Page 31 of Bloody Temptations

I have no idea how he does it. I mean, I know I have to deal with a lot here, but it’s fun enough to make up for it.

Speaking of my job, I pull out a cutting board and drag over the bowl of fruit waiting to be diced for garnishes. “Well, let me know. In the meantime, I know Nikki has some new outfits for us. I’ll send you the pics when I’m trying them on.”

Finn’s cheeks flame just like I knew they would. Honestly, how the fuck does he manage that as a vamp? Not that I’m complaining, I live for those little blushes. He swallows awkwardly and fidgets on his feet, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets and then thinking the better of it.

I have sent a few selfies in between the good evening and morning messages and the “how’s your day going?” messages. The selfies always get a stellar reaction.

I don’t always get a pic in return, and if I do, they aren’t as blatantly thirsty as mine. Not that I care, it’s still Finn and I still drink them down. Even the one where he was wrapped up with a fuzzy blanket pulled over his head, pulling a face. That one was my favourite.

“I’ll, uh, keep an eye out then.”

He can barely get the words out, because as much as he likes them, and knows that I like that he likes looking at me, he still is embarrassed about it.

And because he’s Finn and I’m me, I think it’s hot.

We’ve got a good thing here, even if I do say so myself.

“Have fun with Willan.” I smile, then pause, slicing the lemon in front of me, pointing at Finn with the knife. “But not too much fun.”

“Yeah, sure. That’d happen.” Finn rolls his eyes. “See you soon.”

“Definitely.” I want to give him a kiss goodbye, but have to settle for a wave when he steps back, rather than closer to the bar.

Something uncomfortable niggles in my guts as I watch him wave goodbye to everyone without so much as a backward glance. The niggling gets worse with the curious glances everyone shoots in my direction when he’s gone.

Once, when I was a kid, we went to a carnival and I went on a ride that spun me around and around in circles. It went so fast it was like gravity disappeared and I was lifted in the air and pinned to the walls.

It was amazing, the most thrilling thing I’d experienced in my life—until the ride stopped and I was dropped to the floor, confused about what just happened.

Finn’s goodbye felt an awful lot like the end of that ride.

It was weirdly impersonal, considering just how personal we were in the staff room. But then, what do I know? I’ve never been in a relationship before, how am I meant to know how they work?

“So things are going well there, I see?” Maddy asks, leaning against the bar and inspecting her inconveniently long, pointed nails.

“Yeah, pretty good.” I grin up at her, shoving the strange feelings aside. Maddy is actually shorter than me, but with the towering heels she prefers, she more than makes up the difference.

Her eyes carefully flick over my face, checking for the slightest hint of trouble, but there is nothing to be found.

Life is good.

Naturally, I pass inspection and she smacks her hands on her thighs. “No more fucking around in the storeroom.” She says the first bit to me, then announces to all of us, “The next being busted has to do the deep clean. No exceptions. Lifo, write it in the book.”

Lifo is all too eager to kiss Maddy’s ass, so he scrambles to do her bidding and write the new rule in our staff comms book. Which leaves Nikki and I to serve the customers who Maddy hadn’t noticed, or just straight up ignored, who all heard my warning.

Good thing I have very little shame.

11

Finn

“I hope it wasn’ttoo hard to get here.” Willan wraps up what he’s doing behind the till. He’s writing in what looks like an ancient looking ledger in tiny, illegible writing. “Lusce and I just couldn’t get away from the shop tonight, so we figured we could all hang here.”

I wave him off, not wanting to explain that it was a perfect excuse to stop by Bloody Temptations on my night off on the way. Since Kai and I started this whole friends with, well, not benefits yet, but extra, I feel a bit weirded out going to hang out at the bar like I used to, even though it seems to be the only way we can get together.

Everyone there seems to know that something is going on between us and I don’t really want to see them doing the mental math on how someone like him is with someone like me.

“Too easy, I had the night off and nothing to do anyway.” I pick up an old jar filled with something unidentifiable floating in neon green liquid and put it back down. The shop—which I’ve since learnt is called The Magnifitestique Mage, which explains why they just call it The Shop—is really cool.

---