Chapter 12
Adam walked down the hill into town. The nights were getting cooler, but it didn’t bother him. His white plain t-shirt and faded blue jeans suited him fine. Arriving at the Tasty Treat he opened the door and walked in feeling the stares he was getting used to. With a nod to Fred, who owned the place, Adam headed to the back table, his table. With his back to the wall he sat facing the diner as everyone slowly went back to their own meals and conversation. He knew most everyone in the place, but they all looked at him with fear, at least the ones who would look him in the eye.
“Hi Adam.” And there was the voice he would walk through Hell for. Slowly his gaze moved up to the biggest blue eyes he had ever seen and the stress of the past few days slipped away. The color of her eyes reminded him of a robin’s egg. Her pale blonde hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail with a few stray wisps straying to tip her long eyelashes. God she was beautiful.
“How you doing, Angel?” He grinned when she blushed. Her name was Angelina, but he shortened it to Angel, his Angel.
“I’m good.” She held her pad and pencil close to her chest. “You want the regular tonight?”
“Nah, think I’ll change it up a bit.” He grabbed a menu, even though he had just eaten, glancing over it longer than he needed to just to keep her there for a while. “What do you suggest?”
“McDonalds.” She leaned down to whisper then laughed. “I’m kidding. The pulled pork sandwich is pretty good with a side of chips.”
Adam had to fight the urge to reach up and trace the soft pattern of her smiling lips. “Pulled pork it is.” He said with a nod. “If I don’t like it I’m cutting your tip in half though.”
“Deal.” She smiled at his teasing then left to fill his order.
Finishing his meal quickly Adam glanced at his watch. He noticed he was the only one left in the small diner. “So how was it?” Angelina grinned at his empty plate. “Awesome. Thanks.” Adam grabbed his bill on the table and stood. She barely came to his shoulders. She looked so tiny and frail next to his large frame. “Can I walk you home?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” With a frown she picked up his empty plate and glass heading to the back. “Have a good night Adam.”
Watching her go he pulled out a twenty and laid it on the table. Walking to the register he paid his bill then headed into the night.
“Adam, wait.” Angelina ran outside behind him holding the twenty in her hand. “You dropped this.”
Looking at the twenty Adam didn’t move to grab it. “I didn’t drop it.”
Shock widened her eyes. “I can’t take this.” She gasped trying to shove it in his hand. “It’s too much.”
“You going to let me walk you home?” Adam didn’t even look at the twenty. When she shook her head no he shrugged. “I’ll see you on your next shift then and bring twenty-five for your tip.”
“I’ll refuse to wait on your table.” She put her hand on her hip with a frown making her forehead crease in a cute way.
“No you won’t.” Adam replied his tone deep and serious. “You’re too nice to do that.”
“I’m not that nice.” She looked away from his probing stare. “You don’t even know my schedule.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Adam turned to walk away.
“Why do you want to walk me home so bad?” She called out to his back.
He turned, leaning close to her. “Why don’t you want me to?”
She stared into his eyes before looking away. “It’s complicated.”
“Because I’m a half-breed vampire now?” He didn’t budge. “A freak?”
“No.” She whispered shocked, before her voice took on a pissed tone. “It has nothing to do with you being a vampire in my eyes Adam, but it does in yours. Before you were turned you didn’t even know I was alive. Now that Beth Ann wants nothing to do with you since your change you finally noticed me. I refuse to be used as a runner up to Beth Ann Foltz.” She slammed the twenty to his chest before running into the diner, her ponytail falling, her pale blonde hair flying out behind her.
After picking up the twenty Adam walked over to the blue hair band that had fallen out of her hair and picked it up slipping it around his wrist. He had never loved Beth Ann and there was no way in Hell his Angel could come second to anyone. With one last look at the diner he headed back up the hill. He refused to look into her mind. He wanted to be a normal guy, a guy who didn’t lurk in the mind of the girl he had fallen in love with. He did however, on his walk back home, open his mind to the person who turned him. “Come on asswipe…make your move. I’m ready for you.”
********
Tessa sat at the kitchen table doing the one eyed peek at her checkbook, her stomach in a nauseous twist. She needed to get food in the house, but after paying bills and now losing her job they all may be going on a diet…a very strict diet. Hell, she needed to lose weight anyway and vampires could live on blood…right?
It was still early for her. Working at the bar she usually didn’t hit her bed until after two or three in the morning. Adam had come back after his little stint of freedom grumbling a goodnight as he stomped through the house to his room. Jill had followed shortly after and she could hear the deep rumble of Jared’s voice in the living room.
Tessa took a deep breath giving herself a small pep talk before she had a full blown panic attack. That sure would put the icing on the shit cake she’d been served. She knew Adam had his college money left, at least most of it anyway, but she didn’t want to touch it. She still wanted him to go, but since football had been taken off the table so had his full ride and his interest in even going wasn’t there anymore. The money their mother had saved for their college was the only thing left, at least Adam’s. Hers was long gone.
Glancing up she watched as Jared took a seat across from her, still on the phone. She studied him under lowered lashes, her eyes traveling from his broad shoulders down his muscled arms to the large strong manly hands which were holding a book. Squinting to see the title her shocked eyes shot to his. He tossed her a wink making his crooked grin more crooked. Oh. My. God. How did he find that?
