Midnight Sun, Inc. (Crimson Romance)

by Debbie Vaughan

  “Pretty bra,” Raf commented as he began to dab base on my face. “We’re gonna keep this real light. You’ve got such nice skin, but florescent lighting can wash you out. The tan’s gonna help though.” He passed a brush across my cheekbones. “A little blush … Now hold still or go blind!” He began work on my eyes. He traced along my lash line and in the crease of my lid. His fingertip brushed my eyelids. “Open.” He brushed something through my brows.

  I blinked my eyes open and opened my mouth to keep them that way as he brushed mascara over and over onto my lashes. First top, then bottom, then top again. He stood back to survey his work, opening his eyes wide and pursing his lips. He rummaged through tubes of lipstick, tossing each aside until finally he came to a little pot and fished for a brush.

  “I don’t think lipstick is right for you, too heavy. So let’s try this instead.” He painted my lips with the brush. “Rub. Now blot, lightly.”

  I took the tissue he held and barely touched my lips. “It feels yummy. Good enough to eat.”

  “Don’t,” he hissed. “Now, for your hair … Hmm.” He paused, turning my head from side to side.

  “Not much to work with, huh?”

  Raf shrugged meaningfully. “I think Halle looks better with short hair don’t you? Somehow long hair detracts from her lovely face.” He paused as I nodded. “Did you ever wear your hair long?”

  “Yeah, it was down to my waist most of my life.”

  “Bet it was gorgeous, a pain in the butt and didn’t do a thing for you, right?”

  “Right. The only one who can pull off Cher-hair is Cher. It just hung there, straight as a board.”

  He squeezed a small blob of something that smelled like Granny Smith apples onto his fingertips and worked them through my hair. He repeated the process a couple of times using only a tiny dab each time. After tweaking a couple of errant strands he surveyed the damage. “There.”

  “Mirror please?” Raf offered me his hand to help me to my feet. “Guess I’ll have to go up … ”

  “We’ll have to go up. I wanna see your expression … ”

  We trooped up the stairs and down the hall to the bathroom, flicking on lights as we went. He grasped my shoulders and turned me to face him. “Close your eyes.” He backed me into the bathroom. “Now open.”

  “Geeze Louise! Is that me?” The flash blinded me. “Hey!”

  “Sorry.” Raf stuck the camera phone back in his pocket. “Sooo, what’cha think?”

  “Well, you know the old saying, ‘I’m a beautician not a magician’? I’m pretty sure you’re both.”

  He was right, the tan made my hair sparkle! Whatever he had put in it had given it texture and life where before it had just — been there. The person looking back at me was a lovely woman with wide blue eyes, long, long lashes, cheekbones and a pouty red mouth. I felt like belting out Reba’s “Fancy.”

  “Wow! Who knew?”

  “Thank you, thankyouverymuch!” Raf replied with a wide grin. “Now go find you a nice button up shirt and some shoes and we’ll go shop ’til we drop.”

  “Then you have to change your shirt too.” If I couldn’t wear my tee neither could he.

  By the time I found my shoes, Tom had returned and sulked at his desk behind a stack of papers. Raf had changed into a plain white oxford and painted his nails to match mine. I suspected his toenails completed the set, but since he wore loafers I couldn’t swear to it. My white shirt had long sleeves with tiny sunflowers embroidered on the collar tips and cuffs.

  “It’s still a little light out so we’re taking the boss’s car. Besides,” he said with a wink, “it has more cargo area.”

  “Girl on a budget here,” I reminded.

  “Boy, so not — here.” We were both laughing when we climbed into the Hummer. “Did you call Dee?”

  “Shit! I knew I forgot something.” I felt bad leaving Willy with Tom for the evening. He planned on getting payback for Willy-sitting if the leers he’d been giving me were any indication. They made me more than a little flustered. “Can I borrow your phone? I didn’t bring mine.”

  “Tell her to hang on when you’re done,” Raf instructed as he passed me the phone.

  Dee was fine with watching Willy even after my warning that he was a handful now that he was fully functional. She assured me Jimmy would be home as back-up and was fully capable of keeping up with him. Jimmy could even pick him up on the way home from work and save me a trip out. “Dee, Raf wants to talk to you. I’ll call y’all tomorrow.” I handed the phone back to Raf.

