In Blood and Worth Loving (28 page)

She lifted his hand to her lips. “How does it depend on me? Didn’t you just remind me that you were in charge of this relationship, Mr. Lord and Master of my heart?”

He flashed a brief smile. “Did you mean it earlier when you said this Doug was worth three of me?”

“Feeling a little insecure,
Adrian
?”

“Yes.”

The admission surprised and pleased her.

“I…I’ve never cared about anyone the way I do about you. Did you mean it, Brandi?”

“Yes, I meant it,
Adrian
.”

He stiffened and drew away from her.

She scooted closer, gripping his hand. “Let’s face facts,
Adrian
. He is worth three of you. He’s a good man.”

“And I’m not?”

“No. You’re not. I know about the charity foundations you and your brothers fund, but I suspect that’s mostly Rayna’s doing. Good men don’t go around threatening to kill innocent people. I admire and respect Doug—”

He curled his lip back. “You keep singing his praises and I’ll—”

She released his hand to press her fingers against his lips. “I expect you to keep your promise not to hurt him, Adrian.”

He gave her a cool look.

She had a feeling
Adrian
was always going to be hot tempered and dangerous. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. She slipped her arm through his. “I like my men tall, handsome, sugar dicked, and very, very bad—just like you, Adrian. I admire Doug, but he’s far too good for me. I’m a bad girl, Adrian, and I like my men…my vampires very bad. I wouldn’t trade you for five or six of him.”
 

His gaze softened. “Do you still see something good and decent and worth loving in me, honey?”

“Yes,” she whispered, kissing the corner of his mouth. “I love you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure,
Adrian
. Why else would I have taken all the shit you’ve given me?”

He closed his eyes and rolled onto his back.

At first she thought he was struggling to control his temper. Then she watched his chest rise and fall as he gulped in air for several moments before she touched his cheek. “
Adrian
? Aren’t you going to tell me you love me too?”

He opened his eyes but didn’t turn to face her. “I don’t know that I’m capable of romantic love anymore. You know I’m not human.”

She trailed her hand down his face to his chest. “I think that’s part of what I love most about you…your wild, raw, lack of humanity is a big turn on for me.”

He turned to face her. “I need you to be willing to accept me as I am without trying to change me. I am who and what I am, Brandi.”

“I fell into lust and then love with you and what you are,
Adrian
. Deal with it.”

He smiled, stroking his hand down her back. “Come live with me and let me take care of you.”

“This mansion is very nice, but I don’t think I want to do this on a regular basis.”

“Do what on a regular basis?”

“Sleep with you knowing your brothers and for all I know Rayna can hear every love sound we make. When we fuck, I want to be able to moan and scream in ecstasy if I want.”

His smile turned into a grin. “I love a woman who screams when she’s fucked.”

“So?”

“Rayna, my brothers and I are close and we like each other. We like living together. However, this is just one of the family mansions we own. There are others in various states where we all live when there’s no one special in our lives. We all have individual condos for the times we want to be alone. Come live with me.
 
If you want a house, I’ll buy you one and you can furnish it anyway you like. Or I’ll have one built to your specifications anywhere you like.
 
I’ll willingly surrender my life if necessary to protect you.

“As you know I can’t always control my tempter, but I’ll cherish you, Brandi. And I’ll be good to you and give you everything you want.”

Everything except what she really needed from him. “I’m human,
Adrian
.”

“I know that.” He grinned suddenly. “No one’s perfect and though it’s a rather large flaw, I promise not to hold that against you, honey.”

She laughed and then hit his shoulder, but sobered quickly. “Why did you come tonight and not before?”

“I stayed away for as long as I could because I was afraid of hurting you again.” He brushed his lips against her neck. “I need you, honey. I hunger for you. I have to have you and of course it’s your birthday. Speaking of birthdays I nearly forgot to give you your birthday present.”

She glanced at the top of his tallboy where she’d put the diamond solitaire when they’d undressed earlier. She tilted her head. “Is senility setting in already? You already gave me my present.”

