I nodded, though of course he couldn’t see me. “If we go out again, I think it will just be as friends.”
Draven nodded.
We drove home in silence while I silently, and in a very ladylike way without any whoops or additional loud screeches, fell in love with my boss’ motorcycle.
“No, you can’t borrow my motorcycle,” Draven said over the mic, with laughter in his voice.
I sighed. Where was the love?
* * *
Later that nightI snuck down to the office to get in more work, Zian following at my heels, and stopped short to see that Draven was sitting moodily before the fire. It looked like he was attempting to read a book, but having very little luck at it.
Zian went in and laid his big body on the plush rug before the fire and dropped immediately into sleep.
“I envy him that,” Draven said.
“What? Sleeping?”
He nodded. “I don’t sleep well, if at all.”
“Why?”
He shrugged, and I let the subject drop. Apparently thewhywas a sticky subject.
“I can always try a sledgehammer,” I suggested facetiously. I blinked an innocent expression at him and his lip curled, revealing a sharp incisor.
I stared at it for a moment, captivated. What did it feel like to be bitten by a vampire? Did a vampire’s bite turn you instantly? I had so many questions. Whatever I’d asked, he’d patiently answered, but some of them, I felt, might veer into being rude.
I was direct, but I didn’t like to be rude.
Still, hehadasked me to come to him with any questions I might have, so I sat next to him on the overstuffed, velveteen sofa, and curled my legs underneath me. My toenails glinted a bright berry color, and I had a tan line where my flip-flops covered my feet when I was out at the pool.
“What does it feel like to be bitten?”
Draven stared at me, and I could tell he was contemplating not answering. “Why, are you interested?”
“In getting bitten?”
He nodded.
I pursed my lips and thought about it. Ididnormally like to experience new things. And as I’d become a recent resident at Moonhaven Cove, I knew there was so much to experience.
I mean, I was sitting here all cozy in myI’m going to take over the world. Just after this cup of coffee,pajamas, talking to a vampire. I was best friends with a star elf who’d yet to reveal all the really cool things he could do. I had a gargoyle bodyguard, a shifter was the town Sheriff, Zian’s vet was a brownie…the list went on and on. There was so much to learn, and so many new cool things to experience. So, did I want to get bitten by a vampire? Heck yeah! As long as it didn’t turn me. I wasn’t quite ready for that yet.
I turned back to Draven, who’d very quietly and patiently left me to my thoughts.
“Yes, I would. As long as it doesn’t change me into a vampire right now. Not saying that I wouldn’t change at another time, but I’m good being…whatever I am at present.”
His inky eyebrow winged upward, and I smiled. Those dang expressive eyebrows of his.
“So, we’re going to do this?” I said, putting down my cup of tea that I’d carried into the study with me. I splayed my hands on my thighs and sat up, ready to get bitten. “Where do you want me?”
Draven lounged deeper into the sofa and studied me for a long moment. There was a liquid haze of power surrounding him that gave me the good kind of chills. But it was a power that was banked, like you would bank a fire for the evening. He patted the seat next to him.
Zian pushed his head up when I changed seats, but went back to sleep when I sat next to Draven. He seemed to have no worries that Draven would drain and kill me.
I didn’t really either, but the thought of someone biting me and drinking my blood made me feel weird. Added to that was the fact that it would beDravenwho was going to bite me and drink my blood, made me feel like goblins were trying to hula dance in my stomach.