  “I’m sending you something. Wait for it!” Raf pushed two buttons to send a photo to her phone. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. Tell Jimmy we’ll see him tomorrow. Later!” He hung up smiling.

  The sun set as we hurtled down I-630 or maybe it just seemed fast in the Hummer. The radio was on but so low I could barely hear it. Vamp hearing being what it was, Raf could probably hear every word. “Mind if I turn it up?”

  He responded by punching a button on the steering wheel. The volume rose accordingly. Arkansas’s crime rate was on the rise the last few days. There had been a police shooting at the university last night in the wake of two raped co-eds. The girls were in ICU, the officer in surgery. The perp had escaped.

  “Did they just say panther?” I asked.

  “On Boone Road in Bryant,” Raf supplied. “That girl better be careful. They have the Fish and Game guys setting traps.”

  “Bianca’s the only one in the area?”

  “Far as I know. But then again, we’ve been getting a lot of visitors lately. Not all shifters travel in packs ya know.” Raf just shrugged and whipped into a parking space at the dry cleaners. “Got to pick up the tux, be back in a sec.”

  I heard the chirp of the remote unlocking the rear doors a moment later. Raf hung the tuxedos on the hooks, closed the door and was back in the driver’s seat quick as a bunny. The cleaner was on the corner opposite our destination so it only took a minute before we were parked in front. Several lovely gowns in bright colors hung in the window. I was hopeful.

  Raf wagged his eyebrows at me. “Let the games begin!”

  He seemed more excited by this than I was.

  The sales clerk, a nicely dressed woman of about forty, gave us the once over at the door. She came across a little on the snooty side and made me nervous. Maybe I had seen “Pretty Woman” too many times? Her nametag read, “Yvonne.” Raf didn’t seem to notice — or care — and extended his hand, Harlot nails and all. “Hi Yvonne! We spoke earlier?”

  “Err … you’re mister Raf?” Yvonne choked. Maybe she too had seen the movie and was just realizing how badly this could all end, for her?

  “Just Raf, honey. So, what have you picked out for us?” He raised his brow and pursed his lips.

  Taking me by the elbow, Yvonne ushered us into a large room in the rear of the store, with mirrors on all sides. About twenty dresses in shades of white hung on two racks. “I think we have some lovely choices for you … ” She began, only to freeze when Raf began to toss dresses at her.

  “These will not do! I said white. As in pure white, not cream (he tossed a dress) or beige (another) or ecru (and yet another). White!” He snorted in disgust and I stifled a giggle. “And chic! You do know the meaning of the word, right?” He held up a dress covered in flounces and lace that looked like it had been used in the ball scene at Twelve Oaks, “Really?”

  Yvonne began to stammer, “I am so sorry for the misunderstanding. I’ll remove those at once.” She draped the dresses over her arm and snatched another couple from the rack that Raf hadn’t gotten to yet.

  “What about pure white with a colored trim? Would that be acceptable?”

  “Perhaps, if it is something that doesn’t detract from the gown or can be removed,” Raf acquiesced. “Now if you’ll just go look, we’ll call you if you’re needed.” Yvonne literally slunk from the room. Only his hand over my mouth kept me from dissolving into laughter. Raf was grinning when he w
hispered, “snotty bitch!” in my ear before releasing me.

  “Strip!” he ordered.

  “Good thing I wore nice underwear.” And I had. Little stretchy white lacy boy shorts and a matching underwire bra. I stepped out of my shoes, pulled off my jeans, folded them on the bench, unbuttoned my shirt and lay it next to them. I left my socks on.

  Raf grinned. “I approve. Well, except for the socks.” He removed a dress from the rack and held it up for my inspection. “It’s not a halter but it does have a nice neckline. I’m not sure how it will hang though. All the lace … ?”

  “We have to start somewhere … ” It was a confection in lace. Every inch was covered, giving it an old fashioned flare. The cut wasn’t old fashioned in the least. It was low in the front and plunging in the back. I gave Raf the eye and held out my hand. Raf unzipped the gown and passed it to me. I stepped into it. The zipper was so low I was able to do it up unaided. Turning to the mirror I asked, “Well?”

