Kissing with Fangs

by Ashlyn Chase

  Without analyzing himself further, he knocked twice.

  A few moments later, Claudia opened the door and beamed when she saw him. She wore a dress he hadn’t seen before. It was purple and set off her blond hair beautifully. He realized he was grinning too.

  “Are you ready for the grand opening tomorrow?” he asked.

  She lowered her head and looked up at him through hooded eyes. “There’s another kind of grand opening I’d like to get to tonight.”

  Anthony raised his eyebrows and swept her into his embrace. After a long, impassioned kiss, he was dying to take her into her bedroom.

  Hell, why waste any more time?

  He hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her there while she giggled. Fortunately, her door was open and most of her things had been put away, so he had a clear path to his destination. He dropped her onto her bed and she bounced, laughing.

  Anthony dove over her, trapping her body beneath his.

  She was beautiful. Not that she wasn’t always pretty, polished, and put together, but tonight she glowed. Her eyes were clear and searching, as if she were looking at him for the first time. Perhaps she was. She had described her newfound sobriety as a catalyst to the serenity she had always sought.

  “You’re breathtaking, Claudia.”

  She laughed. “You don’t need to butter me up, you know. At this point, I’m pretty much a sure thing.”

  “I’m not buttering you up. I’m telling the truth.” He brushed a lock of hair away from her chin. Then he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her more reverently.

  The words “I love you” flowed through his mind, but it wasn’t a good time to say them. Could she say them back? She had enough to deal with tonight. He was just happy she hadn’t let her sponsor talk her out of their budding relationship.

  “You surprised me. I had hoped to have candles lit and a negligee on when we finally got to this point.”

  “No need for atmosphere as far as I’m concerned. But if you need to feel romantic…”

  “Oh, hell no.” She cupped the back of his head and dragged his lips to hers. He kissed her again thoroughly.

  “I—uh…I wonder if you’d mind if I hung up my dress. I was just trying it on to be sure it fit, so I could wear it tomorrow.”

  “Of course.” He backed off of her and helped her up.

  She turned her back to him and said, “Would you mind unzipping me?

  He smiled. Mind?

  Anthony lowered the zipper slowly, revealing her skin a little at a time. When he came to the bottom and peeled back the shoulders so she could step out of the dress, he groaned. Her fair skin was shining. The curves of her lower back and bottom were as perfect as he’d imagined.

  As if she’d known he was coming, she wore only a matching black bra and panties. No hose to contend with, thank goodness.

  She hung her dress in her well-stocked closet and turned around.

  His breath hitched.

  She smiled shyly. She must have seen the lust in his eyes as he boldly admired her.

  “Your turn,” she reminded him.

  He whipped off his suit jacket, tie, shirt, pants, and underwear in record time. This time she was the one to stare, apparently fixated on the part of his anatomy that was more than ready to please her.

  “Come here,” he commanded and was surprised to hear the hoarseness in his voice. She strolled to him, deliberately seductive, and let him envelop her in his arms. He caressed her back and kissed a trail down her neck, pausing over her pulsing jugular vein.

  Someday, perhaps. He knew he could heighten the pleasure of sex for both of them with a loving suck there, but she wasn’t prepared. She would have to know what he was and trust him completely.

  With the delightful fantasy in his head, he unhooked her bra and helped it slip off her shoulders. When she pulled back enough to remove it, she revealed the creamiest set of full breasts his hands could hold.

  “God,” he whispered.

  She smiled and shimmied out of her panties. With them standing as naked as Adam and Eve, he had to force himself not to tackle her to the floor and take her right there.

  Damn it all. I’ve held back long enough.

  He grasped her and while they kissed desperately, he lowered them both to their knees. They tumbled to the brand-new carpet and continued to kiss and grope. When she grabbed hold of his cock, pleasurable sensations shot through him and he groaned unconsciously.

