Chapter Eight
Why the hell am I on a date with a vampire?
Dani was having déjà vu.
Of stupidity.
It was only a fifteen-minute drive from the dock to Ramsey’s house. They were in a black two-door sports car that sat entirely too low to the ground and had windows that she was sure were over the acceptable allowable tint limit. Even though the drive was short it felt like eternity. They made small talk as he zoomed through the city streets avoiding the main roads and traffic. Ramsey concentrated mainly on the road while she stared out the window. Every now and again she caught him stealing glances at her through the reflection.
When the car slowed her interest piqued. Large houses dotted the neighborhood. Some were hidden behind trees and high fences. Ramsey pressed a button on the dash and made a right onto a driveway. Iron wrought gates opened slowly. As soon as he had enough room for the car to fit, Ramsey breezed through and pulled into a carriage house and shut off the engine.
Dani stared ahead. Her heart beat erratically. What the hell am I doing here?
“This is such a mistake. You could kill me if you wanted to.”
“Dani. Look at me.”
Her hands shook violently. “I actually agreed to go to a vampire’s house. Like, who does that?”
He took her hands in his. “Sweetheart, I’m not going to hurt you.”
She blinked a few times. His face came into her vision. “Was I talking out loud?”
He rubbed his thumb across her palm. “You’re nervous. I can hear your heart. It’s practically exploding out of your chest.”
She pulled her hands away and spread them over her chest. Her heart was not supposed to beat that fast or hard. “I’m thinking that it may have been a bad idea to come to a vampire’s house alone.”
He gave her one of the sexiest looks she’d ever seen in her life. “We won’t be alone. Marcos, my assistant, doesn’t have a social life. He’ll be our third wheel.”
Okay, so now she wouldn’t be alone with one man, she would be alone with two. Lovely.
Ramsey leaned over and gave her the softest peck on the nose, then was out the door and opening hers in a blink of an eye.
She took a calming breath then stepped from the car. “First things first. All the fast moving. Slow it down. My brain can’t process it.”
He shut the car door slower than needed. “O-kaaay,” he said, elongating the word. He turned in slow motion and even slower waved for her to follow him. “Thiiiis waaaaaay.” It took him five seconds to raise his leg and about ten to set it back down.
She actually had to wait for him to catch up with her every time she took a step. She rolled her eyes. “At this rate it’ll take us thirty minutes to get to the front door.” Wait. Why was she trying to speed up her death?
“Iiii’ll beeee riiight thhhhere.”
Unless he was planning to kill her in slow-motion, it probably wasn’t going to happen. Dani chuckled and bounded up the front stairs and waited for him to follow. Ramsey was about halfway up the sidewalk when the front door opened, catching her off guard. She recognized the elderly man immediately. He’d saved her from almost dying in the alley and had called the police.
“What?” She scrunched her eyebrows together. “Wh-why are you here?”
Marcos poked his head out the door to see Ramsey still making his way in slow-motion toward the house. He then stepped back inside and tsked. “Nice to see you are doing well, young miss. Are you responsible for the mess out there?”
She turned to watch Ramsey. He’d only moved about an inch. He was a mess. A glorious one. “I told him not to move so fast.”
Marcos opened the door wider. “Well, you might as well come inside. It’ll be about another twenty minutes before he makes it to the door.”
She still didn’t know what was going on or how to take seeing her “savior” at Ramsey’s house. “What happened to ‘They only exist in the movies and in books, young miss’?”
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t have very well agreed with you. They would’ve put me in the hospital.”
“Uh, like they did me?”
He gave her an apologetic look. “But you needed to go. It was quite imperative.”
“So I’ve heard.”
He stepped to the side. “Coming inside?”
She eyed him carefully. “Are you a vampire, too?” Marcos didn’t have the same look as Ramsey did. Ramsey looked human, but there were little inconsistencies that screamed inhuman. Like, he didn’t breathe all the time, and when he did it was as though he was trying hard to remember how. His eyes tracked everything around him with a precision that she’d never seen before. And his muscles could’ve been sculpted from stone. While Marcos looked quite … soft and non-threatening.
Marcos waved a hand down his body. “Fully human.”
Satisfied with his answer, she stepped inside and folded her arms. “Okay, explain yourself. I thought I owed my life to you.”
Marcos turned and waved for her to follow. “Let’s talk about it over a glass of wine. Red or white?”
Dani thought about waiting for Ramsey so she could curse them both out at the same time, but one look and she knew she would have to wait on laying into him. Ramsey had only moved a foot since she’d left him.
“White.”
She followed Marcos through a house that could’ve been featured in one of the Better Homes and Gardens magazines that were spread across the waiting room table at her GYN office. She passed two rooms where white and pastel was the theme. There was an office with a big wood desk and full floor to ceiling book shelves. In a room to the left was a formal dining room with a large table with red and off-white place settings and ten chairs. A curio cabinet covered almost one entire wall. Instead of housing dishes it was filled with small figurines. She followed Marcos into the kitchen and walked into heaven. The aroma that filled the room was exotic. A pot boiled on the stove. Potatoes and onions were chopped up and in piles on the counter.
