Page 48 of Bitten By Desire
I’d changed my outfit five times. As much as I wanted to push Callum away by wearing a pair of ill-fitting slacks and my sweater that Zoey deemed frumpy…I also desperately wanted Callum to stare at me like he wanted to devour me again.
I knew this wasn’t a date. It was an interview.Kind of.Callum had asked me out and when I said no, he’d somehow roped me into an interview. But I’d put way more energy into my appearance tonight than I did for my date with Bennett. And I didn’t know what that meant. All I knew was that my heart was pounding and I didn’t know how to calm myself down.
Zoey knocked on my door and then walked in. She whistled. “So you did decide on sexy chic?”
“Is it too much?” I’d settled on the one outfit I’d brought just in case Zoey wanted to go out. A black flared skirt that was probably a little too short for an interview. And a skin tight long sleeved white shirt that showed just the tiniest amount of skin along my midriff. Now as she was staring at me, I was wishing my top was longer. And my skirt. My high heeled boots just made the whole thing even more inappropriate.
“I mean…I wear spandex on my interviews. Showing off a little stomach will probably just help seal the deal.”
I just didn’t know which deal I wanted to seal. I looked over at my bed. Captain Floppy Ears was sitting on my pillow. Bennett was a great guy. Why was I trying to look sexy for Callum? Seriously, what was I doing? I was holding a torch for a guy that no longer wanted to exist. A guy who refused to admit he recognized me.
“Where were you hiding this number on Saturday night? You look hot.”
I’d hid it at the very bottom of my suitcase so she wouldn’t see. And now I felt a little guilty for wanting to dress up for Callum but not for Bennett. “I think I need a sweater,” I said. “Where did you put my favorite one?”
“Nope. No way.” She grabbed my arm to pull me out of the room and down the stairs.
“But it’s going to be cold…”
“Here.” She pulled a jean jacket off the hook by the door. “This will look perfect with your outfit.”
“A jean jacket doesn’t exactly scream interview.”
“And neither does a hermit sweater.”
I knew there was no fighting with her over this. She’d probably burned my sweater or something. I pulled on the jacket. At least it covered my exposed skin above my skirt. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” I said as I put my camera over my head and grabbed my laptop bag. There hadn’t been time to print out any photos, so I’d have to show Callum my work on my computer. “If I die it’s your fault.”
“I told you, this town is safe.”
Was she delusional? What about the severed hand? And the missing people? And the vampire she was forcing me to be alone with?! Crooked Point was anything but safe.
She must have seen my face, because she added, “You’ll be perfectly fine walking over there.”
I wasn’t scared of the walk. I was scared to be alone with Callum. “I meant the vampire thing. You’re basically setting me up to die.” I didn’t know if I believed my own words. But I still felt uneasy about being alone with Callum in his house. Why couldn’t we have met at a restaurant? Or some other public place?
“Emma, we decided vampires don’t exist. His eyes are a normal brown, not black. He’s not going to eat you.” She opened up the door.
I just glared at her. “But…”
“Don’t fight a good thing. This arrangement couldn’t be more perfect. Theo Gold is clearly not Callum.”
Clearly? How?
“And he’s not a vampire.”
I beg to differ.
“Plus he’s going to give you a job. I’m pretty sure Theo Gold is good luck.”
Good luck?Absolutely not. He was more like a curse. And had we decided that vampires didn’t exist? Because I was pretty sure she was on board with my theory until Callum showed up with contact lenses and tricked her. What about all my proof?
“Have a fun night!” Zoey said as she practically shoved me out the door. “Seriously, start walking. You’re going to be late.”
I sighed. I really did hate being late. But as I walked down Main Street, I just wanted to turn back around. Everything in my head screamed at me to run in the opposite direction. But for some reason, I kept walking forward. I took a deep breath. Zoey knew where I wasgoing. And that made me feel a little safer. It was just an interview. It would be short and simple and I’d be back to Zoey’s in no time. Callum would be professional and not murdery.
No, Theo Gold.If I wanted to stay alive tonight, I needed to remember to call him Theo Gold. The reason he’d seemed dangerous in the maze was because I kept calling him by the wrong name. The old him that he was trying to hide. And I couldn’t afford to anger him when I was all alone with him again. Bennett wouldn’t be showing up to save me this time.
I tried to push the memories of Callum aside. From now on, this guy was Theo Gold. I said his name over and over again as I turned off a side street. And then down another street.Theo Gold, Theo Gold, Theo Gold.It wasn’t a hard name to remember. Since his eyes were actually gold and not brown.Lying ass.
