Once Bitten, No Longer Shy by Julie Steimle (chrome ebook reader txt) 📕

they turned the topic to the investigation of the party place where the four men—Brandon, Connor, Joshua and Dalton—had been bit. Officers Johnson both were investigating those vampires, hopefully putting an end to any more biting parties. They had even alerted the SRA as more eyes out looking would help.

They ended it with assignment to read up on the care of comfrey plants and for them to find a good place to grow their plants at their various homes.

“How’s your research for a permanent end to the bite coming?” Marcus asked Troy. He had been silent most of the time.

With a nod to him as they all separated their different ways, Troy replied wearily, “It’s taxing. All of the research is full of contradictory details, and so far the only cure seems to be death—and I’m not buying that.”

Marcus looked pale. He slumped while listening to Troy explain the details.

“The bite is more than skin, deep,” Troy murmured. “So a topical cure is not enough. My concern is we might have to consider some kind of plastic surgery. But I am not sure it even work as it is not just a surface thing involving skin. We’re dealing with muscle and veins, and I don’t want to cut into any muscle. Can you imagine the damage that would do? I mean, which is worse? A bleed, or limited mobility?”

“Good point.” Marcus nodded heavily. He walked away looking overburdened as he hefted up his plant. “Thanks for this. Let us know if you do get that breakthrough.”

“Definitely,” Troy said, nodding hard to him.

Nicole winked at Troy as she walked away, holding hands with Brandon as if she had not just flirted with Dalton and him during the meeting. Sue and Leslie took their plants and expressed their thanks to Troy while dodging Connor who was smirking at them with winks of his own. Joshua huffed, grabbing his plant with a quick word to Alexandra before going his separate way. Dalton, however, walked up to Troy and said, “Smart move, the way you handled Connor earlier. That guy is like is like a predator. He hit on Alexandra before you got here, and she kneed him in the groin.”

Troy pulled back, as Dalton smelled nice.

“How did he hit on her?” Troy stared. “Grab a—”

“Yeah.” Dalton laughed, his face coloring with mirth. “I think she threatened to use pepper spray next.” He then looked over to Sue Hobbs as she and Leslie headed toward the subway. “How well do you know Sue?”

Troy chuckled, shaking his head, watching them also go. Sue had a nice toosh. Her shorts showed it off beautifully along with her legs. “I bumped into her in a craft store. She’s a puppeteer and I don’t much of anything else. Why don’t you go talk to her and her friend?”

Dalton smirked at him. “You’re not going to get jealous?”

For a second Troy thought he meant jealous of him hitting on Sue as if he liked the girl. Troy wondered where he got those signals since he was only checking out her butt. But then the reverse idea flashed through his mind. Dalton knew he was attracted to him. It was embarrassing, but Troy decided to own up to it. He chuckled and said, feeling he had been given permission to flirt, “Maybe a little.”

Laughing, Dalton walked away, winking at him the same way Nicole had. However, Troy had the feeling Dalton was straight and was merely teasing. Pity, Troy thought. But it was the most polite way someone had ever let him down.

A text from Nicole came while walking back home with his empty bags, making a mental list of what he had to do for the rest of the day.   

*You really shouldn’t keep a girl waiting.* Her text said.

Troy laughed to himself and texted back: *Sorry. I guess I am bad at dating. I don’t know the protocol. Tell me the rules.*

He laughed to himself when he read her response. *Ah. So you did want to see me again.*

He texted back: *Desperately. But my roomies freaked out, and I got distracted. Forgive me?*

*If I must.* She responded. Then another text came: *Meet me for dinner?*

Troy relied: *Yes. Where?*

*Different place. Do you know a good one?*

Sighing, Troy could only remember the Italian restaurants he used to go to. But then he recalled a Greek one that might not have garlic.

*Minos’s. A Greek place. Do you know it?*

Her text came back: *Send me the address. J *

 

The apartment was empty when Troy returned from the meeting, and he quickly cleaned and shaved to go meet Nicole for dinner. He texted Bobo to let him know he was going out. He finished up some work in the lab, straightened out his bedroom and even put out some of the candles that Silvia had left (she had not taken them home), but did not light them yet. And went out to get a few more things for his research, escaping to the library before going to Minos’s

Nicole looked beautiful in red, standing in front of the main desk, peering over the crowds for his face. Her sleeveless dress hung lightly over her, reaching down to her mid-thigh. Troy wondered how long she had stayed with Brandon before she got there. He also wondered if Nicole spent that last week with Brandon, or if she had been with Cameron. He also wondered if Cameron was jealous or just resigned that she was playing the field.

“Hi!” She brightened up the moment she saw Troy, reaching out and smoothing his collar. “Ready to go in?”

Troy nodded and led the way.

Dinner went without a hitch. They ate some delicious foods they had never tried before and they exchanged chit chat before deciding to collect doggy bags and call an Uber to take them to Troy’s place. On the ride there, they started to heavily kiss.

