newspaper in town if you wanted to, and you know it.”
He shrugged. He could, but except for Chuck’s part in it, he wasn’t really interested in the publishing business.
“ I’m glad they didn’t mention the fact that my neck was covered,” she said. “Again.”
One corner of his mouth turned up at that. It was true. Because they both found biting during sex such a turn-on and she didn’t like the idea of him feeding from other people – especially other women – any longer, her throat had become a bit of a roadmap of what she liked to call “extreme hickies.”
He did what he could to speed their healing, but she still tended to walk around for a few days with at least the telltale signs of his naughty nibbling. Which was why she’d taken to wearing high-collared shirts, scarves, and collared pendants like the one he’d bought her for their wedding day to match her beautiful, diamond-studded gown.
He’d also bought stock in about six different orange juice companies, and kept the refrigerator in their penthouse well-supplied to keep her from becoming anemic. Thankfully, she had really good blood, thick and rich, and hadn’t complained of feeling lightheaded even once. But he was still careful not to take from her too much or too often.
“ It’s becoming something of a signature look for you and your sister.”
With a groan, Chuck leaned up on an elbow and stretched across his chest – her own sweat-slick and deliciously naked – to look at the bedside clock. “Speaking of whom, it’s a couple hours past sunset. We were supposed to meet them at that little café down the street half an hour ago.”
“ Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re keeping Jake occupied with a plate full of beignets .”
“ He does seem to like them, doesn’t he?” she said with a grin.
“ Who wouldn’t? They’re basically fried dough covered in confectioner’s sugar. I don’t need food to survive, and even I think they’re rather tasty.”
Climbing out of bed, Sebastian followed her to the bathroom and kept her company in the shower. Sadly, not in the fun way. Then they both dressed and made their way downstairs and outside onto Saint Germain, walking arm-in-arm the short distance between the hotel and the café where they were supposed to meet her sister, his brother, and his nephew, who was every bit as adorable as Aidan had warned him he would be.
Spending time with Jake made him wonder for the first time what it would be like to have a child, or children, of his own. He wasn’t even sure it was possible from a vampire/human mating, but he thought it might be worth some consideration… if Chuck was willing even to try.
With the sun down, street lamps lighted the sidewalk, and strings of tiny white lights dotted the café’s awning and wide plate glass windows. They spotted the others from several yards away, sitting at one of the small round tables outside Les Deux Magots, drinking café au lait – and chocolat chaud for the little one, he presumed – and eating piping hot beignets .
Aidan spotted them first and waved them over, a wide smile gracing his face. Sebastian had to admit, he’d never seen his brother happier than he’d been this past year since his clandestine marriage to Chloe.
And Chloe had taken to her new life as a trophy wife like a fish to water. Only a few months after becoming Aidan’s wife, she’d given Sebastian her two-day notice; two days because – according to her – they were family now, and that should buy her some perks. He’d known for a while that she’d wanted to quit dancing, though, so her early retirement hadn’t come as that much of a surprise.
She claimed she wanted to go back to work, do something other than be a “kept woman”. She also threatened occasionally to call Bravo about doing a special about the real Real Housewives of Las Vegas – and by “real” she meant “The Brides of Count Dracula.” But for the time being, simply enjoying her
Regina Bartley, Laura Hampton