“You can’t be serious.” My eyes were shut and I felt too drowsy and sated to move. We were in bed at the Artemesion, Martin’s midtown hotel, four blocks from his office. We’d rushed there after our shameless romp in his office and took a suite. It wasn’t normally the kind of place that rented by the hour.

“I know it’s terrible timing, sweetheart, but I have to go. I’m building a hotel there. It’s a quick trip, just dinner tonight and a breakfast meeting. We’ll be home by noon tomorrow, I promise. We’ll pick up a dress and shoes for you at Bergdorf’s on the way to the airport. Please, Lily?”

“Martin, I’m trying to find my sister. I can’t just run away with you.” Of course, that was basically what I’d done that afternoon. I opened my eyes and started to sit up.

He lifted himself on one elbow. “I’m being an insensitive oaf again, aren’t I?” He touched my face, kissed me, then reached for a champagne flute on the bedside table. “It’s just, why worry about her? She has her life and you have yours.” He drained the glass. “Sad as I was when you went off to Spain instead of marrying me, I was glad you cut her loose. She’s a vampire who’ll drain the life out of you.”

“She’s my sister. She’s the only family I have.” I reached for my own glass.

“If you married me, you’d have a family,” Martin said. “You would have me and Ridley, and the children we would have together.” He kissed me again. “Think about it.”

“I will.”

“I need to take a quick shower. You’re not going to leave yet, are you?”

“You think I’m going to run out while you’re in the shower?” I couldn’t help but smile. “There’s an idea.”

“Don’t you dare,” he said, kissing me gently. “You’ve run away from me too many times already. One day I’ll tie you down, and you’ll never leave again.” He got out of bed and went into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door.