After an eternity of searching for the perfect second day of work outfit, I settled on something classy-yet-skimpy for extra tips. I was only halfwayinto my shirt when the familiar clang of chains arrived.
“Hey,Vixen.”Dennis smoothly landed near my window seat.
“Sure, you can come in.”I kept changing, unsurprised.“I totally just invited you through the window. I love when you do that.”I propped my boobs up in a black corset and began to clasp the front. “I also love when you set my bed on fire.” I pointedly looked at the charred comforter that I’d forgotten about until coming home.
“Anytime.”He smiled and leaned against the wall, having already put the window screen back.“I was walking nearby and thought I’d say hi. See what you’re up to. And see how much you miss me so far.”
“Not at all,” I said. Then frowned when I realized it might not be true. Which was horrible, since it had only been a few hours. I stared at him, wondering if he could hear my thoughts. If he could, he didn’t show it. “Since you’re here, can you help with this top?”
“It’s not a bra?”Dennis walked over.
“No. It’s a corset that I found in the lingerie section of a store.” I held back an aroused shiver as his hands brushed my skin.
“Whatever it is, I like it.”
“Thanks. It’s one of my favorites. If you can tighten the laces, that would be perfect.” I talked him through how to properly lace the back. Eventually, he got it down and I was fully tied in. I turned to the mirror to admire the final product before remembering I have no reflection and turning back to him. “I have to leave for work. It’s my second day of training.”
“I know that.”
“I know that,”I mocked him and rolled my eyes. He smiled.“You only know because you follow me around when I’m not at your place.”
“Or maybe because I live with Sean and he’s training you?”
“Or that,” I admitted. He laughed as I grabbed my keys and left the room.“Ari,I’mgoing.”I strode to her room and pushed the door open. She was sifting through her closet.“Are you coming?”
“Yeah, but Sean’s picking me up.”She held up a blouse to compare with another. “Before you ask, I refuse to ride with you ever again because you drive like a maniac.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I would drive myself, buthe’ll just pop up in the car if I try,” she carried on. “He still won’t let me go anywhere alone because I’ll supposedly get enslaved or murdered. Which I think is an excuse. I think he just likes annoying me.”
“You know why? Because you like him! You wanna date him,”I sang, dancing around her in a circle,“and he likes you too, he wants to date you—”
“You can’t sing.”She shoved me onto the bed and I let out a dramatic cry.“Go to work. I’ll meet you there in a little while.”She tried to shoo me from the room but I flopped into deadweight.“You’re like a wet noodle.”She laughed androlled me to the floor.
“Because I’m melting?”I stayed on the floor the same crooked way I’d landed.
“What’re you doing?”Dennis was in the doorway, watching me with judgement in his eyes.“I’m not judging you.”
“I’m sick and tired of you listening to my thoughts.”I sat up to glare at him.
“You said it out loud. Dear god, what is wrong with you? Sometimes I wonder if you’re okay.”
“I’m spectacular.”I stood and left the room as Ari snorted with laughter. These people were so rude.“Where are you going?”
“I wanna meet your uncle,”Dennis said,fallinginto step besideme.
“He’s gonna interrogate you.”I examined Dennis, who didn’t seem deterred by my warning.“Alright,”I shrugged lightly,“if you really wanna. But don’tsay I didn’t warn you.”We got downstairs to see my uncle reading a newspaper on the couch.“Uncle Tom?”
“Hey,niecy.” He looked up, then turned serious when he saw Dennis.“Who’s this?”
“My friend Dennis,”I answered casually in the hope it would gounquestioned.
“And how’d he get in the house? I’ve been sitting here since I got home.”
“Uh.”I froze at his words. Crap.He was right. The three of us had caught up in this room after they got back from the airport. He told us the trip went well, Ari told him how her midterms went, and I told him about my new job. As far as I knew, he’d been on the couch the whole evening.
“He’s a vampire, right?”
