else—not necessarily together, because…well, why
would
they be? Connor didn’t bother to correct any assumptions.
When they finally docked, he and Vivi were forced back into the shared spotlight in a reverse receiving line. Though they were side by side, Vivi kept her attention on the guests, barely throwing a single glance his way.
Then, with a simple “See ya,” Vivi followed the last guest down the gangplank.
Normally Connor wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but Vivi had been in his thoughts a lot recently. And after tonight…Well, Vivi was pretty much all he could think about, and none of it made any sense at all.
The chauffeur dropped him in front of Gabe’s building. There had been huge crowds of revelers on Bourbon, but the crowds were thinner here, and most of the people were either too intoxicated or too focused on their own good time to pay him any notice at all.
Good, because I’m really not in the mood tonight
.
The kind of mood he was in was easy to pinpoint and name. His whole body thrummed with want, but it was a specific want.
Vivi
. And that didn’t make any sense at all.
Why now? Why after all these years did he suddenly have the hots for Vivi LaBlanc? He’d crossed a line tonight, taken everything a step too far, and the next thing he knew he’d had Vivi in his arms, just seconds from kissing her.
While he tried to remind himself that Vivi was his self-proclaimed mortal enemy, she’d certainly shown a new side of herself to him tonight—in between insults, at least. Andwhen he tried to remind himself that he didn’t like Vivi—had never liked Vivi—his body was quick to argue that wasn’t entirely true. Her confession that had stopped just short of admitting that she might have had different feelings toward him once upon a time didn’t help either.
The normal litany of reasons he could usually recite failed him. Insanity was the only explanation that made sense.
He dropped his keys on the table and propped his wings against the wall. At least he wouldn’t have to wear this outfit again until Fat Tuesday. Grabbing a beer from the fridge, he drank half of it in one long swallow as he went to the bathroom and pulled off the leather pants and vest. A long, slightly cooler than normal shower helped him clear his head and focus, but it did nothing to take the edge off.
Sleep was out of the question, so he pulled on a pair of sweats and went to the kitchen for another beer. He could see himself needing several tonight. And if the mental replay couldn’t be stopped, he’d need another, much colder shower soon.
The intercom buzzed loudly in the silence. It was most likely a lost tourist or random drunk, but he answered anyway.
“It’s Vivi.”
His hand slammed the release button before the words were even completely out of her mouth. He didn’t bother to question why she’d suddenly appeared, didn’t really care. The jolt to his system caused by her voice honed that earlier dull edge to painful sharpness. As he opened the door to the stairwell, he heard the outside door close and the sounds of feet on the stairs. It was the sound of a slow climb, but a purposeful one. When Vivi rounded the last landing she looked up and saw him. Her feet seemed to stall, and she climbed the last flight at a snail’s pace, not quite holding eye contact, but not staring at her feet either. She’d changedfrom the satin column of her Saint costume into jeans and a battered jacket zipped up to her neck.
She blew her hair out of her face. “Thanks for letting me in. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“It’s one o’clock in the morning. I couldn’t leave you standing on the street.” That was a good enough explanation. And until he knew her reason for coming by in the middle of the night…
Connor realized he was holding his breath.
On the top stair, Vivi stopped, and he noticed her knuckles turning white as her fingers gripped the banister. She was totally still, except for the
would
they be? Connor didn’t bother to correct any assumptions.
When they finally docked, he and Vivi were forced back into the shared spotlight in a reverse receiving line. Though they were side by side, Vivi kept her attention on the guests, barely throwing a single glance his way.
Then, with a simple “See ya,” Vivi followed the last guest down the gangplank.
Normally Connor wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but Vivi had been in his thoughts a lot recently. And after tonight…Well, Vivi was pretty much all he could think about, and none of it made any sense at all.
The chauffeur dropped him in front of Gabe’s building. There had been huge crowds of revelers on Bourbon, but the crowds were thinner here, and most of the people were either too intoxicated or too focused on their own good time to pay him any notice at all.
Good, because I’m really not in the mood tonight
.
The kind of mood he was in was easy to pinpoint and name. His whole body thrummed with want, but it was a specific want.
Vivi
. And that didn’t make any sense at all.
Why now? Why after all these years did he suddenly have the hots for Vivi LaBlanc? He’d crossed a line tonight, taken everything a step too far, and the next thing he knew he’d had Vivi in his arms, just seconds from kissing her.
While he tried to remind himself that Vivi was his self-proclaimed mortal enemy, she’d certainly shown a new side of herself to him tonight—in between insults, at least. Andwhen he tried to remind himself that he didn’t like Vivi—had never liked Vivi—his body was quick to argue that wasn’t entirely true. Her confession that had stopped just short of admitting that she might have had different feelings toward him once upon a time didn’t help either.
The normal litany of reasons he could usually recite failed him. Insanity was the only explanation that made sense.
He dropped his keys on the table and propped his wings against the wall. At least he wouldn’t have to wear this outfit again until Fat Tuesday. Grabbing a beer from the fridge, he drank half of it in one long swallow as he went to the bathroom and pulled off the leather pants and vest. A long, slightly cooler than normal shower helped him clear his head and focus, but it did nothing to take the edge off.
Sleep was out of the question, so he pulled on a pair of sweats and went to the kitchen for another beer. He could see himself needing several tonight. And if the mental replay couldn’t be stopped, he’d need another, much colder shower soon.
The intercom buzzed loudly in the silence. It was most likely a lost tourist or random drunk, but he answered anyway.
“It’s Vivi.”
His hand slammed the release button before the words were even completely out of her mouth. He didn’t bother to question why she’d suddenly appeared, didn’t really care. The jolt to his system caused by her voice honed that earlier dull edge to painful sharpness. As he opened the door to the stairwell, he heard the outside door close and the sounds of feet on the stairs. It was the sound of a slow climb, but a purposeful one. When Vivi rounded the last landing she looked up and saw him. Her feet seemed to stall, and she climbed the last flight at a snail’s pace, not quite holding eye contact, but not staring at her feet either. She’d changedfrom the satin column of her Saint costume into jeans and a battered jacket zipped up to her neck.
She blew her hair out of her face. “Thanks for letting me in. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“It’s one o’clock in the morning. I couldn’t leave you standing on the street.” That was a good enough explanation. And until he knew her reason for coming by in the middle of the night…
Connor realized he was holding his breath.
On the top stair, Vivi stopped, and he noticed her knuckles turning white as her fingers gripped the banister. She was totally still, except for the
Similar Books
