Page 35 of Accidentally Vacationed with an Incubus

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

“Oh... you were actually askingmeif I wanted a drink?” she asked, clearing her throat, a flush creeping up her neck. “Um, yeah,” she said quickly, still not meeting my gaze. “Just... whatever you’re having.”

I nodded and walked toward the bar, but her words stayed with me.Just the right amount of seduction...For the second time tonight, I found myself wondering—didthe little witch find me alluring after all?

I gave a nod of acknowledgment to the vampire beside me, who was casually cradling a bottle ofNot in Vein, before taking my place at the bar.

The bartender glanced my way, did a double take, and immediately beelined toward me. “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like a young George Clooney?” she asked, fluttering her lashes in a way that I was sure had worked on plenty of men before me.

“Once or twice,” I said, forcing my tone to remain neutral, though irritation prickled at the edges.

The vampire beside me gave me a once-over, his lips twitching into an amused grin.

“What can I get for you, hon?” the bartender purred, reaching out like she was about to brush her fingers over my hand.

I shoved both hands into my pockets before she could make contact. “Dealer’s choice,” I said, wanting the conversation to be over as quickly as possible. “Can you make it two?”

She giggled, spinning on her heel before pulling out a metal cocktail shaker. As she worked, she seductively ran her fingers over every vaguely phallic object in sight.

“Incubus?” the vampire beside me asked.

“What gave it away?” I asked, glancing at him.

He smirked. “You’re a handsome fella, but definitely no George Clooney. I once had a friend who was an incubus—terriblechoice of wingman,” he added with a chuckle, though there was something wistful beneath it. “Never could pull any of the ladies when he was around, even when he was happily mated and had a kid.”

I huffed a quiet laugh. “Sounds about right.”

The vampire took a slow sip from his bottle, then gave me a considering look. “You’re a new face around here. On vacation?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Staying in that haunted cabin in the woods.”

He stilled, staring into his drink, the corner of his lip twitching into the slightest grin. “Ironic,” he muttered, almost to himself. Then, looking back up at me, he asked, “Theghosthasn’t scared you away yet?”

I smirked. “The ghost and I are thick as thieves.”

That earned a low chuckle from him.

“How about you?” I asked. “Here on vacation too?”

The vampire’s eyes flashed a bright yellow as he straightened, puffing his chest out slightly. “I’m one of the original founders of Headless Hollow—back in 1758.”

My brows lifted. “Impressive.”

He waved a dismissive hand. “It was a long time ago. These days, I’m retired—left the wholefounderthing behind nearly a decade ago to follow mytruepassion.” His fangs flashed in a grin. “Books.”

“Are you a writer?” I asked, hoping to pick up some words of wisdom I could pass on to Jen.

The vampire let out a sharp laugh. “Hades, no. Not creative enough for that. But I run a bookstore here in town—part of the Sinclair chain.”

I perked up at that.

All smut-loving bookworms knew about Sinclair Books. The indie-friendly romance bookstore chain had been popping up all over the country for the past decade, run by Dean Sinclair and his fleet of vampire nest-mates. They stocked everything from big-press bestsellers to self-published hidden gems, filling their shelves with Sinclair-approved romance and erotica from every corner of the world.

I was a devoted follower of their #IReadItBeforeItWasFamous selection—a monthly feature where Dean Sinclair himself handpicked an upcoming release,guaranteeingit to be an overnight sensation.

A spot on that shelf?

That was the kind of break that could turn an unknown author into the next big name in romance.

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