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“Probably not a good idea. I don’t think your dad misses much.”
“Well, if you change your mind, my room’s on the second floor, below yours.”
“I guess your parents sleep on the second floor, too, don’t they?”
“Yes, but at the other end of the hallway. My brother’s old room is between theirs and mine.”
“Good to know.” He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t think your father likes me.”
“That’s okay,” she said, opening the bedroom door. “I like you.”
Smiling, Gideon wrapped his arm around her waist, drew her into the room, and closed the door. “I’m glad to hear it, because I’m rather fond of you, too.”
“Are you?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he lowered his head to hers and kissed her.
Rising on her tiptoes, Kay slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back, her tongue mating with his as he drew her body closer.
Time stopped and nothing seemed to matter but his mouth on hers, his hands moving restlessly over her back. She moaned when he lifted his head, sighed as he rained soft kisses along the length of her neck. Pleasure coursed through her when she felt the brush of his fangs against her skin.
“Gideon …”
There was no need to ask what she wanted. Swinging her into his arms he carried her swiftly to the queen-sized bed and lowered her onto the mattress. He was about to stretch out beside her when he heard footsteps in the hallway.
Grabbing Kay by the hand, he pulled her to her feet and straightened her clothes.
A knock at the door was followed by her mother’s voice. “Kiya? Are you in there?”
“Yes, Mother. Was there something you wanted?”
“A few minutes of your time, if you don’t mind.”
Kay glanced at Gideon. “Sorry.” She mouthed the word.
“No problem.” Bringing her into his room, with her parents in the house, wasn’t the smartest thing he had ever done. He had no excuse, except that it was getting harder and harder to keep his hands off of her, to remember that she was “engaged to be engaged” to another man.
He was standing well away from the bed when Kay opened the door. “Thanks for showing me to my room, Kiya. Good night, Mrs. Alissano.”
Kay’s mother forced a smile. “Good night, Mr. Marquet.”
Gideon nodded. First the boyfriend. Then the father. And now the mother, all with the same, unspoken warning in their eyes. Leave Kiya alone.
He chuckled softly as he closed the door. Ain’t gonna happen, he thought, not in this lifetime, so they’d better get used to it.
Gideon paced the floor while waiting for the people in the house to turn in. It was a nice room. Off-white walls. Good quality beige carpet. A small maple desk and matching chair. Flowered drapes at the single window. A private bathroom with an enclosed tub and shower, a walk-in closet.
Opening his preternatural senses, he listened to the sounds of the house—Kay and her mother getting ready for bed in their rooms downstairs. Kay’s father pacing the floor in the den, his footsteps quick and angry.
It was a big house for only three people. Of course, it was more than just a house, it was a symbol of the Alpha’s rank.
Moving to the window, Gideon stared into the darkness, his eyes narrowing when he spied a man walking the perimeter of the backyard. Gideon frowned. Was it normal for someone to keep watch at night, or was it because there was an unwanted guest in the house? A closer look told Gideon it was Victor Rinaldi.
Curious, Gideon left the house and made his way into the backyard.
Rinaldi detected his presence almost immediately. “What are you doing out here?” he demanded.
“Just getting some air,” Gideon replied mildly. “What are you doing out here?”
“Keeping watch, what else?”
Gideon thought it odd that it was Victor, and not a member of the pack, doing sentry duty. “I’d think that electrified fence would be deterrent enough.”
Rinaldi shrugged. “It doesn’t pay to let your guard down. I’d think a vampire would know that.”
Gideon clenched his hands, annoyed by the man’s derogatory tone.
“I don’t like the way you look at Kiya,” Rinaldi said flatly. “I know the Alpha said you were welcome here, but I think it would be better for everyone if you took off.”
“Maybe, but I’m not ready to leave.”
“Stay or go, it makes no difference. Just remember that Kiya is mine.” There was no mistaking Rinaldi’s defensive posture, or the unspoken challenge in his eyes.
“Is that right?” Gideon cocked his head to the side. He had never been able to resist a challenge, and he saw no reason to start now. “What if she changes her mind?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Rinaldi retorted, bristling.
“Yeah?” Gideon grinned, just to further piss off Rinaldi. “Well, I wouldn’t bet on it if I were you.”
* * *
Chapter 20
Kay woke late after a restless night. Sometime around two in the morning a bad dream had awakened her. Though the details of the nightmare had eluded her on waking, she hadn’t wanted to go back to sleep. What she wanted was Gideon, lying beside her, assuring her that everything would be all right.
Slipping out of bed, she had tiptoed up the stairs to his room, only to find his bed empty. Wondering where he had gone had kept her awake until sunrise. She had told herself he had gone hunting, or for a walk, but a nagging voice in the back of her mind kept whispering that he had decided to leave and hadn’t wanted to tell her good-bye.
Yawning, she sat up. In the clear light of day, she knew her fears of the night before were groundless. He wouldn’t leave without saying good-bye. So, where had he been last night?
Pulling on her bathrobe, she hurried up the stairs and peeked into his room again, unable to stave off a wave of fresh doubts when he wasn’t there.
After a long, hot shower, she dressed and went downstairs. To her surprise, she found her mother and father in the kitchen, still at breakfast. Apparently they had also had a late night. She took a moment to study her parents. As usual, her mother was dressed for the day. She wore a neatly pressed blue print shirt, white skirt, and low-heeled shoes. A lacy white apron was tied around her waist. Her father wore a crisp white shirt and gray trousers with a razor-sharp crease. She could never remember her parents taking their breakfast in robes and slippers, not even when she was a little girl on Christmas mornings.
