Page 12 of The Mech Who Loved Me
Firm hands caught her arms, helping her with the sleeve. "Ava, you're not amonster."
No?She had to get the blood off her. The craving virus roused through her, bringing a rush of blood through her veins. "I've never felt that way before. I've never done a damned thing wrong,andyet—"
"Hey, now." His voice lowered, and he rubbed her arms even as she threw her coat on thefloor.
She never wanted to see itagain.
A sob caught in her throat.I never asked for this. But before she had time to try and choke it down, she found her face buried in Kincaid's chest, those strong arms wrapping around her, one hand cupping the base of herskull.
"You're not a monster," Kincaid said, gently stroking the back of her neck. "That man wasn't thinking clearly. He was seeing what he wanted to see—an enemy, someone to blame for the hellish way his life has probably turned out. And it's easier to see your pale skin and blame you than it is for him to take some responsibility for his own damnedbadluck."
"How do youknowthat?"
"Because that man was me severalyearsback."
Ava looked up, meeting his eyes. There was so much she didn't know about this man, though his body bore scars of a rough life. He hated blue bloods. Hated them. And people just didn't hate for no reason—even that man in the street had a reason for the rage that filled him the instant he realized what she was. Empathy filled her, and she realized her thumb was rubbing against Kincaid's side. Back and forth. Back and forth. The brush of his shirt was almosthypnotic.
"Careful, kitten," Kincaid whispered, his lashes lowering almostsleepily.
She didn't want to becareful.
She... she didn't know what she wanted. But something hollow ached within her. And he was so warm, so virile and fulloflife.
Frustrating, yes. Impossible, yes. But safe too, in a way she wasn't sure she wanted to explore. It was like having a tiger in her chambers, and wondering if she daredpetit.
"If you keep looking at me like that, then I'm going to have a hard time pretending to be a gentleman," Kincaidwarned.
"Youarea gentleman," she protested, for despite his roguish demeanor, he was very careful with her attimes.
"I'm really not," he insisted, and his head lowered toward her, just the faintest offractions.
Ava sucked in a shortbreath.
As she filled her lungs, the scent of him stole through her. Sweat and cologne, and everythingmale. Her vision went dark, the predator within her surging to the surface.Yes, it whispered, and her mouth watered as the stupidest urge filled her, one that wanted her to rub her face against that chest, to lick his throat and perhaps sink her teeth into the veinthere.
Ava panicked, and shoved away from him. "I'msorry."
Kincaid staggered, one eyebrow arching at her strength. They stared at each other and Ava swallowed, trying to lower her no-doubt-black eyes. The kitchen suddenly seemed far too small. What was she doing? What was she thinking? This wasKincaid. The man who despised blue bloods. The one who thought marriage was a trap, and who seemed to know every young woman in theneighborhood.
The one who roused that shiver of heat deep within her abdomen every damned time she lookedathim.
"It's all right, kitten." His voice sounded like honeyed gravel. Amused. "Neither of us was thinking straight. And you've had a hard time, what with that man throwing blood at you,rousingthe—"
"I wasn't thinking about...." She couldn'tsayit.
"Blood?" He scraped a hand through his unruly black hair. "Iknow."
The words jolted her. The craving virus unleashed so many foreign feelings within her, including a desire for blood or for... other things. Things that involved the heated stroke of his hand on her body, the trace of his lips against her skin.... "Youdo?"
"I told you. I'm not a gentleman. I know what was going through your headrightthen."
There was a wealth of meaning in those words, but before she had a chance to process them, footsteps echoed above and they bothlookedup.
All the heat seemed to evaporate off Kincaid, and tension rode through his shoulders. "There she is." He raised his voice. "Orla, do you needahand?"
Ava's hearing was exceptional, but she couldn't tell whether it was a man or woman. A slight crinkle drew between herbrows.
"Liam? Is that you?" a womancalled.
