The Reluctant Vampire Page 0,49

a nice room," he said with a shrug, and added solemnly, "and all the wealth in the world isn't as comfor ng as friends in mes of need." Harper then grinned, and said, "Besides, the rent for the room is cheap."

Drina chuckled and pulled her hand free of his to remove her coat. The apartment was toasty warm, too warm for the coat. Harper quickly shrugged out of his own coat and moved to the closet to grab two hangers. He hung up his own, and then took hers, set it on the hanger, and hung it up as well. He closed the door and turned toward her, only to pause.

Drina's eyebrows rose, and then she followed his a en on to see that when she'd removed her coat, she'd tugged her gown off one shoulder, and it now hung down her arm, leaving a good portion of one red and black bra cup exposed. She almost tugged it back into place, but then just didn't. Why bother? She didn't plan to wear it long, she decided, and turned her gaze back to Harper, not at all surprised to see the silver coming back to life in his eyes. They had been almost pure green by the me they'd go en into the elevator, all the earlier passion apparently washed out by the passing moments of the ride here, or perhaps the cold as they'd walked to the building. Now they were beginning to glow silver again, and it made relief course through her. He'd been so silent in the car, she'd worried -

Her thoughts sca ered, and she held her breath as Harper suddenly closed the space between them. She expected him to take her into his arms and kiss her. At least it's what she was hoping for, but instead he moved behind her. Drina started to turn, but he caught her shoulders and turned her himself, but so that her back was fully to him again.

"Look."

Drina peered where he was poin ng to see them reflected in the mirrored surface of the sliding closet doors: a tall, fair-haired man in a charcoal suit, and a shorter, dark-haired and olive-skinned woman in a black dress. The moment she was looking where he wanted, Harper's hands slipped from her shoulders and she felt them at her back, and then her dress loosened as he slid the zipper down. Drina swallowed, figh ng the urge to turn to him again. He obviously didn't want her to. She didn't know why, but was willing to play along . . . for now, she decided.

His gaze met hers in the mirror again, and then his hands appeared, one at her shoulder and the other catching the already fallen arm of her dress and tugging both down un l the dress dropped away to pool around her feet. It le her in the red and black lingerie and the thigh-high boots, and Drina had to admit she looked damned good. Hot even. A little like a dominatrix maybe, but still hot. She would have to thank Stephanie, she decided. That thought sca ered when Harper skimmed his fingers lightly up her arms, raising goose bumps and making her shiver. She gave up her quiescence then and tried to turn, but Harper slid one arm around her waist, holding her in place.

"Watch," he whispered by her ear, his breath bringing on another shiver.

Drina returned her attention dutifully to the mirror and forced herself to stay still. The moment she did, he began to move, his eyes burning as he withdrew his arm un l his hand was flat on her stomach. He then raised it to slide over one breast as his other hand appeared to cover the other. Holding her that way, he pulled her back against his chest, his fingers beginning to knead and squeeze her through the flimsy material of her bra as he lowered his head to press a kiss to her neck.

Drina lted her head back on a moan and covered his hands with hers to urge him on, but he stopped at once.

"No."

She blinked her eyes open with confusion and met his gaze.

"Watch, don't touch," he growled by her ear.

Drina hesitated, but then let her hands drop again. The moment she did, he began to caress her once more through her bra, and then he let one hand dri away and slide down her belly and between her legs to cup her there. A groan rose from