Blood Entangled Read Free Page B

Whores, saloons, Wild West. Oh, right. She wished she had something intelligent to say. Kos was really smart and had read about ten thousand more books than she had. But all she could think was to ask, “Did you wear leather chaps and ride a horse?”
    He grinned, and she didn’t feel stupid after all.
    “I’ve worn just about everything fashion demanded of me since I was born. Things change a great deal in two hundred years.”
    She would really like to have seen those chaps, but she wasn’t dumb enough to say so. “If you’re bored with War and Peace , we can read something else. A mystery or a thriller.”
    “Dull works for me. I just need something to occupy my mind, since Andre’s no longer free to play cards. But, would you prefer a more exciting book?”
    “Boring is perfect, puts me right to sleep.”
    “Maybe it’s my company.” He winked, offering up his sexy smile, complete with uneven dimples.
    “That’s not it,” she said, mimicking his grin. If she didn’t know better, she’d have thought he was flirting.
    He was so funny and kind. In his bed, while he read to her from the armchair, she could almost forget how badly she wanted to leave the Kaštel Estate. Almost. Then she remembered the life she really wanted, felt the ache of all the years she had wasted chasing Andre Maras.
    “Still no response to the advertisement?” she asked. It was so past time for her to leave Andre’s house, if only someone else would hire her. She was a complete failure as a blood servant.
    “Nothing yet, but don’t worry. Something will come up soon.”
    With every drop of blood in her veins—blood intended for a vampire who actually wanted her—she hoped Kos was right. In the meantime, she kept on cooking, because she liked it, and the household needed her…
    A hungry household, which was probably ready for breakfast by now. It was time to get up and go to work.
    She threw off the covers and slid out of bed. September had brought a late summer wave of warmth, and she only wore a pair of shorts and a tank top. Not exactly Victoria’s Secret, but Kos’s eyes darted to her legs.
    He cleared his throat and stood up. “I’ll give you some privacy.”
    Shame heated her skin from head to toe. Did he think she was coming onto him?
    “Kos, you don’t have to go.” She grabbed her robe and threw it around her shoulders.
    “No, no, it’s fine.” He fast-forwarded to the door. “Take a shower, take your time. Zoey should be ready to work by now. I’ve got to arrange for the bottles, and the labels, and the laborers, and…”
    He was rambling. Obviously she’d worn out her welcome and made him uncomfortable.
    “I’ll move back to my room today, get out of your way.”
    He turned to face her, hanging his thumbs from his waistband. It was a strangely casual gesture, given the dressy cut of his tailored slacks and expensive shirt. She wanted to ruffle his perfectly smooth hair and try to draw him out every time she glimpsed that easy-going side of him.
    “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather have you here. Even a sleeping friend is better than no friend.” His lips pressed into a sad smile and then he closed the door.
    She stared at the closed slab of oak. Friend—that was the problem. She was feeling way more than friendly. And it was a lost cause. She’d thrown herself at Andre recklessly for years. And then she’d made the unforgivable mistake—stripping to her underwear and offering herself up to him out of desperation. That stupid move plus his rejection was a humiliation beyond repair, and the week that followed was the longest of her life.
    It would be so easy for her to mistake Kos’s kindness for something else, but he treated every woman like a queen. For one thing, he would never want his father’s castoff.
    From her dresser, Lena selected a purple knit skirt that would keep her cool in the hot kitchen. She held it up to her waist and noticed her knobby knees. Leaning in, she