by Alice Brown
“If you will allow me a few minutes to change, I do wish to speak to you about school,” she replied.
“Sure,” Kevin answered, and flashed a gentle smile. “Come on in the living room when you are ready.” He picked up her hand and gave it a light squeeze, accompanied by another of his award-winning smiles.
Kevin was glad Erica had given him a little heads up on their next discussion. It gave him a bit of time to think. He knew she wanted to return to class, and his biggest issue was her safety. Most of her classes they shared. Kevin had pulled a few favors to make this possible several months ago when he noticed bruises showing up on her body. The drug problem at the local college was still ongoing. He could still go undercover, and protect Erica at the same time. Erica only had two classes that would go uncovered. I wonder if I could talk Jennifer into covering the two classes, Kevin mused to himself. She would probably think it was a joke, as they had both attended Harvard numerous years ago. Still, he thought she would agree if he sweet-talked her a little. Besides, she and Erica seemed to be developing a friendship.
A noise interrupted Kevin’s thoughts, and he watched Erica enter the living room in a silky, slinky nightshirt. Damn, she looked good. Then he recalled their conversation earlier today. Keep your eyes on her face, and not on those sexy legs. He sternly lectured himself.
Erica sat down on the couch next to him. “Kevin, how do you feel about me returning to my classes starting tomorrow morning?” she asked.
“I was just thinking about that,” Kevin replied. “We share most of your classes, so I could continue to be with you and be there as a protector. I don’t believe you would be in any unnecessary danger. The only problem would be the two classes we don’t share. I am thinking about asking Jennifer if she would cover those for me, that way you will have someone with you at all times. Would you agree to that?” Kevin gently inquired. He might secretly wish to keep her locked up tight in this house, where he knew she was the safest. However, he knew better. If he wanted any hope of a relationship with her in the future, he knew he would do well to remember the word “compromise.” This was just one area in his life that he was working on making improvements in. As a bachelor, and also the boss at the VCTF, he was accustomed to things being done his way.
“Yes, that sounds reasonable,” she agreed amicably.
“I will need to consult Jennifer regarding this, of course. However, you and I have the same class tomorrow morning. If you are up to it, I’ll take you.”
Erica flashed Kevin a smile as she stood up to head to her bed. She suddenly had a busy day ahead of her tomorrow.
* * * *
Monday morning arrived, and Erica and Kevin were out the door by seven thirty, leaving for class. Instead of giving her the option to drive, he just steered her towards the passenger side of his car and helped her in. They arrived at the college a little early, which allowed Kevin the opportunity to do a quick brush through and ensure all was well.
As they walked down the hallway, Kevin placed his hand protectively on the small of Erica’s back. Truth be told, it was more of a possessive move. He had pulled this same move numerous times over the past five days, and Erica had shown little resistance. It was the one move he knew was fairly safe that did not seem to spook her. He kept an eye on several girls, all acquaintances of Erica who shot her questioning looks as they continued down the hallway. She had missed both Thursday’s and Friday’s classes and Kevin assumed the questioning looks being thrown her way had more to do with him walking side by side with her. Certainly, it hadn’t slipped Kevin’s mind that she was still married, even though he had been overjoyed to see she had removed her wedding band before she had arrived at his house last week. Kevin’s possessive hand at the small of her back was merely making a silent but nevertheless a very real statement to any of the other single guys, who would eventually hear that Erica was in the middle of a divorce. That statement, of course, was that this hot-looking girl walking next to him was already spoken for. Period!
Erica continued walking to class, oblivious to what was happening around her. Unfortunately, Kevin’s vampire hearing could hear the whispers going on behind them. The girls seemed to think she was cheating on her husband, and the guys were wondering what Kevin had done to warrant her attention. Kevin had quietly sat by the sidelines for months while these other young men attempted to openly flirt with Erica. While she was always polite to them, they always walked away discouraged. He shook his head. It never ceased to amaze him how much people could gossip. Women, especially, seemed particularly prone to such actions. As he glanced over to the beautiful woman next to him, he grinned. “Well, I’m glad I can accommodate them for the day!” he muttered darkly to himself.
