The Vampire and the Vixen Read Free Page B

everyone else, I was right.”
    “Did you know who I was the other night?”
    “Not until Arthur introduced us.”
    “But, out on the balcony…you knew.”
    He nodded. “Yes, but by that time it was too late.”
    “Too late?”
    “To resist you. As soon as I walked into that room and saw you I wanted to kiss you.”
    The breath whooshed from her lungs. Why couldn’t she ever breathe when he was around? She had to find a way, or they couldn’t work together.
    Her glance flicked to the tissue paper ghosts hanging from the ceiling and then to the grinning jack-o-lanterns taped to the windows. “I…I can’t explain my behavior the other night. It was unprofessional, and if I could take it back, I would.” Would she?
    “I wouldn’t.”
    She jerked her gaze to his. “What?”
    “I wouldn’t take it back. And Kelsey?” He leaned forward and folded his arms on the table. “I want to do it again.” His smoldering eyes matched the heat in his voice.
    And melted her insides. Sweet Jehoshaphat. For several pulse-pounding, breath-stopping heartbeats she did too. Until sanity returned.
    As every feminine instinct screamed in protest, she looked him in the eye, got a firm grip on her resolve, and said, “It can’t happen again. You’re my boss.”
    For a moment it looked like he was going to object. Then he nodded. “I know.”
    The tension slipped from her shoulders. “We have to forget about the other night.” No matter how hard that might be.
    His lips curved, but didn’t quite form a smile. “I’m not sure if I can do that. Because Kelsey, you played the vixen very well.”
    Her mouth opened. Closed.
    He picked up his pen, and then returned his attention to the papers in front of him. “You’d better get going. Tracy wants to talk to you, remember?”
    “Right.” Damn. She had forgotten. No surprise there.
    After taking a few minutes to compose herself, Kelsey walked around the corner of Tracy’s small cubicle. She propped her hips on the edge of the desk. “What did you want to talk about?”
    Tracy turned from the computer screen. She looked at Kelsey’s face. Her eyes widened. “You didn’t kiss him again, did you?” Her gaze flicked to Kelsey’s neck.
    Kelsey smoothed a strand of hair that had escaped its clip back behind her ear. “No.” She tamped down the regret of never being able to again.
    “Good.” Tracy looked around, then leaned closer. “I think Rafe’s a vampire.”
    Kelsey frowned. “I know. I saw him in his Dracula costume at the fundraiser, remember?”
    “No.” Tracy’s long blonde hair scattered as she shook her head. “I think he’s a real vampire.”

Chapter Three
    Kelsey laughed. “Yeah, right.” Then she took a closer look at her friend’s serious face. “You’re kidding right?”
    “No. I wish I was.”
    “O-kay.” Kelsey still didn’t get the joke, but she’d play along for a little bit. “What makes you think that?”
    “I’ve noticed certain…things.”
    “Like?”
    “Well for one, he said he won’t be here during the day.”
    “He works the night shift. He doesn’t need to be here during the day.”
    “Or, he can’t be out during the day, so he has to work the night shift.”
    “I really don’t think—”
    Tracy cut her off. “He didn’t want garlic on his pizza tonight.”
    Kelsey sighed. “A lot of people don’t like garlic. It gives them bad breath.”
    “Well, he didn’t eat any pizza either. And did you notice? The signet ring he wears is gold, not silver. Silver burns vampires. And he bit your neck. Which is exactly what a vampire would do.”
    Kelsey shivered. Rafe’s lips against her throat had been warm and sensuous. But he hadn’t really bitten her. More like, sucked gently. Her pulse quickened and her breath caught.
    She cleared her throat. “Are you working off of some kind of list you found out of Vampires for Dummies ? I suppose next you’re going to tell me he sparkles in the sun.” Tracy’s adoration for