Harper suckedher carnation pink cheeks. “Okay, so I goofed. I told you I can’tspeak French. Thank you so much pointing out my embarrassingmistake. If it wasn’t for the way you roll your Rs, vamp or not,I’d thump you.”
He didn’t doubtit for a second. What a woman. “Sorry, couldn’t resist, andwhat’s up with the way I roll my Rs?”
“Nothing, it’svery…” she smirked and her cheeks turned deeper pink, “never youmind what it is.”
Again, what awoman.
He checked hiswatch; it was later than he thought.
Not that heminded—how could he when he’d met up with Harper again?—but todayhad not gone to plan. He’d only intended to check on his brother, aten-minute visit to make sure he was okay before he went home to anevening of drinking alone and packing for his business triptomorrow.
How strangethat everything could change in one day, a change that filled himwith the prospect of a future he’d never dreamed possible. MaybeNerissa was on to something with this whole fate and destiny thing.What were the chances Harper would be here at the same time he was,or that she had a meeting with Conner, his new, entrepreneurialbrother? The Fates did appear to be working in mysterious ways.
He glanced athis watch again. Sod the packing, sod everything. He intended tomake every second with Harper special.
Harper hoickedthe strap of her handbag higher on her shoulder. “Do you havesomewhere else you’d rather be?”
“No, but I havea flight to Paris tomorrow morning, and I was supposed to bepack—”
“Paris? Luckyyou. I suppose you want me to be grateful for fitting me into yourschedule?” she said, her tone sarcastic.
What have Idone wrong now? “Sorry, I got distracted… I’d much rather spendtime with you…” He paused as he caught the hint of another smirk onher lips. “Wait, are you mocking me?”
She grinned.“Who, me? No, wouldn’t dream of it. So, are you going to take mefor that drink, or what?”
“Nothing I’dlike more. We’ll have to take two cars though,” Damon said,assuming she’d driven there.
“I don’t have acar. I took the tube here—not easy in these shoes, I can tellyou.”
He glanced ather sexy high heels. “No, I suppose not. How about I drive and yougive me directions?”
“Okay, soundsgood.”
They walked outof the block of flats and towards his car as the sun set over thecity, its buildings silhouetted against the stunning red and orangesky. It always made him laugh how the humans thought vampirescouldn’t walk in the sunlight. Garlic was a myth too, andcrucifixes. How little they knew.
A couple ofthugs hung around by his MG, but they soon scarpered when Damonapproached, giving them his best, mess-with-me-and-you’ll-regret-itglare.
Harper refusedhis offer of help again and loaded her bags into his boot.
He drove out ofthe housing estate and towards the bar she’d suggested, the Londontraffic as manic as ever.
When theyarrived, Damon opened the door to the pub for her and they walkedinside; a modern bar with a fun, relaxed vibe.
The womanbehind the bar eyed him up and down like a tigress about to pounce,but he wasn’t interested in her.
Damon only hadeyes for Harper as she grabbed the cocktail menu and, after muchdeliberation, ordered an Old Fashioned.
He went for thesame.
The womanbehind the bar served their drinks.
The placeheaved with the after-work crowd, cocktails flowed, and earlyevening became night.
“Don’t you everget drunk?” Harper asked him after many cocktails.
“No, never.” Heleaned closer and whispered in her ear, her hair tickling hischeek. “One of the drawbacks of being a vampire. Alcohol doesn’taffect us much.”
“Well, it’saffecting me. I’m feeling a little woozy.”
To hisamusement, she showed no signs of being tipsy as she stood upsteadily, her gaze focused on him.
“Take me home,Damon.”
He didn’t needher to ask twice.
Damon leapt upand led her out of the bar. Outside, the smell of fried onionswafted towards them and the cool night air misted her breath. Sherubbed the tops of her arms.
He took off hisjacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Thanks,” shesaid, her attention distracted as she looked down the road.
He followed thedirection of her stare and spotted a burger van parked at the sideof the road.
“I’m starving.Fancy some chips, or would that be slumming it for you?”
He’d nevereaten anything from a burger van before, but ‘slumming’ it neverentered his mind. “Sure, why not?”
They walkedover to the van and Damon ordered two portions of chips. The manserved them up in two paper cones with a generous shake of salt andvinegar, then stabbed a tiny wooden fork in the top of eachone.
Harper grinnedat the burger van owner. “Thanks, Tony.”
Heading back tohis car, Damon said, “You know him then?”
“Who, Tony?Yeah, he serves the best chips in all of London.” She blew on achip and popped it into her mouth. “Try one.”
Damon did;piping hot, but surprisingly tasty. “Wow, these are great. Neverlet it be said I don’t know a good chip when I taste one. Do youthink that Tony guy would like to work in one of myrestaurants?”
“I doubt it.He’s been here for thirty years that I know of. Everybody loves hischips around here.”
“I can seewhy.”
They reachedhis car. Damon opened her door, skirted around to the driver’sside, switched on the engine and turned up the heater for her.
After they’dfinished their chips, he drove to her flat.
As luck wouldhave it, Damon found a parking space right outside.
He turned offthe engine.
Now what?
For the firsttime in his life, he wasn’t certain of his own actions. She’d beengiving off all kinds of signals the whole evening, and he yearnedto make the first move so much he could barely concentrate, butHarper wasn’t another notch on the bedpost. The pretty witch wasspecial, and he wanted this to be different.
He staredthrough the windscreen at the crescent moon in the clear, starrysky, its silvery light shining on the row of cars in front, castingtheir shadows along the pavement.
Silence filledthe car, the air crackling with anticipation.
“So…” she saidslowly. “Would you like to come in for a coffee?”
Damon held ontothe steering wheel, doing his best not to smirk at the cliché,which he had a sneaky suspicion she’d said on purpose.
He shifted toface her. The moonlight bathed her pretty features, hercrazy-coloured hair muted in the half-light, but no
