focusing somewhere above his head. “Did you give already? Have some snacks.” He took the plate and seemed amused by my reaction.
I was not. My God, you’d think I was some giddy, hormonal teen-ager the way I’d reacted to an attractive man.
A crowd of people attacked the table and I lost track of him. Renée and Cherilyn both tried to catch my eye. I concentrated on putting everyone, especially the mesmerizing man, out of my mind. I focused on food and all the people building up their strength from giving blood or in anticipation of giving.
An hour later, I took a break and went to find a soft drink. My stomach hadn’t recovered enough to drink or eat anything solid. I still saw the body if I let my mind wander unchecked.
“Tali.”
Oh, shit. “Laurel.”
“I thought you were working the food table.” She looked at my soft drink as if to say, get back to work .
“I am, was. I’m taking a short break.”
Laurel wore the typical long black vampire dress and white makeup accented with a long shaggy wig. “Don’t wait too long. Things could get backed up. Also, we need to talk about what happened at the fairgrounds later.”
“I’ll watch it.” What was she going to do, fire me if I look too long a break?
Once Laurel saw I wasn’t going to respond or fight, she wandered off.
I finished my soda and went back to the food area, ready to let the rest of the girls take breaks.
I gasped and came to a screeching halt when Aiden suddenly and silently appeared at my side. “Hi, you startled me.”
“I sometimes have that affect.” His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “I wanted to talk to you. You are the most beautiful woman. Are you attached to someone?”
“Not like permanently. Thank you for the compliment.”
“It’s true. Can you come and talk to me?”
“I have to help in the other room. Maybe I could find you later?” I looked up into his eyes—an interesting experience, looking up, since so many guys were shorter than I was. Trouble was, when I looked into his eyes I wanted to follow him anywhere.
Right now.
I shook my head and waved before I moved away toward the other girls. I looked back. He was watching me walk away, a small smile on his face.
We had only said four or five words to each other. Yet it was as if he saw my soul when he looked at me. I wondered what he would think of my soul and the fact that I could see things others couldn’t.
Renée and Cherilyn both stared.
“What happened to you? You look you’ve seen a ghost or something. What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to tell them I was horny as hell after talking to a man for a couple of minutes. Hell, before I talked to him. I must have a strange virus. It also made me stammer and get tongue tied around the man. I hadn’t been called beautiful in a long time.
Another rush of people prevented me from having to answer questions and I replaced empty trays, arranged wineglasses, and watched for Aiden.
Cherilyn came up next to me. I jumped. She laughed. “What’s up? Fill me in.”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that nonsense. I can see it on your face. Something happened.”
“Nothing happened. A guy said hello. I said hello back. Big deal.”
“The cow-eyed look on your face says something different.”
“I talked to him for about a minute. His name is Aiden. He wants to talk later. That’s all I know.”
Her face brightened. “Oh, yeah. I met him. He’s hunky in a tall, pale-skinned way. I think he moved into the house next to yours.”
My mouth flew open. “Next door to me? Aiden? Wow.” I hadn’t seen anyone around that old house, but noticed it had been painted at some point when I wasn’t looking. Life might get more interesting.
I leaned against the wall behind me as the crowd thinned out. Most of the food was gone as were some of the donors. A few die-hards still danced to the DJ. Aiden lurked at a table across the room and grinned at me.
After everything was cleaned up,
I was not. My God, you’d think I was some giddy, hormonal teen-ager the way I’d reacted to an attractive man.
A crowd of people attacked the table and I lost track of him. Renée and Cherilyn both tried to catch my eye. I concentrated on putting everyone, especially the mesmerizing man, out of my mind. I focused on food and all the people building up their strength from giving blood or in anticipation of giving.
An hour later, I took a break and went to find a soft drink. My stomach hadn’t recovered enough to drink or eat anything solid. I still saw the body if I let my mind wander unchecked.
“Tali.”
Oh, shit. “Laurel.”
“I thought you were working the food table.” She looked at my soft drink as if to say, get back to work .
“I am, was. I’m taking a short break.”
Laurel wore the typical long black vampire dress and white makeup accented with a long shaggy wig. “Don’t wait too long. Things could get backed up. Also, we need to talk about what happened at the fairgrounds later.”
“I’ll watch it.” What was she going to do, fire me if I look too long a break?
Once Laurel saw I wasn’t going to respond or fight, she wandered off.
I finished my soda and went back to the food area, ready to let the rest of the girls take breaks.
I gasped and came to a screeching halt when Aiden suddenly and silently appeared at my side. “Hi, you startled me.”
“I sometimes have that affect.” His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “I wanted to talk to you. You are the most beautiful woman. Are you attached to someone?”
“Not like permanently. Thank you for the compliment.”
“It’s true. Can you come and talk to me?”
“I have to help in the other room. Maybe I could find you later?” I looked up into his eyes—an interesting experience, looking up, since so many guys were shorter than I was. Trouble was, when I looked into his eyes I wanted to follow him anywhere.
Right now.
I shook my head and waved before I moved away toward the other girls. I looked back. He was watching me walk away, a small smile on his face.
We had only said four or five words to each other. Yet it was as if he saw my soul when he looked at me. I wondered what he would think of my soul and the fact that I could see things others couldn’t.
Renée and Cherilyn both stared.
“What happened to you? You look you’ve seen a ghost or something. What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to tell them I was horny as hell after talking to a man for a couple of minutes. Hell, before I talked to him. I must have a strange virus. It also made me stammer and get tongue tied around the man. I hadn’t been called beautiful in a long time.
Another rush of people prevented me from having to answer questions and I replaced empty trays, arranged wineglasses, and watched for Aiden.
Cherilyn came up next to me. I jumped. She laughed. “What’s up? Fill me in.”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that nonsense. I can see it on your face. Something happened.”
“Nothing happened. A guy said hello. I said hello back. Big deal.”
“The cow-eyed look on your face says something different.”
“I talked to him for about a minute. His name is Aiden. He wants to talk later. That’s all I know.”
Her face brightened. “Oh, yeah. I met him. He’s hunky in a tall, pale-skinned way. I think he moved into the house next to yours.”
My mouth flew open. “Next door to me? Aiden? Wow.” I hadn’t seen anyone around that old house, but noticed it had been painted at some point when I wasn’t looking. Life might get more interesting.
I leaned against the wall behind me as the crowd thinned out. Most of the food was gone as were some of the donors. A few die-hards still danced to the DJ. Aiden lurked at a table across the room and grinned at me.
After everything was cleaned up,
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