she gasped and tangled one hand in his short hair as his lips dipped to trace the line of her collar.

with a tug, he pulled on her collar, and leigh peered down as the pink cloth slipped lower to reveal one naked breast. she was glad this shirt didn't allow bras as his mouth immediately moved to claim the already erect nipple that was revealed. she thought she was ready for it, but still jerked and clutched at his hair as his lips closed hot and wet over the small nub and began to suckle, sending shock waves of pleasure and excitement rippling through her body.

lucian was still pushing down on her top, and she made a sound of protest as her arms were forced down with it, trapping them at her sides. he left off her breast then and raised his head to kiss her again, but continued to push the top down until leigh could free her hands from the cloth. she immediately ran them over his chest, sighing at the feel of him. he was so big, so strong...

her pleasure was distracted by the knowledge that he was still pushing the material downward and her pants were now going with it. somehow, while she was distracted by his kisses, lucian had undone the suede pants without her being aware of it, and now they were slipping over her hips with her pink top.

leigh didn't care. he was like a fire in her blood, so much so that she could almost believe she'd drunk the sweet ecstasy that thomas had intended to give her and --

she froze abruptly as she recalled the sweet ecstasy. she hadn't drunk it. rachel had stopped her before she could. but lucian had.

she could have wept. all this passion, all this excitement -- at least on his side -- was all because of some immortal spanish fly lucian had been fed.

apparently sensing the change in her response, lucian broke the kiss. pulling back slightly, he peered at her with concern.

"what is it?" he asked breathlessly. they were both panting like dogs after a run, both as tense as bowstrings, both flush with passion; but only hers was real, she thought.

leigh leaned her forehead against his shoulder and struggled with herself. if he weren't under the influence, she'd push him to the floor and ride him like a cowgirl that very minute. unfortunately, her conscience was battling with her desires and ruining everything.

"leigh?" lucian asked uncertainly.

"i... " she hesitated, at a loss as to what to say to explain her stopping him. she didn't want to tell him what thomas had done for fear he'd be angry at the man. she'd been raised not to tattle. but what could she say?

movement over lucian's shoulder caught her eye, and leigh saw julius pawing at the bag with the dog food in it, then looking their way and whimpering before pawing it again.

"julius is hungry," she said. the moment lucian turned to glance over his shoulder, leigh whirled away, snatching up the bag of clothes as she turned. holding them in one hand, she used the other to pull her pants back up over her hips as she rushed upstairs.

leigh waited until she reached the top step before announcing, "i have a headache. i'm going to bed."