Date with a Vampire (9 page)

Tommy looked down at Guystof’s underwear, then out to the beach where he’d just passed Serenie. “Nice. The sunset was spectacular. You wouldn’t believe the colors. Man, there’s nothing like that back in Oklahoma. But I’d wager a bet you had a better time tonight.”

Guystof clapped him on the shoulder. “Do all country boys have such dirty minds?”

“Hell, if I was dressed only in my boxers and alone with a woman like Serenie—”

“Spare me the details.” Guystof cut him off. “I know what you would do. But I’m here for Melody. Did you spend much time with her?”

“Yeah, the whole two hours.”

Guystof’s brows shot up.

Tommy chuckled. “Now don’t go gettin’ all jealous on me. I know how you tried to save her from a dolphin and all.”

Did everyone know about that mishap? “Don’t mistake my interest for jealousy. Melody is a grown woman. She can kiss every one of the bachelors, for all I care.”

“Kiss? She didn’t lock lips with any of the guys on the cruise. Why, none of us even got any alone time.” Tommy shot Guystof an envious look. “Hey, don’t tell me you kissed her already.”

Guystof wasn’t about to tell Tommy about the meeting on the beach that first day. “She kissed the professor.”

Tommy sat down on a chair and kicked off his shoes. “Aw, no way. The professor? Can’t see Melody with him. I thought for sure, you’d be more to her likin’.”

One would think so. “There’s no accounting for taste, my friend.”

“I hear you. She was so quiet tonight. Almost like she was somewhere else. Maybe wishin’ she was back in the professor’s arms.”

Guystof scowled. “We’ll know soon enough who Melody prefers. At tomorrow’s elimination.” The air in the
bure
had become suffocating. He stepped into his jeans, put on a cotton shirt, and headed toward the door.

“Shit, man! I didn’t mean to upset you.” Regret tinged Tommy’s usually friendly voice.

“I know. And you didn’t. I just feel like a walk on the beach.” Before leaving the hut, he turned and smiled at the man he knew he could call a friend.

— : : —

The wind coming off the water hit Guystof in the face like a wake-up call. He needed to do something and fast, if he was going to make it through and not be sent packing tomorrow. There could be any number of men Melody might choose over him. The professor was a given, but after the whole dolphin/shark fiasco, he had no way of knowing what Melody thought of him or how many other men she might have made a connection with. Damn, this plan to win her heart. The game was a risk, to be sure, but he never imagined how difficult it would be. Sure, women had pursued him over the centuries, but he’d never had to compete with nineteen other men before.

Waves lapped at his ankles, wetting the hem of his pants, as he walked along the beach. The full moon cast a silvery light over the dark ocean. Up ahead the outline of a woman caught his attention. She walked slowly, kicking at the water with her toes. Her sleek dark hair hung down her back, nearly to her waist. Serenie.

A woman’s company was just what Guystof needed, and he jogged up to her, careful not to startle her. “Hello, again.”

Her eyes opened wide in surprise. “Mr. Guy. What are you doing here?”

“It’s a beautiful night. I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk.”

“Most nights are like this. Remember, we are in paradise.”

“Yes, and it’s a shame to enjoy the stars alone.”

She stopped walking and studied his face. “I sense your loneliness, and it makes me sad for you.”

Lonely. How perceptive of her. He’d been alone for centuries. By choice. How could it be any other way? He was a monster who had to kill to survive. Of course he was lonely. And would remain so. Even if he did manage to win this game and make Melody his bride, it would not be for love. Besides, once they were married and she discovered what he was and what she would become, she would hate him. And rightly so.

They walked in silence. The wind made conversation difficult. That was all right, though. The night was splendid, and it wasn’t very often that Guystof was out in it and not hunting.

He gazed at the men’s
bures
, now just tiny dots on the horizon. By now, most of the bachelors would be asleep, making sure to get enough rest so they’d be in top shape for tomorrow’s elimination. They would each be given a short time alone with Melody for one last chance to persuade her to keep them around.

Guystof had no idea what he would say to her. His anger and humiliation had not diminished any. He looked over at Serenie, so open and honest, and wished Melody could be more like her, but he was discovering the Dream Girl was a complex woman. And difficult to read.

