"Do you think you're a vampire?" he asked.
His question brought back some reality. She looked at him. "I don't know. I'm so friggin' confused."
He ran his hand over her cheek. "Does it really matter what you are, Kylie? It sure as hell doesn't matter to me."
"Of course it matters." She propped herself up on one elbow. "You don't understand because you know what you are. You've always known what you are. Everything about what I perceived about myself, who I am, what I am, who my father is, it's all been ripped away. All I'm left with is a bunch of questions. Nothing is like I thought."
Tears filled her eyes. "And-"
Derek's mouth met hers. Her eyes fluttered closed. The sweetness of the kiss sent all her emotional havoc out of her mental window. She let herself enjoy the moment. Let herself be pulled into the sensations of just feeling and not thinking. And, oh goodness, it felt good.
When he drew back she wasn't ready for it to end. She opened her eyes. No longer under the sweet sensations of his kiss, she wasn't sure how she felt about him shutting her up. She sat up. "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?" he asked.
"Kiss me when I was trying to talk."
A smile formed in his eyes. "You don't like me to use my gift to calm you down, so I thought I'd use my charm instead."
"If it is just your charm, and not your gift, how do you make everything so much like a fantasy world?"
He shook his head, and his brown hair brushed against his brow. "I told you, I'm not doing that."
She cocked her head to the side and sent him an accusing look.
"If I am doing it, I'm not doing it on purpose. I swear. Being with you makes me happy and maybe being happy ups my charm." His smile was contagious and any emotions taking up residence in her chest similar to anger or distrust vanished.
She thumped his shoulder with her palm. "You think you're that charming, huh?"
His smile widened. "I think you like my kisses." His gaze lowered to her mouth where she could still taste the moisture of his kiss.
"Really?" she teased. "You're that sure of yourself?"
"I'm sure that you're not feeling upset anymore. And that's what matters, isn't it?" He passed a finger over her lips. "Because I really hate seeing you upset."
Her heart squeezed and she wondered if that was a confession that he was indeed manipulating her emotions. Then again, was it wrong to want to make someone happy, to chase away their fears? Oh heck, what was she waiting for? What kept her from saying yes to everything Derek wanted? Yes to agreeing to go out with him. Yes to ... to more kisses and to wherever those kisses led. She leaned in closer, wanting to taste his kiss again.
"See," he said playfully, and arched his eyebrows. "Admit it." He moved in. His mouth came so close to hers that she could practically feel it moving when he spoke.
"Admit what?" She put a little tease in her own voice, hoping she drove him as crazy as he drove her.
"Admit that you like my kisses. And then say yes to going out with me."
She cut her eyes up at him and grinned. "I'll admit I like your kisses, but do you like mine?"
"More than anything." He closed the tiniest bit of distance between them. "Go out with me." He kissed her again. Softly at first and then deeper. She felt his tongue slip inside her mouth. She felt herself gently being lowered back to the ground. Felt his hand slip up under her shirt and touch her bare skin at her waist. He'd touched her like that before but she got the feeling he wouldn't take that touch higher; he wouldn't push the intimacy any further until he had her approval.
And just knowing that made her want to approve. Knowing it was her choice and he would respect whatever she chose meant so much. But was it enough to take that leap?
She reached for his hand, seriously considering moving it higher, giving him permission to ...
"You two need to go back to the camp." The deep voice penetrated Kylie's sensual haze.
Both Kylie and Derek jerked apart. Burnett, the temporary camp leader and a member of the Fallen Research Unit, a supernatural unit of the FBI, stood over them. Kylie's face grew hot with embarrassment at her and Derek being caught making out in the grass.
Derek didn't seem to be bothered. He shot to his feet and looked around. "What is it?"
Kylie stood up. Only then did Kylie recall Burnett's dark tone and notice that his eyes glowed red. A sign that he was on the defensive. Obviously danger lurked close by.