Page 22 of A Song in the Night

I exhale through my nose and, in the next breath, buck my hips to get him off of me. “Christ, you’re twice my size,” I mutter.

Noah leans closer, his hair falling into his eyes. “And?”

I open my mouth to tell him it isn’t a fair fight, but then stop myself. New Ve isn’t a fair place, and last night was proof that I will be outmatched in most of my confrontations. Instead I say, “Are you going to let me up?”

As much as I could pretend I hate having Noah this close, the throbbing between my legs waits for the chance to make a liar out of me. As he waits for me to act, Valerie’s words pop into my head.You forget that vampires can smell arousal.

My gaze goes to his mouth before I can stop it.

“Fight me off,” the vampire orders. His breath puffs against my cheek, and it smells like toothpaste. Apparently he hasn’t had his coffee yet.

Then his words register, and I raise my eyebrows. “You want me to knee you in the groin? Because that’s pretty much all I’ve got left.”

“Why don’t you give it a shot? If you actually manage to hurt me, I promise I won’t hold it against—”

Before Noah can finish his sentence, I’m kissing him. Kissing him with every moment of sexual frustration, longing, and repression that I’ve felt since meeting him. Kissing him hungrily, as if he’s the blood within a vein. Our tongues claim each other, almost rough in our fervor.

But the second Noah’s grip on my wrists loosens, probably to squeeze my breast or skim my stomach, I pull free and shove him away. He lands on his ass with an undignified sound as I roll to the side and stand, my chest heaving.

Noah makes no move to get up. He just watches me. “All you’ve got, huh?”

I shrug, willing my breathing to return to normal as Noah finally gets to his feet. “It was… an impulse.”

His brows rise as he walks closer, stealing the distance between us. “To kiss me?”

“That’s not what I meant.” I cross my arms. “You know what? Whatever. It worked.”

He nods. “It did. So is that your plan going forward? To make out with anyone who attacks you?”

“No,” I counter, “that’s just the plan when it comes to you.”

An instant after I say this, I feel my face redden.Where the hell didthatcome from?By the blood, being around Noah emboldens me like nothing else. Being near him, touching him, makes me want to push the boundaries between us.

Noah presses his hands against the wall on either side of my head, effectively creating a cage, as his eyes search mine. “I’m a little confused, baby vampire. Are you asking me to attack you or to kiss you?”

My answer is to grab the front of his shirt and pull him in until our lips collide. Heat explodes at my core as I push my fingers through Noah’s soft hair. He kisses me back for a fleeting moment before his words vibrate against my lips. “Charlie, I don’t think—”

“Don’t think,” I cut him off.

But Noah wraps his hands around my shoulders and pushes me away. “Charlie,” he says again, his tone firm.

My stomach plummets.He doesn’t want me. Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I can’t look at him anymore. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Noah asks. I shake my head, still unable to meet his gaze. “Charlie, look at me.”

I will the tears gathering in my eyes to recede, blinking quickly, and pray they don’t fall. I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one night. “Noah—”

“Lookat me.”

I feel that command through my entire body. I finally meet his dark gaze and echo, “I’m sorry.”

Noah sighs, his brows knitting, and his fingers flex around my shoulders. “That is not something you need to apologize for.”

He drops his hands, freeing me, but still stands close enough that I feel the warmth of his body. Confusion makes me shake my head again. “Then why did you pull away?”

Noah doesn’t immediately respond, and as I wait, I replay our interactions in my head. Once, I’d been the one to retreat.I know our first kiss won’t be the last, Noah had said that night.It’s only a matter of time before you succumb to your desire for me.

What changed between now and then? Why has he been so curt and distant since the auction?

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