Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye

Garnier’s, an upscale, vampire owned and operated deli on the West Side. “I was talking about a drink.”
    “So, um, was I.”
    His grin widened. “ Liar.” The deep voice resonated in my head.
    I frowned. “That’s not funny.”
    “What?”
    “You know what.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He feigned innocence and turned to retrieve a glass from a nearby cabinet.
    Okay, so maybe I could hear him and he didn’t know I could hear him. Please, please, please.
    “Sorry, sugar. No dice.”
    My frown deepened. “You’re really annoying, you know that?”
    He winked. “The feeling’s mutual. So you like yours warm or cold?”
    “Warm, please. What about you?”
    His grin was slow and oh-so heartstopping. “I’ll take it anyway I can get it, darlin’. ”
    He uncorked the bottle, poured a glass, and then turned to nuke it in a nearby microwave.
    “I…that’s nice.” Nice? Okay, so my capacity for speech was on the fritz thanks to the darlin’ comment. And the grin. Definitely the grin. I gave myself a mental shake and searched for something semi-intelligent to say. “I never would have figured you for a bottle man,” I said just as the microwave dinged.
    “I’m not. But I keep a bottle on hand just in case. I like to be prepared.” When he turned back to me, his smile was gone. His gaze glowed with a heat that upped my otherwise cool body temperature several degrees. He held out the crimson offering. “Drink up.”
    My gaze snagged on the inside of his wrist and I traced the path of a thick blue vein until it disappeared beneath the muscle of his strong forearm.
    I swallowed and suddenly the thought of actually touching my lips to the sweet red heat sparked a rush of panic. “I need coffee,” I blurted. When he stared at me as if I’d ordered well done, I shrugged. “It’s my evening routine. Coffee revs me up.” Yeah, right. But I so didn’t trust myself to drink drink right now. The hunger was fierce enough on its own.
    Already, my palms itched and my throat burned and my insides felt tight and needy. At the first sip, it would grow even worse. Overwhelming. And I feared I wouldn’t be able to sate it before… Before.
    “You do have coffee, don’t you?”
    He shook his head. “Sorry.”
    And here I thought the guy was irresistible.
    “What sort of vampire are you?”
    “The kind that doesn’t drink coffee. In case you haven’t heard, we vampires usually indulge with something else.” He held up the bottle in salute before downing a long swig for himself. His gaze grew even brighter and more intense and my stomach went hollow. “It’s much better for you than caffeine.” His voice was deeper and more husky when he spoke this time.
    And much more stirring.
    “Diet Coke,” I blurted. “Do you have any Diet Coke?”
    He bared his fangs and gave me a semi-ferocious look. “Do I look like a man who drinks Diet Coke?”
    Not exactly. But when it came to pecs, he put Lucky—the shirtless construction worker in their most famous commercial—to shame.
    “All right, all right.” I threw up my hands. “Regular Coke?”
    He gave me a what planet are you from? look before shaking his head.
    “What about tea?”
    “I’m afraid not.”
    “Hot chocolate?”
    “Sorry.”
    “Gatorade?”
    “Nuh-uh.” He took another long swig before he glanced at his watch. “Listen, I’ve got to go.” He shoved the cork back into the bottle and set it on the counter next to the glass.
    “You can’t be full already?”
    “No.” His gaze collided with mine. “Not even close.” Silence stretched between us for several moments as he stared at me, into me, leaving no mistake as to his meaning.
    Oh, boy.
    “Then again, you’re probably really busy. You should go. Really.” Before I do something totally lewd and lascivious.
    His gaze collided with mine and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Stay inside and keep the door locked.”
    The moment he moved away, my