He slapped her ass and bounded off the bed. “That was just a teaser.” He walked over to his tallboy and opened the top drawer. When he returned to sit on the bed beside her, he had a small black jeweler’s box in his hand. “This is your real present. I hope you like it. Happy birthday, honey.” He kissed her cheek and handed her the box.

She sat up but made no effort to open the box. “What is it?”

“Why don’t you open it and find out?”

“I will—after you tell me what’s inside.”

He caressed her ear. “A little something to compliment the solitaire I gave you earlier.”

“Matching earrings!” She linked her free arm around his neck and kissed him. “Thank you!”

He leaned away from her, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I guess you really need a pair of diamond earrings?”

“Do you know a woman who doesn’t?” She grinned at him and opened the box. A beautiful yellow gold diamond solitaire engagement ring sparkled up at her. Her eyes welled with tears and she sucked in a breath. Her throat tightened and her heart raced.

“Have you ever considered changing your name, Brandi?”

“What?” She stared at him through a flood of tears. “It’s…an engagement ring,
Adrian
!”

“I know.” He took the box from her and slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand. “Brandi Knight is a nice enough name, but it doesn’t have the same ring to it as Brandi Redwolfe does.”

“Brandi Red…
Adrian
?” She shoved against his shoulders.

He stretched out on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

She leaned over him. “Are you asking me to…?”

He smiled up at her. “Of course I am. Will you?”

“But we’ve only known each other two weeks and—”

“And I’ve hungered for you nearly every second of that time.”

She fought against the urge to allow herself to be swept away in the joy of the moment. What were the chances of a man with his looks and resources falling so hard for her in such a short time that he’d want to marry her? “Why do you hunger for me?”

He gave her a weary look. “What do you want me to say?”

She touched her pussy. “Is there anything inside me besides your cum?”

“Like what?”

“Like blood. Did you secrete blood in me when we made love earlier?”

He eased her onto her back and slid his body on top of hers. He gazed down into her eyes. “Yes. When I’m with you I secrete so much blood, it’s almost scary. I can’t control it or my feelings for you.”

“Why not?”

“Clearly you’re a witch.”

“
Adrian
! Be serious and tell me what you know I want and need to hear.”

He buried his face against her neck. “I’m in blood.”

She bit her lip and cupped a hand over his hair. They were finally getting where she wanted and needed him to be. “With me?”

“With you and only you, Brandi.”

She fought back a fresh flood of tears. “Are you sure,
Adrian
?”

“Yes. I’m very sure. I have been since five minutes after I saw you. It just took me a little while to accept my fate.”

“Since five minutes after you saw me, huh? That sounds like revisionist history to me, Adrian.”

He laughed. “It’s not.”

She stroked his back. “Then look at me and tell me…say it like you mean it, Adrian and I’ll forgive you for anything and have as many of your babies as you want.”

“You’re going to do that anyway,” he said with a touch of arrogance. “You’re only fooling yourself if you think you’re not.”

She raked her nails down his back. “Bastard! Say it like you mean it.”

“I will if you’ll promise me you’ll let me make sure we’ll never be separated.”

“Oh,
Adrian
…don’t…please. Please don’t spoil what will probably be the happiest moment of my life. Say it and make me believe you mean it. Please.”

“Why should my wanting to be with you forever spoil anything?”

His voice fairly vibrated with annoyance.

She kissed his hair. “Be reasonable,
Adrian
. Fifteen days ago we didn’t even know each other.”

“What’s your point?”

 
“I love you, but I’m not ready to com…to give up my humanity. I like being who I am. But that shouldn’t make any difference to how you feel about me.”

“It makes a big difference. The thought of losing you…”

“I need to hear you say how you feel,
Adrian
…while you’re looking at me.”

He shuddered against her and lifted his head to look down at her. “I’m in blood with you, Brandi.”

Her throat tightened. “What exactly does that mean?”

“Rayna calls it the vampire equivalent to love, but she’s wrong. It’s a much more powerful force than love.” He swallowed before he spoke again. “It means you’re the only woman who’ll ever matter to me again. For me, there are no other women. Just you, Brandi. Just you.”