Page 18 of Shut Up and Bite Me

A large chandelier hangs thirty feet in the air in the center of the foyer. The gold and white glowing lights are a stunning contrast to the heated dark hardwood floors. Every inch of this manor has been decorated with the utmost care by my very hand. This is my safe place, my sanctuary. One that I don’t open up to others very often. But seeing his awe makes me think twice about that, wanting to show it off more in the future. The reds, pinks, creams, and black colors splashed all over the house bring it to life.

“This is beautiful, Vivian,” he whispers, and my cheeks warm at his compliment.

It’s like he’s seeing a piece of myself that no one else does, and it feels strangely raw and vulnerable.

“Thank you,” I say softly, moving to stand at his side.

He turns his head, looking down at me, and his focus bounces between my eyes.

He’s so hot it’s unnerving to stare at him for too long.

His strong bone structure but somehow soft demeanor is so alluring. Then there are those damn eyes that call my attention like a siren at sea, and I feel like if I look close enough, I can see the waves rolling in the depths of his gaze.

A loud meow pulls my focus away from Greyson, and I look toward the source, finding my pretty girl descending the stairs and trotting toward me.

“You have a cat?” he asks, immediately crouching and stretching out his hand.

“Oh, you should be careful. She doesn’t like strangers…” I trail off as Lucy strides up to him and sniffs his fingers before leaning into his touch. “I guess you are an exception.”An exception to many things.

He talks to her in a cute baby voice. “Aren’t you sweet? What’s your name?”

“Lucinda, or Lucy for short,” I answer his question.

“Lucy is such a cute name,” he coos to her.

The second she starts purring, I think I’m losing my mind because she has only ever purred for me, and definitely not for someone she just met. Although I could count on one hand the number of people that have met her.

What is it with Greyson and the Barlowe girls?He makes us melt, I swear.

“How old is she?” he asks as Lucy’s eyes drift close while her purrs fill the room.

“She’s four years old. I found her as a kitten when she was two. Well, I guess she kind of found me. I came home one day,and she was sleeping on the front steps. We took to each other right away. Eventually, she followed me inside and never left.” The memory of that day plays in my mind, and my heart warms.

She is the most important love of my life. I don’t let myself get close to anyone anymore, not truly. I let people meet the surface version of Vivian, the parts I want the world to see, but other than Lucy, no one really knows what I’m like. And I prefer it that way.

Not even Ava and Skylar have been to my home. But it has nothing to do with them and everything to do with me. They are two of my closest friends. I’ve known them for years. We care deeply for one another, but we each have our secrets and respect each other’s privacy.

“Will she live forever like you?” he asks genuinely.

Scoffing sadly, I sigh. “I wish. But unfortunately, we don’t have the capability of turning animals. If we did, I would have done it a long time ago.”

He glances up at me with a tender gaze. “It’s incredible that you will get to love countless animals in your long lifetime. You’ll be able to make so many of their lives special and meaningful. She may not be yours forever, but you will always be hers.”

My eyes well up, but I quickly blink them away, turning my gaze anywhere but his stare. “That’s beautiful.”

Walking toward the staircase, I change the subject. “We better get you settled into a room upstairs. Right this way.”

“Do you sleep?” he asks, reminding me that he has a lot to learn about me and my kind as we begin to ascend the wide, ornate staircase.

Sliding my hand up the cold stone railing, I answer honestly, “We can if we choose to. But we don’t need it to survive. It’s more of an activity for us.”

He follows closely behind me, and I can feel his stare on my body. “Interesting. Do you typically sleep?”

“Depends on the day. If Lucy curls up next to me and falls asleep, I’ll usually sleep too. It makes me feel connected to her.” As we reach the top of the stairs, I veer right and lead us toward my master suite.

“So, will I sleep with you?” He smiles at me, and I resist the urge to say something extra flirty.

Opening the door, I let him go in first. “You can sleep in here with me. Or there’s spare bedrooms if you would prefer that.”

---