Single White Vampire (Argeneau #3)(25)

Relieved beyond measure, he smiled widely down at her when she murmured his name. She seemed slightly surprised at his smile, then asked uncertainly, "Is something wrong? You've stopped dancing."

Lucern peered around, surprised to realize that in his revelation he had stopped moving. He now merely stood in the middle of the dance floor holding her close. Very close. Her breasts, squashed against his chest, were being forced upward out of her gown. And they were very nice breasts. Round and a pale pink flesh tone that spoke of healthy blood. Lucern would have liked to lick his way over those orbs and…

"I have to talk to Bastien," he gasped. "Now."

Releasing her from his tight hold, he started to walk to where Bastien was dancing, then suddenly realized what he was doing. Whirling back to the bewildered Kate, who stood like an abandoned baby in the center of the dance floor, he took her arm and led her back to their table. He then walked around the dance floor, relieved that the music ended just as he reached his brother's side.

"Bastien, after you've seen your dance partner back to the table, I need to talk to you outside. At the van," he said meaningfully.

"Sure," his younger brother said. "Be with you in a moment."

Lucern nodded, and Bastien walked Rachel's sister, who was the maid of honor, back to the head table.

"Did I hear you say you were going out to the van?"

Lucern turned to find Lissianna behind him. She and Gregory had joined the dance floor just after Lucern and Kate. The couple had been standing nearby, waiting for the next song to start. He wasn't surprised she'd heard what he said.

He nodded in answer to her question, and felt it necessary to explain: "I haven't been feeding enough since Kate arrived."

Lissianna nodded in understanding. "Rachel and I will join the two of you. She was saying earlier that, what with preparing for the wedding and everything, she—"

"Fine, fine," Lucern interrupted. He didn't need the explanation. He was happy to have the women join them. "Go get her, then. Bastien will… Oh. He's brought her with him."

Bastien was leading their new sister-in-law across the floor.

"I'll keep an eye on Kate, so she doesn't come out and try to catch you with the debbies in hand," Greg said lightly as Bastien and the bride arrived. He moved off to invite the editor to dance.

"Good, good." Lucern didn't even smile. He just nodded his thanks and ushered the other three out of the reception hall.



Kate relaxed in Greg's arms the moment they started to move, something she hadn't been able to do in Lucern's embrace. She had seen the writer slip outside with his sister, Rachel and Bastien, and suspected they were out there smoking again. In her considered opinion, the man could use it. It would help him relax, surely. The man had been tense throughout the meal, and… Well, she supposed he had just seemed distracted through the meal—not that she'd let it bother her. She'd been busy talking to his mother and sister and listening to the amusing tales they told her about Lucern's youth.

If the mother and sister were to be believed, Lucern was really a very sensitive man with a crusty, grumpy shell. Having read his novels, Kate thought that was quite possible. There was a certain longing in the way he portrayed the couples in his book, a hunger that went beyond the bloodlust of vampires or even beyond sexual desire. His characters were lonely at heart, yearning for a soul mate to share their long lives. Kate wondered now if it wasn't a reflection of his feelings, if he didn't yearn for love.

Greg gave her a little twirl, and she smiled at him. Lissianna's husband was a much more relaxed dancer than Lucern. Luc had been almost vibrating with tension as he and she had moved across the dance floor, and it had transferred to Kate, filling her with a low-grade tension that was rather distressing. Despite that tension, however, she'd found herself melting into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder and slipping her fingers closer to the nape of his neck to brush the hair there. She'd been relieved if a little stunned when he'd stopped dancing and walked away.

Well, all right, she'd been more stunned than relieved. She had stood there, gaping after him, unable to believe that he was reverting to his trademark rudeness right there in the middle of the dance floor for all to see. If he hadn't suddenly turned back and seen her to their table, she might have chased him down and given him a swift kick to the behind. Yes, it was definitely a good thing he was outside smoking. Surely it would relax him.



"I think you should just agree to do something for her," Bastien suggested. Of course, as ever, Kate had been the topic of conversation since they'd reached the van. And much to Lucern's irritation, everyone seemed to have advice.

"Why don't you tell her you'll do one of those interviews? Like that R.T. thing Mom suggested," Bastien continued. "Or tell her you'll do one of the publicity events, but only one and not the book-signing tour. Let her choose which is most likely to save her job. That way, she'll be happy and leave."

"Let her choose?" Lucern was horrified at the idea of giving her so much sway. "But what if she chooses one of the television interviews?"

Lissianna clucked impatiently. "It wouldn't kill you to spend half an hour in front of a camera, Luc."

"But—"