Read Online A Vampire's Promise by Carla Susan Smith - Free Book Online Page A

customers, save for a couple of burly construction-type guys sitting at the counter. But it still looked the way I remembered: clean and well-lit, with high-backed booths that offered privacy. Still feeling a little unsettled, I excused myself and headed for the restroom. My reflection in the mirror was pale, and I knew it wasn’t all due to the bathroom lighting. Running some cold water, I splashed it on my face. It seemed to help, and I felt better seeing the color returning to my cheeks.
    The diner’s lone waitress, a tired-looking thirtysomething with a bad bleach job, was flirting with Gabriel. She gave me a poisonous look as I slid into the seat across from him. I really couldn’t blame her. He was easy on the eye at any time, and probably even more so at this hour of the night. Two oversized coffee cups had been put in front of him, and he now pushed one across the table to me. An amused smile twitched the corners of his mouth. The mocha-colored liquid gave off an amazing, tantalizing aroma. I took a sip. It was heavenly, hot but heavenly. The mix of hazelnut and caramel was just what I needed, but it surprised me because I know I hadn’t told Gabriel what to order for me.
    â€œLucky guess,” he said before pointing to his upper lip and then at me. Sheepishly I pulled a napkin from the tabletop dispenser and blotted the foam away.
    â€œDo you come here often?” I asked, curiously.
    He shrugged. “Occasionally.”
    I looked around and wondered if my dad had ever come here as a teenager looking to pick up girls. “I didn’t even know this place was still open,” I murmured.
    Gabriel made no comment, so I sipped my coffee as we fell into an awkward silence. At least I thought it was awkward. I had no idea what was going through Gabriel’s mind, but he suddenly seemed distant, enough so to make me think I’d better drink up so we could leave. I really didn’t want the waitress watching as I got the big kiss-off. I’d had more than enough experience with that scenario.
    I had a really nice time tonight . . . but . . .
    Leaning forward, Gabriel fixed me with his dark blue eyes. “Are you all right?”
    â€œOf course.” If I was about to get dumped, then I was determined to handle it graciously, like the adult I was supposed to be. “Why would you think otherwise?”
    â€œWhen you first meet him, Aleksei can sometimes be a little overwhelming, and Katja . . . well, she can be . . .”
    â€œExtreme?” I offered helpfully.
    â€œYes,” Gabriel said, leaning back in the booth, “I suppose you could say that.”
    Yes, you could. But it came nowhere close to describing what she was. I was as much at a loss as he to find the proper adjective to describe the glossy, dark-haired girl with the supermodel looks. And I was still disturbed by my reaction to her. At least I could find words for the episode. Disconcerting . . . alarming . . . unnerving.
    â€œAre they friends of yours?” I wrapped my hands around the cup, feeling the warmth seep through.
    â€œFriends?” Gabriel looked thoughtful, as if he was reflecting on the full meaning of the word to see if it was applicable. “Aleksei yes, but not the other two, I think, at least not in the way you mean. Acquaintances would be a better word.” A worried frown creased his smooth brow. “I apologize if Aleksei was intimidating.”
    I thought about that. Had the big guy been intimidating? I didn’t think so, not intentionally, but there are some people who can appear menacing without even trying. It’s just a part of their makeup. I couldn’t say for sure this was the case with the Russian, but he had scared the crap out of me at first. Of course I wasn’t about to say so now that I knew Gabriel regarded him as a friend.
    â€œHe wasn’t intimidating exactly,” I said, brazenly lying, “but he was a little, um . . . intense.”