Up ahead, a row of rocks blocked their path. The giant boulders formed a causeway across the beach and stretched into the sea. On the other side lay Dolphin Bay. Melody’s private retreat. He took hold of Serenie’s hand and was about to step onto a rock when something moved at the end of the rock pier. He squinted to get a better look. Blonde hair blew in the wind. Melody. Her long white nightgown wiped around her ankles. The gauzy material clung to her, outlining her lithe body perfectly.

Guystof sucked in his breath. She was more beautiful than ever as she stood under the moon and stars. Although she was too far away for him to see her eyes, there was no doubt her gaze was locked on him. She stood there a few seconds longer, then raced down the pier, jumped off the rocks and disappeared into the night.

Serenie looked up at him, and her bottom lip quivered. “Oh, Mr. Guy. Was that Miss Melody on the rocks?”

“Yes. I believe it was.”

“Do you think she saw us?” A shadow of alarm touched her face.

“I’m almost certain she did.” He tried to keep his tone flat so Serenie wouldn’t know that his concern matched hers.

“What if Miss Melody got the wrong impression?” Her big brown eyes were filled with worry. “You’re supposed to be here for her, Mr. Guy, not walking along the beach with another woman, even if it was just an innocent stroll. This might have ruined the game for you. Miss Melody might send you home now.”

She was right. Melody could very well decide he wasn’t the bachelor for her. But hell, he’d taken a chance just by coming here. No matter what he did, it was a gamble. Hopefully, being seen with Serenie wouldn’t end the game for him. And if he was lucky, this might even have played right into his hand. Instead of aggressively pursuing Melody, he’d shift his tactic. Let her come after him. If she was the woman he thought she was, she’d see him as a challenge. One she had to win.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” He kissed Serenie’s forehead softly, then slipped his arm around hers. “Come. I’ll walk you home.”

— : : —

Melody ran through the sand, her toes cut from the rocks that she’d hurried off of, but she didn’t feel the pain. What she felt were sharp jabs to her chest. She was a fool! She’d worried all evening about Guy. During her group date, instead of getting to know the other bachelors better, she’d been wondering what Guy was doing. Well, she should have saved herself the heartache. While she’d been agonizing, he was romancing another woman. She should have known what he was. All the signs were there. He was a player! Big time! Yet, a part of her had been starting to fall for his charm.

She’d gone out to the rocks to clear her head. Today had been so confusing. She’d been through a wide range of emotions: fear, hurt, anger, and now this…jealousy. Was that what she was feeling?

Melody stopped running. She turned around and stared at the rocks. What if Guy went out with Serenie to get even? After all, he had seen her kissing the professor.

The cool night wind blew, and she shivered. What she needed was a hot shower to warm her cold body and sleep to clear her muddled head. She had no idea what she was going to do tomorrow. It was the first elimination. Which men should she send home? She knew one thing. She wasn’t going to find the answer tonight.

As she approached her
bure
, a dark figure emerged from behind a banana tree. She stopped short. While squinting, she tried to make out the man blocking her door.

“Mel… About earlier today. That kiss. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. About you.” The professor stepped toward her. His gaze devoured her from head to toe.

The flimsy nightgown she wore made Melody extremely self-conscious. She backed up and held out her hand to ward him off. “Please, Johnny, I’m in no mood to discuss anything that happened today. I’m exhausted. The only thing I want right now is to go to sleep.” Her tone was stern, leaving no room for negotiation. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night!”

She stepped around him to enter her
bure
, closing the door firmly behind her. Good Lord! These men were more than she could handle. How many more days before she could go home?

When Melody woke the next morning, she was no closer than she had been last night at deciding who to eliminate. It wasn’t until she stood on the golden sand with twenty men before her, each with his eyes trained on her, hoping and waiting for her to call his name and drape a lei over his head, that she couldn’t procrastinate much longer.

Her gaze swept Guy, and, by his rigid stature, she had no idea if he was still interested in her or wanted to be sent home. Perhaps that would be best. They came from two different worlds. She’d never fit into his, and he’d be bored with hers. Wasn’t it better to end things now before either, or both, of them got hurt?

