His amusement faded fast. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means you look really good at first glance but then as you take in the whole picture, you notice something is missing. Like your sanity. You’re crazy if you think I want to have sex with you.”
Drantos shook his head and his gaze softened while he continued to watch her. “I expect an apology for all the insults you keep giving me when you realize the truth about what we are to each other.” Amusement suddenly flashed in his gaze, which matched the wide grin that spread across his face, a reminder of how handsome he could be. “You can give it to me on your knees.”
Her gaze lowered down his body to the front of his jeans. She couldn’t miss the outline of his aroused cock. She frowned in response, refusing to allow him to intimidate her.
“The day I blow you is the day you turn into a eunuch. Do we understand each other?” She snapped her teeth at him to make her meaning clear.
“Don’t threaten to bite someone unless you want to be bitten back—and sweetheart, I have sharper teeth.”
“Stop calling me that. I don’t like it or you.”
He glared. “Go to the bathroom.”
She carefully stood and headed deeper into the woods to find a safe spot to empty her bladder. The fear of bears and other animals made her do her business fast before returning to the small clearing next to the water to wash her hands in the river.
Drantos wasn't where she'd left him, and one sweeping glance around didn’t show any sign of him. Her heart accelerated from the jolt of fear that he might have abandoned her. He had seemed mad when she’d stomped away.
A noise made her jump and she faced the splashing sound. Drantos’s head popped out of the water as he stood up about ten feet from the bank. Dusti gawked outright at the sight of his wide, tan back. He’d removed his shirt to expose his muscular upper body. The guy obviously belonged to a gym that he worked out in a lot to have gained those thick biceps. She’d seen bodybuilders at her own gym with less muscle mass. She had to close her mouth that had dropped open.
He turned his head, seeming to sense her there. His gaze met hers.
“Now is the time to do it if you want to strip down and use the water to get clean. Just splash yourself with water. I’m about to build a fire to cook our meal.”
“No thanks.” No way would she remove any of her clothes for a sponge bath in front of him.
He shrugged those impressive broad shoulders of his before wading deeper into the water, up to his armpits. He took a sharp breath before he pushed up with his legs. His sleek, wet skin showed as he rose to dive into the river. Dusti gasped when she saw his bare, beefy ass flash before he disappeared under the water completely.
She spun away, refusing to see that sight again. That’s when she spotted his neatly folded clothes. He’d left them near a small bush she’d walked right past when she’d left the tree line. A pair of black briefs was on top of the pile.
Water splashed behind her and she tensed. He was probably showing off his body again. Cold water hit her and she gasped, spinning around. Drantos stood in waist-high water and grinned. He shook his hair again, more drops of the river striking her skin.
“Knock that off.”
He grinned wider. “Did I get you wet? It wouldn’t be the first time, would it?”
The words sank in. He was referring to the night before when she’d lost her mind. “You’re so rude, and that was uncalled for.”
“Was it? That was for the crayons remark. Be happy I don’t walk over there, strip you bare, and remind you how much you want me. Kraven isn’t here to stop me this time from finishing what I start.”
She wanted to smack him. He was purposely being an ass. Two could play at that game. “Keep being a dick and I might toss your clothes in the river with you.”
His amusement died. “I wouldn’t recommend it. Don’t piss me off any more than I already am, sweetheart. You already insulted me. Get my clothes wet and all bets are off on what I’d do in revenge.”
His tone implied a threat. “Fine. You’re not crazy. Everything you’ve told me is true. Prove it to me then. Turn into a dog. Don’t Werewolves do that? Your brother said something about shifting forms. Show me.”
“You’d be terrified and run from me. That’s the last thing I want.”
“Right. Like I’m currently here because I volunteered to be. What are you going to do if I do toss your stuff in the river? Suck my blood? I’m not forgetting that you said you’re also a Vampire.”
“Damn it, Dusti.”
“Damn you!” She was tired of living in fear and her life had turned to hell since the moment she’d laid eyes on Drantos. He’d appeared next to her seat, and then the plane had crashed, and now she was in the middle of the wilderness worried about her sister. “I want my sister and I want to go home!”
His expression softened. “I’m sure you do. I’ll catch a few fish and we’ll eat. You’ll feel better with a full belly. Let’s call a truce for now. I could use your help.”
“I’ll feel better when I see Bat and we’re on our way back to California.” She glanced at his bared chest. His nipples were hard pebbles. “I’m not coming in there. It looks cold.”
“It is. I just meant I’m going to catch some fish and I want you to prevent them from flopping back into the river once I toss them on the bank. That’s all.” He paused. “You’ll see your sister soon. I promise that Kraven is keeping her safe. They’re probably down river already eating.”
She hoped so. “Fine. Let’s see you catch fish. Where’s your pole?”
He grinned and took a few steps closer to her, revealing more of his body. “I’ll show you.”
She spun around to give him her back when she saw his hipbones. “You’re naked. I’m not looking.”
He chuckled. “I thought you wanted to see my pole.”
She clenched her hands into fists at her sides. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“I was hoping,” he muttered.
She turned back around. He hadn’t exposed more than just his upper body and his lower stomach. He had the best body she’d ever seen. It irritated her to notice that. He stared at her for a moment but then turned, walking deeper into the river. She watched the way he moved, his muscles flexing as he lifted his arms and then dived back in. His lower body surfaced, flashing his nice ass again. He disappeared under the water completely.
