Such a simple question. So impossible to answer.

I sighed. "Different reasons for different circumstances. When we first met, it was because I hated vampires and you were one of them. Years later, after you found me, I had fears about my job, my mother, and you wanting me to change over. Then finding out that I was, like, the thirty thousandth woman you'd slept with. Always running into your exes was a little hard to swallow, and-"

"Who told you that number?" he interrupted, astonished.

I took a few more gulps before answering. "You did."

Both his brows went up.

I nodded in confirmation. "I asked, and you said about three to four women a week was your average before me. Multiply that by your age, and there you have it."

"Bugger," he swore. "Don't know what I was thinking, revealing such a thing to my wife." He gave me another appraising sweep of his eyes, as if measuring what had made him tell me that.

I was glad for the switch in topics and plowed ahead. "You also said you considered your virginity lost in stages of four."

His brows went higher. "I told you that too? Did you pump me full of truth serum one night? Is that how you got me gabbing like a teenage girl?"

"Some of the things you told me weren't to be believed, but you swore they were true. Like the time you were a whore and after a particularly busy night, you faked a hard-on with a new client by using your fingers to keep your cock straight. Now that I could imagine, but you said the woman never knew-"

"Clearly I opened up to you in a very personal way." He cut me off, resolve replacing the disbelief in his expression. "Everyone tells me I was deeply in love with you. The things you know, like my mother's perfume and other stories I've never shared, only solidify that. Yet you admit to holding me at arm's length, and you still haven't said why."

I almost choked on my gin. The spotlight was back on me, with reinforcements.

Bones stared at me, waiting. Around us, people drank and danced and fought and had their own problems. In the grand scheme of things, one wobbly marriage didn't matter except to the two people in it.

"I don't know why," I said at last, very softly. "It seemed like every time I opened up, something bad happened and I'd need my shields to get me through it. I almost jumped off a cliff when I thought you were dead, and Vlad had to talk me down. That's what happens when I let myself go. I can't stand to need you so much, so... I hold back. Just enough. Then if you're gone, I can still function, no matter the reason why you're not there."

A small, twisting smile pulled at his mouth. "Never value something with more than you can afford to lose. Yes, I understand that very well. It's what I've lived by all these years, so it appears I married someone just like me. I suppose it's fitting."

We didn't say anything for a few minutes. I drank while those brown orbs bored into mine whenever I met them, which wasn't often. Finally, he slid his hand across the table, palm up.

"Let's agree to stop, both of us. Take my hand, Catherine. No more safety net, no shields. We'll let each other in, though it will mean living a life as dangerous as it gets. Are you with me?"

My first impulse was to run as far as my legs could take me. Bones's stare promised to hold me to any vow I made, and I didn't think I could handle losing all my defenses. He wasn't offering guarantees either. He couldn't. In life, there were none.

I looked at his pale skin, broad palm, tapered fingers, and short nails. I knew a lot of the history behind that hand, and most of it wasn't pretty. The violence in his past was only exceeded by the licentiousness, and maybe more. Maybe I didn't really want to discover everything about Bones.

And yet in the end, none of my concerns mattered. This was Bones, and I'd never been able to help myself when it came to him.

My hand covered his like steel to a magnet. Even if it destroyed me-and hell, it probably would-I still couldn't do anything else.

Bones drew a knife out with his other hand. I gave him a questioning look as he pressed it to my palm.

"I don't remember doing this before, and until I have my other memories back, I want something of my own."

The knife scored my palm, blood welling up in the cut. He released me and then cut his hand the same way.

"Claim me as yours, Catherine."

An offer and a demand. I met his eyes while taking his hand with mine, feeling his blood start to heal me on contact.

"By my blood, you are my husband," I said softly.

His hand tightened on mine. "By my blood, you are my wife. Forever."

I gave him a small, almost shy smile. "You want to kiss the bride?"

He didn't smile back. Instead, his expression was very serious. "Yes."

This time his kiss was restrained. I was the one who flicked my tongue inside his mouth, craving his taste. Then I was the one who wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer.

His restraint vanished. He tangled his hand in my hair, tipping my head back and opening my mouth farther while he ravished the inside. I clutched him, suddenly feeling dizzy. His other hand ran down my back, shifting me until our hips lined up. Then he kissed me deeper while the bulge in his pants hit my most sensitive spot.