There she was, about to let bygones be bygones just because food was involved. She shook her head. Not this time. “I can’t believe that I’m in a vampire’s lair with his evil human assistant.” She gasped. “I am so going to die tonight.”
“Evil?” Marcos had the nerve to look aghast. “I’m hardly evil.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I was talking to myself.”
He nodded. “My apologies for interrupting your conversation, young miss. But may I suggest that you text our address to your lady friends so that they know where you are?”
That was a great idea. She pulled out her cell phone and typed in the address that Marco gave her and hit “send” to Jamie and Bride.
“So I’m not going to die tonight?”
“I should think not. Hiding bodies is so cumbersome, plus my back.” He stretched his lower back, and it cracked. “Isn’t strong anymore. I love Ramsey, but not enough to pull his victims to the backyard and bury them.”
She tried not to smile. Marcos didn’t give her that evil sidekick vibe. She bet that he spent his time watching daytime television and cooking shows. “But he almost killed me before,” she pointed out.
Marcos opened a cabinet and took out two wine glasses and went to a small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of wine. “Where should I start?” he asked as he poured their glasses.
“Start where you ‘found me in the alley’.” She glared at him.
He handed her the glass. “I’ll start about ten minutes before when Ramsey called me in a panic because he’d almost killed an innocent.”
He offered her a plate, and she declined, rubbing her stomach. “Start there.”
She took a sip of her wine and listened to his recounting. Twenty minutes later and she wasn’t mad at Marcos or Ramsey anymore. She’d learned that Ramsey didn’t believe in taking blood from unsuspecting humans and never enough to kill anyone. By the time Marcos finished his story and she was on her second glass of wine, Ramsey finally made it to the kitchen followed by an orange tabby cat. When he took a step, the cat wound around his foot.
She chuckled. “That must be Mewlissa.”
“I caaan’t staannnd heeer.”
Marcos tsked and rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen to him. He loves Mewlissa but thinks that admitting it would knock his station as a feared vampire down a peg.”
“Yoooou liiiiiie.” Ramsey set down another foot, and Mewlissa did a dance around it.
“I have photographic evidence of you cuddling with her,” Marcos said.
Ramsey was in the middle of lowering a foot, painfully slow. “Deestrooy iiit.”
Dani swirled her wine in her glass. “You’re a mess. You can walk regular. I never told you to go slo-mo.”
He paused mid-stride. “Are you sure?”
She took another sip. “Very.”
He was at her side in a heartbeat. She almost choked on her wine. “Jesus,” she bit out. “I said move at a regular speed. Not supersonic.”
He rubbed his hand in a circle across her back. Her skin heated under his touch. “Sorry.”
She looked up to see a smile on his face. He was so not sorry.
“Did Marcos try to feed you?”
She nodded. “But sadly, I had to decline.” She rubbed her belly. “I’m all filled up.”
Marcos waved a serving spoon in the air. “Next time, young miss.”
She gave him a grin, even though she was sure there wouldn’t be a next time. She had one more night in New Orleans and was flying back to Los Angeles tomorrow.
“Guess what I have?” Ramsey asked playfully.
“Um, what?”
Ramsey nodded toward a box on the counter. “I picked up a chocolate cake from Drenda.”
Her eyes glazed over, and she moaned. “Cake.” She hadn’t even gotten three bites out of the last slice before Bride and Jamie stole it from her and devoured it for themselves. She’d never tasted anything so heavenly divine before.
“Be good and I’ll let you take it home,” he whispered in her ear.
She instantly wetted. If she wasn’t careful she could see her dropping her panties in his kitchen, with Marcos watching. Get a grip.
Danya cleared her throat. “Your house is nice,” she said, in a poor attempt at changing the subject.
He smirked. “You say that like you expected something else.”
She lifted a shoulder. “I was expecting something more vampire-y.”
Marcos choked on his wine. “Well, that’s the first time that I’ve heard that.”
Ramsey stroked his chin with his fingers and glanced around his kitchen. “That’s what I’ve been telling Marcos. Take out these cabinets and put in stone shelves. Get rid of that refrigerator and bolt chains to the walls.”
She nodded. “And repaint. You need darker colors. More evil-y hues.”
He used a hand to cradle his chin and concentrated on the wall. “I can see it all so perfectly now.”
Marcos pulled over a chair and sighed as he slumped into it. “Please don’t encourage him, young miss. I’m too old to repaint.”
She chuckled and shook her head.
Ramsey moved leaned against her, placing both hands on the island in front of her. So many things ran through her head, mainly how good he felt pressed on her. How right his body felt on hers. His heat caressed her. Suddenly the room was too hot, too small.
“Are you okay?” he whispered in her ear.
She nodded. “I-I’m just hot is all.”
“Blame that on Marcos. He gets cold and hardly ever turns on the air conditioning.”
