Chapter 11
11
R obert took my arm as I exited the limo, sparing me from having to flap my arms like lunatic. At the entrance of the event was a carved wooden archway that was illuminated by sparkling coils of glass fairy lights. We walked under it and headed to the banquet hall, where a string quartet played softly. Enormous bouquets of crisp, bright flowers were situated on every table. I closed my eyes and inhaled the intoxicating scent of lilacs, orchids, and lilies. With the handsome gent at my side, I felt like I’d stepped straight into a fairytale. All I needed was a glass slipper. Corny, but true.
Robert’s dark look wrenched me back into reality.
“I am afraid you are going to meet many dull people tonight,” he said, Moments later, he was rudely seized by the elbows by two men in tuxedos. They were jawing about some fancy pants politician Robert needed to meet. Robert stopped them before they could sweep him away completely and shot me an apologetic look over his shoulder.
I waved him away with a smile. He had to mingle. I understood perfectly. “Go ahead,” I mouthed.
“Sorry,” he mouthed back.
I strolled to the bar to kill some time. I could feel dozens of curious eyes upon me, hear them whispering: Who is she? Did she arrive with Robert? Could she be his new lady?
I was relieved that they didn’t refer to me with crudeness, like I was Robert’s flavor of the month. I peeped covertly around the room, trying to discern the humans from the vampires. It was difficult to tell the difference, since most everyone in attendance was pasty. Seemed the human corporate types also didn’t see a lot of sun. Probably too busy trying to take over the world, or whatever it was they did at the company.
As I was finally nearing the bar—walking in the dress took forever—a man around his fifties approached. He had a glass of champagne in one hand and his other was held out for me to shake. “I’m Patrick.”
I introduced myself and took his hand into mine. It was like shaking hands with a frozen vise grip. He was one of them.
“Here, I brought this over for you. You looked like you could use it,” he smiled with a wink, offering me the glass of champagne.
With much appreciation, I accepted the drink.
“Are you having an enjoyable evening?”
“I’ve only arrived. It’s breathtaking in here,” I commented dreamily.
He lifted a shoulder. “Meh.” He’d seen better. “Rumor has it that you’re a Dewhurst grad.”
“How did you know?” I was beyond shocked. Robert and I had been there, what, five or ten minutes at most? How could they have found out so fast?
“I can sense these things,” he said, tapping his temple.
Wow. I’d met my first mind reader.
“Oh. Right.”
“I’m Dewhurst alum myself,” he said.
“You are?” I beamed, happy to have found at least one individual in the place I had something in common with. “When did you attend?”
“Class of ninety-nine.”
“I missed you by a couple decades,” I smiled.
“No,” Patrick said playfully. “ Eighteen ninety-nine.”
“Right. Sorry, I’m still getting used to all this.” I held up my finger and made a couple circles.
He patted his temple again. “I know.” It was going to take some time getting used to the whole mind-reader thing. “Honestly, you have nothing to be frightened about, Olivia. Vampires really do adore humans.”
Patrick’s eyes flickered to Robert, now surrounded by about ten men in tuxedos who broke into exaggerated laughter after every seemingly witty observation he made. They looked like a waddle of ass-kissing penguins. Robert wasn’t impressed.
“Most of us do, anyway,” Patrick said, inexplicably scowling in Robert’s direction.
I felt a pang of righteous loyalty. What was this guy’s deal? “Robert’s my date, actually. But I’m guessing you already knew that.”
Robert’s head jerked up, as if he knew we were speaking about him. He broke away from the group of schmoozers and started to cross the room to join us.
He made it about halfway when a striking brunette with curves that wouldn’t quit stepped directly into his path. She coiled her arm though his and whispered into his ear, pushing her breasts up towards his face so he’d have a clear view of her cleavage. He muttered to her, a disapproving comment from the look of it. She tossed a hand over her mountainous rack and guffawed desperately.
I was embarrassed for her, and not in a catty way (or because her cup size was twice as large as mine). Robert was putting out GET LOST signals loud and clear, but Trampy McTramperson was refusing to pick up on them. To my great pleasure, Robert shook his head and sidestepped her. Pouting and whispering under her breath, she skulked off toward the restrooms. Hah!
Robert extended his hand as he approached. “Patrick.”
Patrick reluctantly accepted his hand, grimacing as if he were touching a rotting fish. “Robert.”
A chic woman near the orchestra beckoned Patrick over with an aggravated wave. She was chatting with a few couples and nodding politely, looking like she needed some backup.
Patrick waved to the woman. “I’m afraid my wife will drain me if I don’t join her. Olivia, it was so lovely to meet you.” He kissed the top of my hand.
“Lovely to meet you, too,” I said shyly. Nobody had ever kissed my hand like that. Not seriously, anyway.
He gave Robert a curt nod.
After Patrick was out of earshot, I smirked, “Friend of yours?”
“Oh, yes, we’re great pals.”
“Are you having a nice time?”
