watched Katie interact with the newcomer; she smiled and laughed and acted as if she’d been lost in a desert for an entire span and the chubby man could provide her with water. Black fury surged within him so potently he craved the long, sharp length of his talon. He saw the man latch on to her shoulder—a man who would die if he didn’t remove the offending appendage immediately.
Katie said something to the marked-for-death man. Plump cheeks turning red, he huffily marched away.
Jorlan relaxed. Better. Much better. By her own doing, Katie belonged to him. She’d kissed him. Allowed him to sleep next to her bed. She’d even listened while he spoke of his family. No other man was allowed to touch this woman who was to be his life-mate and live.
Something brushed his jaw. He half turned his attention from Katie and frowned. The woman at his side was persistent, tracing her fingertip over his face. She’d offered him the use of her bed three times already, and had even slipped a key inside his pocket. He muttered something quick and impersonal in her direction, then once again went back to fully watching Katie. She was scowling, but she was alone.
Just then, someone thrust a beer bottle into Katie’s hand. She set aside her empty rum-and-Coke glass. She wasn’t thirsty, but as she continued to cast covert glances in Jorlan’s direction, she pictured herself in a boxing ring with each woman present and drank. Deeply. She’d never enjoyed the taste of beer, but before she realized what she’d done, she had consumed four bottles.
A waitress arrived with a tray of Jell-O shots and nachos. “In honor of Mike,” she said. Cheers circulated throughout the room and Katie found herself having one shot, then another without giving the nachos a second glance. Jorlan, she noticed, didn’t even sip his water. He was too busy watching her. Had he learned his lesson? Not quite well enough, was her guess. Arching one brow, she looked over at him and raised her glass in a silent salute, a salute that said bite me. A leggy brunette, who was wearing a short spandex skirt and minitop, playfully jumped onto his lap.
Who did he think he was, anyway? Only an hour ago he’d tried to get into her pants. Only three days ago—or was it four?—anyway, he’d asked her to marry him. She’d told him no. Big deal. That didn’t mean he had the right to flirt with other women.
Before she knew it, Katie had worked up a good steam.
She jackknifed to her feet and propelled over to the snuggly couple. She pointed to the woman with a shaky finger. When had her hands gotten shaky? “Look here,” she shouted. The noise level tapered to quiet. “The last woman who made a play for him ended up in the hospital.”
“Why?” the woman asked with a little, tinkering laugh. Obviously she thought Katie was joking. She flipped her main of glossy hair over her shoulder. “Did he lick her to death?”
Katie’s eyes narrowed. “No. I broke every bone in her body and ate her organs for breakfast.” She said it with a lethal seriousness thrummed with icy determination.
The brunette jumped up as though Jorlan had suddenly mutated into nuclear waste.
“Now let’s dance,” Katie commanded Jorlan.
A wicked gleam entered his eyes, and he stood, holding out his hand to her. She took it, glaring around her just in case someone decided to protest. Together she and Jorlan strode downstairs and stepped onto the dance floor. It seemed like he had to hold her up, though. In the short time she’d been upstairs, the lower level had somehow become tilted, and each time she moved, her head felt fuzzy.
“That was quite a display, warrior woman.”
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Aye.”
Well, at least he was truthful about it. Sighing, she rested her head on his shoulder. “You’re too handsome, Jorlan. Do you know that?” Her lips clamped shut. Why had she admitted that aloud?
His husky chuckle reverberated against her chest. “Tell me more. Tell me what you like about me.”
For some reason, that sounded like such a good idea. “Well, you’re tall. I think that is sooo sexy.”
“Hmm. What else?”
“At the house that first night, when you were naked, I kept looking down and all I could think about was how big you were and how wonderful you would feel buried deep inside me.”
He stilled. His arms, which were wrapped around her waist, pulled her closer into his embrace. “’Tis very intriguing, that desire of yours.”
“Want me to tell you your bad qualities? They’re bad, very, very bad.” She didn’t give him time to answer. “You’re an alien.” She rose up and glared at him accusingly. “Why’d you have to be an alien?” Too heavy to hold up, her head plopped back onto his shoulder. She sighed, disappointment and need trickling from her lips in a steady stream.
He arched a brow. “What else is bad about me?”
Her brow furrowed. “I don’t remember.” Why was the room spinning? “I have a disease, you know?”
“Disease?” The word lashed from his lips with the force of a tornado. “Why did you not tell me before? Should we take you to a healer?” His eyes were the color of a starless night, both blue and black and almost surreal.
“A healer can’t help me.” Her fingers hooked onto the waist of his jeans. “My disease is fatal.”
“Whether you want to or no, you are going to my world, katya, and I will find you a healer.” His arms held her so tightly she was fast losing her breath. “I will listen not to your protests.”
“I know you’re just saying that ’cause you don’t want me to die before I fall in love with you. But what if I can’t? I mean, what if I’m incapable of loving a man? Did you ever think of that? I’m dying of First Date Syndrome, after all. Ever heard of it?”
“You are dying from First Date Syndrome?” he asked, incredulous.
“That’s right.”
He growled low in her ear. “Do not ever do that again, woman. I thought you were truly sick.”
“I am. I’m sick in the head. I’ve never made it past the first date. Maybe, if you were from here, I’d go on a second date with you. Maybe then I’d love you.” Gently stroking her hands up and down his back, she explained about some of the horrid evenings she’d endured. Once she thought he chuckled, but she knew she was mistaken. They were discussing something very serious here, something that affected her entire life. But her head was whirling uncontrollably, and she forgot what she wanted to tell him.
“Jorlan,” she whispered. “I think I’m going to pass out.”
And she did, sliding down into a liquor-soaked darkness.
SOMEHOW, AND JORLAN HAD no idea how, he managed to drive Katie to a nearby lodging without getting either of them killed. The transportation was not easy to manage, but neither was the snoring Katie. He had to pay for a new chamber with Katie’s green paper, since he could not recall where their first lodging was located.
As he carried her to their new room, Katie moaned sporadically. He blamed himself for her condition.
