The Vampire and the Virgin (12 page)

Her sleepy brain fumbled for an explanation, then she remembered and sat up with a jolt. “There was a

jaguar! On Patmos! How on earth did it get here?”

“I—well—”

“I thought I was a goner.” She pressed a hand to her chest, then gasped when she felt bare skin. Good God,

she was only wearing her bra and underwear. “Where did my clothes go?”

“Over there.” He motioned with his head, and she spotted a heap of wet clothes on the stone floor next to a

chaise lounge.

“I don’t recall taking them off.” And what the heck was she doing on his lap? She lurched to the other side of

the hot tub and glared at him. “What did you do to me?”

His jaw shifted. “I took off yer wet clothes.”

“Did I give you permission?”

“Nay, ye were unconscious. And turning blue. I was trying to save you.”

Heat invaded her cheeks. She wasn’t used to men seeing her without her clothes on. And here she was in

her boring white cotton bra and panties. Damn, if only she’d worn her black lace undies.

She winced inwardly. She’d come close to getting mauled by a jaguar, and all she could think about was the

sexiness factor of her underwear? She must be in shock. Or suffering from hypothermia. Or fuzzy-headed from

being unconscious. She rubbed her forehead. She was overanalyzing again. “I apologize. You did the right

thing.”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. I could say that I refrained from

leering or drooling, but that would be a lie.”

Her blush grew hotter. “Well, thank you for your honesty. And your bravery. I can’t believe you chased away that

huge jaguar. You were incredible.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “I couldna let it harm you.”

Her gaze dropped to his broad shoulders, and then his bare chest. He’d run down to the beach in his

underwear to rescue her. “You saved me.”

“Ye tried to stop me,” he whispered.

Her gaze lifted to his eyes and her heart fluttered in her chest. “Well, there was no sense in both of us getting

mauled to death.”

“Ye wanted to protect me.”

The look in his eyes was so intense, she was starting to tingle all over. Now she felt strangely overdressed.

His eyes darkened. “Ye were willing to face danger alone in order to keep me safe.”

She squirmed on the molded seat. She shouldn’t have left his lap. She could be touching him right now. He

could be touching her. “I—I assume you called the police about the jaguar?”

He hesitated.

She sat up. “You didn’t call?”

“Ye were unconscious. I couldn’t let go of you.”

She stood. “We have to call. Right away.”

“I—” His gaze shifted downward.

“I—” His gaze shifted downward.

She glanced down. Her wet cotton bra had molded to her like a second skin, clearly showing her nipples,

which were now reacting to the cold air. She ducked into the water up to her chin. “Can you make the call,

please?”

A hint of red glimmered in his eyes, and he rubbed them. “I’ll be right back.” He surged out of the Jacuzzi,

water dripping from his body and black boxer shorts.

She watched as he strode to the house. There was something odd about his eyes. They seemed to get

irritated easily. Her gaze wandered over his broad shoulders and strong back, then zeroed in on his backside.

The wet black cotton was glued to his buttocks, clearly showing the muscles at work with each step he took.

She licked her lips. “Could you bring me a glass of water?”

He glanced over his shoulder as he opened the door. “Aye. Just a minute.”

She moved across the tub so she could see him through the large plate-glass window. His back was still to

her as he talked on the phone. He’d left the back door open, so she was able to catch most of his conversation.

“Does anyone there speak English?” he asked after connecting with the police. “Good. I need to report a—an

incident. ’Tis a wee bit strange, and ye may find it hard to believe—aye, I am speaking English.”

Olivia chuckled. Then Robby turned slightly, and her jaw dropped. Good God. The front of his boxer shorts

was protruding.

“There was a jaguar on the beach at Petra. A ja-gu-ar,” he repeated slowly. “No, no’ the car. The cat. A black

panther. Nay, it wasna a big house cat. ’Twas a panther.”

Robby raked a hand through his long hair, inadvertently giving Olivia an excellent profile of his washboard

abs. She gulped. His flat stomach made the swelling in his underwear look even bigger.

