“What do you think now, Melody?” His words rolled off his tongue in the deep Romanian accent he worked so hard to conceal. “Now that you know how I kiss…”
She blinked quickly and shook her head as if what had just happened had been a dream. “I-I-I don’t know,” she stuttered and ran her fingertip over her lips. “I don’t know what to think, other than you’re awfully bold.” Melody scooted across the towel so that at least a foot separated them.
“Perhaps, but you can’t deny that you enjoyed our kiss as much as I,” he said with a wicked grin.
She planted her hands on her hips. “I didn’t kiss you. I don’t kiss men I don’t know. You kissed me.”
“You may not have initiated it, but I know when a woman responds to me. And you, darling, were on fire.”
Her eyes smoldered to almost black. “Why you arrogant—”
“Careful,” he interrupted. “You might hurt my feelings. I’m really quite sensitive.”
“I doubt that,” she muttered beneath her breath. “Is that how men behave where you come from?”
A chuckle rose from deep in his belly. “My dear, some are much worse than I.” An image of Theo came to mind, clouding the otherwise sunny day.
“And where exactly do you come from?” she asked. “I know I’ve heard that accent before.”
“Moldavia.”
“Romania?”
He nodded.
She studied him closely, as if there was something familiar about him. “Huh, I’ve never met anyone from that part of the world before, and now I’ve met two.”
The blood pulsed through Guystof’s temples. He struggled to keep his expression composed. “Really? And where did you meet the other?”
“At JFK, while waiting for my flight. He seemed really nice but disappeared before I could even get his name. Maybe you know him. He has curly blond hair…”
A dreamy look came into her eyes, and Guystof’s stomach churned. “Sorry, I’m afraid I don’t know who that might have been.” He had no doubt that it was his evil, conniving brother, but he wasn’t about to tell Melody that. He should have known the dirty dog would try to prevent him from winning her heart. Well, at least he was familiar with Theo’s tricks and would be ready for whatever Theo planned to do from here out.
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “I should go, before someone sees me here with you.”
She shaded her eyes again, and the cornflower blue turned sapphire. Her freckled nose wrinkled as she grinned. “I have a feeling this isn’t the first time you’ve broken a rule.”
“And probably not the last. I like to win, Melody. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get what I want.” He held her gaze in an unwavering stare. She looked away first, obviously embarrassed by his intensity.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he said as he stood.
She tipped her head, her eyebrows arched in gentle reproach. “Yes, when we’ll meet for the first time.”
“No need to worry, Melody. I’ll never give today away. It’ll be our little secret.” He turned and walked toward the water, but before diving into the waves, he called over his shoulder to her, “Don’t forget the sun block. I don’t want my future wife to get burned.” His splash covered up her reply, but he didn’t need to hear her words to know he’d made a lasting impression on her. And that was just as he’d hoped. What he hadn’t planned on, though, was what he’d felt for her. He’d expected her to be beautiful, but he’d had no idea how wonderful she’d feel in his arms or how his heart would skip a beat when he kissed her.
A deep sadness came over him as he remembered what he was—a blood-sucking monster not all that different from his brother—and despite the potion’s ability to make him appear human, its effects were temporary. Nothing would alter what he was or what he ultimately had to do. And if he didn’t keep his emotions at bay, it would only make it more difficult when the time came for him to end Melody’s mortal life.
— : : —
Melody watched Guy disappear amongst the waves. The man was incorrigible. She ran her fingertip over her lips—where just a few minutes ago his kiss had left her breathless. She’d never been kissed like that before. And by a stranger. What had she been thinking to allow him to do that?
She gathered up her belongings and marched back to her bure, as angry with herself as she was with him. The next time she saw him, she’d better be cool and distant. There were nineteen other bachelors for her to meet, and if they were anything like Guy, she was in trouble. Her hormones were raging like a sixteen-year-old’s.