Tessa shot up from the table trying to reach across to grab her very used copy of ‘My Vampire Master.’ Heat slammed into her body, embarrassment flooded her senses.
“Give me that.” She hissed practically laying across the table to make a grab scattering bills and papers everywhere, but he held it just out of reach shaking his head as he flipped through the pages as his grin grew wider.
Struggling off the table she rushed around grabbing for the copy, but he managed to stay on the damn phone and still keep her from grabbing the book. Straddling his legs when he lifted it over and behind his head she finally got hold of it and was surprised when he let go easily. Glancing down she realized why. Her breasts were right smack in his face. Pushing off him she stumbled backwards and would have fallen flat on her ass if not for his fast reflexes.
“Sid I’m going to have to get back to ya.” He clicked his phone closed on the last word with a snap.
Tessa held the book close to her chest. “It’s research.” She jiggled the book like he didn’t know what she was talking about.
One sexy eyebrow shot up, his eyes darkening as they ran down her body before roaming back to her eyes. “Research…huh?”
“Yeah.” Tessa nodded totally lying. She was a big reader and loved the paranormal genre. She’d bet her last dollar those authors were pretty freakin shocked at how dead on some of their books were when vampires actually came out of the woodwork. Yeah, would have definitely liked to have been a fly on their wall.
“Well honey, you can research me anytime you damn well please.” He smiled that sexy smile of his showing a dimple in his left cheek she never noticed before. She was a sucker for a dimple….dammit.
“Not that kind of research.” She replied looking away as her mind screamed liar.
Those weren’t exactly the words he wanted to hear, but he didn’t let his disappointment show. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”
“What do you mean?” Tessa frowned.
“Why the sudden change of….” Jared paused with a cocked eyebrow. “mood.”
Tessa’s face flamed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” When he cocked his eyebrow she came clean. She knew exactly what he was talking about. “It was just a kiss.” Tessa huffed the lie. If it was just a kiss why in the hell was her body still burning for him?
His smile disappeared as he stood quickly stalking toward her. “Just a kiss?” His voice was low with warning as he slowly backed her into the wall. “Sweetheart, if you could have crawled inside me you would have and I would have opened wide for you. That was not just a kiss.”
“Then what was it?” Tessa’s head met the wall stopping her instantly.
“It’s was a hot, sexy preview of what’s to come.” Jared placed both hands on each side of her head as he leaned the side of his face next to her ear deeply breathing her scent. “I will taste those sweet lips again and I will see every inch of that lush body as I’m making love to it with my tongue.”
Tessa trembled at the husky timber of his voice so close to her ear. “Uh….” Tessa swallowed hard not really having a comeback for that.
Jared chuckled nipping her earlobe. “Tell me you don’t want me Tessa.”
Tilting her head so he could have easier access a low moan escaped her lips. “It’s not that.” Her reply was whispered, eyes closed in pure bliss as his lips skimmed down her neck.
“Then what is it?” His lips left her and he grinned when she moaned again, this time in disappointment.
Her eyes opened slowly to find him staring intently as if wanting to really hear what she had to say. No man had ever showed her this much attention, it was quite unnerving, in a good way. “I just know what kind of women you’ve been with and I don’t want to be compared.”
Her honesty surprised him, he respected her for it, but it also pissed him off. “Not to sound too much like a son of a bitch, but you have no idea what kind of women I’ve been with. I don’t compare women against each other because each woman is different in so many ways. All women are beautiful no matter their age, hair color, beliefs…..” He glanced down her body. “or package. That’s what makes a woman special.”
“But men always….” Tessa started, but he stopped her with a finger against her lips.
“You don’t want to be compared to other women so you will understand that I don’t want to be compared to other men.” Jared replied, his eyebrows slanted low. “Not that it really matters, because I plan on making you forget every man you’ve ever known.”
If a human being could actually melt Tessa would be a puddle of goo at his feet. She was usually turned off by cockiness, but it was more confidence that he could and would do exactly what he said and didn’t that just make her toes curl. God, she was in big trouble. “I really don’t think I can do this Jared.”
“I don’t play games with women.” Jared tilted her face to his.
Tessa looked deep into his beautiful eyes hoping to find truth behind them. “I refuse to be used by any man.”
Jared stopped her turning her around. “He hurt you deeply.” It wasn’t a question, but an observation.
“Pretty much ripped my heart out.” She replied honestly pulling away. She turned to leave.
“I wouldn’t do that to you.” Jared replied meaning every word, never been more serious in his long life.
“That’s what he said, but he did.” Tessa’s smile was sad. “With my best friend.”
“You want me to kill him?” Jared tried to hide his anger behind humor at the man who had held Tessa’s heart and maybe still did.
“If you would have asked me that months ago I would have jumped at the offer.” Tessa just shrugged her shoulder. “Now I just don’t care, but thanks. It’s kind of sweet….I think.” Glancing up at him as if trying to make her decision stick she finally turned away from him. She had to. She couldn’t take a chance, the cost was too great.
“I sure as hell ain’t giving up after that kiss Red.” Jared gave her fair warning as she walked away.