“It means you look really good at first glance but then as you take in the whole picture, you notice something is missing. Like your sanity. You’re crazy if you think I want to have sex with you.”
Drantos shook his head and his gaze softened while he continued to watch her. “I expect an apology for all the insults you keep giving me when you realize the truth about what we are to each other.” Amusement suddenly flashed in his gaze, which matched the wide grin that spread across his face, a reminder of how handsome he could be. “You can give it to me on your knees.”
Her gaze lowered down his body to the front of his jeans. She couldn’t miss the outline of his aroused cock. She frowned in response, refusing to allow him to intimidate her.
“The day I blow you is the day you turn into a eunuch. Do we understand each other?” She snapped her teeth at him to make her meaning clear.
“Don’t threaten to bite someone unless you want to be bitten back—and sweetheart, I have sharper teeth.”
“Stop calling me that. I don’t like it or you.”
He glared. “Go to the bathroom.”
She carefully stood and headed deeper into the woods to find a safe spot to empty her bladder. The fear of bears and other animals made her do her business fast before returning to the small clearing next to the water to wash her hands in the river.
Drantos wasn't where she'd left him, and one sweeping glance around didn’t show any sign of him. Her heart accelerated from the jolt of fear that he might have abandoned her. He had seemed mad when she’d stomped away.
A noise made her jump and she faced the splashing sound. Drantos’s head popped out of the water as he stood up about ten feet from the bank. Dusti gawked outright at the sight of his wide, tan back. He’d removed his shirt to expose his muscular upper body. The guy obviously belonged to a gym that he worked out in a lot to have gained those thick biceps. She’d seen bodybuilders at her own gym with less muscle mass. She had to close her mouth that had dropped open.
He turned his head, seeming to sense her there. His gaze met hers.
“Now is the time to do it if you want to strip down and use the water to get clean. Just splash yourself with water. I’m about to build a fire to cook our meal.”
“No thanks.” No way would she remove any of her clothes for a sponge bath in front of him.
He shrugged those impressive broad shoulders of his before wading deeper into the water, up to his armpits. He took a sharp breath before he pushed up with his legs. His sleek, wet skin showed as he rose to dive into the river. Dusti gasped when she saw his bare, beefy ass flash before he disappeared under the water completely.
She spun away, refusing to see that sight again. That’s when she spotted his neatly folded clothes. He’d left them near a small bush she’d walked right past when she’d left the tree line. A pair of black briefs was on top of the pile.
Water splashed behind her and she tensed. He was probably showing off his body again. Cold water hit her and she gasped, spinning around. Drantos stood in waist-high water and grinned. He shook his hair again, more drops of the river striking her skin.
“Knock that off.”
He grinned wider. “Did I get you wet? It wouldn’t be the first time, would it?”
The words sank in. He was referring to the night before when she’d lost her mind. “You’re so rude, and that was uncalled for.”
“Was it? That was for the crayons remark. Be happy I don’t walk over there, strip you bare, and remind you how much you want me. Kraven isn’t here to stop me this time from finishing what I start.”
She wanted to smack him. He was purposely being an ass. Two could play at that game. “Keep being a dick and I might toss your clothes in the river with you.”
His amusement died. “I wouldn’t recommend it. Don’t piss me off any more than I already am, sweetheart. You already insulted me. Get my clothes wet and all bets are off on what I’d do in revenge.”
His tone implied a threat. “Fine. You’re not crazy. Everything you’ve told me is true. Prove it to me then. Turn into a dog. Don’t Werewolves do that? Your brother said something about shifting forms. Show me.”
“You’d be terrified and run from me. That’s the last thing I want.”
“Right. Like I’m currently here because I volunteered to be. What are you going to do if I do toss your stuff in the river? Suck my blood? I’m not forgetting that you said you’re also a Vampire.”
“Damn it, Dusti.”
“Damn you!” She was tired of living in fear and her life had turned to hell since the moment she’d laid eyes on Drantos. He’d appeared next to her seat, and then the plane had crashed, and now she was in the middle of the wilderness worried about her sister. “I want my sister and I want to go home!”
His expression softened. “I’m sure you do. I’ll catch a few fish and we’ll eat. You’ll feel better with a full belly. Let’s call a truce for now. I could use your help.”
“I’ll feel better when I see Bat and we’re on our way back to California.” She glanced at his bared chest. His nipples were hard pebbles. “I’m not coming in there. It looks cold.”
“It is. I just meant I’m going to catch some fish and I want you to prevent them from flopping back into the river once I toss them on the bank. That’s all.” He paused. “You’ll see your sister soon. I promise that Kraven is keeping her safe. They’re probably down river already eating.”
She hoped so. “Fine. Let’s see you catch fish. Where’s your pole?”
He grinned and took a few steps closer to her, revealing more of his body. “I’ll show you.”
She spun around to give him her back when she saw his hipbones. “You’re naked. I’m not looking.”
He chuckled. “I thought you wanted to see my pole.”
She clenched her hands into fists at her sides. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“I was hoping,” he muttered.
She turned back around. He hadn’t exposed more than just his upper body and his lower stomach. He had the best body she’d ever seen. It irritated her to notice that. He stared at her for a moment but then turned, walking deeper into the river. She watched the way he moved, his muscles flexing as he lifted his arms and then dived back in. His lower body surfaced, flashing his nice ass again. He disappeared under the water completely.
