Curiosity

  Curiosity

  By

  Marie Rochelle

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Curiosity

  Copyright© 2012 Marie Rochelle

  ISBN: 978-1-60088-753-6

  Cover Artist: Sable Grey

  Editor: Leanne Salter

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  Cobblestone Press, LLC

  www.cobblestone-press.com

  Dedication

  To the Bells.

  I’m going to miss all of you.

  Marie

  Chapter One

  He’s home!

  Krishell Tynan jumped up off the couch and rushed over to her own front door the second she heard the familiar jangle of her sexy neighbor’s keys in the hallway. Standing on her tiptoes, she peeked through the peephole, catching a glimpse the back of Devin Diamont’s towering six-foot-six-inch frame as he sauntered into his apartment.

  She bit back her groan of frustration as he closed the door behind him. How could her plan ever work to seduce him if she wasn’t able to catch him before he disappeared inside his condo?

  If she were a paranoid woman, she might start to believe Devin deliberately avoided her. That couldn’t be case, however, because she hadn’t spoken to Devin since their first encounter inside the elevator a few weeks back.

  Easing her condo door open, she stared longingly across the hall toward Devin’s condo. This was the final straw. Her mind was made up. She wasn’t going to back down. Tomorrow would be the night, she vowed, come hell or high water, to get her neighbor’s attention.

  Her curiosity about him was in overdrive, which meant she wouldn’t let it go until she got what she wanted, and that was Devin Diamont.

  * * * * *

  Stepping away from his door, Devin wondered how much longer he could pretend he didn’t notice Krishell. She tried to get his attention every time she saw him. She would be better off just leaving him alone, but for some odd reason, she was bound and more than determined to find a variety of ways to drive him crazy.

  Every day, he fought down the urge to throw her against the nearest wall and do everything his body craved.

  Shit, he’d even made a point of changing his work hours to put needed distance between them. Yet, every night when he came home, Devin still felt Krishell’s presence behind her closed door, beckoning him to come over there.

  When would she finally comprehend she didn’t need to try so hard to tease him? She already had his undivided attention. How did he tell her that she drew his desire years before their first meeting inside the elevator? She was his. He’d left his home and came here to claim her as his mate.

  Devin pushed aside drawings he brought home from work yesterday and picked up the black and white photo of Krishell from his cluttered desk. His father had given him the photograph years before he met Krishell in person and had explained how the woman in it was destined to be with him.

  Devin had asked his father numerous times how he knew about Krishell and how he got this picture of her, but his father could be stubborn and tightlipped when he wanted to be. This was one of those times. Devin never got any more information out of him about Krishell.

  The urge to find her and make her his had torn at Devin. Yet, his father had insisted he should wait because satisfaction was fast approaching, and it wouldn’t be the best time to make his presence known to her.

  Like a good son, he’d tried to wait until satisfaction was over, but the burning need to see her outweighed any common sense. What vampire wouldn’t want to mark his mate before another male did, especially a human one? He wasn’t about to sit back and allow that to happen. The impulse to find her and turn her was white hot.

  So, he’d packed a suitcase and left word for his father as to his whereabouts and moved here to Ariel, Kansas. For weeks after moving into the same building, in a condo across the hall from Krishell, he’d tried to find ways to run into her.

  Nothing had worked in his favor, and just as he was about to give up hope and head back home a defeated vampire, the elevator door opened and there stood his stunning mate looking sizzling hot. So gorgeous he almost tossed her over his shoulder right there and carried her back to his place. She was wearing a short, denim skirt and tight, ocean-blue T-shirt that displayed her firm breasts to perfection. Her black hair fell to her shoulders in a tumbled mess as if she’d just gotten out of bed after a night of wild sex.

  Devin would never forget how the fabric stretched across her full, tempting chest, making his mouth water for a little taste of them. Her smooth, mahogany skin practically taunted him to reach out and run his fingers down her bare arm to see if she felt like silk or satin.

  “Fuck!” The cursed flew from his mouth as his fangs started to descend from his gums.

  As much as he hated to admit it, his father was right about staying away from Krishell a while longer. He shouldn’t have come here until he had better control over himself. She didn’t have any idea who or what he was, and she definitely didn’t know her true connection to him.

  Devin couldn’t let her get near him…not while his impulses were so intense. She had no clue how long he had been searching for her. She didn’t have to do anything at all to make him wild for her. His yearning was already there in his body, pumping through his veins.

  This was one of the main reasons he made it a point of finding different techniques to steer clear of her no matter how much his body pushed him to do the opposite. He’d defied his father to find her, but now he did everything he could to stay away from her.

  After the near miss in the elevator, Devin learned rather swiftly what little control he had over his needs.

  Running his fingers through his thick hair, he prayed Krishell stayed away from him for one more day. The last day of satisfaction was the worst: the one day in a vampire’s life were all he wanted to do was find his chosen woman and declare her as his other half.

