(Glory St Clair 11) Real Vampires Say Read My Hips (43 page)

“I was tempted. You know how it is. He was handsome. I was feeling, um, hot.” She giggled. “He touched me a little when I was taking his blood which was really delicious, by the way.” She sighed. “But then I remembered that Ricardo is my love. I cannot betray him.” She blinked and frowned. “Do you think I am bad? That I wanted to see how it would be with another man? I liked that Ben seemed to want me.” She wailed. “Oh, what have I done?”

“Nothing!” I patted her shoulder. “It was a little experiment, that’s all,
am
,
amica
. Yeah, that’s what you call me. We don’t want to turn into old married women who become invisible to men.” My head was too heavy for my body and I finally just let it fall back on the leather seat. “What would we do if no other man ever gave us ‘the look’?”

“I know!” Flo sat up straight. “So I thank you for taking me there tonight. I feel renewed. I still got it, as they say. Yes. Florence da Vinci can still make a man want her. Hah!” And with that she fell over on the seat and started snoring.

I didn’t point out that Ben had been paid to want her as I stared at the night passing by the limo’s windows. I hoped I still had it too. A few male vampires had approached me and offered to buy me drinks. I hadn’t been tempted even once. Good to know. All I could think about was getting home to Jerry. I’d had enough alcohol that I wanted to go to bed and make love with my man and no other man would do. I closed my eyes and didn’t open them again until the driver shook me awake at the hotel.

“It must have been a good trip. You brought back an extra suitcase.” Jerry greeted me at the airport with a big smile. I had thrown myself into his arms when I saw him. Now we were at baggage claim and I was relieved to see that extra suitcase with my wedding dress come around the carrousel. Richard had already met Flo and they’d hurried away with her bags, eager to be alone.

“It was fine. I got everything I needed.” I stood back while he effortlessly carried both bags.

“Well, who is going to carry mine?” Mother complained behind me.

“And mine?” Charis managed to tug hers off the revolving platform and stood with her hands on her hips.

“You can pay for a rolling cart and fit both of them on it. Then drag it out to the curb.” I loved being able to give both women a dose of reality. “Jerry, why don’t you sit my bags down out there and we’ll wait for you to bring the car from the parking lot?”

“Fine.” He kissed my cheek, led me outside and planted the bags where I could wait with them. Then he strode off without a backward glance.

“He’s really not going to help us?” Charis wasn’t getting the picture as she followed me outside.

“You want to stay and act like a normal person, get with the program.” I pointed to the sign with the rules for the rolling carts. “Need change for the cart?”

“No problem, Gloriana.” My mother snapped her fingers and her bags disappeared.

“Mother!” I glanced around. Several people were rubbing their eyes like they might have had a hallucination. Well, yeah.

“This is what you get when you try to play hardball with me, darling.” Mother raised an eyebrow. “There was nothing there I can’t recreate with a snap.”

“Cool. I can do that.” Charis raised her hand.

“Don’t you dare!” I ran over and grabbed her hand. “Your bridesmaid dress is in one of those.”

“True.” She grinned. “What are you going to do about it?”

I looked around and saw an abandoned cart then hurried to get it. “Why didn’t you get luggage with wheels?”

“It wasn’t as cute as this.” She hefted her bag onto the cart.

“Now push it outside. Damn you both.” I was over this whole trip.

“No need to be rude, Gloriana.” Mother smiled. “Which is what you were when you wouldn’t help your elderly mother with her bags.”

“Elderly?” I laughed. “Oh, right. Next you’ll be whipping out a Medicare card and asking for a senior discount at MacDonald’s.”

“Oh, do they give one?” Mother winked. “I do love their big hamburgers and the French fries!”

“Now who’s being rude?” I winced when Charis ran over my toes with her cart. “Watch it!”

“You’d better go stand by your suitcases. What if someone steals your wedding dress?” She pushed through the automatic doors. “Where’s Jerry anyway?”

The idea that I’d left my suitcases unattended galvanized me. I raced outside, breathing a sigh of relief that they were still where I’d left them. Of course they were. Because standing guard was a man who looked like he’d escaped from a gladiator movie.

“Dad! I didn’t expect you to be here.” I gave him a hug. “You really need to dress more appropriately for the place, you know.”