He dropped Erica off at the door to the classroom. “Save me a seat, I’ll be back in two minutes.” He dropped a quick kiss to her forehead before darting out of sight to do a run-through in an animal form. He chose a bird, small and easy to fly up and see everything from above. This proved much less time consuming than wandering the whole grounds. Everything looked to be on the up-and-up, so Kevin changed back forms and returned to class.
As he walked into the class, he immediately noticed three girls who looked as if they were interrogating Erica. He walked over and took the empty seat right next to her, smiled up at the girls who had become suddenly silent, and stated cheerfully, “Good morning, ladies,” as he gave them his award-winning smile.
The girls mumbled a good morning and went to take their seats. He glanced over to Erica with a twinkle in his eye, and a small giggle escaped from her. She mouthed a “thank you” to him before the lecture began.
For Kevin, class was boring as usual, as he counted down the minutes left before it was over and he could take Erica out to lunch.
As they headed for his car, he asked, “So, what is it going to be for lunch today, a sandwich, or something different?”
“I’ll just grab a sandwich or something when we get home,” Erica replied as she climbed into the passenger side of his car.
Kevin cocked his head at her as he stood in at her side. “I was asking where you want to go out to eat.”
“Kevin, we don’t have to go out. Besides, it’s not like you are even eating!” she snapped, her words coming out far too harsh. She immediately hung her head down in shame. He was only trying to take care of her and pamper her. Geez, since when had she become such a bitch?
She sighed deeply, knowing the only correct thing to do was to apologize. She needed to stop biting the hand that was trying to feed her! She waited until he had walked over to the driver’s side and sat down in the seat. “I’m sorry I snapped. I didn’t mean to,” she whispered over to him.
He reached over and gently squeezed her hand. “I know you didn’t, and while I realize I can’t eat, I would still like to take you out for lunch, if you are willing. Besides, I’m hoping you will fill me in on your little chat with the vultures. It is lunchtime, aren’t you hungry?” He started the car up and backed out of the parking space.
“Well, yes I am somewhat, but you are going to get sick of watching me eat all the time,” Erica muttered with what she obviously thought was a fierce frown on her face. Kevin found it adorable.
While the thought of kissing her frown right off her face was very appealing, Kevin wasn’t so sure she would agree. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” he asked solicitously.
They stopped at a small luncheon counter, and Kevin sat twirling a drink cup in his hands while waiting patiently for Erica to finish her sandwich. “So, are you going to fill me in?” he probed with a grin.
“Oh, you know, the usual girl junk,” she answered as she shrugged her shoulders and waved her hands dismissively. “They watched us walking down the hall together, and, well, since I missed two days last week…” she hesitated. “They jumped to the automatic conclusion that we are having an affair.” Although her face was a nice bright shade of red, Kevin continued to probe her.
“So
now I’m curious, what was your response?” he asked, fully aware he was grinning like a schoolboy as he sat forward in his seat, leaning both elbows on the table.
“I told them we were just friends, and that yes, I was seeking a divorce. Evidently Shawn was in the parking lot when class let out Thursday, and questioned several students if anyone had heard from me. Someone told him that both of us missed class, which not only started tongues wagging, but also led Shawn to tracking you down in order to find me. I told the girls today that I was currently staying with your family, and made it sound as if I was actually rooming with your sister,” Erica finished.
“That’s probably for the best,” Kevin reasoned. “There is little reason to give the gossip mill any more information than necessary.”
He watched as the redness slowly faded from her face, and pondered how to approach the next subject. “I’d like to take you to a restaurant on the other side of town one evening for dinner. From what I am told, they make the best burgers around. They are supposed to specialize in gourmet burgers, and I believe they have a wide variety of other items on the menu. Would you like to accompany me there?”