  He rolled her onto her back and bent over her breasts. Cupping one, he suckled as she arched and moaned. Then he switched to the other, and while he sucked, he rubbed her sweet spot until she writhed and begged him to fill her.

  “Not yet,” he said. He leaned back enough to see her face as she came apart in his arms. Her cries of climax filled him with satisfaction. She went limp in his arms and whispered, “Oh, my God.”

  As soon as she caught her breath, she asked, “Are you ready?”

  He laughed. “Honey, I’ve been ready for five years.”

  She grinned and parted her legs. He kneeled between them and held her gaze as he gently entered her. She bent her knees and raised her hips to meet him. When he was fully seated, she closed her eyes and cooed.

  “Are you all right?”

  She gazed at him with hooded eyes. “Never better.”

  He feathered kisses down her neck and found his rhythm. She rocked with him, meeting every thrust. Her soft moans encouraged him. The indescribable sensations sparked a fire he had long forgotten. A white heat burned within. Eventually, he felt the inevitable tingle at the base of his spine.

  He sped up and bore down on her pelvis, hoping to bring her over the edge with him. When she threw back her head and let out a strangled cry, he tumbled over the brink. The most incredible sensations shook him to his core. He rode her to the last aftershock and finally stilled when her cries faded. Her hands slipped off his back and flopped out to her sides. She grinned even as she was inhaling lungfuls of air.

  He smoothed the hair off her dewy forehead and smiled back at her. “Was it all right?”

  She giggled loudly. “If by ‘all right,’ you mean incredible.”

  He buried his nose in her hair and kissed her temple, her cheek, her chin, and made his way to her lips where they shared a long, meaningful kiss. It was as if they were sealing their hope for a future together.

  “God, I love this man.”

  Was that telepathy? Anthony almost broke the kiss to ask her what she’d just been thinking. But how crazy would that sound? He didn’t want to scare her. Besides, she might not be ready to commit to those words out loud.

  When the time was right, he’d explain that some immortals could establish telepathy with their soul mates. As pleased and hopeful as he was, there’d be plenty of time to explore the details later.

  ***

  Claudia felt more relaxed than she would have expected to on the morning of their grand opening. She credited last night’s gymnastics with Anthony for that. Just thinking about him made her smile.

  The cook had arrived early and was unwrapping the bakery items when Claudia poked her head into the kitchen. He was fresh out of culinary school and she hoped he’d be satisfied enough with the limited menu to stay.

  “All ready for our first day, Chris?”

  “Oui,” he said with a charming fake French accent. “C’est bon.” Then he smiled and winked.

  Claudia surveyed the spotless kitchen and realized Chris had everything well in hand.

  She lit the candles and inspected the tablecloths, making sure they were clean, and wished Anthony could be there when she welcomed the shop’s first customers. But, as usual, he’d said he’d arrive in the early evening.

  Where the heck does he spend his days?

  In the five years they’d known each other, she’d never asked. She c
ould sense the information was of a personal nature. Maybe he visited a sick relative. Or perhaps he held another job—something volunteer but close to his heart.

  The desire to find out was gnawing at her. Part of her said she had a right to ask, and the other part said she might not want to know. She didn’t really want to discuss it with her sponsor, because any normal woman would caution her or tell her to confront him.

  Claudia knew Anthony was a good man and had dismissed the suspicions that rolled unbidden through her brain. Anyone who didn’t know him might think the worst—like maybe he had a family in the suburbs.

  A knock at the door disrupted Claudia’s musings. The shop wasn’t due to open for another fifteen minutes, but she was grateful for the distraction.

  Peeking through the window, she could see the top of Sadie’s gray head. Her braids were wrapped Gretel-style across her crown. Claudia had almost forgotten that Anthony’s aunt would be arriving a few minutes early to set up her table where she’d read tea leaves.

  Claudia welcomed Sadie inside. The elderly woman hugged Claudia and smiled.

  “How are you? I’ve missed your calming presence.”

