Curiosity (2 page)

Shaking away the last of her nervous energy, she knocked on the door and hoped for the best. Even doubting she was the type of woman Devin graced with a second look, she wasn’t going to allow her tiny bit of insecurity to keep her from asking him out on a date.

Minutes ticked by while she waited for him to answer, but nothing happened. Her confidence started to slip away as the wait got longer and even longer. She was already apprehensive about approaching him again, and this wasn’t helping it at all.

What if he already had a girlfriend? He could be behind that door wishing she would go away and leave him alone.

She shoved the thought from her mind. As long as Devin had lived across from her, and for all the spying she did through her peephole, if he had a girlfriend, Krishell would have seen her by now. No, he was as single as she was.

She
knew
her plan was going to work tonight. Devin would agree to go out on a date with her because she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She knocked for a second time.

“Do you care to tell me why you are knocking my door?” a familiar male voice demanded from behind her, making her jump and sending a tingle of awareness rippling down her spine.

Krishell slowly turned around. Her gaze traveled the length of Devin’s tall body, taking in his black shorts and T-shirt before she spotted the black and white gym bag thrown over his left shoulder.

Damn, he looks good
.

Reluctantly, she dragged her gaze from his muscular physique and looked up into a pair of stunning, leaf-green eyes. “I wanted to see you,” she answered as her heart pounded away. “I was wondering if you would like to go out on a date with me.”

Chapter Three

Why couldn’t she have stayed away until tomorrow
?

Devin was mere inches from touching distance of Krishell’s body and her welcoming aura that summoned him closer to her—a place he shouldn’t be. She stood in front of him, wearing a tiny black skirt that made her legs seem longer and ten times more inviting.

The idea of staying at home had crossed Devin’s mind for a split second, but with Krishell being only mere steps away, he’d quickly banished the thought. Truthfully, knowing Krishell was only mere feet away from him was becoming harder for him to ignore.

Satisfaction
clawed at him harder and faster with each passing day. His blood raced through his veins as if he’d just run a marathon. She wouldn’t be here if she understood what was happening with him. She couldn’t help but be drawn to him because of their bond, and he wanted to make sure he wouldn’t do anything to frighten her away from him.

Devin again fought off the push to bite her and mark her luscious body as his. Holding on to his control would be the hardest battle of his life, but in the end it would be the best decision he would ever make for him and his woman.

For tonight, he had to drive her far away from him, but he would make it up to her first thing tomorrow, when he had enough time to worship her body the way it should be.

“Krishell, I’m not interested in having dinner with you tonight, or any other night for that matter.” His tone was harsh, and he hated that he was hurting her. He brushed past her, trying not to let the crestfallen look on her beautiful face bother him.

When they made love for the first time, he wanted to make sure she got as much pleasure from it as he would. Taking a human woman during the intense cycle of
satisfaction
wasn’t always a beautiful experience for her. Afterwards, she might not want to accept him in her life as her mate. He wouldn’t be able to handle it if what he truly was made her reject him.

“I didn’t think you even knew my name,” Krishell confessed as he unlocked his door and walked inside.

Of course, he knew her name. He knew everything about his mate from her favorite cartoon as child down to her favorite color. He’d spent months finding out everything he could about her before he left home.

Spinning around, Devin tossed his gym bag on the floor and gripped the doorframe with his hands. God, he hated pushing her away, but this would be the last time. He had to do this so he wouldn’t grab her, yank her into his apartment, and spend the rest of the night turning her so their bond could never be broken.

Her perfume mingled with her own womanly scent was breaking through the walls he fought to keep locked in place.

Shit!

His cock was so hard he was stunned it didn’t rip through his gym shorts.

“Yes, I know your name. Why wouldn’t I find out the name of the woman who’s stalking me?” he snapped as his restraint slipped to a dangerously low level. “Can you please leave?”

Please, baby, just leave me alone for tonight. Tomorrow morning I’m all yours
.

Moving back from him, Krishell placed her hands on her hips, causing the already seductive top to slip even lower, displaying more of her beautiful, silky skin to his hungry gaze.

The sight of her perfect body made his fangs come out, but he got himself under control before Krishell noticed them and ran screaming in the opposite direction. This wasn’t how he wanted to tell her that he was a vampire.

Damn it!

He couldn’t handle much more of this back and forth with her. Why hadn’t he listened to his father and stayed at home for another month?

He already knew the answer.

The thought of being away from Krishell another thirty days ate at him. He had spent over three hundred years waiting for his mate, and he wasn’t about to wait a minute longer, but he should have.

