Part 10 (1/2)
”You dance often?”
”Couple times a week at the studio. Then I try to pick up at least one performance a week at the club. Next week I have an important audition at the studio. If I can pa.s.s, I'll become an apprentice. After a few years of intense study, perhaps they'll allow me to start teaching.”
”Impressive. You are a marvelous dancer.” He swayed, prompting her to move with him. ”But I thought that wasn't your job?”
”It isn't. I do Web design to pay the bills. But teaching a couple days a week would be awesome.” She s.h.i.+fted her hips into a sway and the ruffled hem of her skirt swung out. ”You dance, Severo?” ”Nope.”
”Never?”
Without a word, he tugged her to him and traced a finger along the low-cut V-neck of her top.
”Not in all your...How old are you, exactly? Are you immortal?” With the slightest push from him, Bella spun out and did a half twirl.
”Close to one hundred years,” he said. ”But not immortal.”
”A hundred? I'm dating an older man.”
”So we are dating?”
”I think so.” She did a double golpe foot stomp to punctuate her decision.
”Works for me.”
She stepped out and twirled up to him. Her skirts spun wide and crushed against his legs. His fingers glided through her hair and he drew the veil of soft brown tresses across his face.
”I want to dance with you,” she said.
”Oh, we'll dance.”
The skim of his fingers down her midriff stirred a rhythm in her blood similar to the insistent beat of flamenco. Bella palmed his hands and guided his movements up, over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He glided his palms across the sensitive swells, cupping them and thumbing the nipples.
”I don't like it when you wear a bra. Harder to get to the sweets.” He nipped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s through the fabric.
”I have to when I'm dancing. Don't want to be jiggling all over.”
”Mmm, no. Only for me.”
Bella's appreciative purr drew him closer.
At her neck he kissed the heat of her pulse. Once, twice. A dash of his tongue sent s.h.i.+vers across her flesh.
A tilt and twist of her hips spun her about, so that the pulse of his heart beat against her shoulder blade. Bella pressed her derriere into his groin. His wanting moan gave her a smile.
He caressed her breast, cupping it, squeezing. His low sigh vibrated against her back. The sound of a man's pleasure proved a delicious aphrodisiac. Alone, in a room lit only by the low bulb over the kitchen stove, Bella danced with the only man she desired.
Spinning, she placed her hands on his shoulders. The dancing shoes only put her eye level with his mouth, so she lifted en pointe to claim a kiss. Vodka tainted his breath. Desire quickened his motions.
He lifted her with ease and turned her around to set her upon the back of the couch.
It felt right, the two of them coming together in this strange dance that was not quite human and not quite sane.
That thought put her off.Bella slid from the couch and walked a few steps, the nails pounded into her shoe heels clicking precisely. Severo caught her hand and spun her to face him. The aggressive alpha that she'd experienced most often was not present in his eyes. Instead she saw a gentle pleading and knew that he silently wondered why she was so reluctant.
She knew the answer. It pounded in her heart.
”I'm afraid,” she replied, ”that I could fall in love with you.”
”What's so wrong with love?”
”Nothing. Only, I'm not sure I'm looking at this rationally.”
”And the rational viewpoint would be?”
”One mortal human fooling around with one nonmortal werewolf. How far off the sanity scale is that one?”
”Are you disgusted by me, Bella?”
”Not at all. Well, you initially put me off. I mean, I was freaked that night the vampires were chasing me, and you did come on strong and a little creepy-but not anymore. Now? I find you the most attractive man I've ever known.”
”You mean that?”
She nodded. ”You're so s.e.xy. Every time you're close to me, it's like my body responds before my brain can process the information. I hunger for a glance from you. I ache for a touch. I want you, Severo. And that scares me.”
”The werewolf isn't going to intrude upon our liaisons, Bella, if that is what concerns you.”
It did. And it didn't. Honestly, she was unsure about how quickly their relations.h.i.+p was moving. Sure, she'd had a couple of one- night stands before. Sometimes two people came together to have s.e.x, nothing more.
But her and Severo? It was much more than one night of s.e.x to serve a need. It had to be.
”You're thinking too much, sweet. I won't hurt you.”
”I know you won't.” It wasn't physical hurt she worried about, but the emotional pain he might cause. Could she, a mortal woman, do this?
”Take off your clothes,” he said.
Yes. Just surrender. Let it happen, Bella. You want him.
Bella bent to pick up his tumbler, saying over her shoulder, ”You want them off? Come and get me.”
She wasn't sure how he made it to the kitchen counter before she did, but Severo met her there, took the tumbler and placed it in the sink, then lifted her into his arms. ”Your wish is my command.”
When she thought he might carry her to the bed, he stopped at the couch and set her on the arm. Okay, this was good. Not as much pressure as she would have endured if he had gone to the bed. They were easing into things slowly.
A stroke of his hand slipped the sleeve from one of her shoulders and then the other. His hot breath skimmed her skin from the top of her arm to the base of her neck, burning into her, marking her.