Page 34 of The Vegan Vamp


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Eleven

Dimitri didn't bat an eye about the length of time I'd been gone. Apparently his book kept him quite absorbed though I did think it was weird he pulled it out for something as quick as a bathroom break. At least he wasn't looking at his phone.

"Sorry about that," I said as I sat back down.

He gave me a quizzical glance once I had his attention. "You look flustered. Everything okay?"

Everything was most certainly not okay. "Oh yes, fine. Just a long line at the restroom."

Dimitri didn't look like he believed me, but he shrugged it off. "The waitress came by and said our food would be right out."

A loud screech from behind us made me slosh wine. "You smell like her!"

Oh gods. Cherry. She was a werewolf and probably smelled me on him from a mile away. He had only touched me once but even the proximity could tip someone off. Plus Sterling seemed disturbed when I left him. And by disturbed I meant aroused. Very much so.

I was extra glad of my vamp hearing tonight.

"Relax," Sterling murmured. "I ran into her in the bathroom hallway."

So he starts his relationships off with lies? Completely unsurprising.

"Literally?" Cherry screeched. "Did youliterallyrun into her or are you being metaphorical?"

A soft snort escaped me. Dimitri watched the drama, but I felt his eyes linger on me a little too long during it.

"I'm being literal," Sterling said quietly.

"Then why do you smell like you want to screw?"

My eyes watered with hilarity. I wanted so bad to burst out laughing but then Dimitri would know. Though from the way he was looking at me, I suspected he already did.

My hunch was solidified after Cherry threw a glass of wine at him and they were both escorted from the restaurant.

"Are you sure you don't know him?"

I turned back around and sighed.

"I do," I admitted. "We had one terrible date, and that was it."

"I see." Dimitri's gaze followed the troubled couple as they went outside. "And he still likes you?"

I let loose the laugh that had been brewing inside of me for several minutes. "No, not even a little bit. Sterling Luna rues the day he met me. In fact, that was what the bathroom incident was about. He was professing his undying hate for me."

Dimitri sipped his wine, his expression lost in thought. "Sometimes hate and love are so close it's difficult to distinguish one emotion from the other."

An uncomfortable laugh escaped me. "Sterling is boorish and pushy, and has the manners of a chimpanzee let loose at a farmer's market. I can assure you, there is no mutual like there."

My date nodded but I could tell the entire incident bothered him. Fortunately, he didn't dwell on it. Our dinner arrived a couple of minutes later and the occupants of the restaurant brushed off the drama and went right on like nothing happened. Dimitri ordered a plate of salmon and vegetables. While it looked good, it was super healthy and made me wonder if he was the kind of guy who shunned cake and all the other beautiful things in life.

He noticed me giving his plate the eyeball and chuckled. "I have a cheat day twice a week. It keeps me sane."

"Oh thank goodness," I muttered. "I don't think I could live without cake."

"Could anyone?" he asked.

I was pretty sure Dimitri would be an easy guy to love. We clinked our wine glasses together and enjoyed our meal. When it was time to go, he paid the check and walked me to my car. I felt at ease even though he was stupid handsome. His hand in mine was warm and strong and when he leaned in to kiss me goodnight, I didn't resist.

His lips were warm and firm and there was a little tingle, but it wasn't a massive tingle. I didn't feel it all the way down to my toes like I expected, but that could be chalked up to first date nerves.

I hoped.

The soundof rain pounding against the roof woke me up out of sound sleep the next morning. I rolled over to stare out the window, perplexed. It rarely rained here.

I got up and pulled a robe over my sleep attire. Padding outside, I stopped on my porch and looked up. Everyone here had noticed the storm brewing, but since nothing happened, most people had put it to the back of their mind. I frowned as I stared up at the swirling sky. Rain wasn't necessarily a terrible thing in this town, but it was unusual enough to remark on. I pulled my robe a little tighter and shivered as the cool air swirled around me.

Weird.

Shaking my head, I went back inside. I'd planned to go out to the workshop and set some more stones, but we hadn't had rain in so long, I thought I'd make some tea and read a good book.