Heart Ache (Bound by a Touch Novels #1) by Morgan Kearns Read Free Book Online

curl. A shiver ran up then raced back down her spine as she remembered the silver sparkle in his usually dark eyes.
    Damn, he was a gorgeous man. His accent alone caused a girl’s knees to buckle.
    An annoying ring brought her out of her thoughts.
    “ Mr. Voinea’s office,” Gabby said into the phone and she sat down at her desk.
    “ Gabby!” Marie laughed.
    “ Good morning.”
    “ You sound distracted.”
    Well, yeah, she was. Big time.
    “ You okay?”
    “ Yeah.” She shot a glance at the still open door. “Can you meet me in the cafeteria for a cup of coffee?”
    “ Coffee … in the cafeteria? What’s wrong?” Gabby didn’t comment, so Marie continued, “Okay. Give me fifteen minutes.”
    “ Thanks.”
    Gabby hung up the phone and mindlessly began organizing—and reorganizing—the stack of papers in her ‘in’ basket. Her fingers traced over the elegant signature of her boss, and she wished it was her name written by his strong hand. With Voinea at the end.
    Another ring made her focus on reality. “Mr. Voinea’s office.”
    “ Is Nikolai in?” the feminine voice purred the question.
    “ He’s on another call. Is there something I can help you with?”
    “ I’d like to leave a message. Please let him know Patricia called to confirm our date tonight. Tell him I can’t wait.”
    Jealousy swirled in Gabby’s gut. She swallowed. “I’ll let him know.”
    Without waiting for a response she hung up. She’d always assumed Nikolai dated, but knowing it stung. Big time!
    These feelings she had for her boss were wrong on so many levels; the desire, the ache, the need, the desperation . But she’d be damned if she could change a single one of them. Hell, she’d been trying for three years.
     
     
    Nikolai smiled as Gabrielle left his office. She’d been flustered beyond words. He’d finally had an effect on the beautiful female who made his heart flutter. It was only fair. After allowing himself a few selfish moments of smug satisfaction, he crossed the office to the large bookcase and pulled the lone book, the Voinea family bible, from a shelf in the middle. Behind it was the hallowed out space in the wall where he’d installed a small refrigerator.
    He took a medical bag out and replaced the wood paneling and the bible. As he poured the bag into his glass, his fangs lengthened.
    Despite having found his heartmate, Nikolai still required more than love for sustenance. With a little luck, someday that would change.
    The thought of feeding from Gabrielle was one that Nikolai couldn’t think on too much. Once he took her blood within his veins he would need her for survival. A cold, unbeating heart would make him wish for death. But if she was no longer willing to give her blood, death would be a painful reality.
    Sounds of Gabrielle moving around in the outer office caused Nikolai’s anxiety to flare. She couldn’t find him like this; red eyes and fangs would be even harder to explain than an out-of-place pair of shoes under her bed.
    He walked across the room in determined strides and softly closed the door. It only took three gulps to down the red liquid. He rinsed the glass at the small wet bar and placed the empty bag in the garbage under the sink.
    His fangs were just returning to their normal position, and the tell-tale red hue in his eyes easing when someone knocked lightly on the door.
    “ Yes?” He knew exactly who would be opening the door, his body’s reaction was indication enough.
    Gabrielle’s tropical scent accompanied her inside the office. “Niko—I mean Nikolai, I’m going down to the cafeteria for some coffee.”
    He raised his brows. There wasn’t a place with worse coffee than the crap brewed downstairs. It was flat-out awful.
    “ Cafeteria coffee, Gabrielle? You must really need some caffeine.”
    She tucked an auburn lock behind her ear. “Well, I—”
    “ It’s okay, Gabby.”
    “ I’ll be back in a little bit.” She turned, paused then turned back to