Kevin had been trying to figure out a way of setting up a date with her. Their situation was a bit awkward since they were already living together, but he knew he had to start somewhere. A thought suddenly occurred to him. “You know, I think Davidrick is still undecided as to where to take Jordan on their date Friday night. Jordan is one of us, so neither will be eating. However, it might be fun for all of us to meet up together.”
Erica gave him a bright smile. Sometimes his old world charm came to the surface, no matter how hard he tried to keep it hidden and stay up with the times. This was one of those times. “That sounds like fun. Davidrick reminds me of a little lost boy when you bring up the subject of the opposite sex. I assume he has had little experience in this area?” Erica asked, as she looked up at Kevin.
“You are very perceptive,” Kevin replied to her with a grin. “Are you sure you won’t mind if we all met at the restaurant? There will be three vampires to your one human, but you have nothing to fear.” Kevin kept his voice low, and was thankful there was no one else around them.
“Why would I mind? I’ll just have three vamps watching me eat my dinner, instead of the usual one! What a change!” Erica replied with a wide grin, and Kevin recognized her teasing him. This was a side of her that he found rather intriguing, and wished he could bring it out more often. The deeper he dug into this woman, the more he found himself completely and irresistibly falling for her. She seemed to possess every quality Kevin ever wanted in a mate. Although he was well aware of her ongoing emotional problems, he felt sure they were temporary. She just needed a little time to come out of her shell and feel safe again. And he was willing to give her that time. He was also willing to bet that under that shy, scared, little doe was a very strong, stubborn woman who could hold her own, even against a vampire like him!
* * * *
Friday evening arrived quickly, and both Kevin and Erica found themselves a little nervous about their first date. They met Davidrick and Jordan at the restaurant, and although Kevin was a bit nervous as to how the evening was going to turn out, he still had high hopes that Erica would enjoy herself.
The restaurant turned out to be a combination bar and restaurant. There was a dance floor in the middle of the large room, with tables and chairs surrounding it. The bar was over to the left side of the front door, with the kitchens immediately behind that.
They were seated at a large table just off the dance floor, and Erica took a moment to take in her surroundings. She glanced around, and her eyes immediately found Kevin as soon as she was finished with her visual tour. He gave her a warm smile, as he lightly clasped her hand under the table.
Never meeting her before, Erica wasn’t sure what to expect out of Jordan. Within minutes of being introduced, Erica knew she had found another friend. She was delighted to find Jordan open and friendly. Erica quickly realized that Jordan was also funny, a little loud, spoke her mind, and the two women felt an immediate kinship toward one another.
When their waiter came to take their drink order, Kevin glanced up to him and cocked his eyebrow slightly. The waiter looked Kevin in the eye and nodded his head almost imperceptibly. Their waiter was one of them. Good, that should cut down on problems of explaining why only one in the group was actually eating. Kevin ordered a round of drinks for everyone while Erica looked over the menu.
Two hours later, Kevin sat back observing everything going on around him. He had been pleased at how well Erica and Jordan had seemed to bond. He noted that it didn’t bother Erica in the slightest that Jordan was a vampire. She just treated her like any other gal pal. He had witnessed this same behavior toward his sisters also, and they had been immediately drawn toward her. The two women currently had their heads together so they could hear one another over the loud music.
He placed his hand on Erica’s thigh to gain her attention. Once she turned to him, he held out his hand and said, “Dance with me.” She immediately placed her hand in his and allowed him to escort her out on the dance floor. A slow song had just started playing, and Kevin pulled Erica’s body up tight against his.
With her head resting on his chest, Kevin leaned down until his nose was in her hair and inhaled deeply. Strawberries, he thought to himself. Her hair smelled like fresh strawberries tonight. How many different scents of shampoo did the woman own? Oh well, he mused, it didn’t matter. The scent of fresh strawberries always took him back to his childhood, which now seemed like a lifetime ago, when he would go out every spring and pick the fresh fruit with his mother. He smiled and closed his eyes as he let the memory play out.
