Part 5 (1/2)
”No, you...” You're a werewolf! Why did that bother her more than being touched so intimately? ”Please just go. I can't do this.
I'm too freaked right now.”
”I understand.” His hand slid up to her neck again, and Bella regretted the lost touch at her breast. ”I'll leave, but I won't go far.
I'm keeping watch tonight.”
”Fine,” she said, not because she approved, but because she wanted him gone so she could be alone with her crazy self.
He opened the door and turned to her, but he didn't say anything. Dark, glittering eyes held her in his grasp. Right there, still under his thumb.
”Thank you,” she said. ”For looking out for me.”
”You've fixed yourself to my senses, Bella. I can't get you out of my head. And I don't wish to. Sleep well.”
He closed the door and Bella collapsed over the counter, her arms stretched out and her cheek smushed against the cool granite.
”Vampires and werewolves? Oh, my.”
Chapter 5.
F ollowing a long shower, Bella padded through the loft and switched off all the lights. The streetlights out front always cast a yellow streak across the floor. Tonight it comforted her.
After her encounter at Silver and her unnecessary escort home, she couldn't hit the bed fast enough. But on the way, she stopped before the window and tugged aside the blue chiffon sheer.
The connection of gazes startled her, but she didn't turn away. Severo sat across the street on a bus-stop bench, staring up at her.
Her own personal security guard.
Or her own personal stalker.
Who was a werewolf.
She should be horrified, but to be honest, all she could feel was relief.
She looked but didn't find any vampires lurking in the trees in the park across the street. Not that she would know what they were, anyway. Nevertheless, if they were out there, she was glad to have a protector on the beat.
Bella woke to suns.h.i.+ne. Because it was the weekend, she had all day to wonder over her strange new world.
”I have to call Seth.”
She started for the phone but paused by the window to look across the street. The bench was empty. Vampires didn't do daylight, so her protector had left.
How could she be so accepting and calm? she wondered as she picked up the receiver and hit speed dial. Because she had proof.
Sunnyside Belladonna, Seth often called her when he wasn't addressing her as Bellybean. Always willing to see the good, even when standing amidst a muck of bad. And if shown the truth? She believed it. It was a waste of time to deny what she'd witnessed.
”Seth, how are you?”
”It's freakin' ten o'clock, Bella. How do you think I'm doing?”
”You're usually up by eight. Oh, no, are you no longer a morning person because of your girlfriend?”
”Can we have this discussion later?”
”Fine, but we do need to have it. Severo said something last night that makes me wonder about your girlfriend. I'm scared for you, Seth.”
”Severo? Who in h.e.l.l-Is that your werewolf?”
”He's not my werewolf.”
”Yeah? Well, don't start sucking face with the guy. I've always imagined you walking down the aisle someday with a mortal man.
And you know how scared you are of dogs.”
”Tell me about it.”
She had mapped out her jogging routes specifically to avoid any houses with dogs behind fences. Big dogs, little dogs, didn't matter. She didn't like any of them. Rather, it wasn't a question of dislike, but a real fear.
”Listen, Bella, let's meet at the Moonstone at six, okay?”
It was their favorite restaurant and was a few miles down the strip. ”Deal. I'll see you later. Last one there picks up the check.”
A brisk swim was in order. Releasing the latch on the patio door, she slid it open to the gorgeous summer day. Birds chirped and the gra.s.s was so green, it belonged in a cartoon. Everything seemed right. Truly, she must have dreamed the world doing an upside-down flip.
Padding outside in her undies and T-s.h.i.+rt, Bella never worried that anyone would see. The six-foot-high fence, and the fact that she lived at the top of a hill, guaranteed privacy. And the first- and second-floor owners had but a view of the street on the other side of the building.
Tugging up her s.h.i.+rt, she stopped halfway over her ribs when something jumped the fence.
He landed deftly, one hand to the ground in a predatory pose. With a smirk, he noted Bella's jumpy reaction. Severo rose, stretching back his shoulders. He utterly dominated the small backyard.
Her protector had returned.
Bella tugged her s.h.i.+rt down to her thighs to cover her spare pink underwear. She could make a run for it, but he'd probably beat her to the door. Then he'd crush her barely clad body against his and kiss her and- ”Good morning, sweet.” Severo strolled to the padded lounge chair angled by the pool and sat. Stretching out his legs, he twined his fingers behind his head, though the leather jacket and biker boots were hardly pool wear. ”Nice day for a swim. Don't let me interrupt. You were set on skinny-dipping?”
”Why are you here?”
”Still on the beat.”
”But the vampires don't come out during the day.”
”You're right. Truth is, I wanted one last look at you before leaving.”
”Well, you've seen me. Now you can go.”
”Your t.i.ts look great in that thin s.h.i.+rt. Makes me want to suck them.”