  “Off! It hangs like a shift, which would be okay, if it was a shift. The lace makes it too stiff. Off!”

  Off it came and on went the next, and the next, and yeah, the next. We didn’t seem to be having a great deal of luck. Raf sifted through the remaining ten or so gowns, culling. “Try this.”

  “You’re kidding right?” I held a dress made from shiny spandex that looked like it was made to fit a Barbie doll.

  “Humor me.”

  I wiggled into it, holding my breath. I’m not sure why, the dress was stretchier than it looked, but fit like a second skin. I didn’t even look in the mirror.

  “Hmmm the spandex shows off your waist. But no. Off.”

  “Raf, we’re not likely to find anything that will fit my waist without altering it.” Tiny waists weren’t all they were cracked up to be. “Oooo! Gimme!”

  Raf held out the newest find. Yummy! First of all it was a halter, which is what we wanted. Excellent. The neckline was low, but not slutty low, the sleek, shimmery material had just a hint of stretch. It literally slithered across my arm, sending goose bumps along my skin. Fine embroidery and beading detailed the hemline extending upward toward the waist, which added weight. The bra had to go. I waited until I had the dress up and Raf had fastened the neck and zipped the back before I unhooked the bra and slipped it off. Okay, so I wasn’t ready to show it all to Raf. Deal with it! The walking slit was only up to the bend of my knees in back, making it easy to walk without marring the line of the dress. The dress was also about four inches too long and would be impossible to hem due to the beading. ARGH!

  Raf was positively glowing. “I believe we have found it.”

  “But it’s too long,” I moaned.

  “Shoes honey. It’s all about the shoes. Get dressed, we’re on a mission.”

  I took one more turn in front of the mirrors, pirouetting on my toes to keep from stepping on the hem.

  Halle Berry, eat your heart out! Raf turned his back so I could slip out of the dress and back into my bra, although how much good it did with a room full of mirrors I couldn’t be sure. But as they say, it is the thought.

  It cost two hundred dollars to rent the dress. Part of that was a cleaning deposit, which was refundable when we provided a receipt from the cleaners. Ouch! If it was returned stained, torn or otherwise mangled, I bought a dress. Trust me when I tell you, you don’t want to know for how much.

  Now, for high heels to break my neck in … Could the evening get any better?

  • • •

  We had been to every department store and shoe store in Little Rock and were back at Dillards.

  Raf said white or silver would be best but I wanted these. Nude was in this year, but I wanted these. If I had to wear four-inch heels. If I had to risk bodily injury. If I had to fork over the money for a pair of shoes I would probably never, ever wear again, I wanted these! At least they’d look pretty sitting on a shelf in my bedroom.

  They were red. And by red I mean the same flaming color as my nails and lips. They gave a whole new meaning to “fuck me” shoes. Hell, they turned me on! They had a lovely round toe, almost Mary Jane-ish, with a tiny sequined bow. I hated the pointy, witchy toe that had been popular for several years. Although the shoes were leather, they had been brushed or something, giving them a luster somewhere between satin and velvet. The sales clerk had informed me that six to eight inch heels were the rage this season and that these were considered low. No wonder so many models were having runway spills! The four-inch stiletto of clear Lucite gave the impression that you were walking on tiptoe with no means of support.

  “Raf, I’m sorry but it’s like with the dress, once I saw them that was it.”

  “Too bad I didn’t catch on earlier. If they mean that much to you, buy them. I’ll not say another word.” He sighed in defeat.

  He picked up the small bag containing the just-right shade of thigh high he had picked out. No panty hose for me, not on his watch. “Come along doll. Let’s get this over with,” he sulked.

  My stomach growled angrily, causing Raf to glare at it. “Sorry. It’s been a while since it ate.” I handed over my practically new Visa card and placed a hand on my stomach.

  “We’ll stop for a bite after we get your dress.”

  Raf had insisted we take it to be ‘sanitized’. I took that to mean they would steam it to kill any cooties left over from whoever had tried it on prior to me, but I wasn’t real sure. All my clothes were wash and wear. For a vampire who couldn’t catch human diseases, Raf was pretty cootie-phobic.