  Claudia chuckled. “I’ve missed yours too.” It was good to see Sadie’s familiar face. Claudia hadn’t realized until that moment how important a role the old woman had in the bar before, and she’d bet Sadie would become a fixture in the new business as well.

  She watched Sadie wend her way through the tables to the one in the farthest corner. Sadie put her satchel down on the floor beside it. “Is it all right if I pull this one slightly farther away from the others to give my customers a bit of privacy?”

  “Of course. Can I help?” Claudia quickly made her way over to the corner table, pulled out the chairs, and grasped one side of the table.

  “Just a foot or so toward the back should be fine.”

  When they’d rearranged the back corner, Sadie set her hands on her hips and surveyed the whole room. “It looks lovely. Are you sure you don’t mind my throwing off the arrangement like this?”

  Claudia laughed. “The day I become so anal that I can’t tolerate a table being moved a few feet is the day I should hang up my apron.”

  Sadie looked her up and down. “But you’re not wearing an apron. Come to think of it, aren’t you afraid you’ll spill something on that gorgeous purple dress?”

  “That’s what dry cleaners are for. Really, Sadie,” she teased. “Priorities.”

  Sadie settled into her chair. “And what are your priorities, dear?”

  That took her by surprise. Was she being serious? “What do you mean? I was just joking about fashion taking precedence over practicality—although I’m not going to wear an apron. I want the atmosphere to be like a home where I’m the hostess and the customers are my guests.”

  “Can you handle all that by yourself?”

  “I prefer being busy to being idle.”

  Sadie nodded. “Is that what your sponsor told you?”

  Claudia’s jaw dropped. Anthony wouldn’t have told anyone she was in AA, would he? Didn’t everyone know what those letters stood for? Particularly the second A for “anonymous”?

  “I can see I surprised you,” Sadie said. “And before you ask…no, Anthony didn’t tell me.”

  Claudia slowly lowered herself into the chair opposite. “You knew that because you’re psychic?”

  Sadie chuckled. “No. I knew that because I saw you going into the Sacred Heart Church’s basement entrance one Sunday evening. Then I got my psychic flash.”

  “Oh.” Claudia felt her cheeks heat and she hung her head.

  “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m proud of you. You’re doing what you need to do to take care of yourself.”

  “I’m not exactly embarrassed. More like ashamed. I had no business working in a bar for so long.”

  “Did you drink the profits?”

  “Of course not!”

  “Then you have nothing to be ashamed of. Anthony wouldn’t have trusted you with his business if you weren’t doing your job. And now he’s trusting you again.”

  “That’s just it. Somehow I managed to work sober, but when I got home I’d drink the rest of the night away.”

  “And now you have something better to do with your evenings.”

  Claudia gave Sadie a grateful smile. “Yes, I do.”

  “I still worry about you.”

  Claudia’s jaw dropped. She didn’t know whether to be insulted or just accept that people would be concerned for a while. Maybe Sadie was just honest enough to say it out loud.

  “But not for the reason you think,” Sadie added. “I knew you and Anthony were fighting a growing attraction to each other. I figured it would only be a matter of time before Ruxandra discovered it.”

  Claudia groaned and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what to do about her.”

  Sadie reached across the table and took Claudia’s hand. “Let Anthony handle her. It’s the only way.”

  The little bells over the front door tinkled, letting the women know they had a customer.

  Before Sadie let go of Claudia’s hand, she whispered, “Good luck, dear. I’m here if you need me for anything.”

  Trepidation that Claudia hadn’t felt earlier suddenly enveloped her…until she looked over to see who had come through the door.

  “Brandee! Angie!” She rushed over to her first customers. They had been her employees at the old bar, and now she thought of them as dear friends.

  Things might work out okay after all.

  Chapter 6

  Claudia hugged Angie and Brandee in turn, then invited them to sit anywhere. She took two square menus over to them and grinned like an idiot. Realizing they needed a minute to look at the offerings, she flitted off to the cash register.

