"Thank you." Sexy? I looked down. What had I thrown on a lifetime ago anyway? Oh, yes, the black cashmere twin set that now had a stake hole in the chest. Damn Brittany. At least the V-neck dipped low and the leather pants were formfitting. Too much butt, but Jerry didn't seem to mind.

"But I know we need to talk." Jerry had that look, like he was ready to launch into all the reasons why I would be so much better off with his "protection."

"Yeah, sure." I was so not in the mood to do the whole "what's best for Glory" thing tonight. And I had a surefire way to distract my man. I reached over and rubbed his hard thigh, then explored a little further. Umm.

"What the hell are you doing?" He didn't make a move to stop me though when I slid down his zipper and slipped my hand inside to stroke his hot length.

"Communicating. This"-I slipped my fingers down to cup his sacs-"is just a friendly gesture to show I'm willing to listen."

"Yes, I'd say that's friendly." Jerry had to clear his throat.

He'd put the top down on the convertible because we both loved the cold night air.

"Now what were you saying?" I circled his cock and moved my hand in a rhythm that almost lifted him off his seat.

"I-" Jerry gasped as I bent to take him into my mouth.

"Woman, it's a good thing these streets are deserted. You could get us both arrested for public lewdness." I wasn't worried. Wouldn't be the first time I'd whammied a cop into forgetting one of my, ahem, indiscretions. I sent Jerry a mental message to keep his eyes on the road and to let me do all the work here. His hand slipped into my hair, first gently then tighter as I drew on him and nipped him with my fangs. We raced up hills and down, and the movement made the pressure of my mouth against him even more interesting. Suddenly the car stopped, and I was thrown over the seat to land on my back.

"You wanted to tell me something?" I grinned up at him.

"I want you naked. Now."

Jerry loomed over me. Oh, my. I love it when he gets all ferocious and insatiable. But I also love those damned tight leather pants, and he obviously wanted them off. He growled and went after them with his teeth. I jerked his head up with a handful of his hair.

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Hurry, then." His eyes were dark with hunger, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. I raised my butt and tried to wiggle them down. I was just about to tell him to shred the damned things when I finally managed to jerk one leg free.

"Took you long enough." He paused, braced above me and tantalizingly close to the gate to Heaven. "Maybe I've changed my mind."

I grabbed his ass. "Get in here, mister." I took a shaky breath. "Please."

"Now that's more like it." Jerry grinned and plunged into me.

"Oh, my God!" I knew I'd been worked up, but this was really something. I felt the cold leather of the seat on my behind, the chilly air on my breasts because the sweater set had vanished. Jerry's lips ravaged my neck just before he sucked so hard I blew apart in one enormous orgasm. He stroked, raising my hips to meet his. I wrapped my legs around him and tried to hold on, but was so limp I felt like I'd never hold anything again. When he came, I felt the rush of heat deep inside me, surprised by an answering spasm of my own. Wow.

"Where are we?" I asked when I finally managed to catch my breath. Jerry's head lay on my breast. Nice.

"My driveway."

"Oh." I looked up at the night sky. Was that a faint pink in the east? In my bones I knew it had to be. I figured I should be really uncomfortable scrunched up in the tiny backseat of a Mercedes convertible with a two-hundred-pound-plus male on top of me. Instead I felt boneless and content and wished I could watch the sunrise this way, just once. Tears pricked my eyelids and I sighed.

"Guess we'd better get inside."

"Guess so." Even Jerry's voice sounded rough. Emotion? Nah. Probably predawn exhaustion.

"I can't move."

"Neither can I."

"What if we just put the top up and sleep here all day?"

"Dangerous. Sunlight could come in the windows."

"You should have pulled into the garage."

"I didn't want to take the time to use the garage-door opener."

"How many centuries have we been doing this?" I grinned at Jerry and shoved, trying to sit up. He finally climbed off me and over the front seat.

"More than I can count at the moment."

I heard him zip up as I pulled off my leather pants and panties and picked them up along with my sweater set. Naked as God made me except for my black suede ankle boots, I climbed out of the car and followed him to the back door, waiting for him to unlock it.

"We're hopeless." I leaned up to kiss the smile on his handsome face.

"I'm not complaining." He swung me up into his arms and threw open the back door.

"Surprise!"

"Ma!"