“It’s almost Halloween. I told the policeman a minute ago that I was going to an early costume party.” He kissed my cheek then turned to my mother. “Hebe, you’re looking beautiful as always. Love the earrings.”

“Thank you, love. You paid for them. We gave your credit card quite a workout in New York.” She kissed him on the mouth for a long time until Charis finally gave her father an elbow.

“Dad, I’m here too, you know.”

“Of course. Did you have a good time?” Mars hugged Charis.

“It was okay. I saw a play. A musical about shoes. It could have been worse.” She glanced at me.

“You do like shoes.” He turned. “There’s Blade with the car. Let me get all these bags. You girls get in the vehicle. I had to run off a character who tried to take your two bags, Gloriana. That’s why I’m here. Lucky for you I was paying attention tonight. I knew you were riding in one of those airplanes. Hate the things. So I was tuned in and here comes this man about to grab your bags.” He began stuffing suitcases in the back of Jerry’s SUV while I stared at him.

“What?” I counted my bags. Yes, they were both there.

“Lucky I interfered in time. That man won’t be walking right for some time, I tell you. The policeman liked the way I used the suitcase as a battering ram. He took the fellow into custody.” Mars slammed the hatchback closed and walked around the car.

“Dad! Thank you! If I’d lost my wedding dress…” I broke into tears. Stupid, careless…

“Glory, relax. He saved the day. Get in the car and quit making a scene.” Charis grabbed my arm.

“Gloriana, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Jerry ran around the car and pulled me into his arms. “Don’t cry. Mars took care of it.”

“I know. But I almost lost it.” I sobbed against his chest. What the hell was wrong with me? I didn’t fall apart like this over small things.

“You didn’t, did you? Now come on, get in the car. We’ll be home soon.” Jerry tenderly helped me into the front seat, daring anyone to object to the seating arrangement. Charis had a tendency to call “shotgun”, something she’d learned on TV. My mother also wanted to ride up front, claiming car sickness in the back. Now they both meekly got in the backseat, making a tight fit with Mars.

I buckled my seatbelt and pulled a tissue from my purse. It had been a near miss. I had to get over this kind of emotional reaction and concentrate on moving forward with wedding plans. It wouldn’t be long now and I would be Jerry’s forever. Uh oh. Fresh tears. Of happiness. We should have eloped. Because we’d tried to do this before and hadn’t made it to the altar. What else could go wrong? I knew better than to ask a question like that.

Chapter 19

“I have some bad news.” Richard looked solemn to go along with his statement.

“Just spit it out.” Jerry held my hand.

“I got a call from the venue for your wedding. They had a fire last night. Seems a drunken guest knocked over a candle and the whole place went up.” Richard had his laptop open and spun it around. There was a picture of the Tuscan villa we’d chosen for our wedding. It was on a hilltop, miles from the nearest small town. A beautiful setting and unusual in Texas. But the villa was now a smoldering ruin.

Richard slammed the computer closed. “I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t say a word. Jerry’s arms came around me.

“
Oh, mio Dio!
I can’t believe it. I am beginning to think your marriage is cursed.” Flo crossed herself.

“Shut up, darling. You’re not helping.” Richard glared at Flo. “But I have a solution. I was on the phone to Damian earlier and he is perfectly willing to let you have his home. Like he did for Flo and me. I thought it made a beautiful setting for a wedding.”

“It did! Glory, it will be
perfetto
.” Flo wiped away a tear. “You tell me to shut up?” She whispered a spate of Italian at Richard that promised retribution. “If you don’t mind, Glory, Jeremiah, why not move the date to the Winter Solstice? Damian will have the decorations ordered already and he always does a beautiful job, doesn’t he?” She wouldn’t look at Richard.

I turned to Jerry. “At this point I don’t care where we get married. I just want to get this over with.”

“You make it sound like having a tooth drawn.” Jerry grinned. “I know what you mean though. Why give the fates or Olympus another chance at us? If you’re okay with it, I’m okay with it.” He pulled me closer and kissed me. “I love you. I want to marry you. Whenever and wherever you say.”

“Shall I call Damian back?” Richard wanted this nailed down. As best man he took his job seriously.

“Flo, are you sure you don’t mind? That we’re having our wedding in the same place?” Maybe
I
minded a little.

