Bit the Jackpot by Erin McCarthy Page B

her, like salsa—tangy and sweet. Her head pressed against the hard floor, but she was only vaguely aware of it. There was only him, his Irish blue eyes stroking her, stripping her, worshiping her. She relaxed her thighs apart, wanting his erection to rest more fully against her.
    It seemed like a wonderful idea to just reach up, to touch his lip with her finger, run her touch along the warm fullness.
    His mind reached out to hers, a persistent brushing of his thoughts over hers.
    Let me make love to you.
    She wanted to… hell, that was an understatement. She needed it with a primal fierceness that scared her. And she would have said yes, except that she never got the chance. Her mouth was opening when Seamus jerked back with a curse.
    "Hell!"
    "What?" Cara suddenly remembered they were lying in the hotel hallway. She sat up and tugged her T-shirt down over her waistband.
    "Satan bit me, the annoying little shit." He was glaring at her Chihuahua.
    Mr. Spock sat on his haunches, his little tail wagging. He looked adorable. Cara wondered if Seamus had thought to pack Mr.
    Spock's clothes. He had half a dozen adorable sweaters and T-shirts.
    "That little dog couldn't have possibly hurt you," Alexis said, leaning against the doorframe, arms folded.
    "It didn't hurt. It pissed me off."
    "Everything pisses you off," Cara said with a sniff, the mood broken, thank goodness.
    "You trying to leave pisses me off." He stood up, held out his hand for her.
    She ignored it and scrambled to her feet.
    "Seamus, do you have anything for me tonight or can Alexis and I go back inside and leave you to your little domestic drama?" Ethan was smirking next to his wife.
    Seamus glared. "I need to talk to you, actually." He turned back to Cara. "Get back in the apartment."
    That infuriated her. "No."
    "I'll pick you up and haul you back if I have to."
    How could he do that? Go from seductive and caring to bossy bastard? Cara felt angry tears blurring her vision.
    "Whoa, whoa." Alexis stuck her hand up in a T shape. "Time out. Seamus, go do your thing with Ethan. Cara and I are going downstairs to have some girl time."
    When Seamus opened his mouth, she added, "Don't worry, we'll take bodyguards. We'll be fine. How much trouble could we get into in our own casino?"
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Chapter Seven

     
    "Seamus, could I offer a bit of advice?" Ethan asked, as he glanced through the schedule Seamus had handed him.
    "Sure." Seamus lifted the orange cat off his notebook computer and dropped him on the floor. A tuft of fur wafted up and stuck on Seamus's lip. "Damn it." He plucked it off and tossed it in the wastebasket with a grimace. "These cats get into everything. It's like living on Animal Kingdom."
    "That ties in with what I'm about to suggest. It seems to me that you and Cara have some issues."
    Yeah, like the fact that she couldn't stand him.
    "So maybe it would be wise if we found other arrangements for Cara. Just because you turned her doesn't mean she has to live with you."
    Seamus felt a tremor of alarm. Maybe things weren't going so hot, but he didn't want Cara to leave. It wasn't safe. And he would miss her. Because he hadn't slept with her yet. "She can't be on her own yet. She doesn't know how to be discreet, she doesn't know our rules. And what if those guys from the alley come back around? These attacks don't make any sense, Ethan. What if she's in danger?"
    "Relax. I don't mean leave our protection. I meant we could get her a suite of her own. I think she'd be happier that way."
    "I don't want her to have a suite of her own." The very thought offended him. Why the hell couldn't she stay with him? What was so freaking awful about him?
    "Look, I can see you're attracted to each other. But I think Cara is still confused and upset that her life has altered drastically. I think she might appreciate the space and the privacy." Ethan nudged the Chihuahua off his pants. "And she'd take her pets with her."
    "No," Seamus said. He had no logical reason to say