  He inspected the dress carefully for any signs of — well hell, I don’t know — deemed it usable, had it re-bagged and we left for Applebee’s.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Will you be okay?” I asked as we parked? “What if someone orders garlic bread?”

  “That’s why I picked this one. They’re progressive. They have a ‘no garlic zone’. There’s even a separate air system so cooking odors don’t make it in, a triumph for vampire-kind.”

  “Impressive!” I was starving so wasted no time in getting us seated. A waitress came to take our drink order almost as soon as we settled. Raf ordered a Razorback Red in O neg. with a straw and I ordered an un-sweetened tea. When she returned with our drinks she had a menu for me. I guess the tea gave me away. Several other couples sat in the dimly lit room. Some mixed, others not. Unless you checked who had a bottle of blood in front of them, I found it impossible to tell the vamps from anyone else. A couple of handsome guys sitting at a little pub table in the corner kept glancing over. Both sipped red stuff through their straws.

  “Smile, I think you’re being watched,” I whispered to Raf.

  “Uh-huh,” Raf said between sips.

  “No honey, really, and they’re cute.” I dropped my napkin. “Take a peek.”

  Raf took the hint with rolling eyes. He bent to retrieve my napkin, which had strategically positioned itself under his chair.

  “I think they’re looking at you,” he said with a sigh, as he returned the napkin.

  “Maybe they are trying to decide if we’re a couple. Wave to the waitress, I’m ready to order.”

  Raf waved a red nailed hand in the air motioning for the waitress. I watched the reaction of the two at the table in the corner, and smiled.

  “Are you ready to order now?” Our waitress asked sweetly.

  “I’ll have the Santa Fe Chicken salad, please.”

  “Half or full?

  Since my stomach took that moment to make its discomfort known again. “Full please.”

  “Right away.”

  “Raf, I’m going to the ladies room, can I borrow your phone again? I think I’ll call Bianca and make sure she heard the news.” Phone in hand, I headed for the restroom, pausing to ask our waitress if she would deliver two more bottles of whatever the cuties were drinking to their table, courtesy of Raf. After taking care of business and washing my hands, I checked Raf’s memory for Bianca’s number. She picked up on the third ring.

  “Hey Bianca
, it’s Connie. Did you hear the news today?”

  “Nope, I’ve been out. What’s up?”

  “A black panther was seen on Boone Road in Bryant two nights in a row. You?”

  “Nope.”

  “Well, they said the Game and Fish guys are setting live traps today. Maybe … ” I trailed off as a couple of ladies came in. “No one has seen one in forever, though.”

  “Thanks for the heads up. I may mosey over and see if I can pick up a scent.”

  “You do what you think best, but do it in your own skin. I don’t think Game and Fish lets you post bail. Bye.”

  I couldn’t tell if Raf was glad to see me or not. The two cuties from the corner table now sat at ours.

  Raf introduced me. “Connie, this is Bill and Ted. They came to thank me for the drinks … ” He quirked a brow.

  “How nice,” I said trying hard not to laugh and finally giving in to the urge, “Bill and Ted?”

  Bill glanced at me and grinned. “Pretty lame huh? They were the first names that came off the top of my head.”

  “Why not use your real names?”

  “Too hard to spell, much less pronounce,” Ted filled in.

  “They’re not from around these parts,” Raf told me. “They’re from my old stomping grounds.”

  My brain took a second to register what Raf meant. He was telling me these guys were old. “You’ve really caught on to the lingo.”

  “We watch a lot of movies,” Bill confessed with a smile.

  The waitress arrived with my salad.

  “I hope you will excuse me while I eat?” I asked with a little hesitation. My guys didn’t mind me eating in front of them, actually enjoyed watching me on occasion, but I wasn’t sure that held true for all vampires.

  “Why don’t Raf and I go back to our table and you and Bill can have this one?” Ted suggested shyly. “It’s sort of crowded with all of us here.”

  “Fine by me,” I answered after catching the hopeful look in Raf’s eye. Raf and Ted took their bottles and left, leaving me with my salad, and Bill. My stomach made another loud grumble and I flushed. “Sorry.”