“No, I asked Nina to move them.”

“I’ll help her then.” Rose turned and left.

“Rose . . .” he murmured and shoved a hand through his hair, but she didn’t turn back.

Behind him, Wesley pulled away from the wall.

“Sorry, Quinn. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. Won’t happen again.”

His voice sounded deflated, and the exuberance he’d heard in him earlier was gone. Suddenly, Quinn felt like an ass, robbing him of the excitement this assignment presented for him.

“No hard feelings,” he assured him and looked at him.

***

Rose rushed down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. Overhearing Quinn talk about her in such a passionate tone had sent a thrill through her entire body. He still considered her his, and while she’d always hated any possessive overtones from men, it was different with Quinn. Knowing that Quinn wanted to possess her like this and would kill any man who touched her, was a bigger turn on than she’d ever imagined. The thought electrified her, stirred her in a way nothing else ever had.

She felt flushed when she reached the kitchen and was grateful for the fact that vampires couldn’t blush. At least it would save her from having to explain to anybody she encountered, why she felt so out of sorts.

Pushing the door open, she stepped into the kitchen. There was Nina, rather than dutifully emptying the refrigerator of the incriminating bottles of blood, sitting on the kitchen table, locked in a passionate embrace with one of the biggest vampires she’d ever seen: Amaury. Nina’s legs were wrapped around her mate’s waist, their lips fused together so firmly that Rose had to wonder whether the jaws of life were necessary to pry the lovers apart.

Suddenly the door closed behind her, the sound alerting the two. Amaury whirled his head around, the expression on his face catapulting Rose back against the door.

Good God, she’d never seen such lust-filled eyes. Were all these vampires totally love crazed? First Samson, now Amaury. As if they couldn’t get enough of their mates! As if they truly loved them. Was this even possible? Could vampires love like that? Could they have tender feelings like that? Feelings that were honest?

“Excuse the uh . . .” Amaury grinned from one ear to the other. “ . . . show of affection. But my wife here totally overpowered me. You can blame her.”

Nina let out an annoyed huff and slapped her hand against his shoulder, which had no effect whatsoever on her huge mate.

“Look who’s calling the kettle black!” She clicked her tongue then smiled at Rose. “Don’t mind him. He’s just some big oversized Neanderthal I made the mistake of tying up one night.”

She jumped off the table and rolled her eyes. “Now he’s following me everywhere.”

Amaury snatched her hand and pressed a kiss on it. “You can tie me up any day.”

Uncomfortable about their continued affectionate banter, Rose put her hand on the door handle. “I’d better leave.”

Amaury raised his hand. “No, stay. I’m out of here to help Quinn with a few things. I’ll leave you girls alone.”

He brushed past her and left the kitchen.

Nina’s laugh followed him. “Do you need anything? I was just going to organize the kitchen.”

“Let me help you with that. We need to move the . . . uh . . . bottles, you know.”

Rose figured it was better not to mention the word blood anywhere in the house, particularly since everybody constantly seemed to walk in on each other and overhear things they shouldn’t.

“I was just about to do that when Amaury interrupted.” She walked to the refrigerator and opened it.

The natural poise with which Nina moved and spoke impressed her. Her mate was so much bigger and stronger than she, yet she’d handled him as if she were the one in charge.

“It doesn’t bother you?”

Nina pointed at the bottles. “The blood? No, I’ve never been squeamish.”

Rose smiled. “I meant being with someone who’s clearly so much . . .” She hesitated.

“Bigger?” Nina shook her head.

More powerful, Rose had meant to say, but bigger worked too.

“He would never hurt me. He would give his own life to save mine if he had to. Not that I would accept it, frankly. I’d kick his big butt if he tried that again. But you get the picture.”

“Again?”

Nina waved her off. “Don’t remind me. He almost got himself killed saving me from some crazy v—” She quickly glanced at the door before continuing. “Anyway, I know he would do it again in a heartbeat.”