Chapter 17
With Isabelle by her side, Catalina made small talk with Benjamin’s friends, while in the back of her mind she kept wondering whether she’d done something wrong.
Benjamin had looked annoyed when she’d opened the refrigerator to look for something to drink.
Should she have asked him for permission first?
Perhaps he felt that maybe her manners weren’t what he’d expected.
It was true, she wasn’t refined or sophisticated.
Not like his friends seemed to be. They were well-spoken and educated.
Was he comparing her to them and realized that he could do better?
When he’d pointed out Buffy to him, the young black woman with the perfect body and the easy smile, his gaze had lingered on her.
Had he been intimate with her before? Or if not, was he interested in her?
Why else would he have hosted a brunch for her birthday at his flat?
That was unusual for a guy, particularly one who seemed to have nothing edible in his fridge.
Something didn’t add up. A nagging feeling rose in her.
Her sixth sense was too overactive. In fact, ever since the night of the Preston party, she’d felt more odd sensations creeping into her mind than in the entire month before.
Was it because her life was changing so rapidly ever since Benjamin had entered her life?
And her life was changing in a big way: he’d introduced her as his girlfriend.
He wouldn’t do that if he was only interested in sex.
She was just paranoid—maybe because she hadn’t had many good things happen to her in the past. As always, she was instinctively waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“You alright?” Isabelle asked.
“Yes, sorry,” she said quickly. “I’m just trying to remember everybody’s name. I’ve already forgotten half of the ones you introduced me to.”
“Nobody expects you to remember their names,” she said with a smile. “They’re just curious about you. This is the first time Benjamin is introducing his girlfriend to all of us.”
Catalina felt her heart beat into her throat, delighted by the words, before she realized that they didn’t mean anything. “But he didn’t do that because he wanted to. He didn’t even know that you all were waiting here for him. I’m sure he wouldn’t have if…”
Next to her, somebody chuckled. She turned her head to see the young man who’d been part of the Prestons’ security team look at her.
“Don’t believe for a minute that Benjamin got steamrolled by us to introduce you as his girlfriend,” he said. “If he didn’t mean it, he would have just said that you’re an acquaintance or not given you a label at all.”
“Ethan is right,” Isabelle added.
Ethan reached for her hand and shook it, then held on to it for a little while longer.
“You look familiar.”
Damn! Would he put two and two together and realize that she’d been at the Preston party wearing a wig and glasses?
“I just have that kind of face.” She shrugged. “Nice to meet you, Ethan.”
He finally let go of her hand. A few seconds longer, and he would have realized that her palm was sweaty all of a sudden.
“So where did you guys meet?” Ethan asked.
“Oh, uh…” she stammered, not prepared for the question.
It took her a full five seconds to realize that she could tell him the truth, since how they’d met had nothing to do with the Preston party.
“I was trying to park my car half a block away from here when this guy stole the spot right under my nose. Arrogant bastard!”
“Benjamin stole your spot?” Ethan asked. “And you’re dating him?”
“No! It wasn’t him. Some other guy. But Benjamin and his mother saw it, and they helped me get the guy to back out again, so I could park.”
“Ah, isn’t that typical Benjamin? Always needs to play the hero,” Ethan said, shaking his head.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Benjamin suddenly said from behind her.
He slung his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.
“Is this guy bothering you?” he asked playfully, dipping his head and pressing a kiss to the crook of her neck.
Instantly, a sensory memory rushed over her, causing a pleasant shiver to run over her skin. Displaying his affection for her in such an open way in front of his friends wiped away her doubts in an instant.
“He was just asking me how we met,” Catalina said with a smile, feeling reassured now.
“Alright then, otherwise I could beat him up for you,” Benjamin suggested.
Ethan lifted his hands in a show of surrender, laughing now. “Hold your horses, bro! I know when I’m a fifth wheel. And the party wasn’t my idea.”
He pointed to Patrick. Isabelle had already introduced him as her youngest brother.
“Patrick thought it was a brilliant idea,” Ethan claimed.
“I’m surprised Patrick has time to plan parties,” Benjamin replied. “It’s only been a few months since he’s blood-bo—”
“—so bloody lucky he’s found that amazing woman,” Ethan interrupted.
