“Ember?” I repeated, touching the spot on my cheek where his lips had just been.
Alec grinned. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but you always call me Miss Rose.”
“Miss Rose is so formal, wouldn’t you agree?” he said. “Ember is more fetching. A spark. A glow. It suits you.”
My name was fetching? “Technically, it’s more like a dying fire than a glow.” I placed a hand on his forehead to test for a fever. Cool as…an undead guy. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I feel marvelous,” he said. “Why do you ask?” His tone was so unexpectedly chipper, I had to take a step back.
“Um, no reason.” I stood there awkwardly, not sure how to talk to this relaxed version of Alec Hale. I exchanged a furtive glance with Bentley, who seemed equally confused.
“You should join me in my office,” Alec told me. “There’s something I’d like to share with you.”
Now he wanted to share with me? He clasped my hand and guided me toward his office. I looked helplessly over my shoulder at Tanya and Bentley, with their matching unhinged jaws.
He closed the door behind us and trotted over to his desk with a spring in his step I’d never seen before.
“Should I sit here?” I asked.
“No, no,” he replied. “Come sit at my desk. I want to show you something on the computer I’ve been working on. I’m super excited about this project.”
My eyes bulged. “You’re…super excited about something?” I’d never heard Alec use the word ‘super’ to describe anything. Not even Superman.
He patted the edge of his chair. “You’re small. You can squeeze beside me.”
I certainly wasn’t about to reject the opportunity to sit close to that tight butt. I dropped down beside him and looked at the screen, immediately recognizing the title of the document. It was Filthy Witch, a work-in-progress I’d spotted on here when Alec was incapacitated by an infectious disease.
“I’ve finished a draft of my new book,” he said. “I thought you should know it was inspired by you.”
I balked. “By me?” And he was admitting it? Was this the same Alec Hale who called me Miss Rose in order to maintain emotional distance from me? Surely not.
He nodded. “I typically write these long fantasy books, but I thought it would be fun to mix things up a little. This story is bursting with romance. I think I’ll publish it under a pen name. A.B. Ellis.”
I struggled to speak. “Are you sure it was inspired by me?”
Alec grinned, his fangs on full display. “Naturally. Who else has captured my fancy so completely? I haven’t felt this alive since I was…alive.”
I shifted in the seat. I was unaccustomed to Alec being so forward. The vampire was all about restraint and decorum. “I thought you didn’t want to…I thought because of my aunt…”
He leaned closer to me, his breath hot on my neck. “I want to, Ember. Make no mistake. Very much.”
I shivered. “Are you showing this to me because you want me to read it?”
“I would love that. Of course, I’ll completely understand if you’re too busy,” he said. “You’re a force of nature, Ember. I know you have a lot in your cauldron with magic training, your work here, and your delightful daughter.”
“Oh, I’ll make time to read this,” I said.
“Perfect, I’ll email you a copy.” He attached the document to my email address and hit send. “I can’t wait to know what you think of it. It’s definitely a divergence from my usual style.”
“Yes, it certainly is,” I said, unabashedly staring at him. Sweet baby Elvis. His face was unbelievably gorgeous. I couldn’t imagine how many women he’d seduced with those sensual lips alone. I felt the bulge of his bicep as his arm brushed against mine and I instinctively pulled away.
“Ember, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?” he asked softly.
The question was so unexpected, I nearly burst into inappropriate laughter. “Dinner in public? Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m certain,” he replied. “There’s no one in Starry Hollow I’d rather share a meal with.”
“Okay,” I said. My stomach felt like a hive full of swarming bees. “Let me make arrangements for Marley.”
“Next time we’ll include her,” he said.
Next time? “You want Marley to come to dinner with us?”
“Your daughter’s company is highly enjoyable,” Alec said. “I look forward to spending more time with her. With both of you.”
This had to be because of Sheriff Nash. Alec must’ve heard about my recent outings with the werewolf and decided to take action.
“Marley would love that,” I said.
