Tall Dark and Hungry(21)

Vincent's eyes didn't meet hers; they were on the celery she was cutting. Terri saw concern flash across his face as he called, "Be careful, you're going to cut your-"

"Ouch!"Terri jumped and dropped the knife as pain radiated up from the pointer finger of her left hand. Reacting instinctively, she caught the wounded digit in her right hand and pressed it close to her body, holding it tight in an effort to end the pain, not to mention cut off the blood that was probably coursing from it.

Vincent rushed over to her. "Here, let me see it.»

Terri hesitated, then raised both hands and forced herself to open her fingers and reveal the wound, then flushed with embarrassment. It had hurt like the devil, but was really just a small cut she saw with self-disgust. She'd reacted as though she'd lost a limb.

"Sometimes the smallest cuts are the most painful,"Vincent commented, as if he'd read her thoughts. He was examining the wound, and the small bit of blood leaking from it, with a fascination that was a little unsettling. Especially when he suddenly inhaled, as if smelling a wildflower.

"Vincent!»

The crack of Bastien's voice made both Vinny and Terri jump in surprise. Retrieving her hand, Terri turned to smile uncertainly at her host. He didn't even notice the effort, let alone appreciate it. His eyes were focused on his cousin.

"Hello, Bastien. Rough half hour at the office?"Vincent teased lightly. Then he gestured to Terri. "She cut herself slicing celery. I was just looking at it for her.»

Bastien immediately started forward, his expression softening with concern. It was a relief to know the blood he'd smelled upon entering the kitchen hadn't been from a bite. That scent, combined with the way the two had been huddled together, had led him to think Vincent had bitten Terri. He was glad he was wrong. "Is it bad?»

"Fortunately, no."Vincent stepped aside to let him take his place examining Terri's cut. "A bandage should take care of it. I'll go see if we have any.»

Bastien was aware of the other man slipping from the room, but merely clasped and lifted Terri's hand to examine the injury for himself. Much to his relief, his cousin was right and it wasn't a bad cut. It was small and shallow enough that it didn't even really need a bandage, but the smell of the few drops of blood that had slipped from the wound was strong enough that Bastien was almost heady from it. He supposed it would have been worse for Vincent, who hunted at night so had yet to feed today. Which meant Bastien probably owed him an apology. He had just ingested a bag of blood, yet was hard pressed not to stick Terri's finger in his mouth and suck away the small bit of blood. Yet, Vincent had been managing to resist, despite likely being ravenous.

"It should be fine, but I'll go see how Vincent is making out finding that bandage,"Bastien said gruffly. He released her hand and left the kitchen quickly, fleeing the temptation in search of his cousin. He found Vincent in the office at the back of the penthouse, prowling like a hungry tiger.

"I didn't bite her,"he said at once. "We were just talking about you.»

"I know. I'm sorry,"Bastien began; then he paused and blinked. "About me?»

Vincent relaxed and nodded. "She likes you, Bastien. I mean really likes you. But there's something else there. Some fear is keeping her from giving in to her feelings. She may not be an easy conquest.»

"I don't want to conquer her, Vincent. She isn't a foreign country with riches I covet.»

"Then what do you want from her?»

Bastien was silent. He didn't know the answer. He hadn't been this fascinated by a woman in a long time, perhaps ever. He didn't even remember feeling this drawn to Josephine. He certainly had never felt so comfortable with the woman he'd always considered the love of his life. There was something so natural about Terri. She expressed what she felt with a distinct lack of concern for what people would think; she didn't bother to try to act as if she knew something when she didn't, lest she look foolish. Terri was honest and accepting and made Bastien feel as if he could be himself around her, as if that was enough.

He wanted to be just as honest in return. That was a feeling he was constantly fighting, afraid that if he revealed the facts of his vampirism, she would shun him as Josephine had.

"That's a risk you'll have to take eventually, if you want a serious relationship with her. This is a new era, though. Vampires are 'in' right now. Terri might not react like Josephine at all."Vincent didn't bother to try to hide the fact that he'd been reading his cousin's mind. Wrought with turmoil as he was, Bastien hadn't remembered to guard his thoughts. "Can you read her mind?»