Benjamin cleared his throat. “Yeah, that’s what I meant. Patrick and Fallon got married not even four months ago. If that was me, I wouldn’t be wasting my free time with any of you guys.”
She felt him draw her closer to his body. Her backside rubbed against his groin, and she could feel the outline of his cock. His very hard cock. It was evident what he meant by his words.
Isabelle laughed softly, and her gaze drifted to the biggest man in the room. As if he’d heard her laugh, he turned his head and looked straight at her. Their eyes locked, and the love between them was palpable.
“I think Orlando and I should go home. Mom is looking after Ross. He’s probably a total terror. We should relieve her.”
Benjamin watched Orlando make a beeline for his mate, Isabelle.
They had communicated via their telepathic bond, which was unique to blood-bonded couples.
He’d almost made a huge mistake. If Ethan hadn’t jumped in so quickly to save him from blurting out that Patrick and Fallon were blood-bonded, Catalina would have had questions he didn’t want to answer yet.
Because how would he explain what a blood-bond was without having to also explain that he and his friends were vampires?
He owed Ethan a favor for interrupting him just in time.
Isabelle’s exodus with Orlando prompted others to get ready to leave as well. Within another half hour, everybody was gone, and he was finally alone with Catalina.
“I’ll help you clean up,” she offered.
He shook his head. “No, you won’t. You’re tired. Go, take a shower, or a bath, or just get ready for bed, and I’ll be there in a few minutes. There’s a spare toothbrush in one of the drawers under the sink.”
“Are you sure? It’s your birthday.”
“I’m sure.”
He gave her a soft slap on her butt and directed her toward his bedroom.
After she’d closed the door behind her, he quickly grabbed the glasses, plates, and utensils, stacked them in the dishwasher, and switched it on.
Then he opened the refrigerator. He snatched a bottle of blood, unscrewed the top, and gulped it down greedily.
He placed the empty bottle in the recycling bin, where his friends had also placed their empty bottles, but instead of leaving the bin under the sink, he moved it into an empty cabinet in the laundry room.
There were still half a dozen full bottles of blood in the fridge.
He took them and went into Damian’s old bedroom.
His twin had never taken his furniture with him, and now the room was a guest room, but the small fridge in his closet was still there and working.
Benjamin placed the bottles of blood inside and closed it.
Realizing that he still had the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, he went into Damian’s ensuite bathroom and rinsed his mouth with mouthwash so Catalina wouldn’t suspect anything.
Back in the living room and kitchen, he made sure that there wasn’t any wayward bottle of blood left that Catalina could stumble upon, but found none. Satisfied, he switched off the lights and entered his bedroom.
The curtains were drawn, and one bedside lamp cast a warm light over the room. Catalina wasn’t in his bed, but her clothes were on a bench. Benjamin undressed and placed his own clothes next to hers.
The door to the bathroom was ajar, revealing the light inside.
The sound of splashing water drifted to him, but it didn’t come from the shower or the sink.
Smiling to himself, he pushed the door open and entered.
Catalina lay in his bathtub, the water reaching up to her nipples.
There was no foam obstructing his view because he didn’t have any fancy bubble bath gels or soaps since he preferred to take showers.
He made a mental note to order some since it was evident that Catalina enjoyed relaxing in the tub surrounded by hot water.
Her eyes were closed, and she hadn’t heard him enter yet.
He ran his eyes over her, admiring her perfect body.
As a result, his cock filled with blood, turning hard in a matter of mere seconds.
His heart began to thunder at the hope that soon, she would be his for good.
His to love, his to protect, his to cherish.
Even though he hadn’t said it out loud yet, he knew it was true.
He could feel the love for her anchor itself in his heart, moving in with a certainty he’d never felt about anyone else.
It should scare him, but it didn’t. He was ready for this, for her, for true love.
But there were still a few hurdles before he could declare his love for her. He had no idea how to broach the subject of him being a vampire, albeit one who could walk in daylight. First, he had to build trust between them and show her that she could count on him.
“You’re just gonna stare?” she suddenly asked without opening her eyes.
He moved toward the tub. “You would too, if somebody absolutely gorgeous and perfect was in your tub.”