“No one has ever looked at me like you do, Byron.”

Amelia was pulled into her gaze, and the thought occurred to Byron, as it had many times, how easy it would be to compel Amelia to forget about her. Forget about what they meant to each other, and let Amelia go home and live a normal life. It would be the kindest thing to do for Amelia’s sake—she deserved so much more than a dangerous life with a vampire. Somewhere deep inside she knew that the day might come when she would need to do that for Amelia and walk away, but it would destroy all the good inside Byron, and allow the monster that she feared lived deep down in her soul to take over. She knew that.

“I will tell you all you need to know. This is more than a holiday. I’m trying to open up my world to you. I know I’ve not been the most forthcoming about my life, but—”

Amelia silenced her with a kiss, and then rested her forehead against Byron’s. “Shh, I know what it’s about, and I appreciate you having faith in me, and going this far for what we have together. We have two weeks, plenty of time to talk about your family.”

Byron sat back and smiled. “We don’t have to have just two weeks.”

Amelia suddenly looked concerned. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve cleared my schedule for a month. If you could be persuaded to extend your stay, we could have lots of time together.”

“But I can only stay away from the shop for a fortnight—”

Byron took her hand and said with satisfaction, “I spoke to your uncle and asked if he could do without you for longer. Jaunty owes me a favour or two, and he said it was fine with him if you are agreeable.”

Much to Byron’s surprise, Amelia looked angry and pulled her hand back abruptly.

“You spoke to Uncle Jaunty behind my back?”

Byron was taken aback. She did not expect this reaction. She’d thought she was doing a good thing, and besides, very few people ever talked back to her.

“Amelia, I just wanted to give us more time together.”

A fire that Byron hadn’t seen before erupted in her lover’s eyes.

“I don’t think you respect my job or my schedule.” Amelia’s voice went high-pitched and angry. “Did you think about the projects and clients that would have to be cancelled because I’m not there, and all to suit you? I have Daisy, an apprentice I’m teaching, and she’ll have no one until I get back.”

“Amelia,” Byron said firmly, “there really is no need—” Her lover’s anger drew Byron’s eyes to the throbbing pulse point on Amelia’s neck, the same point that taunted and tempted her to bite when they were making love. Byron’s mouth watered and she ran her tongue over her erupting teeth.

Her lust and hunger were disrupted when Amelia stood up abruptly. “I’m not some plaything who’s there for you whenever it suits you, Byron. After all the times when you’ve cancelled dates, and I’ve sat alone on Friday and Saturday nights because”—Amelia made air quotes and said sarcastically—“you have more pressing business that can’t be put off, and you don’t give one thought to my job, my life. I don’t want anyone making plans or decisions for me. I need some space.”