He hugged Erica a little tighter to him as they swayed to the music. Dancing with her felt good, it felt natural. So this is what it felt like to dance in your mate’s arms. He wanted time to stop still and for this moment to never end.
The next hour consisted of another round of drinks and several more trips out on the dance floor. Kevin discovered the music was coming from a jukebox over in the corner, and with Davidrick’s help managed to play every slow song it offered.
By the end of the evening, Kevin knew their evening out had been a success. He had watched Erica continuously smile and laugh throughout the entire evening. She was happy, relaxed, and had fun. As far as he was concerned, that alone made the evening a success! Add to that fact that he had her body pressed up against his rather intimately on numerous occasions. Yes, the evening had been a success.
On the other hand, his friend and date seemed to be an ill-fitted couple, but hey, who was he to judge? He was just glad to see Davidrick on the dating scene. And whether he and Jordan continued to see each other or not, Kevin was willing to bet Jordan and Erica would become good friends. Hopefully, if Davidrick and Jordan parted ways, they would have enough common sense to do so as friends since they had to work closely together.
Chapter Eight
As soon as they arrived home, Erica immediately headed for the shower. Her clothes and skin smelled of the cigarette smoke that was heavy in the restaurant. She was a little surprised to find Kevin sprawled across her bed when she walked out from taking her shower.
She shot him a nervous smile, while silently admiring his gorgeous body. Kevin seemed to have it all: muscles, looks, great personality, and he was neat. That was an extra plus for him as Erica’s number one pet peeve was messiness. She walked over to the bed, and sat down on the edge. He waited until she was within easy reach and grabbed her hand, hauling her down next to him. He heard her heart begin to race the second he pulled her down on the bed next to him, but chose to ignore it.
“I’ve been thinking, there must be personal possessions that you were forced to walk out without, when you left Shawn. Are you interested in retrieving them?” He asked hesitantly.
“Yes, I would love to, but isn’t it too risky? We don’t even know where Shawn is at this point.” Erica could fee
l her already racing heart pick up in intensity at just the sound of Shawn’s name. She knew where it was coming from, fear.
“This is true, but the VCTF has been keeping surveillance on your house, watching for him for a week and a half now. I seriously doubt he is going to show up anytime soon. He knows we are on to him,” Kevin responded with an air of confidence.
“We could go tomorrow early afternoon if you would like,” he continued. “I’ll need to make some calls and see how many members I can round up to join us. We will be going with plenty of backup. I’ll bring half the VCTF if I have to.”
“Okay, can I ask what has brought this up suddenly?” Erica curiously asked.
“Well, I’ve been looking at this room, and it is a bit empty. I figure you might feel more at home if you had some of your belongings here with you. It must have been difficult for you to walk out with just the little bit you did.” He hesitated slightly before continuing. “If you are reluctant to go, you could make a list of items you want, and I’ll go see what I can retrieve.”
Just the thought of Kevin rummaging through all of Erica’s personal possessions made her blush deeply. “That’s okay. You said we wouldn’t be going alone, right? So, it shouldn’t pose a danger?”
The two were lying next to one another on the bed. Kevin reached up and took a piece of hair between two fingers as he whispered, “Erica, I know this is a bit early in the ball game for what I am about to tell you, and I want you to know that we can take things just as slow as you feel comfortable. And please believe me that it is not my intention to have you feel pressured or pushed into anything. But I need to tell you something.” Kevin paused there for a moment as he gazed into her eyes. “I am falling in love with you, and it would be near impossible to have you walk out of my life now. Please stay and consider this to be your home now. I promise you, I will not push you into anything you are not ready for. We can truly get to know one another, and see what happens from there.”
