warrant and put Vivian’s life in danger by betraying his secret?
“We need to talk,” he said, reaching for Callie’s hand. “I’m sure your friend will excuse you.”
Vivian nodded, her eyes wide, her face suddenly pale.
Callie knew a moment of terror as Quill’s hand closed over hers. Thinking she might faint, she stumbled to her feet, murmured, “Bye, Viv,” as Quill’s hand tightened on hers.
Feeling like a condemned prisoner being led to the gallows, she followed him out of the club, into the darkness beyond.
* * *
“You told her, didn’t you?” Quill asked, his voice tight with anger.
Mouth dry, Callie nodded.
“Why?” His dark gaze burned into hers with all the intensity of a forest fire.
Too frightened to speak, she stared at him, wishing she could call back every word. But it was too late. Would he kill her and Vivian to silence them forever? Forcing the words past her dry throat, she begged, “Please don’t hurt Vivian.”
“Why, Callie?” he asked again, his voice filled with hurt at her betrayal. “Why would you tell her about me?”
“I’m sorry, but I had to talk to someone. I just couldn’t keep it all bottled up inside any longer. You don’t understand.” Tears burned her eyes and dripped, unheeded, down her cheeks. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Not about you, not about me, or my grandmother. Sometimes I think I’m trapped in a horrible nightmare or lying in some hospital lost in a coma. Either way, I wish I could wake up.”
Quill swore under his breath as he pulled her gently into his arms. Murmuring her name, he held her close. “It’s all right, love. Don’t worry about your friend. I won’t hurt her. But I will wipe tonight’s conversation from her memory.” I just hope her mind isn’t as strong as yours.
Callie looked up at him. “You promise?”
“I promise. If you need to talk about all this, talk to me. No one understands better than I do.” Or loves you more.
“I’ve just been so confused.”
He nodded again as he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “Let’s get your car,” he said, “and I’ll take you home.”
* * *
Callie couldn’t help thinking he looked out of place behind the wheel of her VW. Long-legged and broad-shouldered, he reminded her of a giant driving a toy car. His presence, his nearness, brought all her senses to life.
She grew tense as he pulled out of the parking lot. He had promised not to hurt Vivian, and for that, she was grateful beyond words. If anything had happened to her friend, she never would have forgiven herself. But what is he going to do to me? That was the question pounding in her head as he pulled into her driveway, killed the engine, then focused all his attention on her.
She shrank back against the seat, her breath coming in hard gasps.
“Relax, Callie,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you or try to wipe your memory again.”
“Why not?” she blurted, then clapped her hand to her mouth.
He laughed softly as he took her hand in his. It sent a shiver of awareness racing down her spine. His gaze moved over her face. “You must know how I feel about you.”
She nodded warily.
“I’ve never met anyone like you. I know we got off to a bad beginning, but is there any chance we could start over and you could forget what I am and pretend I’m just a guy who wants to get to know you better?”
“I don’t know.”
“Will you try?”
Callie bit down on her lower lip, her gaze sliding away from his. What did she want? A life without him? Or a chance to get to know him better? Yes, he was a vampire, but if she put that aside, he was just a remarkably handsome man who treated her with kindness and respect. On the other hand, they couldn’t have much of a future together. And the more she got to know him, the harder it would be to let him go when it was over.
She stared at his hand holding hers, felt the tension building in him as he waited for her answer.
“I’ll try. I can’t promise anything. But I’ll try.” She felt the tension drain out of him as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
“Are you busy tomorrow night?” he asked.
“No.”
“May I call on you?”
She nodded. “What time?”
“As soon as the sun goes down. What would you like to do?”
“Dinner and dancing?”
“Nothing I would like better than a chance to hold you in my arms.” He kissed her palm, sending little frissons of delight spiraling to the core of her being.
Exiting the car, he went around to open her door. He slipped his arm around her shoulders as he walked her to the porch. “May I kiss you good-night?”
Callie nodded, excitement fluttering in the pit of her stomach as his lips claimed hers in a long, slow kiss she wished would never end.
Murmuring, “Until tomorrow,” he kissed her once more, lightly, then descended the stairs and disappeared into the darkness.
Callie smiled faintly, thinking there was no way to pretend Quill was just an ordinary man. But she was more than willing to try.
* * *
Quill arrived at sundown the next night looking splendid in a pair of black slacks, a gray shirt, and a thigh-length black leather jacket. He whistled when he saw her.
“Like it?” she asked, twirling around in front of him. She had spent the better part of the afternoon looking for just the right thing to wear for the evening.
“What’s not to like?” Her dress was pale-blue silk with a fitted bodice and a short skirt that outlined her figure to perfection. She wore a pair of matching high heels and a sapphire bracelet. Her honey-gold hair fell in glorious waves around her shoulders. A deep breath carried the scent of her perfume and her own warm, womanly fragrance. “Ready?”
Nodding, she grabbed a long, white sweater from the back of a chair, collected her handbag, and followed him out the door. She blinked in surprise when she saw the car in the driveway. “What happened to the Jag?” she asked as he opened the door to a fire-engine-red Corvette.
“It’s a clear night. I thought we’d take the convertible for a change.”
“How many cars do you have?”
“Three.”
“Must be nice,” she muttered as he closed her door. Of course, she could buy
