Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter - By Nikki Jefford Page 0,36

my back.

His lips were divine - like soft caresses against my own chapped lips. The windows began to fog, steamed by our heavy breath.

Fane managed to lower me to the bench of the car and cover my body with his own. His hand slipped up my bare thigh, but went no further. He stroked my skin softly. Wave after wave of pleasure rippled through my body.

We stopped kissing. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes. My lips parted slightly. Fane caressed my skin as though touching me was the greatest privilege in the world. I wondered if he was aware of the fact he could do anything to me right then, and I'd let him.

A rumbling engine from a nearby car woke me from my trance. More engines revved until an entire fleet came to life around us.

My eyes opened. "What time is it?"

Fane glanced at his wristwatch. "Eleven thirty."

He sat up when I pushed onto my elbows. "It's already lunch hour?"

There was a glimmer in his eye. "I didn't notice the time passing, either."

I felt dazed when I sat up. I couldn't see out the windows. They were completely fogged and icing over.

"China Garden's nearby," Fane said. "Why don't we walk over, and I'll buy you lunch?"

I smoothed my skirt down my legs, which Fane was admiring rather closely. "Sure, let's go."

We were the only students exiting a car. I spotted Valerie across the lot staring our way. Her eyes narrowed the instant she got over her shock. Sure, I could gloat, but I'd rather forget about her altogether. So much for keeping a low profile.

Fane walked on the outside of the sidewalk and took my hand. It made me grin. I never figured Fane as the hand-holding type.

He reached in his pocket. "Mind if I smoke?"

"Now you're asking?"

"Well, yeah, we're together now."

Together. I grinned so wide I could feel it in my nose.

"Go ahead," I said. "Light one for me, too."

Smoking wasn't on the list of resolutions, but I might as well add it.

Fane chuckled as he pulled his pack of American Spirits out of his coat pocket. "I don't think so."

"What?"

"They're not good for you."

"Oh, and they're good for you?"

"I'm immune." Fane pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He took my hand in his free one again.

"Must be nice."

I squeezed his hand. When he looked at me, I smiled.

The lobby inside China Garden was blissfully quiet. The Denali crowd stuck to McDonald's, Subway, and the supermarket deli. A hostess appeared and led us to a booth behind a bamboo partition. She handed us plastic menus.

"I'll have the vegetable chow mein," I said when a waitress came by to take our orders.

Fane looked across the table. "Are you a vegetarian?"

"Yep, despite my mom's best efforts to 'entice' me into eating meat again."

Fane smiled at the waitress and handed over his menu. "I'll have the same thing."

The waitress nodded and left.

"You don't have to do that," I said.

Fane smiled. "I want to. Besides, I don't really care what I eat."

I shrugged. A smile spread over my cheeks when our eyes locked. I fidgeted on the booth's vinyl bench.

Fane watched me closely. "You're cute."

My cheeks flushed with heat. "What about you?" I asked. "You call me a baddie and it turns out you're Mr. Soft and Fuzzy - a gentleman."

"A gentleman," Fane repeated. His eyes lit up and he laughed. "Mamma would have been so pleased."

I stared at Fane. Mamma? In addition to the word he chose, he used a faint Italian accent to say it.

"Does your mom not live in Alaska?"

"My mom is dead."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It was a long time ago."

"Oh," I said again. "Were you very young?"

"It didn't seem like it at the time, but looking back? Yes, I'd say I was quite young."

"Hot tea," our waitress announced. She set down a small white and blue porcelain teapot with two small cups.

Fane poured tea into a cup and pushed it toward me.

"Thanks." I took a small sip.

"What about you?" Fane asked. "How are things at home? Are they still trying to make you eat cookies?"

I nearly snorted the tea out my nostrils. "I can't believe you remember that!"

Fane leaned toward me. "How could I forget? You looked like an angel who'd lost her way to heaven."

I set my teacup down. "I'm no angel."

And I had the mark of the devil to prove it. Fane seemed pretty dark, but I doubted he'd look at me with the same adoration if he knew I