The Sharpest Kiss by Elizabeth Myles (the false prince .txt) 📕

didn’t. Instead, he drew his fingers over her knee again and said, “Because I wouldn’t want to miss something like that while I was conked out. If you were in bed with me, I’d definitely want to be awake for it.” He slid his hand up her thigh a few inches and gave it a squeeze.

Lucy froze, nearly crushing the granola bar in her grip. She stared at Aaron’s large hand, with its square nails and strong wrist, resting so far up on her leg. She watched, disbelieving, as his fingers moved again, this time tantalizing the outside of her thigh with a light, spiraling caress. Whoa, she thought with a quiet gulp. What was that all about? Aside from his voicemail, this marked the first occasion Aaron had ever done anything that could be construed as blatantly flirting with her. And, as far as Lucy was concerned, this counted way more than the phone message—considering he was actually in the room with her. And touching her. And sober.

He locked gazes with her and gave her a slow, lopsided smile that made her pulse gallop, but before Lucy could react, he’d moved his hand away. He boosted himself up to sit beside her. “Hey,” he nudged her with his elbow. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Did you ever think Professor Nosferus would wind up being so horrifyingly close to the truth? I mean, this is some straight-up Year Six-type nonsense, don’t you think?”

Lucy broke into a laugh. “I know, right? This reminds me so much of issues sixty-three and sixty-four.”

“Where’s Ace Van Helsing when you need him, huh?” Aaron chuckled, and, just like that, the tension had disappeared. The next moment, they were off and running like usual, discussing the unexpected twists and turns in the current Professor Nosferus storyline, which, while introducing a slew of brand-new characters, had also seemed to have made a welcome double-back to the simplicity of the comic’s earliest runs…

◆◆◆

Jessica had withdrawn to one side of the room by herself. Sliding her hands into her back pockets, she glanced around Endless Donuts, assessing the unlikely crew assembled here with her tonight. Lucy and Aaron seemed chummy, she thought, seated together in the back, talking animatedly about something that had them both smiling ear to ear. Probablycomic books, Jessica decided with a private grin. She’d always known Lucy had more backbone than she knew, but she was still impressed with just how well her young friend was holding up under the crazy circumstances she’d suddenly found herself in. Dara, too, for that matter.

Jessica’s gaze went to where the Donovans stood together in a corner, holding one another and whispering softly. As she watched, Jason stroked his wife’s hair and kissed her on the forehead. Dara blushed a little and curled her lips in an adoring smile. They certainly looked as if they belonged together, Jessica had to admit to herself with a silent sigh, two halves of one tall, very good-looking whole.

Jessica had been surprised over the past few days, and particularly the past few hours, to realize that the pretty, popular girl from school she’d resented for so long didn’t actually have a stick up her butt; she was just…kinda reserved. But her shy exterior hid something of an iron will, and Jessica had to admit she admired that about her. She’d been equally impressed with Aaron and Jason, both of whom seemed to have rebounded from their vampire bites with unanticipated aplomb. Cautiously optimistic from the start, Jessica now had no trouble believing that, between all of them, they just might be able to pull off destroying a master vampire before the night was through.

And if we can do it once…she thought, but didn’t let herself finish. Catching and killing Nathan’s master, Marta, and turning him back into a human, too, would, of course, be marvelous, but even Jessica recognized it was a long shot. Which was really too bad, because…well, because Nathan was amazing. His physical beauty notwithstanding, he’d already proven himself brave, kind, loyal, and possessed of a solid moral code. Even Wilhelmina, usually so persnickety, had approved of him. He’s perfect for me, Jessica sighed inwardly. Why did all the good ones have to be undead—and staunchly opposed to dating the living? She crossed her arms over her waist and almost laughed at herself, thinking of how she’d ribbed Lucy for falling in love with her boss, but now Jessica was developing a major crush on a vampire. Now who’s living out a trope?

Even as she had the thought, she realized her supernatural neighbor had somehow soundlessly appeared at her elbow and was staring down at her with his intense blue eyes. “How are you, Jessica?” he asked in that deep rumble of a voice that made her insides quiver. “Are you holding up alright?”

A smile curved her mouth, and she shrugged. “Yeah, sure, about as well as can be expected. How about you?”

“The same, I suppose.”

He kept his solicitous gaze on her, and Jessica felt a pleasant warmth chase through her veins. She cast about for something to anchor him here, to keep him standing so close and talking to her. “Hey, can I ask you something?” He gave her a quizzical look, and she glanced behind him, at a row of framed donut posters decorating the wall. “Why a donut shop, of all things?”

Nathan glanced at the posters, too, and smiled. “Why not? Keeping a surreptitious eye on the citizens of Houston and ensuring they are not devoured by vampires does not exactly pay well. In fact, it does not pay at all. So Kiefer and I needed a money-making venture to sustain us. Kiefer had prior experience in the donut business, so I agreed to partner with him on this shop.”

“Oh,” Jessica said, “cool.” Then, with an impish grin, “You know, I always kind of wanted to own a donut shop.”

One of Nathan’s eyebrows quirked up. “Truly?”

Jessica nodded. “I wanted to call it Dollars to Donuts.”

He