“I’m Brynlee,” she said. “But everyone calls me Bryn.”
“Conor Saintcrow.”
“Saintcrow?” She frowned. “Isn’t that the name of the man who owns the town?”
“He’s my father. Are you going to be here long?”
“The rest of the week.”
“Any chance I could take you out to dinner tonight?”
“I’d like that.”
“The pool closes at seven. Pick you up at eight?”
She nodded. “See you then,” she said, and dove into the water.
~ * ~
Conor called himself all kinds of a fool as he dressed for his dinner date with Bryn. He had sworn off women, determined not to get involved. In two weeks he’d be a vampire. Dating would be unwise until he grew accustomed to his new way of life. But what the hell. He deserved to go out with a beautiful woman. And Bryn was beautiful indeed. By the end of the week, she would be gone and he would soon belong to the ranks of the Undead.
Running a comb through his hair, Conor left the house and slid behind the wheel of the Mustang. It was an awesome car, sleek, fast, with an engine that purred like a contented tiger.
Five minutes later, he pulled up in front of rental house 23. He took a deep breath, got out of the car and went up the stairs to the door. He whistled softly when Bryn opened it.
“Wow, lady, you are one gorgeous woman.”
“Thank you. You look very nice, too.”
“Thanks. Shall we?”
With a nod, Bryn followed him out to the car, waited while he opened the door for her. A lot of women these days preferred to open their own doors, pay for their own meals and movie tickets, but she rather liked having a man do those things for her. She slid into the soft leather seat, watched him go around to the other side. She liked the confident way he moved. He was a handsome man, tall, broad-shouldered, with long black hair and deep blue eyes.
“Where would you like to go?” Conor asked. “We can eat at the hotel restaurant, or drive into Casper or Cheyenne.”
She lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “You invited me. You decide.”
He was tempted to take her to the hotel, get a suite, and have the hotel send up dinner, thinking if he got lucky, there would be a bed handy. But he dismissed that idea. She didn’t seem like the kind of girl who would agree to a one-night stand. And he found himself liking her too much for such cheap tactics.
“Let’s go to Casper,” he said. “It’s a nice night for a ride.”
“Okay if I turn on the radio?” she asked.
“Sure.”
She switched it on and skipped through the stations until she found one that played soft rock. “Tell me about yourself,” she said, settling back in her seat.
Conor shrugged. “Not much to tell. I’ve lived in Morgan Creek all my life. My parents spoiled me for a while and then insisted I learn to pay my own way. Right now I’m in charge of complaints, so if you have any, I’m the guy to see.”
She laughed softly as she rested her gaze on his face. “So far I like everything just fine.”
They made small talk on the drive, getting to know each other a little better, exchanging likes and dislikes, favorite movies and songs. He liked horror movies, she liked romantic comedies. She liked soft rock, he liked jazz. She loved light chocolates, he preferred dark. But they both liked being outdoors, swimming, water skiing, hiking, and horseback riding.
They ate dinner at an Italian restaurant, a favorite for both of them.
“Are you here alone?” he asked.
“No. I’m here trying to comfort my older sister who’s recovering from a broken heart.”