Thank goodness she had one more opportunity to talk with the men. Each one had three minutes to impress upon her why he should stay in the game. She hesitated, then called Guy’s name.

He came forward, and they walked over to the chairs set in the shade of the trees lining the beach. His icy blue eyes were even frostier than usual, and he made it a point to avoid her gaze. Great. When he should have been trying to win her over, he was doing his best to ignore her. She couldn’t for the life of her figure him out.

Best to get right to the point. She sat beside him, and tried to forget that his aftershave was intoxicating. “About last night…”

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest but said nothing.

Okay. So he wasn’t going to make this easy. He wasn’t going to willingly come forward with why he’d been out with Serenie when he was supposed to only have eyes for her. “On the rocks… I saw you.”

“I know,” he said flatly.

She sighed. “Look, we don’t have much time. I have to make a decision on who stays and who goes.”

“And?”

“And!” Her voice rose in pitch and she made a mental note to not let him get under her skin. “If you’re not interested in me, please just say so,” she hissed under her breath.

“Melody.” The way he said her name, like a caress, made her want to slap him. “Should I not be the one to ask you that?”

She ran her hand over her forehead. Had he been with Serenie to get even with her? “Guy, I’m sor—”

Before she could apologize for the incident with the professor, another bachelor, a professional football player she had next to nothing in common with, approached them within hearing range. His huge muscles glistened unnaturally in the hot sun, leaving no doubt that he’d oiled his skin, as if his athleticism wasn’t apparent enough without the grease.

“Looks like our time is up.” Guy stood.

She smiled, hoping to lighten the mood, but he didn’t respond in turn. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you.”

The look Guy shot her was more than cold. If she didn’t know better she’d have called it deadly. He must really be angry about yesterday.

“Don’t kid yourself, Melody, that the brief time you’ve known me has given you any insight into my life. You know nothing about me.”

Her brows rose in surprise. She watched him walk away, his back straight and proud, and in that instant there was no mistaking him for royalty.

“Wow! What got him so pissed off?” The football player plopped into the chair. “You tell him he was going home?” He let out a loud cackle. “Geez, Mel, I promise, if my time’s up, I’ll leave with a smile on my face. I’ve had a great time.”

Good. Because there wasn’t a chance he’d be here tomorrow. She’d barely spoken to him. It was evident he was more into the other bachelors than he was her. One down. How many to go?

After she’d spoken with each man, the brief meetings had done a lot more good than she ever imagined they would. There were quite a few bachelors she could let go without any qualms. She had no interest in them whatsoever. The professor had surprised her, however. After that humiliating day yesterday and that kiss, she’d been almost certain he was a goner. But he’d been truly sorry that he’d caused her any embarrassment and showed her a compassionate side she found quite endearing. Besides, she was here to find a man the public would believe was her soul mate. The man who would become her husband. And the professor fit the bill to a tee. The professor and the wannabe librarian. A perfect match. Then why did her heart thrum for Guy?

There was no denying she was physically attracted to him, but there was more than that to this feeling—this annoying burning sensation that plagued her night and day. He was a puzzle, and by golly, she was going to solve it.

She joined the bachelors back at the water’s edge. It was time to make her selections. On a table beside her lay ten fresh-flower leis. She closed her eyes, prayed she’d do the right thing, then called the first name. “Johnny.”

When the professor came forward, she thought she saw Guy wince, but she couldn’t be sure since he was avoiding her gaze.

Melody looped a lei over Johnny’s head. He thanked her and kissed her cheek. The next two names she called seemed to come out of her mouth of their own accord. The men’s faces were blurs, and her daze intensified as she realized the next name she called would be the last man to receive an individual date with her. After that, the other six men would go on a group one. Her palms perspired and her knees were weak. She felt as if the air was being sucked from her lungs.
Do the right thing. Please do the right thing.

“Guy.” The relief she felt after saying his name was immeasurable, but her panic returned when he stood before her, unsmiling, his eyes cold and hard. Oh Lord. He wasn’t going to accept the lei. He was going to turn her down. She could care less that she was about to be rejected in front of thirty million viewers, but she couldn’t bear to think she’d never see him again. She scanned his face, her eyes imploring him to give her the chance to explain so that she could tell him the professor’s kiss meant nothing to her.