Page 21 of Crimson Bond

A steady pulse started in my neck as well, and my body temperature rose a few degrees. Which was bad. I’d said it to get a rise out ofher, not myself.

It was true, though. Yes, I’d been shamelessly flirting, but I’d also been stating an absolute fact. She looked too good formygood. Especially if I was going to keep the upper hand in this fake relationship of ours.

“I’m sorry,” Abbi said, sounding breathless. “I didn’t mean to cause you a... problem. Maybe we can stop at a store somewhere and I can buy some other—”

I reached over and covered her hand with mine. “Don’t worry about it. I was just teasing you. I can handle it.”

As long as I gouge my own eyes out and don’t regenerate them.

“Your clothes are fine. Really.”

She nodded and gave me a grateful smile. “Okay. Good. Because this is actually theleastskimpy thing Heather packed for me.”

God help me, I’m screwed.

I assured her once again the clothes were not an issue. Unfortunately, they became one when we stopped for gas again.

It was actually our last stop of the night. An hour before dawn I pulled off at an exit with signs for a gas station and vampire-friendly hotel. I planned to fill up the car then head for the hotel next door where we’d spend the daylight hours.

Instead of staying in the car this time, Abbi insisted on getting out.

“I need to stretch my legs. We’ve been going how long?”

I checked my watch. “Seven hours. We’re on the outskirts of Buffalo.”

“You must be so tired of driving.” She walked toward the gas station doors and stretched her arms over her head, letting out a yawn. “I know I’m sick of sitting.”

Honestly, I was tired—or Ihadbeen until she’d done that stretch.

Now I was wide awake, every cell in my body springing to full attention at the sight of her lean waist and flat stomach and the way her svelte back arched, drawing my eye down to the even more enticing curve of her bottom in those tight jeans.

Damn you Larkin, wherever you are.

And damn Heather for stacking the deck against me with her packing. Had she done it on purpose? Surely she hadn’t believed I wouldn’tnoticeAbbi’s enticing figure in this attire.

Loud male voices let me know I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed.

“Hey beautiful,” one of them called out, slurring the words.

A group of young men—they looked like frat boys who’d pulled an all-nighter—were exiting the gas station store with bags of chips and cases of beer.

From the smell and sound of things, these were thereplacementprovisions. I had no doubt mass quantities of alcohol had already been consumed tonight.

There was a college campus at this exit, according to the last billboard I’d seen. Hopefully these guys would manage to make it back there without wiping out any fellow motorists or unfortunate pedestrians.

And for their sake, I hoped they did no more than notice Abbi and make drunken comments on her beauty.ThatI could put up with, and who could blame them?

But their inebriation—or their idiocy—made them take it further. As a group, they turned and followed her, going back into the store.

“Wait for us, honey,” one of them said.

“She’s hot,” another said. “I think she’s a vamp chick.”

11

Checking In

Reece

---