Marcos ran his hands over his arms. “My bones get chilled easily. I can turn on the air if you’re uncomfortable, young miss.”
“No. I have something better.” Ramsey stepped away from her and tugged on her arm. She put down her glass and followed him, letting him lead her through the living room and out the back door. They walked across a stone patio and down to a sparkling blue pool. Crickets were heard in the bushes that surrounded the brick privacy fence. Besides that, the night was quiet.
“Do you swim?” she asked. A vampire that swam? The only thing weirder than that was meeting an actual vampire.
“Sometimes. It helps to relieve stress.”
Ramsey peeled his shirt off, and she sucked in a breath. Every muscle in his chest was on display just for her. His eight pack abs looked as though they’d been molded by a sculptor. Dark hairs led from his belly button and disappeared down his pants. She wanted to place kiss after kiss down that dark trail until she found the treasure that awaited her below his belt line. Her mouth suddenly went dry.
He kept his watchful eyes on her as he unhooked his belt and slowly lowered his zipper. She should’ve turned away. Really, really should’ve. But no way was she missing this show.
Then Ramsey’s pants dropped.
Good lord.
Was that all him?
Dark fitted, mid-thigh length cotton briefs hugged his legs and stretched across his…
“Are you getting in with me?”
She wanted to get on him, if that’s what he meant. She could straddle him, wrap her legs around his waist, and wiggle and bounce.
Oh, yeah.
She licked her lips. Her stomach tightened as wetness pooled between her legs.
“Danya?”
Was he talking? “Huh?” She couldn’t formulate her words properly. Just looking at him and all his glorious perfection was doing a number on her head, her mouth, her…
“Do you want to get in the pool with me?”
Whoa. What? And in a snap, she was back to reality. “Pool?” Every insecurity she had about her body came roaring front and center in her mind. There was the cellulite in her butt and some in her legs. Her inner thighs sagged and jiggled a little. Her calves really weren’t well-formed. Damn! She should’ve stuck with that thirty-day squat plan that Jamie had told her about. And her stomach? She didn’t even want to show anyone that. She’d eaten like a pig all day. She couldn’t hold it in if she tried.
“Um, I’ll pass. I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
He stepped off the edge and fell into the pool with a splash. He went completely under and resurfaced a second later. The top of his hair covered his eyes. He threw his head back to wet it and pull it away from his face.
She may have orgasmed on the spot.
“It’s a private pool. You don’t need a bathing suit.”
She looked down at her body. She looked nice and curvy in her sundress, but naked she was a mushy mess. Dani chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t know…”
“Keep your underwear on. I’m not asking for you to get naked or anything.” A mischievous gleam shined in his eyes. “Not right now at least.”
Shit! My underwear!
She was pretty sure that they weren’t even matching. She wracked her brain to remember which pair she wore. Nope. Strapless black bra and blue cotton panties that came six to a pack. Why couldn’t she be like Bride and wear something sexy just because?
When she wasn’t working or logged into her online class, she was sleeping, trying to re-cooperate from the previous night’s shift of running up and down the hospital hallways, answering call lights and passing medications. For that reason alone, she opted for cotton and comfort. Lace wouldn’t do anything but chafe and itch, and the thought of picking tight underwear out of dark places all night long made her cringe.
“I’ll make it easy for you.” He turned around and splashed in the water. “Waiting.”
“I only live once,” she mumbled. Before she could talk herself out of it she pulled her dress over her head and tossed it on one of the lounge chairs and stepped out of her shoes.
Why, oh why hadn’t she had the forethought to put on the sexy set that Bride had gotten for her?
Before he turned around and saw what a complete mess she was, Dani ran over to the pool and jumped in.
****
The water rippled as Dani hit it. He smiled when he heard her squeal when she came up for air.
“So cold.”
“Can I turn around now, or do I have to spend the rest of the night staring at the back wall?”
“I guess you can turn around.”
She’d immersed herself up to her chin. The lights alongside the pool made her green eyes glow. She stared at him timidly. The predator in him wanted nothing more than to rush her and take her where she was. He bit down on that instinct. “Come here.”
She hesitated. He could feel her debating against herself. If her lips were above water he was sure that he would’ve heard the discussion. Then she waded to him, stopping an arm’s length away. He took hold of her waist and pulled her to him. She didn’t resist.
“Don’t be scared.”
She lifted her chin. “I’m not scared.” Then she dipped her mouth beneath the water again.
He brought her closer. Their bellies pressed against each other. “Still not scared?”
She shook her head.
He roamed his hands around her back and down to her butt, cradling her. She didn’t make a sound as he hoisted her on his hips and brought her thighs around to hug his waist. “What about now?”
He had the perfect view of her breasts. Her bra, waterlogged, almost slipped from her chest. The heat from her pussy covered his responding cock.
She lifted her hand and pinched her finger and thumb, leaving an inch of space between them.
“Well, I guess I have to rectify that.”