Page 54 of Twilight Longings

Dissolving into mist, Saintcrow slipped inside Kadie’s house and hovered near the ceiling as he followed her from room to room. He should feel guilty spying on her, he thought, but he didn’t. She was his wife, after all, and he needed to be near her.

In the bathroom, he watched her undress and step into the tub. She lay back, covered in a foamy swath of bubbles, her eyes closed. She was thinking of him, wondering what he was up to. It irritated him that she thought he had some ulterior motive for looking after her. Maybe he was trying too hard, but he was used to taking care of her. Dammit, he liked taking care of her. She had complained sometimes, saying she could take care of herself, especially after becoming a vampire. But he had come close to losing her twice now, and like it or not, he was going to stay close by her side whether she knew he was there or not.

She had fallen asleep. Unable to help himself, Saintcrow slipped into her mind and took control of her dream. It wasn’t real but it was close enough, he thought, as his dream-self took Kadie in his arms and cuddled and caressed her as he so longed to do. He didn’t control her reactions to hislovemaking, was immensely pleased when she didn’t resist but caressed him in return.

Perhaps there was hope for them, after all.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Kadie studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she got ready for work the next morning. She felt as if she was living someone else’s life, spending time with someone else’s boyfriend, working someone else’s job. Having lost her memory made her feel oddly disjointed. Sometimes she found herself thinking a place or a person she didn’t really remember looked familiar but when she tried to put a name to it, her mind was blank. Still, it was a beginning.

With a shake of her head, she went into the kitchen for a quick cup of coffee. She’d been having breakfast at the hotel since they had a wide variety on the menu, plus a breakfast buffet, which she loved.

Grabbing her purse, she stepped out the front door and came to an abrupt halt when she saw the car in the driveway. The Corvette was silver and beautiful. She found a white envelope containing a single sheet of paper under one of the windshield wipers. The message read,

Kadie ~

No reason why you should walk to work when you can ride.

It was signed

RS.

She found the keys on the front seat. Did she dare take the car? What if, heaven forbid, she had an accident? She bitdown on her lower lip and then, unable to resist, she opened the door and slid behind the wheel. The leather was butter-soft. She sat there a moment, then dropped her handbag on the passenger seat. She would just start it up, she told herself, to see how it sounded.

The engine purred to life like a tiger just waking up from a nap. That did it. She had never driven a Corvette before. At least she didn’t think so. She backed slowly out of the driveway and turned onto the road that led to town.

One of the parking lot attendants was waiting for her. His badge identified him as Jimmy. “She’s a sweet ride, isn’t she?” he asked, as he opened the door for her.

“Sweet, indeed,” Kadie agreed. “How long have you been standing out here?”

“Oh, about ten minutes, I guess. The boss said you’d be driving in this morning and that I’d better be here to meet you.”

Kadie smiled at him, thinking this must be how celebrities felt on the red carpet. “I’ll be sure to tell him you were waiting for me when I arrived.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Mr. Saintcrow is mighty generous with his tips.”

With a nod, Kadie waited for Jimmy to drive the car away before she stepped up on the sidewalk and made her way toward the reception counter. She was surprised to find herself looking forward to the day. It kept her busy and was far better than sitting around feeling sorry for herself. Besides, she enjoyed meeting people and feeling useful.

Just then an elderly couple approached the desk and there was no more time to worry about her past or her future as she assured the couple that there was no extra charge for the big-screen TV in their room.

Saintcrow looked up when Kincaid strolled into the saloon located down the street from the hotel. “Hey, what’s up?”

Kincaid shrugged. “Just stopped by to see what happened with you and your sire. Did you ever get it on?”

“No, not that it’s any of your business.”

“What happened?”

“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure. I told her it wasn’t going to happen between us and she let me go.”

“No shit? So, how’s it going with Kadie?”

“It isn’t,” Saintcrow said flatly. “She’s working over at the hotel and staying in one of the rental houses.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

“I guess so. She’s grateful for what I’ve done for her, but she doesn’t trust me. She thinks I’m hiding something. Her instincts are warning her that I’m not what I seem.”

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