At the feel of him there, that denied, starved part of me reared up and said, now. Not later, not back at the house. Right. Now.

My hands raced down his back, his chest, his stomach-I couldn't stop touching him. Bones let out a harsh moan and lifted me up. My feet made contact with several people as he pushed through the crowd to the exit, but he made it there so fast they probably didn't know what had hit them.

He moved just as swiftly through the parking lot, still kissing me with a hunger that made me oblivious to anything else. Once we reached the car, Bones deposited me on the front seat, but I didn't let go. I pulled him on top of me, barely registering the sound of the car door slamming shut.

He wrestled out of his jacket without breaking his mouth's contact with me. All the while, that bulge continued to rub me in the most inflaming, erotic way. The intimate friction ripped away the last of my control, making me insane with need. He made a rough noise when I wrapped my legs around him, then I felt the seat go all the way back.

His shirt came off with a single, impatient tug, then with a jerk, he split apart my blouse and bra. When my breasts touched him, skin on skin, the contact drove me out of my mind. I twisted against him in mute demand, not caring that I could barely breathe from his ceaseless, devouring kisses. His hands went to my jeans, and after a rip, he pulled them down my legs.

"Don't stop touching me," I gasped, burning to feel his hands on me again. Even the seconds he'd spent taking off my jeans was too long.

"I can't stop," he growled. Then he tore at the front of his pants.

I writhed under him, digging my nails into his back, my whole body thrumming. "Bones-!"

His name ended in a cry as he thrust inside me. My loins clenched at the excruciating pleasure as he moved deeper, stretching me with his length and thickness. I latched my mouth on his neck, straining toward him while my nails raked down his back.

Words spilled out of me, but I didn't know what they were. My heart beat so loudly it deafened me. Those deep, hard thrusts had me sobbing with ecstasy. Every nerve ending sizzled, and my muscles tensed as he increased his pace until I heard myself crying out for more in a voice that broke from passionate sobs.

Bones yanked my hips up, tilting me as he pushed so deeply inside me that I screamed. He leaned forward, increasing the erotic pressure, and rocked hard and rhythmically. Blasts of pleasure shot through me. That boiling tension ruptured all at once, shaking me with the orgasm. He didn't pause, and his continued movements kept me shouting with passion. After a few minutes, his hands clamped on my hips while his whole body tensed. A hoarse cry was followed by a throb deep within as his climax vibrated through me, and I reveled in the feel of it.

After several moments, he shifted to rest his weight on his arms, waiting until I stopped hyperventilating before he kissed me.

"Bloody hell, luv, I'm trembling."

I gasped out a laugh at the surprise in his voice. "You always do."

"No," he whispered. "I don't." Then concern skipped across his features. "Did I hurt you? Didn't mean to lose control like that-"

"Do I feel hurt to you?" I interrupted with another breathless laugh.

He smiled and it melted me to see it. He was still inside me, still hard, and it felt so right that I thought I'd cry.

I didn't because in the next instant, red and blue lights flashed behind him. Bones let out a vile curse just a voice boomed out, "Police! Come out with your hands up!"

"Are you out of your bloody mind?" he thundered back.

"What's going on?" I managed to say before he lifted me out from under him, pushing me into the backseat.

"Stay down. Stupid sods just cocked their guns," he muttered.

Guns? "Wait-"

"They're only human, I'll tidy this right up," he said, cutting me off. "There's a bit of a crowd out there, Catherine. Put this shirt on."

I was half sitting on his shirt in the backseat, but my clothes were nowhere in sight, so I grabbed it.

"Coming out, lads, nice and easy," Bones called out.

"With your hands up," the bullish cop reminded him.

Bones opened the door and stretched out his hands. Meanwhile, I scrambled to put on his shirt.

"Nobody move in the car!" came the next bellow.

"It's just my wife, mate, no harm. Come and see for yourself."

Bones was using his vampire voice, raising the hairs on the back of my neck with its timbre. Since I was no longer mindless from lust, I could now hear and see the small crowd hanging out behind the police. Well, what did I expect? Noisy sex in a parking lot was bound to get noticed.

One of the two policemen approached, and I blushed when I saw Bones get out of the car wearing nothing but his shoes. Thank God the other cars blocked most of him from the bar patrons' view.

