Kissing with Fangs by Ashlyn Chase Read Free Book Online

way to employ them both. Sadie just needed a booth to read tarot cards. But now that Claudia was a teetotaler…
    As if a lightbulb hovering over his head suddenly went on, Anthony grabbed his cup and blurted out, “Tea! A tea room! Sadie can read tea leaves. She told me so. You can make the place over however you want. I can picture you serving high tea and offering special blends from all over the world. It even fits better with the upper-class flavor of Beacon Hill than a bar.”
    â€œYou mean like the places with tablecloths and bone china?”
    â€œExactly.” Suddenly Anthony pictured a big werewolf like Nick holding a delicate teacup with his pinkie sticking out. He almost laughed, but the hopeful excitement on Claudia’s face stopped him.
    â€œWe could have light lunches—like soups and salads. Of course the requisite finger sandwiches, scones, tea, and other beverages too, but no alcohol,” she said. Jumping up, she added, “Maybe we could even strike a deal with the bakery next door and have them make the scones and cakes for us.”
    If Anthony had second thoughts, he’d just have to squelch them. A tea parlor would be perfect for the two ladies in his life. And who knew, maybe paranormals would be willing to meet there, even without the alcohol.
    He could see the female paranormal population more comfortable in a place like that. And he remembered how Kurt and Tory always complained about the lack of available women. Well, guys, problem solved.
    Almost. First he had to rebuild. Getting permits, hiring contractors, all that would take time, but he’d done it before. Telling his old regulars about the new venue without becoming a laughingstock would be trickier.
    ***
    The following evening, Claudia answered her buzzer and was delighted to hear Anthony’s voice.
    â€œI bring glad tidings.”
    â€œOh? And what are those?”
    â€œBooks about our new business, so we won’t come off as neophytes to avid tea aficionados.”
    â€œOh, thank goodness. Come on up!”
    When he arrived at her door, she was ready and waiting to greet him. She’d combed her hair and put on makeup. It had felt good to make the effort.
    He smiled at her. “You look like you’re feeling better.”
    â€œI am.”
    â€œGood, because I want to take you out to other tea rooms in the city. My research has turned up only a few, and most are in pricey hotels, so…”
    Her face fell.
    â€œWhat did I say?”
    â€œOh, nothing.”
    â€œClaudia?”
    Over the past five years, she’d learned to read his various facial expressions, and the one he was wearing now meant, “Don’t try to spare my feelings. Just tell me the truth.”
    â€œI—uh…I’m embarrassed about how badly I let myself go. It’s a wonder you want…well, anything to do with me.”
    He placed gentle hands on her shoulders. “How can you think that? I care about you. More than you may believe right now.”
    She nodded. She cared about him too—definitely more than he suspected. She was in love with him and had been for years.
    Anthony sat on the couch and patted the spot next to him. “Let’s begin before we get distracted.”
    She sat a short distance away. If she were going to minimize distractions, she’d have to avoid touching him.
    He read aloud. “With more varietals in China than there are wine grape varietals in all of France, tea dazzles us with its diversity. But there is only one plant. Even with the endless complexities and variations in all the teas of the world, every tea springs from the singular plant species Camellia sinensis .”
    â€œWell, there’s something,” Claudia said. “Only one complicated scientific name to memorize.”
    â€œI don’t think we need to memorize species, genus, and phylum, darling.”
    â€œGood, because my brain isn’t cooperating