Page 20 of Wicked Ways

Her arms, which had fallen from his body, now rose again, and she looped them around his back, liking this moment. The warmth. The tender touches.

His breath feathered over her skin. “Tell me…” A soft press of his lips against her neck, almost as if he were kissing her tender wounds. “Why in the hell is a woman like you dating loser vampires?”

The question, coming right after the truly fabulous sex, threw her off.

He pushed up, bracing on his palms. “Are the men in this city just shit crazy? You’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Her lips parted in surprise. “Meeting men isn’t, ah, really the problem.” Cherryville wasn’t exactly overflowing with studs, but she could find dates. The problem was… “I was hoping to meet someone, um, different.”

One black eyebrow quirked. “Baby, you did that.” His hips pressed down against her in a soft thrust. “And if you wanted different, I was right next door.”

But she’d already agreed to the date with Paul before she’d met Cain. She’d thought about canceling with Paul once she started fantasizing about her neighbor, and now she sure wished she’d gone with that impulse.

Cain’s lips brushed over hers, then he eased away from her, pulling his still-firm cock from her body.

Dammit.

“I’ll be right back.” He tossed her a hard look over his shoulder. “And then you’ll finish telling me why you were surfing the Web and wound up with the vamp.” He headed toward the guest bath.

Miranda took stock of her situation. Sex with Cain had been good. Correction, way better than good. Her body ached, but it was a fine, satisfied feeling like⁠—

“So finish talking, Miranda.”

She jerked at his voice. Too close. Jeez, Cain moved fast. Her eyes narrowed as she stared up at him. The guy was sure soft on those big feet of his. “I—ah—” She caught sight of his perfect abs and, momentarily lost her train of thought.

“Miranda?”

“Tired of jerks,” she mumbled, dragging her gaze away from the tempting abs. “My fiancés were⁠—”

He froze in front of her.

“Uh, Cain?”

Slowly, he raised a hand and wound up looking like some kind of sexy naked statue. “Back up. Did you just say ‘fiancés’?”

“Um.” But Ryan and Peter really weren’t important. No, the important thing was to get Cain closer so that they could go a second round.

The statue came back to full life as he snagged her hand and crowded her back against the couch. “Just how many fiancés have you had?” There were sparks in his eyes.

“Two.” The sparks burned a little brighter. Miranda shook her head. “Look, Ryan and I got together right after college. Honestly, I think I liked the guy’s motorcycle more than I liked him.” He’d driven one prime Harley. “The engagement ended almost as soon as it started.”

“And the other guy?” His voice was expressionless, but that fire still simmered in his gaze.

“Peter.” She said his name on a sigh. “Big mistake.” She’d let him move in with her. “Peter didn’t want a fiancée so much as he wanted a free ride through life, and let’s just say that I got tired of paying.” Two losers, but there had been more.

“Do you still love him?”

“Oh, God, no!” The words burst from her. Miranda shook her head. “I don’t even try to think about Peter if I can help it.” A close escape, that was what she’d had. “I was online because I wanted to find someone different. And it’s not like I’m the only one out there looking for—for—” Miranda cleared her throat. “Well, you know.” Actually, her partner teacher, Sally Jennings, had been the one to encourage her to create an online profile.

Sally had met her husband, Ted, online just over a year ago. Not a vampire. Ted was a perfectly normal, handsome accountant.

Some women just had good luck. And some women just got dates with devils.

“You’re not going to be looking for ‘you know’ anymore.” Cain’s voice was firm. The drawl she liked so much trickled through his words.

A smile curved her lips. Maybe she wasn’t quite as unlucky as she’d thought before. “No, I’m not.” Miranda pressed her index finger lightly against the middle of Cain’s chest. “I’ve got what I need.”

His jaw tightened. “I mean it, Miranda. I’m not the sharing type.”