Page 5 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“Yeah, just a little.” He moved the two seats in front of his desk, so they were facing each other and took one. “Please,” he said, gesturing to the other.

She sat, so close their knees almost touched. She would have crossed her legs but she’d kick him if she did, so she squirmed, tugging her trousers straight.

“So, tell me a little about yourself,” he said, giving her his full and undivided attention.

What? What in the hells would he want to know about her. Her blood was A negative, what else mattered?

“Have you been donating for long?” he prompted.

“No, you’re the first… sir.” How should you address a Lord Mayor?

“Oh,” the sound came out high, brows raised. “What did you do before? And there’s no need for all that sir stuff here, Theo is fine. When it’s just us,” he added with a wink. “I think it’s important that donor and vampire get along.”

Verity fought her blush, brows knotting. Was he being serious? This was not what she had expected, not at all. Her hands fisted on her lap as she tried to find the right words. Telling him about her dead career didn’t seem like a good idea, and his eyes were boring into her. Smile unfaltering and more than a little sympathetic. Phoenar, help her, she never got flustered, but he was throwing her off being all… nice.

“Or Theodor, if you’d prefer. Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“No, it’s fine. Just a little nervous,” she admitted, failing to hide the tremor in her voice.

“You’ve never done this before?”

“Nope.” She was fucking it up. He’d barely touched her and she was fucking it up. Breathing deep, heart racing, she looked up, staring at the chandelier.

The Lord Mayor, Theo, stood, walking across the room and returning with a glass and carafe.

“Here,” he said, pouring some water into the cup and placing it in her hand. “Take your time, there’s no rush.”

Verity sipped the water, face burning as she looked anywhere but at the vampire watching her.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Don’t be silly,” he said. “You know you don’t have to do this. It isn’t too late to change your mind.”

She gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I’ll be fine, promise.”

“Well, if you promise.”

A moment of silence passed as Verity drank the water, feeling calmer with every sip.

“Why did you join the Exchange? If you don’t mind my asking.” He leant forward with a conspiratorial smirk when she looked at him. “You can tell me to mind my business.”

Verity couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes, the tightness in her chest eased. She shrugged. “I need the money.”

The moment the words came out she regretted them. Something about him crept past her barriers.

He rested his elbows on his knees, eyes sparkling. “You know, I never trust the ones that say they do it to serve vampires or some nonsense.”

Trying not to laugh, she asked, “People really tell you that?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised. The job tends to attract people that are…”

“A bit weird?” Verity finished.

“Now, I was not going to say that,” Theo said, hands raised in self-defence.

“No, you were trying to find a more… polite way of saying it.”

“Oh, we’re gonna get along just fine,” he laughed. “Assuming you aren’t having second thoughts?”