of her before. “Rest assured, you’re free to kick as much demon ass as you see fit.” He pointed at the upcoming exit sign. “Take this exit. We’ll park at Lake Lawn and make our way over to the mausoleums.”