in her house. Not to mention out of place.
"Here," she said, moving forward to hand him the bread.
"Thank you," he said as he took it. He frowned as if looking for a bread plate. Finally, he set the bread down on the table and returned to his offbeat pasta.
There was an awkward silence between them. She didn't know what to say to him. It was weird to have this man in her presence when she'd heard so much about him.
None of which was good.
Her brother-in-law and his best friend Julian spent hours at family parties, ranting about Valerius and his family and the fact that Artemis had transferred Valerius to New Orleans for pure spite because she hadn't wanted to let Kyrian go. Maybe that was true. Or maybe the goddess had only wanted Kyrian to face his past and put it firmly to rest.
Either way, the person who seemed to be punished most by Artemis's decision was Valerius, who was constantly reminded of Kyrian and Julian's hatred.
Funny how he didn't seem so bad to her.
True, he was arrogant and formal, but…
There was something more to him. She could feel it.
She went to the kitchen to get him something to drink. Her first thought was to give him water, but then, she'd already been vicious in giving him the penironi. It had been a childish impulse that she now felt extremely guilty over. So she decided to break open her wine cabinet and get him something he would no doubt appreciate.
Valerius looked up as Tabitha handed him a glass of red wine. He half-expected it to be a harsh, cheap Ripple and was pleasantly surprised at the rich, full-bodied taste of it.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome."
As she started away, he captured her hand and pulled her to a stop. "Why did you buy me new clothes?"
"How did you—"
"I found mine in the garbage."
She cringed as if it bothered her that he had learned what she'd done. "I should have emptied the can. Damn."
"Why didn't you want me to know?"
"I thought you might not take them. It was the least I could do since I was part of the reason they were ruined."
He offered her a smile that warmed her heart. "Thank you, Tabitha."
It was the first time he'd said her name. His rich, deep accent sent a shiver over her.
Before she could stop herself, she placed her hand against his cheek. She half-expected him to pull away.
He didn't. He merely stared up at her with those curious black eyes.
She was struck by his handsomeness. By his inner pain, which made her own heart ache for him. And before she could think better of it, she dipped her head down so that she could capture his lips with her own.
Valerius was completely unprepared for her action. Never had a woman initiated a kiss with him. Never. Tabitha was bold with her exploration, demanding, and it sizzled through his body like lava.
Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her back.
Tabitha moaned at the decadent taste of her general. Her tongue brushed against his fangs, giving her a chill. He was lethal and deadly.
Forbidden.
And for a woman who prided herself on following no one's rules but her own, it made him even more appealing.
She straddled him in the chair and sat down in his lap.
He didn't protest. Instead, he dropped his hands from her face and trailed them over her back while she pulled the tie from his hair and loosened the thick, black strands that slid like silk against her fingers.
She could feel his erection as it pressed against the center of her body, igniting her desire even more.
It'd been so long since she'd been with a man. So long since she had felt a desire this potent to wrap herself around one. But she wanted Valerius badly, even though he should be completely off her menu.
Valerius's head swam as Tabitha trailed her lips along the length of his jaw, then under his chin, to his neck. Her hot breath blistered him. It had been centuries since he'd taken a woman who knew what he was.
A woman he didn't have to kiss carefully for fear of her discovering his fangs.
Not once had he ever
"Here," she said, moving forward to hand him the bread.
"Thank you," he said as he took it. He frowned as if looking for a bread plate. Finally, he set the bread down on the table and returned to his offbeat pasta.
There was an awkward silence between them. She didn't know what to say to him. It was weird to have this man in her presence when she'd heard so much about him.
None of which was good.
Her brother-in-law and his best friend Julian spent hours at family parties, ranting about Valerius and his family and the fact that Artemis had transferred Valerius to New Orleans for pure spite because she hadn't wanted to let Kyrian go. Maybe that was true. Or maybe the goddess had only wanted Kyrian to face his past and put it firmly to rest.
Either way, the person who seemed to be punished most by Artemis's decision was Valerius, who was constantly reminded of Kyrian and Julian's hatred.
Funny how he didn't seem so bad to her.
True, he was arrogant and formal, but…
There was something more to him. She could feel it.
She went to the kitchen to get him something to drink. Her first thought was to give him water, but then, she'd already been vicious in giving him the penironi. It had been a childish impulse that she now felt extremely guilty over. So she decided to break open her wine cabinet and get him something he would no doubt appreciate.
Valerius looked up as Tabitha handed him a glass of red wine. He half-expected it to be a harsh, cheap Ripple and was pleasantly surprised at the rich, full-bodied taste of it.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome."
As she started away, he captured her hand and pulled her to a stop. "Why did you buy me new clothes?"
"How did you—"
"I found mine in the garbage."
She cringed as if it bothered her that he had learned what she'd done. "I should have emptied the can. Damn."
"Why didn't you want me to know?"
"I thought you might not take them. It was the least I could do since I was part of the reason they were ruined."
He offered her a smile that warmed her heart. "Thank you, Tabitha."
It was the first time he'd said her name. His rich, deep accent sent a shiver over her.
Before she could stop herself, she placed her hand against his cheek. She half-expected him to pull away.
He didn't. He merely stared up at her with those curious black eyes.
She was struck by his handsomeness. By his inner pain, which made her own heart ache for him. And before she could think better of it, she dipped her head down so that she could capture his lips with her own.
Valerius was completely unprepared for her action. Never had a woman initiated a kiss with him. Never. Tabitha was bold with her exploration, demanding, and it sizzled through his body like lava.
Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her back.
Tabitha moaned at the decadent taste of her general. Her tongue brushed against his fangs, giving her a chill. He was lethal and deadly.
Forbidden.
And for a woman who prided herself on following no one's rules but her own, it made him even more appealing.
She straddled him in the chair and sat down in his lap.
He didn't protest. Instead, he dropped his hands from her face and trailed them over her back while she pulled the tie from his hair and loosened the thick, black strands that slid like silk against her fingers.
She could feel his erection as it pressed against the center of her body, igniting her desire even more.
It'd been so long since she'd been with a man. So long since she had felt a desire this potent to wrap herself around one. But she wanted Valerius badly, even though he should be completely off her menu.
Valerius's head swam as Tabitha trailed her lips along the length of his jaw, then under his chin, to his neck. Her hot breath blistered him. It had been centuries since he'd taken a woman who knew what he was.
A woman he didn't have to kiss carefully for fear of her discovering his fangs.
Not once had he ever
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