Page 6 of Wicked Allure
“Thank you.” She smiled even wider, not letting his rude attitude ruin her day. She was still a little early.
He snorted and folded his hands in front of him. She spun on her heels and headed down the street.
Nope, Mister Grumpy wasn’t going to ruin her mood. She was going to stay upbeat and positive. She was going to get this job. If her grandmother was confident she would, then she’d believe it, too.
Tomesha arrived at the alleyway and paused. In the daylight, the area was suspect. She’d hate to see what it looked like at night.
“Oh boy,” she murmured. The scent of human or animal waste filled her nostrils. She grimaced and walked toward the back of the building. Scattered trash lined the pavement. She picked up her pace, stepping around a dead animal carcass.
Well, she certainly wasn’t a paying customer. She’d be considered the help. She arrived at the end of the alley and peeked around the corner, unsure what to expect. She breathed in fresh air and saw a cleaner area where a line of people waited at a red door. Men and women dressed in all kinds of fashions. Some were in business casual while others were in skimpy outfits with body parts hanging out.
Tomesha hadn’t expected this. She’d received a time for an interview and assumed she’d be the only one at that time. The hope inside her dimmed.
You’re going to get this job, she reminded herself.
Tomesha held her head high again and joined the line. She needed this job and she’d best all of these people. With a jolt of confidence, she looked around, taking in her competition. The guy in front of her was young with bright-blue eyes and thick brown hair. He’d opted for ripped jeans, and a clean turquoise shirt highlighted his eyes.
“Your first time applying?” His gaze did a quick sweep of her before returning to meet her eyes.
His softened in the corners, and she immediately felt comfortable with him. She really didn’t have any friends.
“Yeah, it is.” Tomesha nodded.
She peeked around him and eyed the line again. A large man in a suit opened the door and waved a couple of women in. She sent up a prayer that she’d be invited in.
She turned her attention back to the guy in front of her. “Is this yours?”
“Yeah, but I have some experience.” He held out his hand to her. His face softened completely, and he appeared younger than her thirty-four years.
She smiled and slid her hand into his for a firm shake.
“My name is Conner.”
“Tomesha,” she replied softly. She cleared her throat and took her hand back from his. It would appear that her gut was right.
“Well, Tomesha, I can tell you that I think you’re a shoo-in,” he said.
Tomesha’s eyes widened at his confident comment. She glanced around and took in the beautiful women and handsome men, all different nationalities present.
“Thank you, but why would you think that?” she asked nervously. Tomesha reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. She hoped what he’d said would come to fruition. She needed this job.
“You’re a knockout. You have smooth flawless skin, big pretty eyes, a toned figure, and a smile that is captivating,” Conner said.
Tomesha was speechless. She’d never had anyone describe her in such a way. If someone asked her, she’d have just said dark-brown skin, plain brown eyes, and a body that needed some work.
“I don’t know what to say.” She swallowed hard, a smile forming. Tomesha stood to her full height. If he, a stranger, was confident she’d be able to get the job, then she had to believe the same. “Thank you. You sure know how to make a girl feel good about herself.”
“I just call them like I see them.” He chuckled.
They faced the door. A woman stepped out of the building. The bodyguard in the suit followed her. She had extremely pale skin, oval-shaped blue eyes, and chin-length dark hair. Her black dress hugged her figure and stopped just below her knees. Her heels were staggering, adding about four or five inches to her height.
A vampire.
She had to be. There was no other explanation for how pale her skin was. This wasn’t Tomesha’s first time meeting a vampire. They were all over, but it was the first time she’d be judged by one. The air fell silent. The woman strolled down the line observing the men and women. She pointed to a woman in a pink barely there dress with almost white hair.
“You,” the pale woman said.
The lady in pink stepped forward. The vampire continued down the line and chose a tall muscular male with dark hair. He went to stand by the lady in pink.