Oh, sweet God in Heaven, just take me now. Yes, it was Angus Jeremiah Campbell III's mother. The bitch of Castle Campbell. The one woman in the world who hated me more than life itself. Oh, wait a minute, there are two women who hate me that much. The other one was standing by her side. Mara Kilpatrick MacTavish. They both stared at my bare bum like it was a grotesque,

"too awful for a Barnum and Bailey Circus" sideshow. And come to think of it . . . I struggled to get down, but Jerry's arms tightened around me. All I could do was put my purse over the offending body part. Thank God I carry a tote.

"Jerry, put me down."

"I don't think so." He smiled at his mother. Nodded to Mara. "This visit is unexpected." I grasped for a pleasantry. Hey, I felt like I owed it to the ladies. They weren't shrieking and covering their eyes in horror. You had to admire that kind of self-control.

"Is Randolph with you, Lady Campbell?" Pray God the little bugger had fallen into the Atlantic during the flight over. Okay, don't tar and feather me yet. We have a history and I'd have the scars to prove it if it weren't for my healing vamp sleep.

"Of course. And here he is now."

Jerry's mum has always had a cat. Kind of like a witch's familiar. I think that's why my bodyguards have always been dogs. Whatever Mag loves, I . . . don't. Anyway, Mag's cat is an immortal shifter so the cat can look however the mistress wishes, and what she wishes is unusual to say the least.

I admit when I saw this season's Randolph, I flinched and almost felt sorry for him. "Um, dare I ask the breed?"

"Dare I ask your breed or should I say breeding?" the creature who looked like an escapee from the movie Alien said in a whispery voice. He jumped up into Mag's arms. "Oh, why bother? Scratch my ear, Mother."

"He's a sphynx." Mag ran her finger along one of his long pointy ears. "This breed doesn't shed, you see."

"How convenient for your wardrobe." I really didn't want to have this conversation while naked in Jerry's arms. I turned my attention to Mara, who had just slipped Jerry's cell phone charger into her pocket. Oh, didn't I tell you? Mara's got this little problem. She's got sticky fingers. I never leave my purse where she can get to it. Speaking of . . . A tote can only cover so much. I gave Jerry an elbow.

Jerry got the hint. "Excuse us, ladies. We'll see you at sunset." And with that, Jerry strode around the two open-mouthed females, through the kitchen and den and up the stairs. By the time he'd reached the sanctuary of his bedroom I was shaking. Hysterical laughter. Yep. I was never one given to tears of self-pity. Well, not much anyway.

"Oh, God, Jerry. Did you see your mother's face when we walked in like that?"

"Unfortunately." He dropped me on the bed, closed and locked his bedroom door with a look and began tossing off his clothes.

"I'm worn to the bone, lass. Climb into bed. I would hold you."

Now you didn't think I'd argue with that, did you? I threw my clothes on the floor, jerked off the boots and crawled in, burrowing under the covers and into the safety of his strong arms. With a sigh, I relaxed completely for the first time in what seemed like years. Sure, I had his mother to look forward to when we woke. And Lucky. Not to mention psycho Simon out for revenge. And then there was the promise of a cool million if I could nab Lucky's attacker. Which would come in handy if I didn't figure out who my texting tormentor was soon. Okay, so maybe I wasn't so relaxed. Then Jerry started kissing a path down my shoulder while his hands stroked my hips. Hmm.

"Tell me that's not your mother standing over us."

"Wish I could." Jerry rolled over and sat up, the blanket falling to his waist. "Ma, you're invading my privacy."

"It's sunset, Jeremiah. I didn't come all this distance just to sit around and wait for you to"-disdainful sniff-"shag your mistress."

"By God!" Jerry jumped out of bed, heedless of his nakedness, and manhandled his startled mother out of the room before slamming the door in her face. "I'll not have it. Do ye hear me, woman! Ye will respect Gloriana, or ye can fly yer ass right back to Castle Campbell this night!" He slapped the door with his palm for emphasis.

I threw the covers over my hot face. Oh, God. This was so not happening. I knew his mother hated me. Hell, she'd tried to stake me once, centuries ago, just to get me out of Jerry's life. I'd never told him that and desperately threw up a block so he couldn't read my thoughts now. I heard him muttering obscenities, then the bed sagged next to me.

"Gloriana, sweeting." He tugged the cover down so he could see my face.

"Shag?" I had to laugh.

Jerry grinned. "Da's put a satellite dish in at the castle."

"Wow. Sheep, scenery and satellite. Maybe I should give Castle Campbell another shot." I rubbed his whiskery cheek. "Seems your mother has given us our marching orders. What do you say?"