Enticed By Blood: A Sweetblood World Vampire Romance Read Free Page A

bitterly.
    “Then what is it?”
    “It’s having higher moral standards than you and refusing to compromise them. This,” she said, elbowing him in the ribs, “is bad enough.”
    “Sharing my coat because you don’t have one isn’t a gentlemanly thing to do?” No matter how many centuries he lived, he would never entirely understand women.
    “You’re right.” She moved out from under his suit jacket and shielded her head from the rain with her arms.
    What the hell?
    “Juliette,” he barked. “Get back here.”
    Ignoring him, she tried walking faster, although she wasn’t having much luck in those shoes. She looked like a drenched long-legged bird on a goddamn tightrope.
    “Juliette!”
    A crack of thunder followed a bright flash of lightening and then the rain came down even harder.
    It was ridiculous to argue in the middle of a storm. He lunged forward and scooped her into his arms.
    “Andre, what do you think you’re doing? Put me down!”
    “We’ll get there faster this way.”
    “I don’t care. Now put me down.”
    He ignored her protests and quickened his pace.
    She pushed at his chest and squirmed in his arms, but when one of her feet came dangerously close to kicking him in the balls, he had enough. He threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and started jogging.
    “What a jerk.” She pounded on his back, but he didn’t stop.
    It wasn’t until he turned onto the long driveway leading to the small hotel that he realized her protests had turned into sobs. He stopped underneath an old oak and set her back on her feet.
    “ Ma cherie , what is wrong?” he asked. “I am only trying to help.”
    She swiped a hand over her eyes as if she were mad at herself for crying. “Don’t be an idiot and insult me like that. You’re married and you carrying me like that…it’s not right. I can walk. Myself. Without your help.” Her tone was as sharp as a knife blade and it sliced clear through him.
    This rejection was of his own making and it was working perfectly. Wasn’t this what had he wanted? For her to hate him and not want anything to do with him?
    Time and distance had made it easier for him to pretend that they hadn’t shared something incredible back in San Francisco. Hell, he’d even considered buying property up there. There was a beautiful old hotel on the coast that he’d had his eye on before he’d come to his senses.
    He reached for her but she jerked away. Her rejection tore at him, cracking his resolve.
    “Juliette, please.”
    “Do not touch me,” she said through clenched teeth.
    He couldn’t stand it any more. “I’m not married,” he blurted.
    “What?” Her head snapped up.
    “I’m not married,” he repeated. It felt so good to finally tell her the truth, like a heavy yoke had been lifted from his shoulders.
    Unimpressed, she narrowed her eyes. “And you expect me to believe that?”
    “No, which is why you can ask any person on my staff. Any of them. They’ll confirm this. You don’t need to take my word.”
    “So, was that a girlfriend in San Francisco then? The bellman saw you leave with someone.”
    “I know, but he was…mistaken. There was no girl.”
    “But—”
    He put a finger to her lips. “I am not married, nor have I ever been married. I do not currently have a girlfriend, nor did I have one when you and I were together. Although,” he said with a smile, hoping to drag one out of her, “I would be a liar to say that I’ve never had one.”
    She wasn’t impressed and continued to stare at him through humorless eyes. “Then why?”
    He sighed. “It’s a long story, Juliette, but I swear to you on my grandmere’s grave, that I am telling you the truth.”
    Another crack of lightening briefly illuminated their surroundings.
    And that’s when he saw them.
    Three shadowy figures on the other side of the road.
    Watching.

Chapter 4
    T he instant Juliette’s feet touched solid ground in front of the hotel, she doubled over and