“But Cheng will think you’re my human lover,” she insisted. “That’s what we want him to assume so he’ll ignore you. One bite would be sufficient. It won’t hurt.”
“I don’t care! You’re not biting me.” He didn’t know why he was so angry. It probably had something to do with weeks of culture shock, uncomfortable beds, and being really really hungry.
Not just for food.
“Forget it, Tenzin.”
Her mouth curled down into a frown. “But if you were my lover—”
“Are we going to have sex because Cheng thinks I’m your lover?”
And fuck. That train of thought was not helping the situation under the sheets.
“Of course not.”
“So we’re just going to lie and expect him to buy it?” Ben reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her hard into his chest. “Even though you obviously don’t smell like me?”
“What are you doing?” Her face had gone totally blank.
Ben rolled them over so that Tenzin was lying on the bed under him. Now they both looked pissed. That seemed fair.
“You’re saying you need to bite me because Cheng would assume a human lover would feed you. Well, I’d smell like you too, Tenzin.” He lowered his face to hers. Ben could feel her gather in a breath. He was frankly amazed she hadn’t punched him yet. “And you’d smell like me. Not just my blood, but my skin. My sweat. Everything.”
“You’re being an ass.”
“Am I? Did I break into your room while you were sleeping?” The sheet was still wrapped around his waist, but that was pretty much the only thing separating them. She had to feel him.
Tenzin glared. “I don’t sleep. And if you broke into my room, I’d hurt you.”
He lowered himself so his chest was pressing against hers. “Isn’t turnabout fair play?”
“A bite isn’t the same as—”
“I don’t give a shit what you think or don’t think it is. You’re not biting me. You want to pretend we’re lovers?” He propped himself up with one arm and reached for the knife under his pillow. “Here’s your pretend bite.”
“Benjamin!”
Her hands came up, but Tenzin didn’t stop him when he pierced the skin of his neck with the tip of the blade, just where her mouth had been in his dream. Two quick flashes of pain and he could feel the blood well.
Tenzin’s eyes dilated. Her mouth fell open and her fangs glistened. The piercing pain at his neck did nothing to quell his reaction. It was automatic. He grew harder. His pulse roared.
He could feel the outline of Tenzin’s slim legs trapped between his own. Could feel the gathering power of her anger. Her grey eyes flicked to the wound on his neck and a drop of blood fell, staining the sheet next to her.
“There’s a pretend bite for your pretend lover,” he whispered. “Go ahead. Have a taste. But do not ever casually mention sinking your fangs into me again.”
Tenzin bared her teeth. Before he could blink, her mouth was at his neck. Ben felt the light pressure of her lips. Closed his eyes when he felt her suck his skin into her mouth. Her tongue swept out, licked the wound clean, then it was gone.
She was gone.
Ben rolled over, the sheet still tangled around his waist, his back against the pillows, and his body showing no signs of settling down. Sweat dotted his forehead, not only from his anger and arousal, but also because it was late afternoon and the room was sweltering. His heart was pounding and he could barely catch his breath.
Tenzin stood at the door, her face impassive.
“I closed the wounds. Cheng would only expect scars anyway.”
“Fine.”
“I’ll go out and get some clothes for you.”
“Good.”
She glared, clearly displeased that Ben wasn’t cowering before her obvious anger. Well, too bad. She could learn to knock.
Ben sat up and let the sheet fall, stretching his arms across the carved wooden headboard and crossing his long legs at the ankles. He didn’t look away when she glanced down. Let her look. He was sick of it. He wasn’t a teenager anymore, and it was time she realized it.
“Fine,” she said. “Boundaries.”
“Boundaries are good.”
“I’m going to buy you some clothes.”
“Clothes are good, too.”
It was probably childish, but he smiled a little when she slammed the door.
It was ten in the evening when the knock came. Ben was sitting in a small room off the courtyard, reading a book someone had brought him. It was a travel manual in French, but he could read a little of it. And something was better than nothing, especially with Tenzin ignoring him.
He hadn’t seen her since their confrontation in his bedroom. She’d sent one of the women of the house to find clothes for him, so he was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He was walking around barefoot, though. They couldn’t find any house slippers his size. He ignored the knock, but heard the women rushing through the courtyard to answer whoever might be calling.
Ben was embarrassed by his anger, but not by anything else. He shouldn’t have lost his temper, but it was high time Tenzin stopped treating him like a child she could boss around. Yes, he still had a lot to learn, but he wasn’t Tenzin’s property or her employee. And if she continued the way she had been, she’d lose any and all respect for him.
That wouldn’t be good for either of them.