a fiancé, Cheney. Friends are all we can ever be.”
“We’ll see about that.” All the relaxation was gone from his posture and voice. He stood proudly in the center of the chapel.
“There’s nothing to see about. I don’t feel the same way about you. Please take me home.”
“Fine,” he said with clenched teeth, and he pulled me to him roughly.
The next moment we were standing in my house. Cheney once again looked human, and I was still just me.
A knock at my front door interrupted the tension building between us. Cheney arched a brow, asking if I was expecting someone. I shook my head. He motioned for me to stay.
“Who are you?” Cheney asked, a vague hint of disgust in his voice.
“I’m Michael. Is Selene here?” Michael’s voice cut with his own annoyance.
Shit, shit, shit. I scrambled to the door and slipped under Cheney’s arm so I was between the two of them. The air around Cheney filled with electricity.
“Michael, hello—what are you doing here?” I asked, trying to ignore the electrical storm behind me.
“I thought I’d drop by and surprise you, but obviously you already had other plans.” He peered over my shoulder at Cheney then looked back at me, waiting for an explanation.
Cheney moved closer, casually and possessively draping his arm over my shoulder. I elbowed him in the ribs and shrugged his arm off.
“Stop it,” I said through clenched teeth. “Michael, it isn’t what it looks like. This is . . .” I grasped for ways to explain Cheney without revealing any of the supernatural stuff. “My cousin, Cheney. He’s just teasing—always the kidder this one. We haven’t seen each other in a really long time so we’re hanging out tonight. You know, catching up on family stuff.”
“Oh.” Michael glanced back and forth between the two of us again. “Yeah, I can see the family resemblance. It’s nice to meet you, Cheney.” He offered his hand to Cheney with a grin that could stop traffic.
Cheney growled and walked away.
“I’m sorry. He’s not very social—but I don’t have much family, so it’s important I spend time with him. You understand, right?”
“No problem. Another night.” He leaned down and kissed me long and soft, making my lips miss the desperate urgency they’d felt with Cheney the night before—I tried to stop the memory, forced myself to focus on Michael. He was so nice. How many guys would accept that lame explanation so easily? I kissed him back, hoping to feel more than I did.
“I almost forgot,” he said, pulling the ring out of his pocket when we broke apart. He watched while I put it on. I didn’t know where Cheney had gone, but I could feel him watching every move I made.
Michael kissed me one more time, then he said good night, giving me a little smile that four days ago would have made my heart feel gooey.
“Goodnight.” I closed the door behind him and leaned my head against it. Christ that was a close one. I opened my eyes to Cheney’s face less than a foot from mine.
“Your cousin ?” he growled.
“You didn’t leave me much choice acting like that. What on earth is wrong with you?” I said, pushing him, but he only moved closer.
“ That cannot be your boyfriend. He’s an idiot, princess. And that kiss—”
“My fiancé , yes. And he’s not an idiot.” I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. “He’s successful, handsome, kind, sweet . . . And what about his kiss? I thought it was nice.” I couldn’t meet Cheney’s eyes.
“ Nice ,” he said in a scathing tone. “There was no passion, no hunger. That lack of feeling must translate to other areas. How could you possibly be satisfied? Frankly, I’m amazed if you haven’t fallen asleep from boredom.”
He might as well have set fire to my face. It wasn’t that I was unfeeling, but I wasn’t one to let emotions control my life. Michael was a good person and that was more important than passion. “There was plenty of passion for me. I
“We’ll see about that.” All the relaxation was gone from his posture and voice. He stood proudly in the center of the chapel.
“There’s nothing to see about. I don’t feel the same way about you. Please take me home.”
“Fine,” he said with clenched teeth, and he pulled me to him roughly.
The next moment we were standing in my house. Cheney once again looked human, and I was still just me.
A knock at my front door interrupted the tension building between us. Cheney arched a brow, asking if I was expecting someone. I shook my head. He motioned for me to stay.
“Who are you?” Cheney asked, a vague hint of disgust in his voice.
“I’m Michael. Is Selene here?” Michael’s voice cut with his own annoyance.
Shit, shit, shit. I scrambled to the door and slipped under Cheney’s arm so I was between the two of them. The air around Cheney filled with electricity.
“Michael, hello—what are you doing here?” I asked, trying to ignore the electrical storm behind me.
“I thought I’d drop by and surprise you, but obviously you already had other plans.” He peered over my shoulder at Cheney then looked back at me, waiting for an explanation.
Cheney moved closer, casually and possessively draping his arm over my shoulder. I elbowed him in the ribs and shrugged his arm off.
“Stop it,” I said through clenched teeth. “Michael, it isn’t what it looks like. This is . . .” I grasped for ways to explain Cheney without revealing any of the supernatural stuff. “My cousin, Cheney. He’s just teasing—always the kidder this one. We haven’t seen each other in a really long time so we’re hanging out tonight. You know, catching up on family stuff.”
“Oh.” Michael glanced back and forth between the two of us again. “Yeah, I can see the family resemblance. It’s nice to meet you, Cheney.” He offered his hand to Cheney with a grin that could stop traffic.
Cheney growled and walked away.
“I’m sorry. He’s not very social—but I don’t have much family, so it’s important I spend time with him. You understand, right?”
“No problem. Another night.” He leaned down and kissed me long and soft, making my lips miss the desperate urgency they’d felt with Cheney the night before—I tried to stop the memory, forced myself to focus on Michael. He was so nice. How many guys would accept that lame explanation so easily? I kissed him back, hoping to feel more than I did.
“I almost forgot,” he said, pulling the ring out of his pocket when we broke apart. He watched while I put it on. I didn’t know where Cheney had gone, but I could feel him watching every move I made.
Michael kissed me one more time, then he said good night, giving me a little smile that four days ago would have made my heart feel gooey.
“Goodnight.” I closed the door behind him and leaned my head against it. Christ that was a close one. I opened my eyes to Cheney’s face less than a foot from mine.
“Your cousin ?” he growled.
“You didn’t leave me much choice acting like that. What on earth is wrong with you?” I said, pushing him, but he only moved closer.
“ That cannot be your boyfriend. He’s an idiot, princess. And that kiss—”
“My fiancé , yes. And he’s not an idiot.” I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. “He’s successful, handsome, kind, sweet . . . And what about his kiss? I thought it was nice.” I couldn’t meet Cheney’s eyes.
“ Nice ,” he said in a scathing tone. “There was no passion, no hunger. That lack of feeling must translate to other areas. How could you possibly be satisfied? Frankly, I’m amazed if you haven’t fallen asleep from boredom.”
He might as well have set fire to my face. It wasn’t that I was unfeeling, but I wasn’t one to let emotions control my life. Michael was a good person and that was more important than passion. “There was plenty of passion for me. I
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