Flo had put a foot between herself and Richard. “We will make your wedding unique. It is you, not me who is the bride this time.” She stepped forward and hugged me. “I don’t want you to worry. I love you.” She glared at Richard. “Glory,
you
would never tell me to shut up. We have a month to make this wedding amazing. Am I right?”

“Thanks, pal. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” I smiled at Richard over her shoulder. “And give Richard a break. He’s stressed. I’m sure he’s sorry he snapped at you. Aren’t you, Richard?”

His slight nod wasn’t exactly an abject apology then he pulled out his phone and hit speed dial. “Damian, Richard. The wedding is on. Can we come over and look at the house? Gloriana has an idea about bagpipes.” He smiled at me. “Yes, a Highland wedding. That should be different from mine, don’t you think?” He walked out of the room, still talking.

“Flo, forgive him. You know a man doesn’t like to be bossed around.” I whispered this in her ear.

“She’s right, Florence.” Jerry patted Flo on the back. “Glory has led me a merry chase for centuries. I know you have Richard well-trained but you are usually more subtle than this.”

“Stop it.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Can’t I be mad at him for at least five minutes?” She sighed. “Ricardo makes me
pazzo
. You would say crazy. Since I got back from New York I feel guilty. I did nothing I tell you. Maybe a
little
something but he keeps looking at me like I was
indecente
while I was there. So I block my thoughts. That just makes him more suspicious.”

“Then tell him what you did at Red, Flo. Clear your conscience. It’ll make you feel better.” I glanced at Jerry. “I told Jer all about going to the nightclub. He’s put out feelers to see if Greg Kaplan is still around Austin. No sign of him.” I’d told Flo all about my history with Greg and what Red had told me.

“Too bad. I’ll take him apart with my bare hands if he comes around Gloriana again.” Jerry couldn’t keep
his
hands off of me. Which made me very happy.

“Hah. You didn’t do anything to be ashamed of, Glory. I, I feel like I was
cattivo
, not so nice at Red. With that drone.”

“What’s this? You went to Red. In New York?” Richard walked back into the room. “We’re going home, now.” He issued an order and Flo didn’t take it well.

“Maybe I’m not ready to go home. Glory and I have plans to make.” Flo spun around and put her hands on her hips, ready to do battle.

“That’s okay, Flo. I’ll get with you tomorrow night. I need time to think about this. Okay?” I wanted them out of here. I really didn’t want to be in the middle of their fight.

“Don’t order me around, Ricardo.” Flo stalked to the door. With her hands fisted, she looked like a mini-warrior in her high-heeled boots, black jeans and black leather vest over her sweater. All she needed was a weapon. Of course the way she moved her hips, I’d say she had weapons and knew how to use them. “I will tell you everything but only if you are kind to me.”

“When the hell have I ever been anything but kind to you, darling?” Richard looked back at Jerry like a lost man.

“You told me to shut up.” Flo jerked open our front door.

“It was an emergency. I’m sorry.” He was right behind her, his eyes on those hips. “Now about Red. I’ve been there. You had no business going to that club without me. Someone could have hurt you. Is that what happened? Do I have to go there and kill someone?” Richard could be heard haranguing Flo all the way up the stairs. They’d shift on the roof and fly home. I was glad to see them go.

Jerry laughed as he walked over to lock the door. “You sure I know everything that happened at Red?”

“Everything that happened to
me
. I’m not spilling Flo’s secrets.” I walked up to him and slid my arms around his waist. “Now let’s talk about this Highland wedding. I can’t wait to see you in a kilt again. Did you tell your father to bring his? And the other relatives arriving from Scotland?”

“Of course. Now I’ll have to tell them we’ve changed the date, and the place. I’ll call them later.” He began nibbling on my neck. “But I doubt that will be a problem. My mother will complain of course.”

“She would complain if we were marrying in your home church at the Campbell Castle with the Queen’s blessing. Because of who your bride will be.” I ran my hands up under his shirt, enjoying the way his muscles flexed beneath my fingertips.

“She’ll just have to deal with it.” Jerry swung me up into his arms. “We’re alone for a change. It’s Alesha’s night off, Charis is settled into her new apartment, and there’s no sign of your parents.”

“Well then. It seems like it’s time to christen another room in this new place.” I unbuttoned my blouse then unhooked the front of my bra. “We haven’t made love in the guest room yet.”