A Vampire for Christmas(9)

She glanced at him as they strode toward her front door. She couldn’t help but notice that he carried himself with a casual elegance and didn’t look at all like someone who had just beaten up a couple of hoodlums in a dark Seattle alleyway. “It was nothing.”

So, what do you do for a living?” she asked as she stuck the key in the lock. “You really did seem like a law enforcement officer of some sort back there in the parking lot. Once I got over thinking you were one of the bad guys, that is.”

One side of his mouth curved up and when he rubbed a hand over his jaw, she heard the faint rasp of his stubble. Her face heated at how intimate it sounded. It was the familiar sound, not of a stranger, but of a lover first thing in the morning before he’d shaved. The heaviness again gathered low in her belly at the thought of waking up next to Trace.

As a matter of fact, I am in private security. It’s a family-owned business. So I guess you could say that people’s safety and well-being is a concern of mine.”

Ah, that explained a lot. She swung the door open and stepped inside. “Can I get you something to drink before the cab gets here?”

He looked at her again with those fathomless eyes. “A glass of water would be great.”

She put her things down and entered the kitchen. “I take it you work downtown?” Now that she was back home and feeling a little more centered, she had a million questions for him.

The company has offices all over the world,” he called from the other room, “but right now, I’m here.”

When she returned a moment later with his water, he was thumbing through her design portfolio, which she’d left on the coffee table, and absently petting her cat.

Wow, Augustus doesn’t normally like strangers. I’m impressed.”

A shadow passed over his face, but just as quickly it was gone. “You’re an interior designer.” It was a statement, not a question. “With your own business?” He sounded surprised. Did he not like her work?

Yes,” she said, her tone guarded. “I broke out on my own a few months ago.”

He scratched behind Augustus’s ears, nodding thoughtfully as if he were analyzing a business decision. “And what is the name of your company?”

Charlotte Grant Designs. I do a lot of home decorating, also staging homes for sale.”

He looked confused as he flipped through more pages. “What are these party photos?”

For some reason, it pleased her that he’d actually looked at the pictures closely enough to notice that. “I’ve done some event planning, too. Small corporate affairs, mostly. Christmas, New Year’s, product launch celebrations, that sort of thing.”

When she sat down next to him on the sofa, her hand accidentally brushed his. In an instant, a snap of static electricity tickled the tiny hairs on her arms before she jerked it away. She laughed nervously. “That was, um…weird again. It doesn’t usually happen unless I’m walking around the carpet wearing my fuzzy socks.”

Not a problem.” His tone, a tad deeper now, sent tiny chills along her arms. “How’s your wrist feeling?”

Much better. Thanks.”

She glanced up to find him staring at her, as if he were looking at her for the first time. Her cheeks heated under his scrutiny.

You…ah…sure you’re okay?”

She was touched by his lingering concern. Most men wouldn’t bother to ask, let alone notice that she might still be shaken up even if she seemed fine on the outside.

Yes, I’m much better now.” Because of you, she wanted to add.

She was suddenly aware that her knee was almost touching his thigh. Less than a finger’s width separated them. If she relaxed her leg slightly, it would fall against his. Holding it very still so as not to brush him, she reached for the portfolio and turned the pages. “Here…ah…let me show you the pictures of one of the last events I did.”

As he examined the three pages she’d devoted to it, a tiny muscle in his jaw flexed and his nostrils flared slightly. Was he pissed off? she wondered, tensing her shoulders. Her dad used to do the same thing prior to one of his tirades, like he was holding back his anger for a moment before it all exploded.

Does Xtark regularly employ you?” he asked icily.

Surprised he recognized the company from the event photos, she was confused by his reaction. “Xtark Software? How did you know? Are you a gamer?” Although they designed other software, Xtark was known mainly for its games, and Trace didn’t strike her as someone who played them.