"Not much," she muttered, and then realized that wasn't true. They had managed to talk a little between lovemaking sessions in the barn. She knew he had a house on the outskirts of Toronto not far from an aunt named Marguerite that he was quite fond of, but that he didn't get to stay there much because he was always traveling for work. She knew he had a cottage up north where he occasionally got to go to enjoy the peace and quiet, that he preferred reading over television, and plays to movies. She knew he had six brothers and sisters-three older brothers and three younger sisters. She knew he liked food, loved sex, at least with her, and found Justin exasperating. And she knew he devoted his life to keeping mortals and immortals safe from those vampires, fanged or fangless, who chose to go rogue and wreaked havoc. Dani also knew he was calm in a crisis, strong, considerate...
"In here." Decker tapped her chest when she remained lost in her thoughts. "What do you know about me in here? Do you trust me?"
Dani considered the question. While she hadn't trusted him when they'd first met, that was because he'd been lying to her. But once he'd explained the lies and who and what he was... At the Parkers, the one person she'd wanted to see was Decker. She'd trusted that he would take care of things. She'd trusted him. Dani nodded. "Yes."
"Then believe me when I tell you, Dani McGill, that I love you. I love your independence, your determination, your love and concern for family, your intelligence, your wit, your-"
She covered his mouth with her hand. "I believe you. But it would never work between us. Even if you don't despise me for being a no-fanger-"
"Edentate," he corrected.
She nodded and continued, "Your family might. Leo said-"
"He lied. Or he truly believes those things, but he's crazy. My family will love you," Decker added, drawing her back into his arms. "And regardless, I love you, Dani. I'd give my life for you."
She gave a small laugh. "You almost did before we had even met in that clearing."
Decker shook his head. "You know getting shot wouldn't have killed me. I wasn't risking much there, but I would give my life for you, Dani. I'd give it to save your life, and even to just reverse what's happened and make you mortal and happy again if it would."
Dani snorted at the thought and unthinkingly muttered, "Well, that would hardly make me happy if you were dead."
She saw the smile curve his lips and realized what she'd said, and then his mouth was on hers. She felt his hand at the back of her head, angling her to where he wanted her, and then his tongue was inside her mouth and Dani let her hands slip up around his shoulders as she began to kiss him back. The passion that swirled up through her was breathtakingly sudden. It tore a moan from her mouth and had her shifting eagerly closer, pressing herself against him from calf to lips. She could feel his erection pressing against her and was completely caught by surprise when he suddenly tore his mouth away and leaned his forehead against hers, his hands dropping away.
Dani wanted to pull his head back to her, but forced herself not to and waited uncertainly, half afraid that despite his claims, Decker was repulsed by her now that Leonius had turned her. His body certainly seemed willing enough, but his mind apparently wasn't, she thought unhappily, and then he said, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" she asked warily.
He gave a half laugh, as if it should be obvious, and then said, "For this. You've just woken up after being turned. You're upset and we're squeezed into a closet, for God's sake, yet I was about to yank up your skirt and-" He broke off and shook his head.
Dani felt relief slide through her, and caught his hand.
She drew it down to her outer leg where the hem of her skirt ended and said huskily, "Yank up my skirt."
Decker pulled back to peer down at her, but she merely caught his head with her other hand to draw his mouth back to hers even as she slid his other hand up her outer thigh, pushing the skirt upward. She whispered, "I want you to."
It was all she had to say; Decker took over then. He began to kiss her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth, but he didn't continue raising her skirt. Instead he shook off her hand and reached for the halter of her dress. It soon dropped down, baring her br**sts, and Dani groaned as his hands covered them, squeezing and kneading as he kissed her, sending wave after wave of passion through them both. He then broke their kiss and ducked his head to catch one nipple in his mouth. That hand free now, he slid it between her thighs, pressing the cloth of her panties and gown against her as he found and rubbed her core.
Dani groaned into his mouth, her own hand moving to work at the button and zipper of his jeans. Despite her desperate distraction, she managed to undo both. She then jerked down the front of his boxers and his penis sprang out. The moment it had, Decker caught her leg behind the knee and drew it up and around his hip. He then pushed her skirt up so that he could reach between her legs again. This time, it was to tug her panties aside.
Dani's groan as his fingers ran over her was followed by one from him, then Decker caught her other leg up, shifted his hands to her bottom, and raised her up a little before lowering her onto his erection. He was hot and hard, and the feel of him filling her made her tear her mouth from his with a gasp. She almost then turned to bite his shoulder, but caught herself at the last moment. Dani wanted to bite something terribly badly, not for blood, just because the feelings exploding over her were too intense, but that was dangerous now.
Trying to reduce the risk that she might get overexcited to the point that she couldn't stop herself, Dani released the hold she had on his shoulders and grabbed for the bar that ran the length of the closet. She clutched at that with both hands and leaned her head back away from him as he withdrew himself and began to drive back into her.
Decker claimed her lips again then, kissing her deep and hard before breaking away. When it ended, she found herself pinned to the wall, his shoulder far too temptingly close. She closed her eyes and shook her head, clutching desperately at the bar as he drove into her over and over again, sending wave after wave of excitement coursing through her. And then just when she reached the breaking point, she spotted the rope still dangling from her wrist and lunged for it, sinking her teeth into the thick cord as he drove into her one last time and then cried out as he exploded. The waves that washed over her then were enough to push her over the edge too, and she was aware of actually biting through the rope before unconsciousness claimed her.
Chapter Seventeen
It was the hard slam of his back on the floor that woke Decker. Blinking his eyes open, he saw that the closet door he and Dani had collapsed against had been opened. Justin, Mortimer, and Lucian now stood in a circle around his head, peering down at him with surprise. At least Mortimer and Justin appeared surprised, he thought with a sigh. Lucian looked stone-faced as usual, with just the slight arching of one eyebrow to suggest it might be unusual to open a closet door and have two half-naked people fall out.
"Well," Justin said finally when no one else seemed eager to speak. "I thought you'd never come out of the closet."
The younger immortal then burst out laughing at his own joke. When no one else joined him, he glanced from Decker's grim face to Dani, who lay still in a faint on his chest, and then to both Mortimer and Lucian. Shaking his head, he muttered, "You guys really need to go buy yourselves a sense of humor."
Turning on his heel, he stalked off to the kitchen.
Lucian watched him go, and then turned back to eye Dani briefly before telling Decker, "Get her up and into the kitchen. I need to ask her some questions."
"Did Leonius show up?" Decker asked at once.