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Sola banged into the stove as she brought the man into her house And then as part of her course correction, she knocked into the chair her grandmother had been in - but at least she was able to cover that one up by pulling the thing out and sitting down

"You haven&039;t told h proper nouns were the last thing on her mind

The man joined her across the little table Between his expensive clothes and the sheer size of hi look flimsy, from the stretch of laminate that seperated them, to the seats, to the kitchen

The whole house

He extended his hand across the table top In that deep, heavenly accented voice, he said, "I am Assail"

"Assail?" She cautiously extended her own palm, prepared to meet him in the middle "Odd na bolt licked up her ar her flush

"Do you not like it?" he whispered knowingly, as if he were fully aware of her reaction

Except he was talking about his name, wasn&039;t he? Yes, that was it "It&039;sunexpected"

"Give o "Please"

As he waited, as he held her hand, as they breathed together, she realized that sos even more intimate than sex

"Marisol But people call me Sola"

He purred Purred "I shall call you Marisol"

And didn&039;t that fit God, in that accenthe turned what she had been called all her life into a poem

Sola pulled her hand out of his and put it in her lap But her eyes stayed right on hiot the i to do with her His hair seemed i merely human could keep that perfect wave off his forehead like that And his cologne? Forget about it Whatever the hell it was, she was nearly getting high off the incredible scent

Between those good looks, that body, and all his brains? She illing to bet the house on the fact that his life was one big world-is-my-oyster sport

"So tell me about this visitor of yours," he said

As he waited, his chin lowered, and he stared at her from under his lids

So not a surprise he had killed sorandmother just said thethat his irises were as always thatthat just didn&039;t seem possible in nature Contacts? she wondered "She - ah, she didn&039;t mention a name, but he must have been polite - if he hadn&039;t been, I would have heard about it and then some Oh - and he spoke to her in Spanish"

"Is there anyone ould be looking for you?"

Sola shook her head "I don&039;t talk about this house - ever Most people don&039;t even know ht it was you - who elseI mean, nobody else has ever come here but you"

"There is no one in your past?"

Exhaling, she glanced around the kitchen; then scooped the napkins out of the caddy and rearranged them "I don&039;t know"

With the life she led? It could be any number of people

"Do you have a security alarm here?" he asked

"Yes"

"You should assuree" As the man - Assail, that was, reached into his coat, she shook her head "No cigars I told you - "

Heit up Then he took one of the napkins she&039;d just fiddled with and wrote down a seven-digit phone nuain" He slid the flat square across the table, but kept his forefinger right by the nuot up too fast, her chair squeaking Instantly, she froze and looked to the ceiling When there were no sounds from above, she reminded herself to keep it down

She paced over to the stove quietly Caain Paid a visit to the back door onto the porch Caain "Look, I don&039;t need your help I appreciate it - "

As she turned around to take the route to the stove again, he was right in front of her Gasping, she jumped - she hadn&039;t even heard him move -

His chair was in the same position it had been when he&039;d sat in it

Not like hers, pushed aside

"What" She fell silent, herSurely, she was not about to ask him what he was -

As he reached out and cupped her face, she knew she would have had trouble saying no to anything he suggested

"You will call me," he commanded, "and I shall come to you"

The words were so low they nearly warped, his voice deepso very deep

Pride formed a protest in her brain, but her ht," she said

Now he s upward God, his canines were sharp, and longer than she remembered

"Marisol," he purred "A beautiful name"

As he started to lean in to her, subtle pressure on her jaw lifted her chin Oh, no, hell, no, she should not be doing this Not in this house Not with a h of surrender, she closed her eyes and lifted her mouth to accept his -

"Sola! Sola, what you doing down there!"

They both froze - and instantly, Sola regressed to the age of thirteen

"Nothing!" she called out

"Who is with you?"

"No one - it&039;s the television!"

Threetwoone"That does not sound like no TV!"

"Go," she whispered as she pushed against his broad chest "You have to leave now"

Assail&039;s lids dropped low "I think I want to meet her"

"You don&039;t"

"I do - "

"Sola! I&039; down!"

"Go," she hissed "Please"

Assail drew his thu directly into her ear "I have plans to pick this up where we&039;ve been interrupted Just so that you know"

Turning away, he randmother&039;s slippers closed in down the stairs, he took the tilance across his shoulder while he opened the way out

His glowing eyes raked over her body "This is not over between you and ood Lord

Her grandmother rounded the corner a split second after the exterior screen door clicked into place "Well?" she said

Sola glanced over to theby the table, reassuring herself that it was still dark as the inside of a hat out there Yup Good

"See?" she said, sweeping her arms around the otherwise empty kitchen "No one&039;s here"

"The television is not on"

Why, oh, why couldn&039;t her grandet soft in the head like so eriatrics?

"I turned it off because it was disturbing you"

"Oh" Suspicious eyes roa snow on the linoleum from where they&039;d tracked it in

"Come on," Sola said as she steered the woo to bed now"

"I&039; you, Sola"

"I know, vovo"