Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Guardian 1)

Then maybe this vamp could help me find Rhoan if Jack and the Directorate wouldn't. "When was this?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure."

Damn. "So where did you see him?"

"I can't say."

"Then why did those men feel inclined to stake you out?"

"Something else I can't remember."

"There seems to be an awful lot you can't remember," I muttered, stuck between belief and disbelief

"A regrettable side effect of being kicked several times in the head."

My gaze traveled to his forehead. There did seem to be shadowing under the mud, which might have meant bruising. "Have you got a name?"

"I have."

A smile twitched my lips. "Can you share it, or is it lost to the fog as well?"

"Quinn O'Conor."

"I'm Riley Jenson."

He leaned forward and held out his hand. I clasped it automatically, which was a stupid thing to do, really. He could have so easily hauled me out of the doorway had he intended me harm

But the only thing he did was wrap his long, strong fingers around mine and squeeze lightly. And with the heat of his palm burning into mine, it was all too easy to imagine the gentle strength of those fingers sliding across my body, stirring the desire already building deep inside. I swallowed heavily

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Riley Jenson," he added, his voice so soft it seemed to echo inside my head rather than through my ears

I pulled my hand from his, but clenched my fingers to retain the warmth of his touch. That one reaction made me realize I had better be careful. Until I knew more about him, about what he was really up to, I'd better keep some distance. No matter how much my hormones were suggesting otherwise

Yet curiosity was still stronger than caution

"And can you remember what you do for a living?"

He nodded. "I own Evensong Air."

I almost choked. Evensong was the biggest of the three transpacific airlines, and had recently taken over the shuttle service to the space stations. Which made the naked vampire sitting opposite me a multibillionaire

His face closed over. "Does that alter your opinion of me?"

"Like I've had time to form an opinion?" I grinned, and added, "But if it did, it would only be because I've never fucked a mega, megarich guy before." Though I had certainly fucked your ordinary, everyday, garden-variety millionaire. Still was, in fact

His laugh sent warm shivers down my spine. "One thing I love about werewolves - they're always forthright when it comes to sex."

"Had a werewolf or two in your time, have you?" Which wouldn't be entirely surprising. He was rich, he was gorgeous, and he was a vampire. They were one of the few races that could actually keep up with a werewolf in moon heat

"One or two."

He didn't look as if he wanted to elaborate, and I wondered why. I watched him sip his meal for a second, then said, "I thought Evensong was owned by a Frank Harris?"

"He's the director and current face." Quinn shrugged. "Being a vampire has its restrictions. I will always need someone to run the business during the day."

I was betting Frank Harris was kept on a very tight leash, all the same. "So what is a successful businessman doing getting staked out by humans? I would have thought you'd be surrounded by the latest in security gadgets."

He frowned. "I wish I knew. It's most annoying, waking to find oneself staked out and having no idea why."