by Kiersten Fay
“It’s fine, really. See?” She shoved another bite into her mouth, chewed, and chewed and...gulped.
He shook his head and sighed. “I’ll just have to take you out for a proper breakfast.”
She did a double take. He wanted to spend even more time with her? The most she’d expected from him this morning was a “Hey, thanks for a great night. How about I call you next time I want to get it on?” Or maybe even a grunted “Return to me tomorrow night.”
And she would.
Already she craved more of this strange erotic man.
“I can’t,” she told him. “I have to get to work. I’ll have to call in late as it is. I can’t exactly go to work looking like this.”
He tilted his head, eyeing her with steamy intent.
Stifling a shiver, she cleared her throat and pointed at her face. “Eyes up here, buddy. I’d love nothing more than to ditch work and spend all day translating that look, but—”
“Then do.”
“Sorry, what?”
“Call in sick. Hang out with me today.”
“Seriously?”
“Life is short,” he said. “Let’s have some fun. You only live once.”
“Or in your case, forever.”
“We all have an expiration date. Even vampires. We can be killed. Sure it’s not super easy, but nothing lasts forever.” A shadow of sorrow crossed his expression, gone so fast she wondered if she’d imagined it. “My motto is live every day to the fullest, because it might be your last. Besides, I just promised you breakfast, and I’m not about to let you finish that.” He snatched her plate and dumped the contents in the trash.
“I’m a little overdressed for a restaurant at eight in the morning.”
“Nonsense. You look lovely.”
“For visiting a club, maybe.”
“How about if we stop somewhere and get you some more appropriate attire?” He retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and held it out to her.
Taking it, she tapped the device with her forefinger, contemplating. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d taken a sick day. Or a vacation, for that matter. There was never a good enough reason, and keeping up with her bills was top priority, but spending more time with Lex was so enticing, and if she called out, she wouldn’t have to see Brian today. It would be nice not to have to deal with that situation so soon after their breakup. They could certainly use the time apart.
Who was she kidding? Her decision had been made the second Lex placed the phone in her hand.
Her call to the office was a mini trial in self-control. The second Mr. Dixon picked up, Lex crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out. She’d nearly choked on a laugh. It was a miracle she’d held it together, pretending to be ill for her boss. Luckily he seemed to have bought it.
After hanging up, she chastised, “You. Are. Terrible.”
“You mean terribly cute and adorable?”
“Ha! More like ridiculous.”
“Ridiculously adorable?”
“Only half that statement is spot on.”
He polished his nails on his chest. “It’s the adorable part, isn’t it?”
10
Ten minutes later, they pulled in a parking lot banked by a set of apparel shops.
“Uh, these stores might be a little out of my price range,” she told him.
“No worries. Pick out whatever you like. I’m paying.”
She shook her head. “No, I couldn’t. Look, I think we passed a couple more reasonably priced stores back there. I’m a great bargain hunter.”
He parked and shut off the engine. “Well, we’re already here. Might as well take a look around. If you can’t find anything you like, we’ll check out your bargain stores.”
The first shop was brightly lit with chic mannequins displaying tasteful ensembles. She glanced over a line of blouses while he sifted through a nearby rack of men’s shirts. Looking to replace the one she’d ruined? When she started to feel bad about that, she reminded herself he’d confiscated her panties.
When Lex wasn’t looking, the pretty attendant behind the counter followed him with her eyes, then met Kasima’s gaze. The girl smiled guiltily and then fanned herself in an exaggerated manner. Kasima grinned in return. Yes, he was fan-worthy.
“What’s funny?” Lex asked.
“It’s nothing.”
He shrugged. “My sire is getting married in a few weeks. I could use a date to the wedding. You interested?”
“Oh? Um, okay.”
He selected a finely pressed white button-down and draped it over his arm. “Good. Then pick out something formal to wear as well, if you like.”
She glanced at the price tag attached to the sleeve of the blouse she was considering. Her blood pressure spiked. That was roughly half a month’s salary. She dropped the sleeve and backed away, scanning the rest of the displays for—Ah, there. She migrated to a clearance section in the back, but the prices were still pretty high.
Lex joined her then, having dropped his selections off at the register. “Find anything?”
She shook her head. “The prices here are...well, I just don’t usually splurge on these kinds of clothes.”
He checked the tag of a wool coat she’d been admiring. “Tell you what. Go get settled in a changing room and I’ll bring you a few items to try on.”
She raised a dubious brow. “You’re going to pick out clothes for me?”
“With the attendant’s help, yes.”
She glanced at the attendant behind Lex who was busy folding the shirts he’d handed her.
“Only a couple of outfits,” he insisted, sensing her hesitance. “Just to see how they look.”
She sighed. It wouldn’t hurt to indulge him.
In the dressing room, Kasima sat on the bench, peeking out at Lex and the suddenly all-smiles attendant rifling through racks and holding up items against her own body for Lex’s approval.
Kasima sat back on the bench and waited. A few minutes later, the girl presented her with a pile of elegant clothes...no tags in sight.
