Page 53 of Twilight Longings

“You’re with the boss,” he reminded her. “No one’s going to complain.” Knowing he was taking a risk, he reached for her hand. “I love you, Kadie. I hope someday you’ll love me again.”

When Kadie went to her room in the hotel after work, the events of the day were little more than a blur. All she’d been able to think about was Saintcrow telling her he loved her and hoped that she would love him again. It would be easy to fall head-over-heels for him, she thought with a smile. He was tall, dark, and gorgeous. He seemed to like taking care of her. He had given her a job, offered her a place to live. And he wasn’t just being kind. It was because he loved her. Or so he said. She felt guilty, somehow, because she didn’t love him back. Oh, she was attracted to him. What woman wouldn’t be? But in a little corner of her mind, she couldn’t help wondering if all the things he had told her were true. And yet, why would be lie? He had nothing to gain. She wasn’t an heiress. Or was she? How was she to know? If only she could remember!

Her thoughts scattered when there was a knock on her door. Her heart skipped a beat. It had to be Saintcrow. She didn’t know anyone else who would come calling, except maybe Rosa and Kincaid.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she opened the door.

“Are you ready to go see your new house?” Saintcrow asked.

“So soon?” She stood back to allow him inside. “Just let me get my things.”

“Take your time.”

With a nod, she hurried into the bedroom and packed everything—clothes, shoes, and toiletries—into the suitcase she had bought in one of the hotel shops. After a quick glance around to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything, she pulled the suitcase into the other room, slipped her phone into her handbag, and she was ready to go.

Saintcrow took her luggage down to the lobby and out of the hotel. A car waited at the curb. He lifted her suitcase into the trunk, held the passenger door open for her before goingaround to the driver’s side. Sliding behind the wheel and fastening his seatbelt, he pulled onto the street.

Kadie was surprised by the number of houses located a couple of miles from the town. They all looked pretty much the same, single story, some larger than others. Most of them appeared to be occupied. She saw men and women reclining on lawn chairs, children playing in the grass, teens on their phones.

“What do you think?” Saintcrow asked.

“It’s really nice. No wonder this place is so popular. Does anyone stay here year-round?”

“No, although we have a few families who stay about half the year. Retired couples, mostly.”

Kadie nodded. “Who lives up there?” she asked, gesturing toward the houses on the hill.

“Kincaid and Rosa stay in the yellow one. I live in the big gray one. The white one belongs to Ethan.”

The big gray one with the turrets. It looked ominous, she thought, like something out of an old Dracula movie.

“I’d love to show it to you sometime,” Saintcrow remarked, thinking it might spark a memory. After all, she had decorated it.

A moment later, he pulled up in front of a white house with dark blue trim and a yellow front door. In the old days, most of the houses only had one bedroom, since most of the captives taken by the vampires had been single. But Ethan had changed that, insisting that if they wanted to rent to families, they needed more space, so additional bedrooms had been added to most of the rentals.

Kadie stared at the house, which was located on a corner lot. Like all the others, it looked clean and well-cared for. Flowers grew along the brick pathway to the front door. A tall tree shaded one side. “It’s lovely.”

Saintcrow got out of the car, opened her door, retrieved her suitcase from the trunk, and walked her to the door. “I hope you like it.” Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a key and handed it to her. “If you’re unhappy with the furnishings or if there’s anything you need or want to change, just let me know.”

Feeling a rush of excitement, Kadie unlocked the door and stepped inside. It was clean and cozy. The walls were off-white, the carpet a pale green, the furniture covered in a pretty flowered print. It was small, but plenty big enough for one occupant, she mused. All the appliances looked new, as did the carpet. There was a queen-sized bed in the larger bedroom, twin beds in the smaller one, a nice-sized bathroom in between, a roomy kitchen.

“Is it all right?” Saintcrow asked. “If you don’t like it, there are others.”

She had almost forgotten he was there, he’d been so quiet as he followed her from room to room. “It’s perfect.”

“Call me if you need anything. I’ve notified all the stores to charge your purchases to me.” He held up his hand when she started to protest. “No arguments, Kadie.”

She nodded. One way or another, she was determined to repay him now that she was working. They might have been lovers once, but they weren’t now.

“And no need to pay me back,” he said, after reading her thoughts. “It isn’t charity. It’s not costing me anything for you to stay here. Just think of it as one of the perks for working at the hotel. Have a good evening.”

“You, too.”

He hesitated a moment, wanting more than anything in the world to take her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her. Fighting the urge to do so, he left the house.

Kadie stared after him, then shook her head as she went into the bedroom and began to unpack. He was not only the most gorgeous man she had ever met, but also the most generous. And the strangest. She was reasonably certain he would never hurt her and yet she couldn’t help being a little afraid of him. There was something about him that made her wary.

Huffing a sigh, she emptied her suitcase and put it in the closet, then went into the bathroom to soak in a long, hot bubble bath.

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