“No, I’m no’ high on any drugs,” Robby growled. “And I can tell the difference between a bloody goat and a

panther. Hello? Hello?” He hung up and walked out of her view.

With a grimace, Olivia settled back into the Jacuzzi. The police thought it was prank call. Who could blame

them? How on earth could a jaguar get on a Greek isle?

And where was it now? She looked about nervously. She’d seen the cat scamper up a rocky bluff not far from

here. What if the Jacuzzi was his favorite watering hole? She’d look like a yummy morsel, floating in the middle.

She needed to relocate fast.

Robby heated up a bottle of synthetic blood in the microwave. He needed to take the edge off his appetite

before returning to Olivia. He smiled to himself as he fixed her a glass of ice water. Carlos was right. If he

played his cards right, he could get lucky. Hell, he’d been lucky ever since he’d met Olivia. She was the best

thing that had happened to him since…he thought back. Lord Almighty, since he’d been transformed in 1746.

He needed to be careful so he wouldn’t lose her. Or frighten her away. He glanced at his swollen groin and

winced. He looked like he’d been playing the old bagpipe.

The microwave dinged, and he guzzled down half the bottle of warm synthetic blood. It was just as well the

police in Skala hadn’t believed his panther story. He sure didn’t want them roaming the island with rifles,

looking for Carlos.

Maybe he’d been too hard on the shape-shifter. There was a full moon tonight, so Carlos might have been

forced to shift. Still, he shouldn’t have terrorized Olivia just to help Robby have a hot date. He recalled how good

she had felt in his arms, how she managed to look both sexy and innocent in her white brassiere and knickers.

And she was waiting for him in the hot tub. His groin stiffened just thinking about her all hot and wet.

Bugger. He couldn’t go back to her looking like this. He grabbed the glass of ice water and dumped half of it

on himself. “Oy! Bloody hell.”

“Are you all right?”

He spun and discovered Olivia standing in the kitchen doorway. He froze for a few seconds as he looked her

over. She was clutching her wet clothes to her chest, effectively hiding the parts he really wanted to see. Still, he

enjoyed seeing her bare arms and lovely long legs. His gaze wandered to her face, and he realized she was

giving him a similar examination.

Her eyes widened at the sight of his groin.

Water dripped from his wet boxers, the droplets plopping onto his feet. Bugger. He must look like he’d just

peed on himself. The blood he’d recently ingested rushed to his face, giving him a rare blush.

“’Tis naught but water, ye ken.” He winced. His embarrassment was causing his accent to thicken. He lifted

the glass so she could see it was half full. “I used some of yer ice water to…minimize a growing concern.”

She made an odd strangled sound that sounded suspiciously like a stifled giggle. With pink cheeks, she

focused on the counter behind him. “I thought I’d be safer in the house, since there’s a jaguar out there.”

“I see.” So much for making love to her in the hot tub. “Did ye want this water? I can refill it for you.”

“That’s okay.” She looked at the bottle in his other hand. “I’ll just have whatever you’re having.”

“Nay! Ye-Ye wouldna like it.” He quickly emptied the rest of the synthetic blood in the sink. “’Tis flat.”

She watched him curiously. “It was wine, right?”

“Would ye like some wine? I can pour you a glass.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

He set the glass of water on the counter and retrieved a wineglass from an overhead cabinet. Then he

located a bottle of merlot in the fridge that Carlos had opened earlier when he’d eaten the leftovers that Olivia

and her grandmother had left. He filled the glass, then handed it to her.

“Thank you.” She shifted her clothes to one arm so she could take the wineglass. Her wet jeans slipped from

her grasp and tumbled onto her feet. “Oops.”

“I’ll get it.” He leaned over to grab her jeans, then noticed how close he was to her bare legs. He straightened

very slowly, enjoying the view. By the time his eyes reached her face, her cheeks were pink again.

She cleared her throat. “I need to get out of my wet clothes.”

“That would be nice. Ye want to do it now?”