“You seem surprised that I like her,” Alec said. “Whatever have I done to give you the impression that your daughter was less than adequate in my eyes?”
“Nothing,” I stammered. “You’ve always been good to Marley.” I couldn’t bring myself to mention his odd behavior. Part of me feared he’d revert to his normal standoffish self.
He grinned again, flashing that previously hidden dimple. “I’ll pick you up at eight. Does that suit you?”
“It suits me fine,” I said.
“Excellent,” he said. “I look forward to it.”
I had no idea who the vampire was sitting next to me, but I knew one thing—I couldn’t wait to go out with him tonight.
Alec’s driver arrived promptly at eight o’clock. I did a final inspection in the mirror before hustling downstairs. No bra straps showing—check. Tummy control—check. Tasteful cleavage rather than tasty—um, I’d need to fix that. I was careful not to wear red, so as not to send Alec into full vampire mode. I had no desire to bring out the fanged beast in him, not tonight anyway.
As I passed by the hall bathroom, Marley poked her head through the doorway with a mouth full of toothpaste.
“Ewe like booful,” she said.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” I said. “You look beautiful, too. Now go rinse.”
I said goodbye to Mrs. Babcock, who sat in front of the fireplace knitting a blanket. “I’ll do a bit of knitting with Marley before bed, if you don’t mind.”
“As long as she’s not up too late,” I said.
PP3 tried to follow me out the door, walking so close to my feet that I nearly tripped over him.
“You’ve got to stay here, buddy,” I said, opening the front door. “This is a nice place. No dogs allowed.”
How about raccoons? Raoul stood in the shadows, near the pink rose bushes.
“Why are you lurking in my front garden?” I demanded.
Because you don’t invite me in, he said.
On the other side of the door, PP3 growled. I jabbed a finger in the direction of the door.
“That’s why I don’t invite you in,” I said. “PP3 is old and set in his ways. He’s not going to embrace a raccoon with open arms.”
I should hope not, Raoul said. That would be weird. Dude’s a dog.
I rolled my eyes. “I need to go, Raoul. Try not to get into any trouble.”
The back window of the car slid down. “Ember? Is there an issue?”
“No, it’s fine.” I hurried to the car as the driver opened the door for me. “Thank you.”
I scooted in beside Alec and inhaled his familiar scent. Evergreen and musk. Sweet baby Elvis, he smelled divine.
“Ahem, Ember.” He tapped the side of his head.
I cringed. “Crap on a stick, sorry.”
He smiled. “Don’t be sorry. I enjoy knowing how divine I smell. I just wanted to warn you before your thoughts turned in another direction.”
I closed my eyes and concentrated on cloaking my thoughts. It wasn’t difficult, but I managed to let my guard down around Alec more than I should.
“You look as divine as I smell,” he said, his gaze lingering on me long enough to make my pulse quicken.
“Thank you,” I said. “I credit my DNA, something I had absolutely no hand
in.”
Alec’s sensual lips quirked and his hand moved to cover mine. “This is guaranteed to be a splendid evening.”
From his incredible lips to the gods’ ears.
When we walked into the restaurant, heads actually swiveled. I quickly realized they were gawking at Alec’s new look, rather than at us dining together. It was like Black Leather Sandy from Grease showing up for swordfish and risotto when everyone was expecting Uptight Ponytail Sandy.
Ever the gentleman, he pulled out my chair before he sat and opened his menu. I considered myself a feminist, but I also liked when someone pulled out my chair, held open a door for me, and cooked and cleaned for me. Hmm. Maybe I was just lazy.
“Excellent. My favorite dessert is a special tonight,” he said.
“Which one is that?” I scanned the choices on my menu. My eyes were drawn to the word ‘chocolate’ wherever it appeared on the menu. Typical.
He gazed at me over the top of his menu. “See if you can guess.”
I studied the dessert options. Blood red velvet cake seemed too obvious. Magical Mud Pie didn’t grab me. There was one traditionally human dessert listed.
“Crème brûlée?” I queried.