“I wasn’t five minutes ago.” He held out his solid arm for me to accept. “But I am now. What do you say we get out of here?”
“Okay . . . But we haven’t been here that long?”
He flashed me a wicked grin, making my pulse quicken. “I hardly think security is going to stop us at the door. I do own the company.”
“You have a point.” Chuckling, I hooked my elbow through his. I wasn’t sure about Dignitary’s policy for dates that ended prematurely, so I mentioned, “I am scheduled to be with you for a few more hours, though.”
“Of course,” he said stiffly. “I’ll see that you’re paid for your full shift.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I blurted. “I’m enjoying myself and I just thought . . . It would be a pity for our time together to end so soon, don’t you think?”
He seemed surprised. “You’re enjoying yourself?”
“Absolutely. I was only pointing out that I’m booked for five hours. We might as well make use of the time.”
We reached the limo, where Carl was waiting patiently. He held the door open for us and we slid in. I noted with satisfaction that Robert’s hand hovered above my lower back.
“What do you have in mind?” he asked.
“Since eating is out, we could go somewhere and talk,” I suggested.
“You want to talk to me?” he asked. “Why?”
Why, Robert? Because you’re the first man in a very long time to rouse the butterflies in my stomach. Because your perfection is making it difficult to keep my thoughts straight and my tongue untangled. Because images of your gorgeous face and rock-hard body will keep me awake in bed as I toss and turn obsessing over you. Because everything about you is pulling me in like a magnet. Because I know that you’re a decent man under that cool exterior, even though it’s irrational to be convinced of such a thing after knowing you for so little time. Because I want to be next to you, and I want you to want me and be inside me, despite knowing that you’re capable of killing me with a single bite.
“I don’t know,” I said sensibly. “Because you seem interesting.”
“Right.” It was like he still didn’t believe me. He seemed genuinely dumbfounded that I’d want to get to know him better—was this vamp for real? How could I not? “So, where would you like to go?”
I thought for a moment. “It’s after ten, so I’m guessing coffee is out—not that you’d want any of that, anyway. You have any ideas?”
“I’m at a loss,” he admitted. I hoped we wouldn’t keep going back-and-forth like that until we both got so fed up that we decided to call it a night. “Like I mentioned earlier, I haven’t been out socially with a human female in quite some time, especially one so beautiful. I’ve gone to events with other Dignitary decoys, of course, but I’ve never left an event early to ‘talk’ with any of them.”
Did he just call me beautiful? I really hoped I wasn’t being like Trampy McTramperson, misreading his signals and hearing only what I wanted to.
“If you want to call it a night, I’ll understand,” I said, giving him a way out. It would crush my spirit if he did, but I didn’t want him to feel obligated. While I may have been lonely, I wasn’t going to guilt a vampire into hanging out with me.
“No, not at all. I’m enjoying your company.” He said this like even he was surprised by it. I didn’t know if I should feel flattered or offended. “My only apprehension is that I may suggest a venue you won’t enjoy. What do humans your age do for fun? Nightclubs?”
I crinkled my nose, thinking of Shwilly Pete’s. “Some do, but I don’t really enjoy them.” And I’m Captain Titty! “Does that make me boring?”
He clutched a hand over his heart in a signal of relief. “I’m pleased to hear you say that. I find nightclubs to be ghastly affairs. And, no, Olivia, I don’t consider you boring. I suspect no man ever could.”
He dropped his hand and placed it over mine, giving it a little squeeze. The butterflies left my stomach and fluttered up to my heart, tickling it with their wings. I nearly whimpered when he took his hand away.
“I can think of one place,” I said, focusing to keep my voice steady. “Locomotive. It’s a quiet hole-in-the-wall diner just a few blocks from here, open twenty-four-seven. The waitresses are sometimes rude, but it has its charm. It’s really cool; the whole inside is made from parts of an old steam train, and the booths are made of passenger seats.”
He was astonished. “A diner?”
“If you’re sickened by the smell of food, or if you hate the idea, or if it’s not fancy enough . . .” He was right—a diner ? What was I thinking? This was a man accustomed to the finer things in life, not local yokel greasy spoon steak and eggs.
“It sounds perfect, Olivia. I haven’t stepped into a diner in over fifty years, and never one located in a train that was not moving. This will be a treat for me.”
Fifty years! Funny as it was, I kept forgetting that he was . . . How old was he? He’d been alive to have his portrait painted in 1855. I knew that much.
He waited quietly while I gave Carl directions.
“I was only startled by your choice,” he said.
“Why?”
“As you are probably aware, I have a lot of money—more money than most humans earn a thousand lifetimes over.” He wasn’t bragging, only stating the obvious. “In the past, whenever I’ve asked a woman to recommend a location for us to spend time, the first venues she’d suggest were Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury department stores. Places where she could spend my money. You, however, have suggested a diner. I find that fascinating.”
“Oh.”
He curled his hand back over mine hesitantly, drinking me up with those hypnotic eyes of his. “And I find you fascinating, Olivia.”