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“Darling, what time is it?”
“I don’t know. Early, I guess.” I reach over to the dresser and pick up myKermit the Frogwatch. “Nine twenty-five. Time to be getting up.”
Nick flops back down on the mattress and buries his head in the pillow. “Last night was amazing,” he grins.
My cheeks flush. “Yes, it was.”
“Fancy a sequel?”
“Yes, but if we start that we’ll end up spending the whole day in bed.”
He chuckles darkly.Damn, everything he does is so sexy.
Throwing back the duvet, I go to the wardrobe and slip on a dressing gown. “I’m absolutely starving. I think I can smell toast so I’d better go down and see what’s cooking.” I’m about to ask him what he wants for breakfast, when I catch myself. Of course! Vampires don’t eat breakfast. Well, not the bacon and egg variety, anyway.
Fastening the belt on my gown, I kiss him goodbye and make my way downstairs. As I pass the sitting room, my heart warms at the sight of the brighly-coloured Christmas tree laden with presents.
Life feels good again.
I enter the kitchen and find my mother washing dishes at the sink. The kettle is boiling for tea and two pieces of toast are laid out on a plate.
“Morning Mum,” I say. “Did you have a good sleep?”
“It was okay,” she replies sourly.
I shake my head.Okay, not off to the best start.
Moistening my lips, I join her at the sink and ask her if she needs any help with the dishes. She coldly declines.
Why can’t she look at me? Just what the hell is her problem?
The kettle finishes boiling and I ask her where the tea bags are kept. Silently, she points to one of the top cupboards. Following her instructions, I fetch a box of Red Label and finish making the tea.
“Where’s Dad and Michael?”
“Probably still sleeping.”
The tension is getting unbearable. I want to ask her outright, but my pride prevents me. If she wants to play games then fine, I’ll play.
“So,” I say, sipping my tea, “what’s the plan for today? Are we going to exchange presents before or after lunch?”
Woodenly, she turns off the taps and looks at me. “Sex isn’t the be all and end all, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, just because a man is good in bed, it doesn’t mean he’ll make a good husband.”
My mouth gapes. “Oh my God, were you listening outside our room last night?”
She drops her gaze to the floor, suddenly flustered. “No, of course not. I just mean that I can tell by looking at Nick, what the primary attraction is. I’m warning you: relationships built on lust alone are doomed to failure. Get out while you still can.”
I slam down my cup on the sideboard. “That’s pretty rich coming from the lady who ended a twenty year marriage because she couldn’t keep her knickers on.”
“How dare you!”
“How dare I?Excuse me, but do you really think I’d take relationship advice from a heartless witch who broke my father’s heart? Do you know how much your affair with Michael destroyed him? He still hasn’t gotten over you, even after all these years.”
“Now you’re not being fair, Carly. This isn’t about your father and me. This is about preventing you from making the biggest mistake of your life. Thatcreatureyou’re going to marry is evil. The way he looks at you… it scares the hell out of me. It’s like he wants to eat you. I don’t know what kind of spell he’s put on you, but you’d better snap out of it pretty damn quickly. If you don’t get out now, he’ll destroy you.”
