Jodi was trying so hard to push that particular thought out of her mind that she nearly missed the fact that the shuttle-car had stopped. But after a moment her eyes registered that the scenery outside was now stationary instead of moving.
It was also extremely eye-catching.
Blinking in pink and red neon outside the window was a sign that said, “The Todd—Couples Superstore!” In smaller script below it read, “Proudly serving the Tampa Bay Area since 1969!”
“What the hell?” Jodi turned to glare at Vorn. “Why did you stop? What do you think you’re doing, bringing me here?”
“I think I’m trying to make peace,” Vorn said heavily.
“What? By bringing me to a porn shop?” Jodi demanded.
“Look…” He spread his big hands in a gesture of truce. “Let’s not beat around the tree—we both know what you need and we both know your fiancé isn’t here to give it to you.”
“What are you saying?” Jodi glared at him. “That you’re hoping this place will get me hot and bothered enough to ask you to give it to me?”
“No, Goddess-damnit!” Vorn growled. “I’m saying I broke your favorite toy—the one you need to get off, apparently. So we’re going to go in here and I’m going to buy you a new one so you can fucking get yourself off and both of us can get some rest tonight.” He stabbed a finger at her. “Because I damn well can’t take another night like last night. Your scent is every-fucking-where in that domicile and it’s driving me fucking crazy.”
Jodi opened her mouth, intending to tell him coldly to take her home and then take himself back up to the Mother Ship. She leaned forward…
And somehow found herself kissing him.
What the hell are you doing, Jodi? What’s wrong with you? Stop this—stop it right now! a little voice in her head was screaming, but somehow she couldn’t seem to stop—didn’t want to stop.
The big Kindred’s mouth tasted hot and spicy, like cinnamon candy that burned your tongue. And he was kissing her back, running those big, hard hands all over her body, cupping her breasts, twisting her nipples in a way that shot sparks of pleasure straight down to her pussy which was hopelessly, helplessly wet.
Jodi kissed him back, tugging at his thick black and gold hair, trying to get closer, wanting to press herself against him, to feel that big, hard body covering her own, holding her down, filling her up…
Then Vorn was pushing her away, panting harshly with the effort.
Jodi found she was panting herself. She looked down and saw that her blouse was half unbuttoned and her bra was clearly visible. Her hair had pulled loose from the neat bun she’d pinned it in to teach that day and a glance in the rearview mirror showed that her lipstick was smeared from the famished kiss they’d shared.
“We can’t,” Vorn said, his voice coming out in a low, hungry growl. “You know we can’t. You’re fucking spoken for.”
“No, I know, I know.” Jodi tried to straighten her hair and button her blouse with hands that shook. She wiped at her smeared lipstick. Why had she done that? Why had she attacked him that way?
And why had he stopped her?
“You can’t do that.” Vorn pointed a finger at her. “It’s hard enough to resist you as it is, Jodi. You can’t fucking jump me like that.”
Jodi glared at him.
“I didn’t mean to do it! And besides, it’s your fault I’m this hot! You talk about my scent but yours is driving me insane!”
For the first time since she’d met him, the big Kindred actually looked shocked.
“My scent?” he asked, frowning. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s that…that musk you exude,” Jodi snapped. “I don’t know if it’s some kind of aftershave or a Kindred cologne or what but every time I’m close to you I smell it and it makes me want to…to do things I shouldn’t do,” she ended weakly and then looked away. “Things like what I just did,” she whispered.
God, what had she just said? What had she just admitted?
And what had she just done?
“My scent,” Vorn repeated, as though stunned.
“I guess you can’t smell it, huh?” Jodi demanded. “Any more than I can smell the scent of my ‘hot little pussy’ as you so bluntly put it last night. But it’s there—it’s all around me.” She made a swirling motion with one hand, indicating the way the scent filled the interior of the car. “It’s like leather and smoke and spice and sex and it makes me think of all the things I want but can never, ever have!”
God, she really had to stop talking—the things she was saying were stupid…crazy…
True.
Vorn still looked stunned.
“But you can’t be smelling my scent,” he growled. “That would mean my body was putting out its Mating Scent, which is completely wrong.”