He set down the menu. “That’s right. How did you know?”
“Process of elimination,” I said. “Why a human world dessert?” Especially when Starry Hollow offered such amazing food.
“The first time I tasted crème brûlée, I was in Paris,” he said. “I thought I’d never tasted anything so delicious in all my years as a vampire. I vowed to order it whenever I was fortunate enough to see it on a menu.”
“Tonight’s your lucky night then,” I said.
He winked at me. “I sure hope so.”
My neck warmed. Part of me felt guilty for enjoying our flirtation so much, especially because of Sheriff Nash. I wasn’t used to having any males in my life since Karl died, let alone two. I was out of my depth.
“How would you feel about karaoke after dinner?” Alec asked.
I nearly choked on my wine. “I’m sorry. Did you say karaoke? As in singing to a room full of drunk people?”
“Drunk paranormals, but yes,” he said. “Being loud and acceptably obnoxious seems right up your alley, no?”
I couldn’t even pretend to be offended. “Yes, it does!”
We enjoyed a fabulous dish called lobster akasha and drank an entire bottle of red wine before sharing the crème brûlée.
“I’m surprised you’re willing to share,” I said. Out of deeply ingrained habit, I used my own spoon.
“With you? Why wouldn’t I?” he asked. “If I’m willing to swap bodily fluids with you, I should be willing to split a dessert.”
At the mention of bodily fluids, a spoonful of crème brûlée got stuck in my throat. I forced it down and gaped at him. “What bodily fluids?”
He laughed. “Relax, Ember. I meant kissing. When did you become such a prude?”
My mouth dropped open. “I’m not. I just…” I didn’t know what to say.
“You do remember that we’ve kissed, don’t you?” He wore a vague smile. “It’s a good memory for a chilly night.”
“Why are you being so open with me?” I blurted. “What happened to buttoned-up Alec, the vampire with damaging emotional issues?”
Alec cocked an eyebrow. “Why? Would you like him back?”
I considered the question. “Maybe? There’s obviously something appealing about him. About you.”
“But you prefer this Alec?”
“I like being able to speak my mind,” I said.
“I daresay you have no issue with that—whether I’m in a suit or jeans, makes no difference.”
I polished off the last of my drink. To say I was pleasantly buzzed was an understatement. “There are so many times I have to bite my tongue, though. You have no idea.”
He leaned forward and gazed at me with such intensity, my insides quivered. “Then bite away, Ember. I think we’d both enjoy it.”
Dear Goddess of the Moon. I was about to melt into my chair. Maybe that was what really happened to the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy didn’t throw a bucket of water. The old witch had some hot vampire flirting madly with her and that was the end of her.
One scoop of crème brûlée remained in the dish. “You go ahead,” I said.
“No,” he said. “I’d like to watch you eat it.”
I held the spoon in mid-air. “You want to watch me eat the last of bit of your favorite dessert?”
He nodded, those kissable lips curving into a sexy smile. “Feel free to make pleasurable noises. You’ve done it with every other spoonful.”
My face turned crimson. “I have?” It didn’t surprise me. I was very oral…or vocal.
“Our attraction is undeniable. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I swallowed the last bite, very conscious of his eyes on me. “I thought we were supposed to deny it.”
He paid the bill before I had a chance to draw breath. “I’m feeling very free at the moment, Ember. Life’s too short to ignore a connection like ours.”
“Your life isn’t short,” I said. “You’re immortal.”
He grinned. “Details.” He pushed back his chair and extended a hand. “Shall we?”
“We’re seriously going to karaoke?”
“I already know what I’m going to sing,” he replied. “Trust me. You’re going to love it.”
Chapter 15
Strange Brew was the closest place I'd seen to a dive bar in Starry Hollow. It wasn't trendy and upscale like Elixir. Instead, it reminded me of the nameless bars in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Places where the smoke stuck to you like cobwebs and you needed to wash your clothes twice to get rid of the stench. There was a jukebox tucked away in the corner, and a dryad behind the bar that looked like he was rooted to the floor, which, as a tree nymph, maybe he was.
