“Yes, but she doesn’t give a damn and she doesn’t understand why the townspeople might have a problem with it either.”
“Wait, I thought you owned Devil’s Playground. Isn’t it a conflict of interest, too?”
Daniel laughed. “Absolutely. I owned the resort before I was forced to become mayor.”
“Forced?”
“No one wants the job, Cari. Except Leona. She was the only one to run last election. You know how I got elected? They filled my name in on the ballot. Poppy and Garrett organized everyone and, even though I wasn’t even running, they elected me.”
“You’re kidding me?” I asked, my mouth falling open.
“Nope!” Poppy called from the front desk. “I like my job, but I’d have to quit if that lioness bitch became my boss. Ayres is a much better boss. He even brings me treats.”
Daniel shook his head and rubbed the spot between his eyebrows.
“Why didn’t you refuse?” I asked.
Daniel opened his mouth to answer but Poppy piped up first. “Because he knew we’d make his life hell if he let Leona be in charge.”
“That and I didn’t want her in charge, either,” he said.
Wow. Devil Springs wasn’t boring, that was for sure.
A sudden wave of sadness hit me. No wonder Bethany loved it here. Everyone was a character, and the town dynamics were entertaining as hell. She always loved small towns because she said there was drama around every corner and over every fence. It seemed like she was right.
“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked.
Damn. I had to work on my poker face because he read me way too easily.
“I was just thinking that Bethany must have loved it here. Small towns were sort of her thing.”
Daniel’s face softened. “She did love it here. And she fit in well. Most of the residents don’t have a problem with humans. Quite a few of them are descended from humans or half-humans. They are wary of them at first, but they don’t have an actual problem with them.”
That made sense. After what Daniel said last night, I’d be worried that the military or government would invade the town at the slightest provocation.
Before I could say anything else, Daniel’s cell phone rang.
He glanced at the screen and sighed. “It’s Dax. I need to take this. We’re working on repairing the conference room before the meetings next week.”
He hit the screen with his thumb, lifted the phone to his ear, and turned to face the window behind his desk.
Huh. I guess I’d been dismissed. Yet another thing he’d need punishment for.
9
After dinner that night, I’d immediately gone up to my room.
I needed…space.
All day, I’d been around Daniel. I’d watched him work, listened to his phone conversations, and had another delicious lunch with him at Remi and Sam’s restaurant. Including dessert.
Now that he and I had established a sort of truce, the shivers had returned. I was noticing things about him that I would be better off not noticing. Like the way his eyes lit up when Poppy came into the office to give him shit. The way he spoke to people who called him with problems. The way he treated me with courtesy and respect.
Also, how nice he smelled and how soft his hair looked.
This was really, really bad. I didn’t need to develop a crush on my vampire kidnapper. Nothing could come of it but sexual frustration and rejection.
Sure, he said that he respected me. And, yes, he acted as though he did.