Melody set the coconut drink on the bar, dropped the books on a chair, and padded toward the bathroom to freshen up. There were no clocks in her bure and her watch still showed New York time, but her internal clock told her it had to be late afternoon. Since she had no idea when dinner was; the only thing she knew was that she’d better be ready when that lali drum beat.
The relaxing sound of the Jacuzzi filtered in through the french doors, a reminder that she needn’t bathe inside. She hesitated, her reserve holding her back, then smiled and stepped out of her bikini. There was no need to act the part of the uptight librarian here. She could let loose. Melody could become the spontaneous woman she’d always wanted to be. Why, hadn’t she already begun her transformation? She’d encountered two gorgeous men and hadn’t shrunk away from either one. Quite the opposite. She’d even let one kiss her. And enjoyed it too. Yes, she could have the time of her life here.
She dunked her toe in the spa and sighed deeply. This was indeed paradise. As she sank into the bubbling water, she imagined Guy in the hot tub with her. She envisioned his startling ice-blue eyes—a pale blue as she’d never seen before—locked with hers in a “do I ever want you” stare. She dipped her face in the water and blew out a stream of bubbles. Oh, yeah, he was definitely hot. But despite her physical attraction to him, she needed to remember how arrogant and bold he’d been. Men like that were nothing but trouble. What she should be looking for was a nice, quiet man who shared her love of books. One who would want her more for her mind than for her libido.
She shifted her thoughts away from men and onto what to wear to dinner. An hour later she steadied her trembling hands in the folds of her tangerine silk dress and entered the large bure where seated at a round table in the center of the hut sat the Dream Girl producers. Although she’d met with them all before, the impact of what they had in store for her hadn’t hit home until now. In less than twenty-four hours, the cameras would roll and the taping of Dream Girl would begin.
Somewhere not too far away, twenty hunks waited to meet her, hopeful that she’d fall in love and make one her husband. What they didn’t know was that she had no intention of doing that. Of course, she hoped to meet the man of her dreams someday, but she had little faith that would happen on network TV. When this was all over, she’d go home to her mundane life and live in peace again. After all, that was why she was here, to rid herself of those bothersome gold-digging men. If she just focused on her objective, maybe she’d forget that thirty million people would be tuning in each week to watch her find her soul mate.
Above her head, paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting a golden glow over the faces of the people she was about to dine with. Eddie Hatch, supervising producer and a no-nonsense kind of guy, chatted with Sugar. His gaze kept drifting up to her big hair that swirled like a copper halo around her head. Across from him sat Daniel Stone, the director, and to his right was executive producer Wendy Jackson, the toughest one in the group. Even Henry Lyons, the show’s host, was there. With a deep breath and a firm resolve, Melody stepped up to the table, plastered a smile on her face, and said, “Good evening, everybody.”
Daniel pulled a seat out for her beside him. After she sat, she looked around the table at the sea of smiling faces staring back at her. Wendy folded her perfectly manicured hands together on the table. “I hope you had a restful afternoon.”
Restful? Definitely not. Melody thought back to h
er encounter with Guy and how his kiss had ignited a fire in her she hadn’t known existed. “It was wonderful.”
“Good, because tomorrow you’ll meet the bachelors, and from then on it’s bound to be a whirlwind.”
A waiter came over and filled Melody’s water glass. “Would you like a cocktail, miss?”
She looked around the table at all the little umbrellas, each one a different color, and was about to ask for his recommendation when Wendy answered for her.
“She’ll have an iced tea. Nonalcoholic iced tea.” The producer dismissed the waiter by turning her attention back to Melody. “Can’t have you drinking tonight. We need you in top form tomorrow; then after that you may drink whatever you like. In fact, we hope you’ll partake in a few cocktails with the bachelors. It’ll help to loosen everyone up.”
A blush stole up Melody’s face. And how loose did they want her? The show aired in prime time, when parents watched with their children. Besides, no matter how many cocktails they had her drink, she would never do anything to compromise her high moral values.
