there was another person out there who wanted them apart…
Storm leaned on the counter and dropped his chin to his chest. He needed sleep and he needed to explain everything to Stevie. She might deserve better than a world-weary vampire, but he couldn’t walk away if forced. Tomorrow, he’d tell her everything and pray she didn’t run away screaming.
He couldn’t fail to show her his heart and protect her from the evil in the world.
* * * *
Stevie awoke and checked the alarm clock, seven forty-eight p.m. Crap. She rubbed her eyes. She hadn’t meant to spend that much time in bed—again. She glanced at Storm who lay flopped on his stomach and practically dead to the world. He grunted in his sleep and turned over on his side, giving her a gorgeous view of his back. She longed to drag her nails down his smooth skin, but refrained. He needed his sleep, too. She and Storm had another long night ahead of them if they wanted to catch Bruce and Cherylyn in the act.
Stevie stood and stretched. She considered a wrap, but shrugged. Who was she going to run into anyway? Storm never got visitors because he refused to tell anyone where he lived, and no one knew where she was. No one really cared. Her stomach grumbled, announcing her need for sustenance. She grabbed one of his clean T-shirts from the dresser and headed to the kitchen.
She noticed her phone on the table and scrunched her brows. Hadn’t she left it on the nightstand? Stevie picked up the item in question and checked the screen. One missed call.
She pressed the buttons to retrieve the call when another came in. “Crap,” she muttered and hit the send button. “Hello?”
“Did you run away for good?”
Stevie squared her shoulders. Her sister. “I found a special someone to occupy my time.”
“A boyfriend?” Gypsy giggled.
“Yes.”
This time, Gypsy shrieked. “Who? Did I meet him? Is he hot? Wait. Let me rephrase. Is he hot by my standards? You date nerds.”
Stevie rolled her eyes as she processed the rapid-fire questions. “Yes, you met the incredibly hot Storm.”
“Storm? How did you manage that? He’s out of your league!”
Stevie plopped down onto the leather easy chair and massaged her temple. Storm’s unique spicy scent enveloped her, and she smiled. “Who do you believe is in my league, if I might ask?”
“Well, I thought Ace was… Or that guy, what was his name… Craig, that’s it, Craig.” Gypsy sighed. “Admit it. You need a man who works a nine-to-five job who’ll come home for supper, cut the grass on the weekends, and play with your two perfect children. Craig fit the bill in his boring, yuppie way.”
“That’s not true,” Stevie snapped. It wasn’t true now she was with Storm, anyway. Did Gypsy know the mystery gunman, were they in cahoots? She shoved the disturbing thoughts aside. “Craig had commitment issues.”
“Yeah, he was almost thirty and still lived with his mom.” Gypsy snorted. “A man like Storm is dangerous. You crave stability. Why do you think you dated that lame-o, Darin Newsome? Because he was totally dorky and safe.”
“Gypsy!” Stevie opened and closed her mouth. No other words came to mind. As much as she hated to admit it, her sister knew her too damned well.
Gypsy paused, almost like she needed to preface her next accusation with some grand speech. “Do you love him?” Her voice had dropped an octave.
The corners of Stevie’s mouth curled. “I think so. He’s more than I’ve ever wanted and better than I dreamed. I’m scared that I need him too much, but I wouldn’t trade the feeling for anything.”
Her sister shrieked. “Sounds to me like you’re convinced he’s the one! I’m so happy for you.”
Stevie gulped oxygen. One thing hung in the air like a storm cloud. “Are you planning to sleep with him, too?”
“Nope. I wanted to keep you safe from Ace the Ass. He’s just that—an ass, plain and simple.”
Stevie took the phone from her ear and
Storm leaned on the counter and dropped his chin to his chest. He needed sleep and he needed to explain everything to Stevie. She might deserve better than a world-weary vampire, but he couldn’t walk away if forced. Tomorrow, he’d tell her everything and pray she didn’t run away screaming.
He couldn’t fail to show her his heart and protect her from the evil in the world.
* * * *
Stevie awoke and checked the alarm clock, seven forty-eight p.m. Crap. She rubbed her eyes. She hadn’t meant to spend that much time in bed—again. She glanced at Storm who lay flopped on his stomach and practically dead to the world. He grunted in his sleep and turned over on his side, giving her a gorgeous view of his back. She longed to drag her nails down his smooth skin, but refrained. He needed his sleep, too. She and Storm had another long night ahead of them if they wanted to catch Bruce and Cherylyn in the act.
Stevie stood and stretched. She considered a wrap, but shrugged. Who was she going to run into anyway? Storm never got visitors because he refused to tell anyone where he lived, and no one knew where she was. No one really cared. Her stomach grumbled, announcing her need for sustenance. She grabbed one of his clean T-shirts from the dresser and headed to the kitchen.
She noticed her phone on the table and scrunched her brows. Hadn’t she left it on the nightstand? Stevie picked up the item in question and checked the screen. One missed call.
She pressed the buttons to retrieve the call when another came in. “Crap,” she muttered and hit the send button. “Hello?”
“Did you run away for good?”
Stevie squared her shoulders. Her sister. “I found a special someone to occupy my time.”
“A boyfriend?” Gypsy giggled.
“Yes.”
This time, Gypsy shrieked. “Who? Did I meet him? Is he hot? Wait. Let me rephrase. Is he hot by my standards? You date nerds.”
Stevie rolled her eyes as she processed the rapid-fire questions. “Yes, you met the incredibly hot Storm.”
“Storm? How did you manage that? He’s out of your league!”
Stevie plopped down onto the leather easy chair and massaged her temple. Storm’s unique spicy scent enveloped her, and she smiled. “Who do you believe is in my league, if I might ask?”
“Well, I thought Ace was… Or that guy, what was his name… Craig, that’s it, Craig.” Gypsy sighed. “Admit it. You need a man who works a nine-to-five job who’ll come home for supper, cut the grass on the weekends, and play with your two perfect children. Craig fit the bill in his boring, yuppie way.”
“That’s not true,” Stevie snapped. It wasn’t true now she was with Storm, anyway. Did Gypsy know the mystery gunman, were they in cahoots? She shoved the disturbing thoughts aside. “Craig had commitment issues.”
“Yeah, he was almost thirty and still lived with his mom.” Gypsy snorted. “A man like Storm is dangerous. You crave stability. Why do you think you dated that lame-o, Darin Newsome? Because he was totally dorky and safe.”
“Gypsy!” Stevie opened and closed her mouth. No other words came to mind. As much as she hated to admit it, her sister knew her too damned well.
Gypsy paused, almost like she needed to preface her next accusation with some grand speech. “Do you love him?” Her voice had dropped an octave.
The corners of Stevie’s mouth curled. “I think so. He’s more than I’ve ever wanted and better than I dreamed. I’m scared that I need him too much, but I wouldn’t trade the feeling for anything.”
Her sister shrieked. “Sounds to me like you’re convinced he’s the one! I’m so happy for you.”
Stevie gulped oxygen. One thing hung in the air like a storm cloud. “Are you planning to sleep with him, too?”
“Nope. I wanted to keep you safe from Ace the Ass. He’s just that—an ass, plain and simple.”
Stevie took the phone from her ear and
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