Page 45 of Bad Luck Vampire

And now you’re about to chase after him like some desperate stalker type, her mind pointed out as she finally found her keys and hurried back out to the entry.

Sophie paused abruptly at her door when that thought coursed through her mind.

“Damn,” she breathed as it suddenly occurred to her that she was about to race out of her apartment in nothing more than a robe. And all to chase after a man like some pathetic—

“Shut up,” Sophie muttered to herself with irritation. She had never in her life been a pathetic anything.

“I’m not going to be some pathetic simp and chase after a man,” she announced firmly. Nodding, Sophie slipped her keys into her pocket and turned away from the door to walk back to her bedroom.

So, Alasdair had left. So what if he’d slunk out of her apartment like a snake while she was asleep. Taking off without waking her to say goodbye or arrange to see her again like she was some kind of cheap one-night stand. Hadn’t she decided she would avoid dating and men after Derek’s death? Yes, she had. This was for the best, Sophie told herself as she entered her bedroom.

Then she spotted the note on her bedside table and sprinted across the room to snatch it up.

Left for work. Didn’t want to wake you. Will call in the morning.

A.

A smile curved Sophie’s lips as she read the short missive. He certainly had pretty handwriting for a man. And he was going to call in the morning.

Squealing, she pressed the letter to her chest and spun on the spot. Then she stopped abruptly and headed out of her room again, this time hurrying to the sliding door to her balcony. Unlocking it, she pulled it open and stepped out into a surprisingly cold night. It had been cool when she’d left the office, but a bitter wind was blowing now, putting a chill in the air that was threatening the arrival of winter.

Tugging her housecoat more tightly around herself, Sophie retied the sash and then crossed her arms over her chest and hurried to the railing on bare feet to peer down at the street below. Her apartment looked out on the front of the building. Hopefully she hadn’t taken too long and would be able to see Alasdair when he—

A smile stretched her lips when he appeared below, crossing the circular drive in front of her building. She’d made it in time. Now what, though? Should she call out and blow him a kiss? Wish him a good night at work?

She’d have to shout for him to hear her, Sophie acknowledged with a frown, and she had neighbors. A lot of them. Some of whom might be sleeping already and probably wouldn’t appreciate her bellowing like some lovesick calf.

Sophie had just come to that conclusion when Alasdair suddenly glanced back over his shoulder and up and then stopped. Turning to face the building, he peered straight at her. Even from her balcony she could see the white of his teeth as he smiled, and then he pulled something out of his pocket and looked down at it briefly. It wasn’t until he lifted whatever it was to his ear and she heard her phone ringing from inside her apartment that she realized what he held was his phone.

Smiling, Sophie hurried inside to her kitchen to pull her phone from her purse. She answered it as she headed back to the balcony.

“Hello, stud,” she said lightly, trying to tamp down her excitement and at least not sound pathetically eager as she stepped back out into the cold.

“I’m sorry if I woke you. I tried not to, but had to go to work.” His voice was a husky caress to her ear.

“Oh,” Sophie breathed, and then gave her head a shake and tried to sound blasé as she said, “That was sweet. Thanks.”

Reaching the railing again, she peered down at him. Alasdair had continued forward while she was gone and was now walking under a streetlight in front of the apartment building. She could see him much better there, but not well. He looked tiny from her balcony.

“You should go back to bed and sleep. I will bring breakfast by in the morning after my shift... if that is okay with you?” he added in question.

Sophie hesitated, and then shook her head. “No. You should sleep after your shift. Besides, I need to go in to work for a couple of hours tomorrow morning to make up the last of the time I missed for the wedding,” she told him, and hesitated briefly before adding, “But I’ll be free for the rest of the weekend after that.”

Sophie could actually hear the smile in his voice when he spoke, so was surprised when his “I will” ended with “not.”

Disappointment was just crashing down over her when he added, “I have the weekend off, but am hoping to spend it with a certain beautiful nymph who has bewitched me.”

Sophie swallowed at those words, her heart suddenly pattering away in her chest. Trying for a light tone, she asked, “Anyone I know?”

“I want you, Sophie,” he growled.

Her eyes closed as the words made their way into her ear and sent blood rushing straight down to the apex of her thighs.

“Go to bed. You will need your rest this weekend.”

Sophie closed her eyes. His words sounded like a threat, but her body appeared to take it as more of a promise. Every inch of her flesh was suddenly tingling in anticipation. Swallowing, she cleared her throat and kept her tone light as she responded, “Stay safe, Alasdair. I have plans for that body of yours this weekend.”

“I am already looking forward to it,” he assured her. “Good night, Sophie.”

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