"Hey, Hank," Alec greeted him.
Hank glanced up from the tap in disbelief. He clearly wasn’t used to being greeted by Alec in such a cheerful manner. I couldn’t believe Alec voluntarily stepped foot in a place like this.
Alec nudged me. "What would you like to try this evening, Ember? Anything catch your fancy? Aside from me, that is."
My breathing hitched. I was still baffled by this forthright and upbeat version of Alec. It was as though Eeyore had been body snatched by Tigger.
"From the vibe of this place, I'd say we are strictly in ale territory,” I said. In my experience, dive bars were generally not the right venue to sample a new cocktail.
Alec chuckled. "I suppose you’re right. Hank, we'd like two zazzlewick ales, please."
Hank gave him a thumbs up and set to work. "You realize it's karaoke night, don't you?"
Alec nodded. "Yes, I’m aware of the schedule.”
Hank scrunched his nose and stared at the vampire. "But you hate karaoke night. You told me to remind you the next time you wandered in here that it was karaoke so you could leave."
Alec shrugged. "It's a gentleman's prerogative to change his mind."
Hank slid the ales across the counter to us. “Fair enough. You don’t strike me as the sort of vampire to do the complete opposite of what you said, though. You usually stick to your word.”
My hand froze on the glass. The complete opposite? I squeezed my eyes closed in frustration. I was such an idiot! How did I not realize that Alec’s behavior was due to my spell on Wyatt? I must’ve accidentally zapped Alec when the cat knocked my wand. I’d ignored the obvious because, subconsciously, I wanted to experience this version of Alec. Willful blindness.
"Is something wrong, Ember?" Alec asked with concern.
I didn't know what to say. I certainly wasn’t about to admit that I’d inadvertently hexed him into being a better version of himself. On the other hand, it was so nice to spend time with this vampire. I was loath to give it up.
"Everything is great," I said. Or, at least it would be for the remainder
of the night. After that, I’d need to reverse the spell. As tempted as I was, I couldn't leave Alec in this state indefinitely. It wasn't fair.
A burst of noise from the entrance drew our attention. My head swiveled and I was shocked to see Sheriff Nash swagger in with Wyatt and Linnea. They seemed shocked to see us.
“Ember, what in Mother Nature’s name are you doing here?" Linnea asked.
I inclined my head toward Wyatt. "I should stay the same to you," I replied. "You’re here with Wyatt?"
Linnea smiled, drowning us all in Rose-Muldoon beauty. They were a striking family, and the eldest sibling was no exception. I tried not to think of my own tangled dark hair. It served no purpose to want the sleek, white-blond hair I could never have.
"Wyatt knows how much I like to sing," Linnea said. "He suggested we come here tonight so I could show off my pipes."
"I didn't realize you could sing," I said. Not that I was surprised. My cousins seemed blessed with every possible talent. I could understand why residents were both resentful and in awe of them at the same time.
Linnea glanced around the half empty bar. "I'm relieved it isn't crowded. It’s been quite some time since I sang in public. I don't want to embarrass myself."
"I think you'd have to work pretty hard to embarrass yourself," I told her. I took a long sip of ale. "Can I get you anything?"
Wyatt appeared between us holding two glasses of ale. "I've got it covered, babe. Don't you worry." He slapped Alec’s back. "Good to see you again, sir. That was a great dinner on Sunday, wasn't it?"
Sheriff Nash approached us cautiously. "You were both at Sunday dinner at Thornhold?" His gaze darted from Alec to me.
Linnea gave a dismissive flick of her elegant fingers. "Mother likes to mix things up every once in a while. I’d asked for Wyatt to be included for the sake of the children, and Mother thought it would be nice to have Alec. After all, he is her favorite employee."
Sheriff Nash grinned. "Employee," he repeated. "Now there's a word I don't have to hear very often. That's the good thing about being the sheriff."
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