His Ultimate Prize

Forbidden or not, he wanted her with a compulsive need that unnerved and baffled him. But the fact that he wanted her didn’t mean he would have her. He was known for his legendary control. He sat down next to her, caught her scent, and simply willed himself not to react.

Forcing his body to relax, he nodded towards the television. ‘You have a thing for vampires?’

‘Doesn’t everyone?’ she replied breathlessly.

He wanted to look at her. But he denied himself the urge and kept his gaze fixed ahead. ‘What’s the story about?’

She hesitated, fidgeted and sat forward. From the corner of his eye he saw her lick her lips. Fiery heat sang through his veins.

‘Oh, you know—it’s the usual run-of-the-mill storyline. Two brothers in love with the same girl.’

Something tightened in his chest and his stomach muscles clenched. ‘I see.’

‘You don’t have to watch it.’ She shifted backwards, out of his periphery.

‘Why not? I’m intrigued.’ The two male protagonists faced off on the screen, fangs bared. ‘What are they doing now?’

Again she hesitated. ‘They’re about to fight to the death for her.’

His muscles pulled tighter. Blood surged through his veins and he forcibly relaxed the clenched fist on his thigh.

‘Which one are you rooting for?’ he asked, the skin on his nape curiously tight as he waited for her answer.

It occurred to him how absurd the conversation was. How absurd it was to be so wound up by a TV show. But every second he waited for her answer felt like an eternity.

‘Neither.’

Illogically, his insides hollowed. ‘You don’t care if either one of them dies?’ The words grated his throat.

‘That’s not what I said. I said neither because I know they won’t kill each other. They might tear chunks out of each other, but ultimately they love each other too much to let a woman come between them. No matter how difficult, or how heart-wrenching it is to watch, I know they’ll work it out. That’s why I love the show. Popcorn?’

The bowl appeared in front of him.

He declined and nodded at the screen as a female character walked on. ‘Is she the one?’

Sasha laughed. ‘Yep. LuAnn—femme fatale extraordinaire. With those huge brown eyes and that body she can have any man she wants. On and off the screen.’

‘She may look innocent onscreen but off-screen is another matter.’

It was her gasp that did it. That and her scent, mingled with the strangely enticing aroma of popcorn.

Control failed and his eyes met Sasha’s stunning blue. Marco wondered if she knew how enthralling they were. How captivating. How very easily she could give LuAnn a run for her money.

‘You’ve met her?’

‘Briefly. At one of Rafael’s parties.’

Her eyes returned to the screen. ‘As much as I’m dying to know the details of your no-doubt salacious meeting, I don’t really want the illusion spoiled. Do you mind?’

Again Marco was struck by Sasha’s contrast to the other women he’d dated. They would have been bowled over by his mention of a celebrity, dying to know every single detail. Her refreshingly indifferent attitude made him relax a little more.

When he found himself munching on popcorn another bolt of surprise shot through him.

When was the last time he’d relaxed completely like this? Shared an enjoyable evening with a woman that hadn’t ended in sex if he’d wanted it to?

He glanced at Sasha. Her eyes were glued to the screen, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Heat ratcheted through him. Correction—an evening that wasn’t going to end in sex because sex was forbidden?

He reached for another mouthful of popcorn and his hand brushed hers. Her breath caught but she didn’t look away from the screen. When he reluctantly forced his gaze away from her, he saw LuAnn caught in a heated clinch with Joel.

As a thirty-five-year-old man, who knew that sex onscreen was simulated, he shouldn’t have found the scene erotic. Especially not with those damned fangs thrown in.

Nevertheless, when Sasha’s breath caught for a second time he turned to her, his heart pounding so loudly in his ears he couldn’t hear anything else.

‘You should be watching the screen, not me.’

Her husky murmur thrummed along his nerve-endings and made a beeline for his groin.

‘I was never much of a spectator. I prefer to be a participant.’

Dios! He was hard—so hard it was a toss-up as to whether the feeling was pain or pleasure. The logical thing to do was to get up, walk away.

Yet he couldn’t move. Couldn’t look away from this woman his body ached for but his mind knew he couldn’t have.