Thankfully, the waiter arrived with her iced tea. She took a long sip, letting the cool liquid slide down her throat. She was nervous enough without now having to worry about the producers wanting her to get intimate with the bachelors.
As if sensing her uneasiness, Daniel reached over and patted her hand. “Melody, you won’t have much time to get to know the bachelor’s before the first elimination ceremony, so to help you get a feel for them, I brought you their photos. On the back, you’ll find some background info.” He took a file folder out of the eel-skin briefcase he had propped open on the floor and handed it to her.
“Thank you.” She placed it on her lap just as the waiter served dinner.
Although the food looked delicious, she had very little appetite. After eating less than half of her fish and a few bites of her vegetable, Melody set her fork down. All she wanted was to go back to her bure and relax.
“You should go to bed, sweetie. You look beat. Besides, I’ll be over early in the morning to make you look gorgeous.”
Melody nodded, thankful for Sugar’s intuitiveness. She slipped the file folder under her arm and bid everyone good night.
A short while later, dressed in her nightgown and slippers, she lay on the rattan sofa, going through the eight-by-ten color glossies of the bachelors. Each one looked better than the last. When she came to Guy’s photo, she immediately flipped it over to read his bio and nearly choked. Guy was a count and heir to a tiny kingdom in western Moldavia. She’d been kissed by royalty! Ann and the girls were sure to get a kick out of that.
With her eyes closed, Melody envisioned herself wearing a beautiful brocade ball gown and being swept across the floor by the dashing count. But instead of moving gracefully, her steps a perfect match to his, she stumbled and stepped on his toes. Her eyelids flew open. What kind of daydream was that? She sighed and dropped the picture on the sofa. Guess she wasn’t cut out to be a countess.
— : : —
As Guystof unpacked his suitcase, he wondered if he’d made a mistake coming to Fiji. There was no denying Melody had enjoyed his kiss, but that didn’t guarantee he’d win her heart. She might be just as attracted to the other bachelors.
He glanced at his roommate, a tall, good-looking fellow with glossy brown hair and gleaming white teeth and wondered if he’d be more to her liking. Then again, as he watched Tommy Spardo primp in front of the large bamboo-framed wall mirror, he doubted she’d fall for the pretty-boy type.
“Hey, Guy, should I gel it or not?” Tommy had his comb poised in midair.
“It’s fine the way it is.” Guystof folded the last of the shirts Blakesley had packed for him and placed it in the dresser drawer along with the others.
Tommy smoothed back a stray hair before setting down the comb. He studied his reflection a second longer, then headed toward the door. “Wanna join me over at the Island Sun for a couple shots of tequila?”
Guystof wasn’t much of a drinker. He liked to keep his wits about him at all times. A vampire never knew when an assassin might be on the hunt for him, although on this island he appeared as mortal as the next bachelor and should be safe from such a threat. Besides, he might learn a thing or two about these men after they had a few too many drinks. “I’ll join you there shortly.”
He waited until Tommy closed the door and his footsteps disappeared before he slipped the small glass vial from his ring. He put one drop on the tip of his tongue and hoped it would put an end to the ache in his stomach. Due to his jetlag, he’d lost track of when he was supposed to take his next dose. This seemed as good a time as any. And what he didn’t need was for his fangs to show.
He smoothed a wrinkle from his shirt, pulled down the crotch of his jeans, and left the bure. When he reached the tavern, raucous laughter poured out from inside. He opened the door and was immediately hit with the smell of cigarettes and stale liquor. The haze of smoke made his eyes water, and he wondered if coming here had been such a good idea after all.
From across the long bar, Tommy waved him over, making it impossible for him to leave now. Guystof passed a group of thickly muscled athletes bragging about their sports records as he made his way through the crowd.
Tommy was sitting with two men. One appeared totally disinterested in the bar scene and offered Guystof his seat. The other man had wavy chestnut hair, vivid green eyes, and a physique women must find hard to resist. This bachelor could be stiff competition. Guystof only hoped the man’s brains didn’t match his brawn.