“I need a towel to dry off.”

“Of course.” He grabbed a clean kitchen towel and handed it to her.

She gave him a dubious look. “That won’t cover up much.”

“Works for me.” He tossed it back onto the counter. “I’ll bring you a bath towel.”

“Could you find something for me to wear?”

“Aye.” Maybe a handkerchief.

“Is there a dryer in the house? I need to rinse out my clothes and dry them.”

“Aye, right through there.” He motioned to a door by the refrigerator.

“Great. Thank you.” She headed to the utility room.

He waited for her to pass so he could see her from behind. Her wet panties clung to her rump, wedged into

the crease and molded to each rounded cheek. Lord Almighty, he wanted to touch her. Kiss her. Make her

shudder and scream.

She cleared her throat.

He glanced up. “Yes?”

She’d paused just inside the utility room to glare at him. “I need those jeans.”

“Of course.” He strode to the doorway and tossed her wet jeans into the sink next to the washing machine.

“I’ll be back with some clothes and a towel.”

“Thank you.” She shut the door after he left.

He dashed to his bedroom to change clothes. He glanced at his bed and smiled. The night was still young,

and like Carlos said, a good Vamp could last all night long.

and like Carlos said, a good Vamp could last all night long.

O
livia was relieved to find a stack of clean beach towels on the dryer. She rinsed her

sweater in the sink, then laid it on the counter on top of a beach towel. After rinsing the rest of her clothes, she

tossed them in the dryer. She glanced at the closed door. Hopefully, Robby would knock first. She quickly

stripped off her wet underwear, rinsed it out, and threw it in the dryer.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Just a minute.” She grabbed a beach towel and wrapped it around herself. “Okay.”

The door cracked open, and Robby peered inside. “Och, ye found a towel.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

He grinned. “Lass, ye could never disappoint.” He set a bath towel and some clothes on the counter next to

her sweater. He was still barefoot and bare-chested, but he’d traded in the wet boxer shorts for a pair of white

martial-arts pants. “Come out when ye’re ready.” He closed the door.

Ready for what? She grabbed the wineglass off the counter and gulped down a swallow.
Relax. You don’t

have to do anything you don’t want to.
But that was the problem. Where Robby was concerned, she found

herself wanting the whole shebang. And she’d only known him a few days.

She turned on the dryer, then examined the clothes he’d given her. They were definitely for a woman, so she

assumed they must belong to the wife of whoever owned the villa. They were summer pajamas: a blue tank top

and a pair of cotton shorts that were blue with white fluffy clouds.

The shorts fit, although they seemed a bit baggy around the legs. The top was a snug fit that left little to the

imagination. With a grimace, she wrapped the bath towel around her shoulders like a shawl. As soon as her

clothes were dry, she’d put them on and hurry back home. Or could she? She didn’t dare walk home with a

jaguar out there. Maybe Robby had a car. Or maybe she’d have to spend the night with him.

She snorted. Her grandmother would never believe the jaguar excuse.

She took another sip of wine for fortification, then left the utility room. The lights in the kitchen had been turned

off, but enough light filtered in from the family room that she was able to find her way. She reached the arched

entrance to the family room and stopped.

A fire blazed in the hearth. Spare pillows and an afghan from the couch had been spread on the rug in front of

the fireplace. She swallowed hard. Robby’s intentions were clear. He meant to seduce her.

He blew out a match he’d just used to light a candle on the coffee table. “Would ye like more wine?”

“I’m okay.”
I’m in deep trouble
. She perched on one end of the couch and set her wineglass on the coffee

table.

“Are ye warm enough? The only clothes I could find were summer ones that Shanna left behind.”

“Who’s Shanna?”

“Shanna Draganesti. She owns this house, along with her husband. Several houses, actually.” He sat in the

middle of the couch and shifted sideways to face her.

She noted how muscular he looked, and how the hair on his chest was more brown than red. He’d tied his

damp auburn hair back into a ponytail. “Where is
your
home?”