"Obviously I'm not armed, so let me explain," he said in the same reasonable, echoing tone.

Once the officer was close enough, Bones hit him with his gaze. His eyes gleamed only for an instant, but it was enough.

"Tell your partner that all's well and to come over here," he instructed him quietly.

"Jack, come on over," the cop intoned, lowering his gun. "It's okay, there's no assault in progress."

Inwardly, I ground my teeth. People had called the police because they thought there was an assault going on? That's what I got for being a screamer!

"Ed?"

The other cop hadn't lowered his gun. He was still cautious, good for him. But he did come closer. Bones waited until the officer's back was to the crowd before his gaze lit up again.

"Nothing's going on. False alarm, right, mate? We're leaving and you won't even report this."

"Sure," the cop said with the same glazed look as his partner, Ed. He even smiled. "You folks take care now, you hear?"

"Thanks ever so," Bones replied with less graciousness. "Now tell those bloody people to mind their own business and go back inside."

"Folks, there's nothin' going on here." Officer Ed's voice rang out as he waved at the onlookers. "Go on back inside before I start checking licenses and insurance!"

That got results. With grumbles, the people dispersed. There were a few whistles and some lewd comments, but soon only a couple of gawkers remained.

"Right then, gents, off you go."

Bones waited until the police got back in their car before he walked around to the driver's side, totally nonchalant about his nudity. In the interim, I'd gotten his shirt on, grateful that it hung to my thighs since my panties were in tatters and my jeans were ruined. Almost getting arrested postcoitus was definitely a mood kill.

"Here." I handed him his pants when he opened the door. "Zipper's ripped, but they'll cover you."

Bones stepped into them and then got in the car. I crawled back into the front seat and adjusted the lever until the seat was upright once more. We drove off with a spin of tires, me closing my eyes at the whole scene.

"This was my fault, Catherine, I'm sorry," Bones said.

I kept my eyes shut even though it was pointless. "You weren't the one who screamed so loud that someone called the police."

"Perhaps not, but I should have controlled myself until we were back at the house. Even worse, I lost complete awareness of my surroundings. It's a damn good thing only coppers stumbled on us, or I could have gotten you killed."

I let out a watery laugh. "I'm just as much to blame as you are, and if you'd tried to put the brakes on before, there would have been an assault in progress."

He chuckled. "This isn't the way I intended things to go tonight, but I'll make it up to you as soon as we get back."

I sighed. "I've got two words that'll make you forget all about that plan."

"Indeed?" He sounded highly skeptical.

"Omaha, Nebraska," I said, and opened my eyes.

"Bugger," Bones said with feeling.

I nodded. "Yup."

While I'd watched the drama with Bones and the police, additional things had caught my attention. License plates. The city's name painted on the cop's car. The radio dispatcher in the background, giving street addresses and codes. In short, my exact location.

Bones pulled his cell out, dialing. The other end picked up on the first ring.

"Hallo, Charles. ... No, we're fine. We're on our way back, but we ran into a spot of trouble. Catherine knows where we are. ... Yes. ... Right. ... See you within the hour."

He hung up. "They'll start preparations. I'll ask you to settle back and close your eyes. You know the city, but there's no need to make it easy for Gregor to find the house. We're going to drive about for a bit to throw you off from the exact distance."

"Can we stop at a gas station?"

"Why? We have petrol... Oh, right." He caught on. "Of course."

I did have to pee, but that wasn't my only reason for wanting to visit a bathroom. The insides of my thighs were wet, and trotting into a house full of vampires like that didn't appeal. Add me wearing only his shirt, and Bones might as well write Got Laid! on his forehead.

Bones went to the nearest service station and got the restroom key for me. I stayed in the car, watching with dark amusement the looks the counter clerk gave him. He was still shirtless and there was a nice big tear along the inseam of his pants. It was a damn good thing Bones healed so fast, or the various scratch marks and hickeys would have been even more incriminating.

After I answered nature's call, I freshened up as best I could with paper towels, water, and liquid soap. A hot shower would have been preferable, but that wasn't in the cards. We'd probably be leaving right after we got back to the house.

Bones materialized next to me when I came out of the bathroom, making me jump. I'd thought he was still waiting in the car.

"You scared me," I said with a little laugh.