lifted his nose to the breeze, checking for danger. Finding nothing strange in the rain-scented breeze beyond the acrid aroma of burnt rubber, he knelt beside Emmy’s door. “Sweetheart, are you hurt?”
Bathed in the fluorescent light of the streetlamp, Emmy’s expression grew more alarmed as he visually inspected her for injury.
She must have thought he was envisioning a menu. She drew away from him, fumbling with her latch. “Don’t you touch me!”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t be moving so quickly.”
Stubborn to the bone, Emmy knelt in her seat and climbed over the console to his, then crawled out the driver’s window. She landed in a heap on the far side of the car, letting loose an impressive string of curses.
Dylan sighed and got to his feet, eyeing Emmy as she stood, afraid to spook her into further acts of recklessness.
As it was, her hands lifted as though she were poised for flight.
He eased his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “You have a few choices here.”
The headlights from an approaching car drew her attention from his face. Her shoulders lifted with her indrawn breath.
“You might want to rethink flagging them down for help. You don’t know who’s in the car.”
“I’ll take my chances,” she said, stepping from the curb into the street.
Dylan raised his gaze to the streetlamp and planted his hands on his hips—rather than around her stubborn neck. “Emmy, will you stop to think? If I’d wanted to hurt you, I could have done so when we were still at The Cavern.”
Her frown reflected her indecision.
As the car drew closer, Dylan took the choice away from her. With one bound he landed on top of the car. Before she could finish gasping his name, he landed beside her and dragged her into the shadows, his hand covering her mouth.
The car passed slowly as the driver peered out at the wreckage of Dylan’s BMW.
Dylan held his breath, but didn’t recognize the face of the driver. Then he heaved a sigh when he saw a child in the back seat, still dressed in his Spiderman costume. He was dozing with his face pressed to the window glass.
Not Nicky’s crew. Not yet, anyway.
The car drove by and turned at the next corner.
Emmy’s elbow dug into Dylan’s waist and he released her, stepping back with his hands raised.
She scampered several steps away, putting distance between them before swinging back to level a blistering glare. “What is it with you vampires? Can’t you take no for an answer?”
He fought a smile. She couldn’t still be afraid if she was back to scolding him.
Frustration pushed her lips into a pout he wanted to kiss away.
He cocked one eyebrow, intentionally pushing another button. “Did I ask you a question?”
Angry red circles blossomed on her cheeks. “That’s not the point, and you know it.” She looked back at where he had held her in the shadow. “You move pretty fast. I didn’t see you coming.” Her eyes narrowed. “Is that another vampire talent?”
“Of course.” he said, his voice pitched low.
“Don’t you give me that sexy voice,” she replied. “You’re just trying to work your vampire hoo-doo on me, again.”
This time he couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across his mouth. “Vampire hoo-doo?”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about. You worked some kind of spell on me. I wasn’t looking for a man tonight. Nope. I was minding my own business when you and Nicky-boy started arguing over me like two dogs over a bone. And bam! Not ten minutes later you’ve got me naked and panting—”
“Like a dog?” Dylan’s smile grew wider and he took a step toward her.
She took a step back. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m going to kiss you.”
“Are you nuts?” Her eyes grew round, but she didn’t give another inch. “Didn’t you hear a word I just said?”
His hands circled her waist, and he pulled her close, his hips pressing between her thighs.
“No biting,” she said, her breath