Page 53 (1/2)

She sel, not that you know of"

"But I knew you weren’t hu you" He couldn’t help bea with pride He wanted her to admire his skills and abilities, wanted to prove that he could be worthy of her interest, her care He wanted her to love hiht through his heart He wanted this woh he had only known her for a day, he already realized that he was falling for her Hard He could almost taste how badly he ached for Sunny to turn those wide-set brown eyes on him and whisper words of affection

And it was utterly forbidden

He stared at the floor, trying to still his racing thoughts She’d said so, but he couldn’t see at his booted feet

"I was explaining about Kate Why I’ his level best to appear co it all in," he said, not wanting her to read his thoughts or his heart "So Kate"

"Because she’s a vauardian ht would reveal the angel’s identity"

"And that’s the part I don’t get You’re saying angels watch over vaaped at her, unable to keep the revulsion out of his voice "Why would God protect a band of bloodthirsty creatures like theer "Jael Please don’t speak about her so disrespectfullyor her kind They’re God’s creatures, too, and they aren’t evil They’re also very vulnerable, and as you well know, God protects his own"

It was going to take a while for him to think of vanized that Sunny would know far better than he would Made him more than thankful that he’d recently called off any plans to hunt vaht in this whole fiasco, and maybe that would chalk up a few heavenly points in his favor

"Okay, vampires aren’t evil Noted I’ll be sure to update the coet you?"

"It’s the ith all vampires Their watchers are sent like I wasinto their lives Friends, relatives, neighborswe take a number of roles in the vauard them fro with the he for souided hunters, ones who believe the falsehoods and ht just be the worst I’ve felt all night, Sunny Renfroe," he said, kicking himself for all the years he’d tor or another

She shook her head veheood hunter, Jamie Excellent You didn’t know It was part of why I caht, well, maybe I could help you understand in some way Influence you"

"You certainly affected me," he said in a voice that sounded seductive, even to hi suddenly to her feet "And now I’ve answered your questions," she said with false brightness "I should go find Kate"

He caught her arainst his chest, but not very hard--and not very convincingly He slid one hand around her lower back, not holding her too close, but near enough "I have to see you again, Sunny Friends We can be at least that, right?"

Her palainst his chest, and he swore he felt the heat of her skin through his long-sleeved T-shirt "Friends?" She searched his face, brown eyes flicking back and forth across his features Perhaps she was trying to read his true intentions

"Just friends I want ainst the top of her head, inhaling the lavender scent of shampoo "I’m realistic"

"Yes, of course You want to be friends with a guardian angel Both your feet are planted firround"

"We already are friends," he countered "Wouldn’t you say? So I’ for a continuation of the status quo"

She sighed into hihly persuasive individual"

"I try ave her a flirtatious yet simultaneously sweet smile, a contradiction, just like the man himself

Sunny walked to the other side of the rooht she never would But then she paused at the botto toward him "Okay Friends for nowunless I hear an objection froain anyway"