“Hi there,” the woman said kindly. “My name is Avery. Let me know if you need anything in a different size.”
“Thanks.”
Before leaving, Avery peeked behind her, making sure Lex was nowhere near, then whispered, “Tell me he’s available.”
Kasima shook her head, smiling at the girls flushed cheeks. “He’s with me.” For now.
She stuck out her bottom lip. “I was afraid of that. You caught yourself a drop-dead hottie-pitotty. Does he have any brothers?”
“Not exactly. Ever been to Ever Nights? I’m pretty sure they manufacture beef-cakes like him in the back.”
“Oh, yeah? I’ve never been, but I’ll have to check it out.” Avery winked and then left her in private to try on the clothes.
She donned a wide-strapped floral sundress first, twirling in the mirror to make the bottom flare. The fabric was soft and lightweight, the fit perfect. She opened the curtain to ask Avery for the price, but Lex was there.
“Wow,” he said. “You look great.”
“Thanks, but I don’t see a price tag.”
“Huh,” he said, curiously unsurprised. “That’s weird. Hand it to me and I’ll check with Avery when she comes back.”
“Already on a first name basis, are you?” She’d meant it as a joke, but a spark of jealousy had slipped into her tone. Which was irrational since they weren’t really together like that.
His lips twitched. “Show me the next one.”
She closed the certain and then slipped the sundress off before passing it to Lex.
Her next outfit was a plum skirt. She matched it with a thin white blouse that had crisscrossing ties in the front that kept the v-neck from opening too wide. Provocative without being too revealing. When she stepped out, it wasn’t Lex who waited for her this time.
“That looks sick!” Avery chirped.
“Thanks. Where did—” she saw him then, across the store...i
n the lingerie section. She cleared her throat and fought a blush.
Returning, he handed Avery his lacy selections. “Ring these up, too.” His tone had become rough.
“Those aren’t for me, are they?”
“I’m certainly not going to wear them.” He turned to her with a wide grin, but then his expression went slack as he took her in. His tone dropped an octave. “We’ll take what she’s wearing as well.”
Returning to the register, Avery gave her a quick thumbs up behind Lex’s back.
Stepping closer to Kasima, Lex muttered in a husky tone, “If I thought you’d let me, I’d take you right here in this dressing stall.”
Her breath caught. Fiery heat seared her blood.
Seemingly debating, he looked over his shoulder at Avery, busily ringing tabs, then back at Kasima, back at Avery, Kasima.
“Don’t even think about it.” Why did she sound so breathy?
At length, he grunted, “I can wait.”
That she was inspiring such lust in a man like him gave her a heady hit of confidence that she didn’t normally feel.
“You should wear this out to breakfast. Later, you will try the rest on for me.”
“The rest?”
He stepped past her and collected all the clothes she had yet to try on, taking them to the register. “Ring all this up.”
Kasima slipped her heels back on and rushed after him. “But...Lex...wait a minute.”
Avery was already ringing up the new items. When she finished, the total made Kasima go pale. Lex didn’t even flinch. He fished out his credit card and handed it over.
“I can’t let you buy all this, Lex.”
“Why not?”
“Because, it’s too much. I wouldn’t be able to pay you back for some time.”
“I don’t expect you to pay me back at all.”
“Will there be anything else?” Avery asked sweetly, as if it wasn’t enough Lex had just dropped damn near a G in her store.
“We’re good for now,” Lex replied, reaching over to take the bag now stuffed with overpriced garments.
In a daze, she followed him out to the car. He stored the bag in the trunk and then came around to open the door for her.
Before she got in, however, he wrapped his arm around her waist and stared down at her with a hungry expression. Her entire body sizzled under that gaze. He bent to take her lips in a tender kiss. She got the impression he was holding back, trying to be careful with her. He’d have to be with his supernatural strength. Still she didn’t fear him.
Her own body hummed with desire.
He broke the kiss to mutter in her ear, “Woman, you have me so keyed up I can barely think straight.”
At that, her mind went on a complete hiatus. She nipped his ear. “You turn me on like crazy.” She reached down to palm his crotch, fondling his length through his jeans.
He let out a smothered groan. “If I wasn’t such a gentleman, I’d take you in that alley over there.”
If he tried, she might just let him.
At breakfast, he sat patiently while she ate her blueberry waffles, not ordering anything for himself.
She wiped her mouth. “So, this event you spoke of? You say it’s your sire who’s getting married?”
He nodded. “The whole thing’s a bit sudden.”
“Oh? You think he’s jumping in too fast?”
Hands steepled in front him, he shook his head. “If you saw him and Naia together, you’d know it was inevitable. Pretty sure she had him by the balls on day one.”
Kasima smiled at the notion of a fated romance. How fanciful. “You said it was happening in a few weeks. Would that be on a weekend?”
“It’s on a Friday.”
“Hmm. I work on Fridays. After calling out today, I wouldn’t be able to take another day off for a while.”
“Why not?”
“I have bills to pay.”
