his head between her legs sent flares to light the coals of desire.
“Well, since I don’t think tying him up and holding him hostage is a viable alternative, that leaves us with one choice.”
She stretched, using the move she’d done to distract her opponents to thrust out her chest. Tucker’s gaze fell to the swell of her chest, lingered, then lifted to her face again. Amber flecks dotted his dark eyes.
“And what’s that?” she asked.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to break your promise.”
His lips, full, yet masculine, tempted her to press hers to his, reminding her of how forceful his kiss had been, how his tongue had slid between them to tantalize her with a quick skim over her lips.
“No. I don’t want to.” Ask me to do something I want to do. Like wrap my legs around you.
“Think of it as payback.”
“Payback?” She leaned to the left, brushed the side of her breast against his arm, and earned a groan from him.
“He used his power on Ramona and the rest, and now you’re going to use your magic on him. It evens the playing ground. Hell, it’s payback.”
He had a point. “I try not to make promises, but when I do, I don’t like breaking them.”
“Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do. Besides, you made the promise to yourself, right? So I don’t think yourself will get too upset when you break it.”
Damn, but she loved his grin. Among a host of other things about him. “Oh, ha-ha.”
But the grin was wiped away by his serious tone. “Think about it, Mari. If we don’t use your magic against him, what other weapon do we have?”
“How about your powers as a werewolf?”
“Well, I could kill him, but I try not to take a life—undead or living—if I don’t have to. The pack kind of frowns on it. Unless it’s in self-defense, of course.” His chuckle washed over her. “I don’t think him winning a hand would count as a direct attack on me.”
A zing of excitement tightened her neck. What would he look like in his werewolf form? Would he remember who she was? Would she be in danger? But the danger factor only added to his allure. “I agree. Bloodshed isn’t the answer.”
“Other than biting him, I only have one thing to offer. He can’t glamour a shifter. That and my good looks are all I’ve got.”
She couldn’t help but giggle. “Don’t forget your modesty.”
“Judging from what happened earlier, however, I’d say he could most likely glamour you.”
Mari shivered, remembering the cold hold Bascom had put on her.
“So what’s it going to be, Mari? Is keeping your promise more important than keeping Bascom from glamouring innocent people? Or from putting a vamp hex on you?”
He did have a point. A damn good point. “Maybe you’re right.”
His amber-lit eyes twinkled with mirth. “Darlin’, I’m always right.” He grew serious. “Then we agree? You’ll use your magic?”
“Okay. But we have to be careful. I need all the advantages I can get.”
“Don’t I know it? You may be a witch, but I don’t think you’re much of a match for an ancient vampire.”
“Oh, so you don’t think I can take him?” She wasn’t sure she could either, but why did he have to assume as much?
“I didn’t say you can’t handle yourself, but let’s face it. You’re going to need a lot of help. That’s where I come in.”
She crossed her arms and smirked. “And just how will you help, since I’m the one with the magic?”
“I’ll play bait and distract him, giving you time and cover to do your thing.”
He was right, of course. She would have a better chance if she could blindside Bascom. “Makes sense. Unless you get hurt in the process.”
Tucker snorted. “Don’t worry about me, darlin’. I’ll hold my own. You just try not to look at his eyes.”
“I’ll do my best. Not that I can take care of myself like you can, of course.” She grinned. Men and their egos.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and
“Well, since I don’t think tying him up and holding him hostage is a viable alternative, that leaves us with one choice.”
She stretched, using the move she’d done to distract her opponents to thrust out her chest. Tucker’s gaze fell to the swell of her chest, lingered, then lifted to her face again. Amber flecks dotted his dark eyes.
“And what’s that?” she asked.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to break your promise.”
His lips, full, yet masculine, tempted her to press hers to his, reminding her of how forceful his kiss had been, how his tongue had slid between them to tantalize her with a quick skim over her lips.
“No. I don’t want to.” Ask me to do something I want to do. Like wrap my legs around you.
“Think of it as payback.”
“Payback?” She leaned to the left, brushed the side of her breast against his arm, and earned a groan from him.
“He used his power on Ramona and the rest, and now you’re going to use your magic on him. It evens the playing ground. Hell, it’s payback.”
He had a point. “I try not to make promises, but when I do, I don’t like breaking them.”
“Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do. Besides, you made the promise to yourself, right? So I don’t think yourself will get too upset when you break it.”
Damn, but she loved his grin. Among a host of other things about him. “Oh, ha-ha.”
But the grin was wiped away by his serious tone. “Think about it, Mari. If we don’t use your magic against him, what other weapon do we have?”
“How about your powers as a werewolf?”
“Well, I could kill him, but I try not to take a life—undead or living—if I don’t have to. The pack kind of frowns on it. Unless it’s in self-defense, of course.” His chuckle washed over her. “I don’t think him winning a hand would count as a direct attack on me.”
A zing of excitement tightened her neck. What would he look like in his werewolf form? Would he remember who she was? Would she be in danger? But the danger factor only added to his allure. “I agree. Bloodshed isn’t the answer.”
“Other than biting him, I only have one thing to offer. He can’t glamour a shifter. That and my good looks are all I’ve got.”
She couldn’t help but giggle. “Don’t forget your modesty.”
“Judging from what happened earlier, however, I’d say he could most likely glamour you.”
Mari shivered, remembering the cold hold Bascom had put on her.
“So what’s it going to be, Mari? Is keeping your promise more important than keeping Bascom from glamouring innocent people? Or from putting a vamp hex on you?”
He did have a point. A damn good point. “Maybe you’re right.”
His amber-lit eyes twinkled with mirth. “Darlin’, I’m always right.” He grew serious. “Then we agree? You’ll use your magic?”
“Okay. But we have to be careful. I need all the advantages I can get.”
“Don’t I know it? You may be a witch, but I don’t think you’re much of a match for an ancient vampire.”
“Oh, so you don’t think I can take him?” She wasn’t sure she could either, but why did he have to assume as much?
“I didn’t say you can’t handle yourself, but let’s face it. You’re going to need a lot of help. That’s where I come in.”
She crossed her arms and smirked. “And just how will you help, since I’m the one with the magic?”
“I’ll play bait and distract him, giving you time and cover to do your thing.”
He was right, of course. She would have a better chance if she could blindside Bascom. “Makes sense. Unless you get hurt in the process.”
Tucker snorted. “Don’t worry about me, darlin’. I’ll hold my own. You just try not to look at his eyes.”
“I’ll do my best. Not that I can take care of myself like you can, of course.” She grinned. Men and their egos.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and
Similar Books