“Hey, Guy, glad you made it.” Tommy slapped him on the back. “This here’s Johnny Evans, a philosophy professor at Berkeley,” he said, making the introduction.
So much for having a low IQ. “Guy LeBreque, Romanian count. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He shook Johnny’s outstretched hand firmly, not missing either his or Tommy’s shocked expressions.
“You…you’re a count?” Tommy sputtered.
“It’s not a title I earned, but it’s been in my family for generations.”
“Well, shit! Like I have a chance in hell with the Dream Girl now. I’m up against a freakin’ brain and an aristocrat.” The bartender set a beer in front of each of them, and Tommy guzzled half of his immediately. “Oh, well, what I don’t have in smarts and breeding, I more than make up for in manners.” He let out a loud burp.
The professor looked at Tommy with disgust. “You better watch that crude behavior around the Dream Girl or you might find yourself eliminated.”
Tommy laughed and raised his bottle for a toast. “May she have a great sense of humor.”
“And be as intelligent as she is beautiful,” Johnny added before taking a drink.
She was that and more. Guystof smiled as he remembered the feel of her soft lips on his. Would this afternoon’s kiss give him the edge he hoped for? There was no doubt this competition was going to be fierce.
Guystof took one last sip of beer, leaving half the bottle, then pushed it across the bar. “Well, gentlemen, I bid you good night.”
“Aw, come on, have another drink. It’s on me,” Tommy begged.
“Another time.” As Guystof left the tavern, he was glad that Tommy had stayed behind. He needed some time alone to prepare for tomorrow. Applying self-tanner was a much bigger job than he’d anticipated.
CHAPTER FOUR
Melody slipped a white tank top over her head, then tied around her waist the red-and-white flower-print sarong Serenie had instructed her to wear. The knock at her door told her Sugar was here to do her hair and makeup as promised. She just hoped the extravagant hair stylist didn’t go overboard. Melody preferred simplicity.
She left the bedroom and opened the door to find Sugar struggling with three silver train cases. Melody relieved her of one and set it on a side table in the sitting room.
“Mornin’, sweetie. How’re you feeling today? You look nervous as hell. Don’t worry, when I’m through, you’ll feel like a million bucks.�
�� Sugar laughed at her pun. “Oops, you’re worth that and a whole lot more.” She plopped her cases on the table, then pointed at a large overstuffed chair. “Sit.”
Melody heeded the order and felt like a specimen in a science experiment with Sugar as the mad professor. The hairstylist draped a black cloth cape around Melody’s shoulders, then applied a pink, green, and yellow concealer to her skin. Next she blended a foundation on a plastic artist’s palette and applied a dab to Melody’s jaw line to check the shade before sponging it over the rest of her face. Not used to wearing so much makeup she was surprised that instead of feeling like a mask, the foundation was light as air.
Sugar carefully applied the rest of Melody’s makeup as carefully as a painter creating a masterpiece, then ran a flat iron over her hair, applied a shine polish to the ends and grabbed a mirror from a train case, holding it in front of Melody for her inspection. “Viola! Now you are ready to meet the man of your dreams.”
Melody sucked in a deep breath and cautiously peeked at her reflection. “Oh, my! Sugar, you’re amazing.” She’d been transformed into a princess. And not a gaudy one. Her complexion was radiant, her eyes luminous, and her hair hung in sleek strands of gold down her back.
“Told ya.” Sugar’s chest puffed out like a proud parent’s. “Now go have the time of your life.”
“Thank you so much.” Melody hugged her close.
“Careful, or you’ll muss yourself,” she scolded.
Melody left Sugar packing her tools of the trade and wound down the dirt path that led to the beach. She met Wendy along the way.
“Wow! You look incredible.” The producer fell in step beside her.
Date with a Vampire Page 5
