“And Burnett vetoed that deal, right?” Steve’s brown eyes grew a dark amber color as he waited for her answer.

“He’s trying to arrange a deal where we will be working for the FRU and not the council.”

“But you’ll be working with Chase?” Steve asked, his tone tight.

She refused to lie. “If they agree to it.”

“I don’t like it. Seriously, you caught that Anthony creep, now let someone else do the rest.”

She cupped her hands together. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Because it’s the right thing, because … “A ghost.”

“Chan?” he asked, his eyes widening just a bit.

“No, a new ghost. She’s asking me to save a girl named Natasha.”

“And you have to do what the ghost asks? What if she asks you to jump off a bridge or eat a bowl of—”

Della pressed a finger against his soft lips. “She somehow … gave me a vision, and I was Natasha. She’s trapped, Steve, like in a tunnel, or a room underground, with another vampire and…” She had to pull in a deep breath to say it again, “She and another vampire are feeding off each other.” Della’s sinuses stung, remembering the horror she’d felt in the vision. “She’s scared, no, she’s terrified, and … and I know all this because I was her for a few minutes, in her body, and I felt it. I have to help her, Steve.”

He stared at her, the color in his eyes softening back to its normal warm brown with flecks of green and gold. She knew he was accepting it—that he understood. She couldn’t say he was thrilled about it, as his look was still frustrated, but he wasn’t going to hold it against her.

He brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. “You always try to come off as a hardass, but honestly, there’s nothing hard about you. You’d help your own enemy.”

“Don’t give me that much credit.”

“It’s you that needs to give yourself more credit.” He exhaled deeply and continued to stare at her. “Okay, you told me why you have to work this case, but why Chase? Why does he have to work with you? Why couldn’t I do it? Or Lucas?”

She hesitated before telling him, but then decided he deserved the truth. “The reason he was at the falls was because he’d been called there as well. I think he shared the same vision. For some reason, we’re supposed to do this together.”

He dropped against the sofa with a sigh. “I don’t … I just don’t like you being with him.”

She looked him right in the eyes. “I don’t like you being with Jessie, either.”

“At least I’m not … bonded to her. Whatever the hell that means.” He reached up again and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “And I know you don’t like talking about it, and I’m trying really hard to respect that, but I could really use some reassurance here.”

Oh, hell, what did he want her to say? That she didn’t give a flip about Chase. That would be a lie. That she wasn’t the least bit attracted to him? That would be a lie, too. That she wasn’t afraid of what she felt? Another lie.

She was scared shitless. Scared of where all of this was going to end, but the one thing she knew, the one thing she felt certain of was … Steve. Of how he made her feel.

Safe.

Accepted.

Cherished.

He knew her and still liked her, still wanted to be part of her life.

He cared.

He looked at her. Waiting. Waiting for something.

Her heart ached from indecision and her need to offer him something made that pain increase. Finally, she found one truth. One truth that she could offer. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

She lifted up and pressed her lips to his. It must have been enough, or at least enough for now, because he kissed her back.

Chapter Seven

Steve’s lips were warm, his taste addicting. And the magic, the magic that was pure Steve, happened. Della let go of all her issues, all the heartaches, fear, and haunts from the past, and she let herself be pulled into nothing but the kiss. The wonderful feel of his lips against hers.

That feeling led to more feelings. Tingling. Wants. Desires.

It led to them shifting. Getting closer. To them reclining, side by side on the sofa.

In a few minutes, they were even closer. Their arms and legs entangled, their hearts beating together. Even at her vampire temperature, she burned … on fire from his hard body pressed against hers. Lost in how his soft breath felt on her neck.

His hand slipped under her shirt and she didn’t stop him. She wanted this as much as he did. Not that she planned to let it go too far, but this … this was what she needed. This was following orders. This was being a teen.

But then she heard them. Voices. Voices and footsteps coming toward the cabin.

She gasped and caught his hand. “I think we’re about to have company.”

He growled and lifted his head from the sensitive spot he kissed on her neck. “Do you want to kill them, or do you want me to?”

She giggled.

When she met his sexy, hooded eyes and saw the heat and desire there, her breath caught and the same emotions filled her chest. If she hadn’t heard the voices again, she would’ve caved and gone back to kissing him. This place, this wonderful place she went to forget things, could also make her forget her limits. Sooner or later they weren’t going to be able to stop.

Was she ready to go there with Steve?