Bastien shook his head. He'd tried while shopping that afternoon and hadn't been able to read a thing.

Vincent nodded solemnly. "You'll have to tell her eventually. Perhaps Kate can help you. They're cousins. Terri might take it better from her anyway."Vincent moved to the door. "I'm going out for a snack. Enjoy your night.»

Bastien watched the door close behind his cousin, then stood unmoving for several minutes. He felt restless, empty, hungry. That last thought had him crossing to the locked fridge in his desk to retrieve a bag of blood. He popped his teeth into it, ingested it quickly, then tossed the empty bag away in disgust. It didn't help what ailed him. Bastien still felt empty. Blood wasn't what he was hungry for. What he yearned for. What he really wanted was someone of his own. Someone to complete him. He wanted to belong to someone. To someone who could accept his differences and embrace him with them. He wanted unconditional love. More to the point, he wanted Terri's unconditional love.

"That was wonderful.»

Bastien smiled at the enthusiastic smile on Terri's face and the excited color in her cheeks. Thinking she'd enjoy it, he'd taken her to see The Phantom of the Opera, and found he'd quite enjoyed it himself. "Are you hungry?»

"Starved,"she admitted with a laugh. "That salad stopped tiding me over about an hour ago. What about you?»

"I could do with a little something,"Bastien answered vaguely. He wasn't really hungry, but was looking forward to sitting across a table from Terri, watching her eyes dance and sparkle and her expressions change as she talked. "The restaurant is only a block or so away. Can you walk that far in your high heels, or should I hail a taxi?»

"Walking sounds fine,"she assured him. "I'm used to wearing high heels all day at work.»

"You look good in them."Bastien glanced down her short black cocktail dress to her legs in their sexy black nylons and high-heeled strapped sandals. Terri looked lovely, and somehow incredibly sexy despite the fact that the dress she wore wasn't the least bit revealing. It was sleeveless and short, but not indecently so, stopping just above the knee. And while it had a V-neckline, it wasn't cut so low as to reveal more than a hint of cleavage.

They chatted about the play as they left the theater, discussing the scenery, the costumes, and the music. Conversation became more restrained once they reached the restaurant. They were shown to their table at once and offered menus. Terri's menu had no prices on it, while his did, and he grinned at her vexation over that fact. She would not be paying for this meal no matter what. Her pride would have to take a backseat this evening. He wanted to treat her as she deserved: to be wined and dined and waited on like a princess.

The food was delicious and the service exceptional, but about halfway through the meal, Bastien began to wish he'd taken Terri someplace a little less formal. The hushed, monied atmosphere was a bit constraining, making them both less talkative. Bastien missed Terri's enthusiasm and the tinkle of her laughter, for she had it well leashed.

The moment she was finished eating, he suggested they walk up the street to another place he knew for their after-dinner drink. The alacrity with which she agreed told him that while Terri had found the restaurant enjoyable, she too would prefer an atmosphere more conducive to their talking. Bastien suspected that trying to behave in such a subdued manner was killing her.

They walked the short block to Maison, a restaurant/bar he knew had an atmosphere that would allow them to talk more comfortably. The patio was open and filled with people enjoying the unseasonably warm night air, and Bastien was pleased when she suggested they sit outside.

Their conversation returned to the play, and Terri's enjoyment of it was so obvious that Bastien decided they should perhaps go to a couple more while she was in town. That thought reminded him that she would eventually leave to fly home to England, an idea that he found made him grimace with displeasure. He was enjoying her company and the escape from a life that, until now, had seemed just fine-but in retrospect it seemed dull and bleak with its focus on business and little else.

How had he lived such an empty existence for so long when there was so much pleasure to be had in life?





CHAPTER 8



Pausing in the middle of recounting a tale about Kate and herself when they were teenagers, Terri glanced to the side with a start as she heard a customer ask the waitress what time it was, and the waitress's answer.

"Did she just say it was four-twelve?"she asked, forgetting all about the tale she'd been telling.

"Did she? No, she couldn't have. You must have misheard. It can't be that late alread-it is!"Bastien exclaimed with surprise as he glanced at his watch. He lifted a stunned expression to hers, and they stared at each other for a moment then burst out laughing.