His Vampyrrhic Bride Read Online Free Page B

One of your friends clubbed me from behind.’ As he snarled the words, he still couldn’t prevent himself from giving her the kind of visual examination that many young males give females.
    The part of his brain reserved for noting details about girls filed the following:
    Breasts: Great breasts. Wonderful breasts.
    Hair: Blonde.
    Build: Slender. Delicate. Hands very delicate, too.
    Breasts: Wait . . . breasts already noted. Don’t have to check those again.
    Nevertheless: Breasts. Great breasts. The white cotton blouse shows them off nicely. Wonderfully.
    Eyes: Pale blue.
    Mouth: Small. Lips with character. The way the bottom lip pushes out slightly.
    Breasts: You’ve done breasts. They’re already covered.
Can you imagine them uncovered?
     
    He realized his eyes had moved down her calf-length white cotton skirt to make mental notes about her delicate bare toes, which were revealed by a pair of sandals.
    ‘Listen. Whoever attacked me . . . whichever one of your friends . . . left me for dead by the river . . .’ Several million years of nature’s programming wouldn’t quit. Male instinct demanded he note the way she pushed her hair back from her shoulders. ‘I woke up this morning covered with insect bites. I ache so much I feel like I’ve been hit by a rhino.’
    She didn’t raise her voice. Even so, she spoke firmly. ‘You attacked
me
, Tom. As for you being attacked, I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.’
    ‘Someone hit me from behind.’ His voice wavered slightly. He’d been so high on those fumes he wasn’t exactly sure of the details. Other than that he’d found himself flying through the air. Meanwhile, an important question needed answering: ‘And how the hell do you know my name?’
    ‘I also know that you’re a nice person.’
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘You were acting out of character last night.’
    ‘You know nothing about me.’ He didn’t want her thinking she’d surprised him with this statement – but she had.
    ‘You feed the wild fox cubs in the orchard.’
    ‘How do you know about that?’
    ‘Their mother had died. You’re keeping those cubs alive.’
    ‘What’s all this about? I don’t even know your name.’
    ‘Do you want to know it?’
    ‘What I want to know is how you’ve found out private stuff about me.’
    ‘Like the seventeen thousand dollars you’re trying to raise?’
    ‘You better leave now, Miss Whoever-you-are.’ He felt his anger rising.
    ‘I came here to apologize.’
    ‘For what?’
    She looked him in the eye. ‘For frightening you last night.’
    ‘Frightening me? Ha! You’re crazy.’
    ‘I’m also thirsty. It’s such a hot day. I hoped you’d invite me into your garden for a cold drink.’
    She couldn’t have surprised him more if she’d suddenly clawed at his face.
    ‘A drink?’ he echoed. ‘The last thing I’m going to do is offer you a drink. Now for the last time: go away. Keep walking down that road. And don’t come back.’

SIX
    T om Westonby stopped dead. For a moment this seemed so unreal.
Why am I fetching the girl a drink?
he asked himself.
I’ve just told her to clear off, for goodness’ sake. I must be going mad.
Then he shook his head before walking out of the house.
    ‘Here’s some lemonade.’ Tom didn’t want to seem like some pushover that she’d just taken control of so he added, ‘There’s no ice. You’ll just have to make do with it as is.’ He handed her the glass . . . and, yes, he absolutely felt every inch the pushover that the woman had just taken control of.
    ‘It’s fine.’ She took the drink. ‘Thanks.’
    ‘You already know I’m called Tom.’
    ‘Tom Westonby. Yes, I overheard people talking about you in the village.’
    ‘Oh.’
    ‘You’re already famous. The girls there are excited about the handsome guy that inherited Mull-Rigg Hall.’
    ‘My parents inherited it. Well, to be more accurate, my parents have it until my cousin takes full ownership when