The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée

Jenna jerked back. “You’re not lying. I need details.”

Tessa leaned against the wall. “This relationship has to look real. We’re supposed to be an engaged couple. We didn’t think having our first kiss in front of his ex was such a good idea. So we got it out of the way.” They’d hardly gotten it out of the way. If anything, it was all Tessa could think about. Well, maybe not the first one, but the second one…oh boy.

Jenna nodded, seemingly mollified. “That makes sense. So it wasn’t gross? Are you sure he didn’t try to bite you?”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “I’m going to bed. I have to be at his house at eight in the morning. It’s going to be a long day. Oh, and there’s a box of goodies from this sweet shop we went into. Apparently, his sister-in-law owns it and—”

“Delaney’s Delectables?” Jenna pivoted to look for the box. “No wonder I’m getting a pheromone spike off of you. I knew that couldn’t be from Sebastian. But Delaney’s better-than-sex goodies? Definitely.”

“Yes, that must be what it is.” Crisis averted. “The box is in that little shopping bag there. Don’t eat them all.”

“Yeah, okay.” Jenna opened the bag, her attention well diverted. “Night.”

“Night.” Tessa headed for her room to the sound of rustling paper.

“Still, it’s kind of weird.”

She stopped with her hand on the door knob. “What is?”

Jenna lifted a truffle from the box. “You and him? It’s weird.”

“Why? Because you’re not used to me having a man in my life? Or because you don’t think of him as boyfriend material?”

Jenna’s face screwed up in a curious expression. “Whoa. Are you saying you do think of him as boyfriend material? Because…wow. I mean, that whole dark and moody thing isn’t really your gig, is it? I never figure you’d see anything in a guy who wasn’t a total brainiac bookworm. Of course, it’s all just pretend, right? But still.”

“Right.” Tessa offered her sister a smile. “Just pretend.”

Except ever since that kiss, it hadn’t seemed like pretend at all.

Nerves were not something to which Sebastian was accustomed. And yet, here he was, at seven fifty-five a.m. feeling like a schoolboy who’d just been called to the headmaster’s office. He was downright jittery and didn’t know what to do about it.

And all because Tessa was about to arrive.

The woman whose kiss had brought him back to life. He’d thought of very little else since that kiss because it had done exactly what he’d feared. Reminded him of everything he was missing.

Now his thoughts had turned to her impressions of him.

What would she think of his home? It was nothing like his grandmother’s estate, but it was larger than both of his brothers’ homes. Well, Julian lived in the penthouse at the Excelsior, which hardly qualified as a proper house so it shouldn’t even be compared, but Hugh’s house was large and well-appointed.

Sebastian had built his home knowing it would be his refuge. He’d allowed for things like a library, a gymnasium, a theater and a pool—indoor, of course. And because of those allowances, the house was on the large side. Plus he had a guest house.

But for the first time since living here, he cared what someone else thought. Two someones, actually. Tessa and Evangeline. In Tessa’s case, he hoped she liked his home and saw it the same way he did, as a sanctuary. In Evangeline’s case, he hoped his house told her that he was doing just fine without her. Maybe even showed her what she was missing out on.

Hmm. He’d never realized how petty he could be. Another trait Evangeline brought out in him. And another reason to be done with her. If only he could.

The doorbell rang and he jumped, then immediately groaned at his response. “Calm down, man. You’re acting the fool.”

He forced himself to relax. He cracked open the Tombstone, the local newspaper, and did his best to read it, but there was nothing on the pages as interesting as the woman Greaves was welcoming at the front door.

From the library, the conversation was easy to hear. Especially with Sebastian’s heightened vampire senses.

The door opened and Greaves’ gravelly accent followed. “Good morning, miss. I’m Greaves. Please come in.”

The door closed. “Good morning. I’m Tessa Blythe. Sebastian invited me for breakfast. Well, for more than that, really, but you probably know all about that already.”

“I do. Quite generous of you to help him out this way. May I take your coat?”

“Sure. Thank you.”

“If you’ll follow me, Mr. Ellingham is in the library.”

Sebastian stiffened as their footsteps came closer. It was no accident he’d positioned himself in this room on this morning. He wanted her to be impressed and if there was any room in his house he thought capable of accomplishing that, it was his library.

The double doors opened and Greaves stepped in. “Mr. Ellingham, your guest has arrived.”

Sebastian folded the paper and stood as Tessa walked in.

Her hair was down and she wore a simple wine-colored dress with a scoop neck that showed off her slender throat and lovely collarbones.

He’d not had such attractive company for breakfast since Evangeline had been sharing his bed. “Good morning, Tessa.”

“Good morning.” But her eyes were not on him. They were on the room. Slowly, she walked deeper into the space, her gaze sweeping up the shelves to the second-story balcony that encompassed the room then back down again, lingering only briefly on the collection of antique weaponry hung around the fireplace before her inspection returned to the books.