  His blood would be the hottest and his deepest desire would want to be fed until it was fulfilled. With everything in him, Devin knew he wouldn’t be able to stop until he made Krishell his forever. The hardest part would be convincing Krishell they belong together for a lifetime.

  No matter how badly the dark hold of satisfaction pushed him, he couldn’t allow himself to lose control the way he longed to, because he sensed innocence about her.

  Her virtuousness was a wonderful quality that he didn’t want a hand in destroying by moving too fast with her. He would fight this as long as he could, but the sight and smell of her were pushing him to limits he had never before encountered.

  Chapter Two

  Krishell stood outside Devin’s door the following night, determined to get him to notice her. The time for games was over. She tugged at the hem of her short black skirt and then worked on pulling her shirt off her left shoulder a tiny bit more.

  Her best friend Ashlynn had taken her shopping for this outfit, swearing that any man who saw her in it would want to toss her over his shoulder and carry her off to bed for the rest of the night. Krishell hoped Ashlynn knew what she was talking about.

  She wanted Devin’s eyes to pop of his head when he opened the door and saw her standing there. She didn’t know what it was about her neighbor that made her act like this. She’d never gone after any other man this hard in the past. Actually, she was usually quite shy and nervous around good-looking men like Devin.

  Y
et, when she first laid eyes on him, it was as if there was this invisible bond pulling her toward him. No matter how she tried to fight it, the connection was still there, shoving and pushing her not to give up on getting him.

  Shaking away the last of her nervous energy, she knocked on the door and hoped for the best. Even doubting she was the type of woman Devin graced with a second look, she wasn’t going to allow her tiny bit of insecurity to keep her from asking him out on a date.

  Minutes ticked by while she waited for him to answer, but nothing happened. Her confidence started to slip away as the wait got longer and even longer. She was already apprehensive about approaching him again, and this wasn’t helping it at all.

  What if he already had a girlfriend? He could be behind that door wishing she would go away and leave him alone.

  She shoved the thought from her mind. As long as Devin had lived across from her, and for all the spying she did through her peephole, if he had a girlfriend, Krishell would have seen her by now. No, he was as single as she was.

  She knew her plan was going to work tonight. Devin would agree to go out on a date with her because she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She knocked for a second time.

  “Do you care to tell me why you are knocking my door?” a familiar male voice demanded from behind her, making her jump and sending a tingle of awareness rippling down her spine.

  Krishell slowly turned around. Her gaze traveled the length of Devin’s tall body, taking in his black shorts and T-shirt before she spotted the black and white gym bag thrown over his left shoulder.

  Damn, he looks good.

  Reluctantly, she dragged her gaze from his muscular physique and looked up into a pair of stunning, leaf-green eyes. “I wanted to see you,” she answered as her heart pounded away. “I was wondering if you would like to go out on a date with me.”

  Chapter Three

  Why couldn’t she have stayed away until tomorrow?

  Devin was mere inches from touching distance of Krishell’s body and her welcoming aura that summoned him closer to her—a place he shouldn’t be. She stood in front of him, wearing a tiny black skirt that made her legs seem longer and ten times more inviting.

  The idea of staying at home had crossed Devin’s mind for a split second, but with Krishell being only mere steps away, he’d quickly banished the thought. Truthfully, knowing Krishell was only mere feet away from him was becoming harder for him to ignore.

  Satisfaction clawed at him harder and faster with each passing day. His blood raced through his veins as if he’d just run a marathon. She wouldn’t be here if she understood what was happening with him. She couldn’t help but be drawn to him because of their bond, and he wanted to make sure he wouldn’t do anything to frighten her away from him.

  Devin again fought off the push to bite her and mark her luscious body as his. Holding on to his control would be the hardest battle of his life, but in the end it would be the best decision he would ever make for him and his woman.

  For tonight, he had to drive her far away from him, but he would make it up to her first thing tomorrow, when he had enough time to worship her body the way it should be.

  “Krishell, I’m not interested in having dinner with you tonight, or any other night for that matter.” His tone was harsh, and he hated that he was hurting her. He brushed past her, trying not to let the crestfallen look on her beautiful face bother him.

  When they made love for the first time, he wanted to make sure she got as much pleasure from it as he would. Taking a human woman during the intense cycle of satisfaction wasn’t always a beautiful experience for her. Afterwards, she might not want to accept him in her life as her mate. He wouldn’t be able to handle it if what he truly was made her reject him.

  “I didn’t think you even knew my name,” Krishell confessed as he unlocked his door and walked inside.

  Of course, he knew her name. He knew everything about his mate from her favorite cartoon as child down to her favorite color. He’d spent months finding out everything he could about her before he left home.

  Spinning around, Devin tossed his gym bag on the floor and gripped the doorframe with his hands. God, he hated pushing her away, but this would be the last time. He had to do this so he wouldn’t grab her, yank her into his apartment, and spend the rest of the night turning her so their bond could never be broken.