They continued in lip-lock in the elevator.

And leaning against the door, they sucked face until Troy unlocked it. Bobo’s jazz was playing but he was not in the room.

“Wow, I know you said he changed everything, but look at this place.” Breaking off from a deep kiss, Nicole took in a breath as her eyes raked over the apartment. “It’s way classier.”

“You think so?” Troy kissed along her neck, smelling her sweet sweat and listening her heartbeat like a song.

She kissed him deeply, then pulled apart to say, “Yes.”

“Do you want something to drink?” Troy asked, not really leading her toward the fridge, as he really just wanted to go upstairs with her.

“Do you have anything a little harder than juice?” She chuckled, leaning into him.

Shrugging, Troy replied, “Admittedly,” he kissed her, “No. I can’t afford to get drunk and lose certain inhibitions.” He kissed her again along her neck. “You don’t want to be bitten again, do you?”

She shrugged, leaning into him. “Would it make a difference?”

He laughed then kissed her again. “Yes. For me it would. I would not be able to walk out in daylight anymore.”

Nicole cringed, pulling from another kiss. “Ok…” She then took him by the hand then kissed his lips. “Maybe when I’m thirsty I’ll ask for something. Are you thirsty?”

She tasted his lips and mouth once more, rather deep.

She smelled amazing… everything about her. Kneading her back with his soft mouth, drinking in her scent and enjoying the thunder of her heartbeat, Troy rubbed his hands down her back and over her rounded rear, enjoying her soft skin.

“Very,” he breathed out.

They made their way quickly up the stairs and into his room. He never got to light the candles.

And All That Jazz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nineteen

 

 

Bobo was not as surprised as Art and Hanz had been when Nicole emerged from Troy’s room the following morning. It was on his face that he had expected it. He even greeted Nicole politely and offered her breakfast. This time she stayed long enough for a coffee and some toast. When she left, Bobo remarked, “She’s hot.”

Troy nodded. “Yeah….”

Bobo did not say more. As morning jazz played in the apartment, Bobo made another southern breakfast, this one looking like a spicy version of hash browns and eggs. He offered Troy some. After a taste Troy stared at Bobo. “These are fantastic! How’d you get to be such a good cook?”

“Home Ec.?” Bobo said.

But Troy was sure he was joking.

Then, after a thought, Troy said, “Um… can you give me advice? I’ve never really dated, and you seem to have it great with your girlfriend, Jandra.”

Bobo pulled up a stool and sat next to him. “What is it?”

“How can you tell how soon or even how often a girl wants you to call her?” Troy asked.

Thinking a while, Bobo hesitated to speak.

“Because I found out she was upset I had not called, and I’m used to giving people their space…” Troy shrugged. “I don’t really know anything about girls… or relationships really.”

Nodding, Bobo chuckled. He patted Troy heavily on the shoulder and said, “I’d hate to break it to you but, all women are different. There’s no one size fits all. You have to learn her signals.”

That was not good news. Troy frowned. “But how soon should I call her? She expects me to guess, like I’m a mind reader like Matthew.”

This time Bobo laughed. “They do! They do!”

Troy groaned, resting his head against the counter.

“But, uh, I’ll tell you what—” Bobo set out a glass of juice in front of him. “Text her after lunch. Start with a ‘Hey’, but don’t get into ‘I miss you’ until you’ve dated more seriously. Just chat.”

“About what?” Troy murmured, realizing that he probably was the most boring person in history. All he knew was facts about vampires. He was sure Nicole would soon get sick of the topic.

“What kind of things do you talk about already?” Bobo asked.

Troy moaned. “Vampirism.”

Bobo snorted.

“I know it’s not enough,” Troy said. “Matt told me I need to find myself. But… this is me.”

Chuckling, Bobo nodded. “Ok. How ‘bout this… you find out what she is interested in, and talk about that? Women love to be listened to.”

“Does that help you with your girl?” Troy asked, anxious.

Laughing, Bobo shrugged. “Sure. But, uh, find out what you like too.”

What did he like? Troy wasn’t sure anymore. He had lost sight of everything outside his research. 

After a few hours of work on the manuscript, Troy texted her at lunch. He said *Hi* and he added: *I need a hobby. I think I’m too obsessed about vampires. Can you help me find one?*

She replied fifteen minutes later. *I’m on my break. No cell phones are allowed on the store floor.*

He wondered what that meant.

Then she texted: *I can help you discover a hobby tonight. When should I come over?*

He laughed as a ripple of excitement ran through him. But then he recalled he had a vampire victim’s meeting that evening. He texted: *I get back from my other support group meeting at ten. Is that too late?*

She replied a couple minutes later: *Would your roommate let me in?*

Thinking on it, Troy shrugged, texting back: *I have no clue.*

*I’ll bring a snack.* She texted.

His work for the rest of the day went smoother. He scanned in much of the writing into his computer file, but he also recreated a