Now here he was, practically breaking her heart when all he wanted to do was kiss and hold her. He was tired of pushing her away. He came to her for a reason, and this wasn’t it.

He opened his mouth to apologize for his nasty attitude and accept her dinner invitation, but her hand shot out, cutting him off.

“Okay. You don’t have to beat me over the head. I
finally
get it. You aren’t interested in me. I should have paid attention the first time you told me. I don’t want to upset you any further with my presence. I’m sure since it is Friday night I can go out tonight to a club and find a cute guy willing to buy me a drink. Have a good night!”

No way in hell his Krishell was leaving the building dressed as she was. He wouldn’t allow it.

Spinning away from him, she headed down the hall, yet she didn’t get too far. Devin wrapped his hand around her upper arm and turned her to face him. The possessiveness he tried so valiantly to keep hidden broke free. “You aren’t going anywhere to meet men. I forbid it,” he growled. “You are
mine
.”

She glanced down at his fingers wrapped around her arm before her big brown eyes shot back to focus on his face. “Have you lost your mind?” She tried to jerk away. “Let go of me.”

He tightened his grip, but not enough to hurt, and then he took a step closer. “No. I won’t allow other men to see you in this outfit.”

“You have no right to tell me what to do. Take your hand off me.” Placing her free hand in the center of his chest, she shoved, but he didn’t budge. “I’m not kidding with you,” she snapped. “You can’t keep me here.”

He wouldn’t get anywhere like this, so he decided to try a different tactic with her. He was going to give Krishell what they both wanted. Relaxing the grip he had on her arm, he gently eased her closer to his body. “Why don’t we go out to dinner instead? Isn’t that the reason you came over here to see me? I promise to give you a more exciting time than any guy from a night club tonight. Say yes.”

Smiling up at him, she relaxed her body against his. “I…” she whispered, softly.

“Yes, sweetheart?” He let go of her arm and ran his knuckles down the side of her face, loving that he could finally touch her like this, relieved he’d talked her into staying. Even the pounding of
satisfaction
seemed to calm once he got her in his arms.

“Tell me what you want, and I’ll do it for you.”

Her pretty eyes narrowed as she pushed away from him. “I would rather eat dirt than go anywhere with an asshole like you.” She spun away and stormed off down the hallway.

Chapter Four

Krishell didn’t make it halfway down the corridor before Devin grabbed her by the waist and tossed over his wide shoulder.

“Put me down this instant,” she screamed, not caring if their neighbors heard. She hit Devin in the back as he turned around and carried her back in the direction of his condo.

“I’m not about to allow you to show off your amazing body to any male but me,” he informed her. “Don’t you understand by now that you belong to me and no one else? Now, sweetheart, stop squirming.” He slapped her on the ass, and she instantly stopped moving.

What an asshole
,
she thought as Devin carried her further and further away from the elevators.

Inside his condo, he closed the door and slid her down his hard, muscular body until her feet hit the floor. Before she could move away from him, he pressed her back against the door, placing his hands on either side of her head.

“We need to talk, and now is as good time as any. I need to tell you some things about me.”

“I don’t give a damn about what you
think
I need to know. All I
need
to know is that you aren’t attracted to me, so I will find a man who is. What’s the big deal?” She shoved at his hard chest, but he didn’t move an inch. “Get away from me. I need to go.”

“Do you know how long I’ve been fighting the urge not to take you?” he asked, staring down into her upturned face.

“Take me?” She frowned. “You aren’t making any sense. What are you talking about? How about we forget this entire conversation and you move so I can leave?”

“I can’t let you go. We belong together, sweetheart. I promise you.” He lowered his head until their mouths were only inches apart. “For the past two years, I’ve searched for you. I wasn’t going to stop until I found my mate. I love you. You are the missing part of me. I wouldn’t be able to survive without you at my side. I can’t let you go.”

Devin had a lot of nerve saying these things to her now after avoiding her countless times and then telling her, just outside in the hallway, to leave.

“I can do anything I want,” she informed him. “I don’t know what you mean by your mate. Have you been drinking?” God, she wasn’t interested in any guy who had problems like that, no matter how good looking he might be.

“I’m a vampire,” he told her with a straight face. “You’re my mate, which means we are meant to be together. For a lifetime.”

Her eyes widened for a moment, and then she realized he must be joking. She laughed. “Vampires aren’t real.”

Stepping back from her, he frowned as he folded his arms across his chest. “I’m very much the real thing. Do you want proof?