  The little bells tinkled over the door again and a woman she didn’t recognize entered. She was dressed like a Victorian lady in a long dress full of lace and ruffles. A huge, foppish hat covered in flowers and vines partially hid her face.

  “Um… Welcome to the Boston Uncommon Tea Room. Sit anywhere you like,” Claudia said brightly.

  The hat nodded.

  As the woman found a table, Claudia grabbed a menu and followed her.

  Brandee looked up and caught sight of the woman, and her eyes rounded, as if she were ducking school and about to get caught. She tried to hide her face behind the nine-by-nine-inch card.

  Hmmm…I wonder what that’s about.

  Just as Claudia was about to hand the woman her menu, the bells over the door tinkled again. In came more familiar faces. She grinned and waved to Kurt and Tory.

  “I’ll be right back to take your order,” she said to the stranger.

  The woman held up one finger. “No need to rush off and come back. I know what I want.”

  “Oh. Of course. What’ll it be?” Claudia said as if still in the bar, but then gave herself a little mental slap upside the head. Reach back to your refined upbringing, dumbass. Her casual manner must have come from seeing the old bar’s regulars walk in.

  “I’d like the raspberry and chocolate scone with Devonshire cream and a small pot of Darjeeling tea.”

  “Wonderful choice,” Claudia said. As she jotted down the order and strode toward the kitchen, she wondered how the woman had managed to order something on the menu without even reading it. That’s weird. Maybe every tea house offers those items. She made a mental note to ask Chris to come up with some signature offerings.

  “Sit anywhere you like, guys,” she tossed over her shoulder. Kurt and Tory headed right over to Angie and Brandee, taking the table beside them.

  It seemed like old home week when Claudia returned. The guys were chatting with the girls, and Sadie stood between the tables with her hands on Tory’s and Angie’s shoulders. Claudia hated to break up the animated conversation,
but she didn’t want to ignore customers, either.

  “Have any of you decided what you want?”

  “I want a job,” Angie said.

  Claudia was taken aback. “Seriously? I thought you were bartending at one of the local hotels. One of the nicer hotels.”

  “I was…I mean, I am. But my boss there is so hoity-toity. I miss everyone here. Maybe you could use someone part time?”

  This was the answer to a prayer. The only other employees Claudia had hired were a couple of students who could only work evenings.

  “Think about it,” Tory said. “As I recall, you became the bar’s manager because you were a klutzy cocktail waitress. It was bad enough when you bathed someone in beer, but imagine spilling hot tea in a customer’s lap.”

  Claudia’s cheeks heated. It was true, but she’d hoped her sobriety would result in a steadier hand.

  The bells jingled again. More customers.

  Angie nodded to the front door. “It looks like you could use some help. I’ve already handed the guys our menus.”

  “Hey. I was just about to…” Whoa. Take your pride and shove it, she told herself.

  Sadie caught her eye and gave her a slight nod.

  If I don’t take Angie up on her offer, I should fire myself. “Can you start right now?”

  Angie laughed and jumped up. “You betcha.”

  Claudia ripped the order pad and handed half of it to her. “Grab a pen from behind the counter and have at it. Give the orders to Chris in the kitchen.”

  Brandee ordered a cup of Irish breakfast tea and plain salad, reminding Claudia she was lactose intolerant. The guys asked for coffee and cucumber-watercress sandwiches. Kurt joked that he just ordered them to find out what the heck a watercress was.

  The day progressed smoothly and Claudia’s prediction about a slow start couldn’t have been more wrong. Every regular from the old bar and a bunch of new faces showed up. Had Sadie known this was going to happen?

  The one thing that really baffled Claudia was why the woman wearing the giant hat was staying all day. She sipped her tea slowly and nibbled at her scone. Claudia checked on her regularly and was always dismissed with a wave of the woman’s gloved hand.