  Her perfume mingled with her own womanly scent was breaking through the walls he fought to keep locked in place.

  Shit!

  His cock was so hard he was stunned it didn’t rip through his gym shorts.

  “Yes, I know your name. Why wouldn’t I find out the name of the woman who’s stalking me?” he snapped as his restraint slipped to a dangerously low level. “Can you please leave?”

  Please, baby, just leave me alone for tonight. Tomorrow morning I’m all yours.

  Moving back from him, Krishell placed her hands on her hips, causing the already seductive top to slip even lower, displaying more of her beautiful, silky skin to his hungry gaze.

  The sight of her perfect body made his fangs come out, but he got himself under control before Krishell noticed them and ran screaming in the opposite direction. This wasn’t how he wanted to tell her that he was a vampire.

  Damn it!

  He couldn’t handle much more of this back and forth with her. Why hadn’t he listened to his father and stayed at home for another month?

  He already knew the answer.

  The thought of being away from Krishell another thirty days ate at him. He had spent over three hundred years waiting for his mate, and he wasn’t about to wait a minute longer, but he should have.

  Now here he was, practically breaking her heart when all he wanted to do was kiss and hold her. He was tired of pushing her away. He came to her for a reason, and this wasn’t it.

  He opened his mouth to apologize for his nasty attitude and accept her dinner invitation, but her hand shot out, cutting him off.

  “Okay. You don’t have to beat me over the head. I finally get it. You aren’t interested in me. I should have paid attention the first time you told me. I don’t want to upset you any further with my presence. I’m sure since it is Friday night I can go out tonight to a club and find a cute guy willing to buy me a drink. Have a good night!”

  No way in hell his Krishell was leaving the building dressed as she was. He wouldn’t allow it.

  Spinning away from him, she headed down the hall, yet she didn’t get too far. Devin wrapped his hand around her upper arm and turned her to face him. The possessiveness he tried so valiantly to keep hidden broke free. “You aren’t going anywhere to meet men. I forbid it,” he growled. “You are mine.”

  She glanced down at his fingers wrapped around her arm before her big brown eyes shot back to focus on his face. “Have you lost your mind?” She tried to jerk away. “Let go of me.”

  He tightened his grip, but not enough to hurt, and then he took a step closer. “No. I won’t allow other men to see you in this outfit.”

  “You have no right to tell me what to do. Take your hand off me.” Placing her free hand in the center of his chest, she shoved, but he didn’t budge. “I’m not kidding with you,” she snapped. “You can’t keep me here.”

  He wouldn’t get anywhere like this, so he decided to try a different tactic with her. He was going to give Krishell what they both wanted. Relaxing the grip he had on her arm, he gently eased her closer to his body. “Why don’t we go out to dinner instead? Isn’t that the reason you came over here to see me? I promise to give you a more exciting time than any guy from a night club tonight. Say yes.”

  Smiling up at him, she relaxed her body against his. “I…” she whispered, softly.

  “Yes, sweetheart?” He let go of her arm and ran his knuckles down the side of her face, loving that he could finally touch her like this, relieved he’d talked her into staying. Even the pounding of satisfaction seemed to calm once he got her in his arms.

  “Tell
me what you want, and I’ll do it for you.”

  Her pretty eyes narrowed as she pushed away from him. “I would rather eat dirt than go anywhere with an asshole like you.” She spun away and stormed off down the hallway.

  Chapter Four

  Krishell didn’t make it halfway down the corridor before Devin grabbed her by the waist and tossed over his wide shoulder.

  “Put me down this instant,” she screamed, not caring if their neighbors heard. She hit Devin in the back as he turned around and carried her back in the direction of his condo.

  “I’m not about to allow you to show off your amazing body to any male but me,” he informed her. “Don’t you understand by now that you belong to me and no one else? Now, sweetheart, stop squirming.” He slapped her on the ass, and she instantly stopped moving.

  What an asshole, she thought as Devin carried her further and further away from the elevators.

  Inside his condo, he closed the door and slid her down his hard, muscular body until her feet hit the floor. Before she could move away from him, he pressed her back against the door, placing his hands on either side of her head.

  “We need to talk, and now is as good time as any. I need to tell you some things about me.”

  “I don’t give a damn about what you think I need to know. All I need to know is that you aren’t attracted to me, so I will find a man who is. What’s the big deal?” She shoved at his hard chest, but he didn’t move an inch. “Get away from me. I need to go.”

  “Do you know how long I’ve been fighting the urge not to take you?” he asked, staring down into her upturned face.

  “Take me?” She frowned. “You aren’t making any sense. What are you talking about? How about we forget this entire conversation and you move so I can leave?”

  “I can’t let you go. We belong together, sweetheart. I promise you.” He lowered his head until their mouths were only inches apart. “For the past two years, I’ve searched for you. I wasn’t going to stop until I found my mate. I love you. You are the missing part of me. I wouldn’t be able to survive without you at my side. I can’t let you go.”