He waved an unconcerned hand. “No worries. I’ll send someone over to speak with your boss. I have a very strong feeling you’re do for a paid vacation.”
She blinked at him, speechless for a moment. He could send any one of his clan to compel her boss into thinking a paid vacation was just the ticket. “You’re used to getting whatever you want, aren’t you?”
He grinned devilishly, displaying those fangs that she was finding sexier by the moment.
“Are you finished eating?”
She nodded, pushing her plate away.
On their way out of the diner, Lex asked, “What do you want to do now?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t often play hooky like this.”
He opened the car door for her. “I’m a bad influence on you, aren’t I?”
“The worst.” She slipped inside. It felt like she’d had more fun with him in the last twenty-four hours than she had in the last three years of her life.
He folded his big frame into the driver seat and then started the vehicle. “Have you been to Adventure Land? I hear they just opened a couple new rides. The Brain Scrambler and something else.”
“The Tower of Terror,” she supplied. “I edited an article about the new additions a few weeks ago. They’re supposed to be two of the largest attractions built since the end of the war.” Most of the amusement parks had been decimated from the fighting, along with much of everything else. Riverstone was one of the fastest-growing cities, having bounced back quickly after the depression, and was one of the few cities that were economically stable—largely in part due to the vampire population, and the businesses they’d built. Her Grandmother often dubbed it New Las Vegas, which apparently had been a bustling mecca of casinos and entertainment, but was little more than a desert wasteland now.
Lex eyed her with renewed interest. “Have you ridden them yet?”
She shook her head. “My parents took me to Adventure Land a couple of times when I was younger. I was always too small to ride the big rides, but I always wanted to.”
“Why didn’t they bring you back when you were older?”
“They’d always planned to, but they both worked full time to pay off the mortgage and make sure I got an education.”
His brows rose at that. The government had been weakened by the long war on American soil, to the point of nearly crumbling entirely. Those in office were still struggling to regain power and stability. Education was the last on a long list of priorities. Almost every educational facility, but for those backed by wealthy benefactors, such as ivy-league schools, had long been closed, the buildings in ruins or repurposed. As a result, the responsibility of education landed on parents and, sadly, required a lot of money. At best, lower-income families focused on trade skills.
Lex asked, “What kind of education did you receive?”
Though her education was far from ivy-league, it was well rounded, thanks to her parents’ efforts. “They hired tutors for me, making sure I could not only read and write, but knew math and history as well.” When she’d shown interest in photography, they’d done everything to cultivate it, only wanting her happy. Damn, she missed them.
“Their efforts paid off. You’re the assistant to the editor at the Tribune. They must be very proud.”
“I’m sure they would be. They passed away a few years before I got the job.”
“Oh, sorry.” He pulled the car onto the road and brought it up to speed. “Do you think they would have liked me?”
She glanced at him. “My mother would have adored you. My dad? Let’s just say, if he were alive, he’d be dusting off my grandfather’s old rifle. He warned me to steer clear of the vampires in town.”
“Yet here you are.”
“Here I am.”
After a while, he asked, “So, you never wanted to visit Adventure Land on your own?”
She shrugged. “Just been too busy.”
He appeared appalled, yet teasing at the same time. “You should always make time for fun. Otherwise, why is life even worth living?”
“I do make time
for fun, but my financial responsibilities take precedence. My parents left me their house and a modest inheritance, but I promised myself I’d keep up with the bills and save for retirement.”
“Tell me what you do for fun.”
She grew a little self-conscious, fidgeting with her nails. “It’s nothing really. A hobby. I just like to take a few photos here and there.” God how she wished she had her camera on her right now. The way the morning light illuminated Lex’s features and gorgeous green eyes made her itch to photograph him.
“You’re a photographer.” He pulled onto the highway, and she could already spot the sun glinting off the tall roller coasters in the distance.
“I’m not a professional or anything, though that’s the goal.”
“Have you thought about taking snapshots for The Tribune?”
“I’ve asked my boss about it,” she replied, brightening. “He said he’d keep me in mind if any positions open up. It would be ideal.”
“I’d love to see some of your stuff. Maybe you could show me later?”
“Uh, sure. Maybe.” Her gut twisted in a tangle of nerves. The last person who’d seen her work had been Brian, and he hadn’t exactly been wowed.
What if Lex glanced over her work and his response was a resounding “meh”?
It would be crushing.
11
Adventure Land was pretty packed for a weekday. Lex was right about making time for fun. She was lucky enough to live so close to one of the few amusement parks to have been completely restored after the devastation of war and turmoil. While others traveled miles to enjoy the thrilling rides and adjoining water park, it was practically in her own backyard.
As she and Lex cleared the brightly flourished entrance and traveled closer to their destination, the smell of sugar and fried food spiked her senses. She was reminded of her parents’ smiling faces as they’d indulged her excitement as she eagerly flitted from one sight to another. Her father had carried her on his shoulders when she’d grown tired, while her mother had passed her cotton candy. Such a happy memory.