Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs by Gerry Bartlett Read Free Book Online

hormones wouldn’t be thrilled that a yummy guy like Ray had actually made some moves on her? I’ve resisted, even though he’s tempting beyond belief.
    As payback, because the mind-reading jerk knows how hot he is, Ray flaunts himself. He doesn’t seem to have a self-conscious bone in his body. Not like me. I wear shapeless things to bed that hit me somewhere about midcalf. Not only to avoid stirring up stuff that I don’t intend to act on, but if you don’t got it, you don’t flaunt it. Know what I mean?
    Anyway, I knocked. Waited a beat, then turned the knob. I opened the door and came face-to-face with a woman I recognized immediately. I had her CDs at home. She was up for a Grammy, album of the year. And she was wearing one of Ray’s T-shirts and nothing else.
    I snarled. Yep, a primitive snarl that I barely kept my fangs out of. You should have seen that bimbo’s face. She jumped back a full three feet, then landed on her skinny ass.
    “What the hell’s going on here?” I played the outraged fiancée to the hilt. Sure, this was a pretend engagement, but I doubt she knew that. I stomped into the room, Valdez on my heels. He got with the program, his growl raising the hair on my arms. I halted within scratching range of the woman’s eyes and gave my sidekick an encouraging pat.
    “I, uh, Ray, I mean . . .” She glanced at the rumpled sheets on the king-size bed. Big mistake.
    I reached down and grabbed her by one of her twig arms. I could have snapped it between two fingers and actually thought about it. Not that I’m in love with Ray, though I’m really, really fond of him. But this betrayal hurt. Betrayal? Whoa. I didn’t have the right to think like that. Still, this did feel like a cheap shot. I mean, what was he thinking, bringing a woman into our bed? At least I took my action off the premises.
    I blinked back stupid tears and sniffed. Second big mistake. I got a whiff of human blood pumping through bimbo’s veins and I was suddenly starved. Too bad her pale face made it clear she’d already donated tonight. Damn it. Ray’d had sex and dinner.
    “Get out before I . . .” I lifted my fist, narrowly missing her surgically altered nose before I waved it at a pile of clothes by the bed. Tiny push-up bra that Victoria’s Secret didn’t even carry in my size, miniskirt that I couldn’t have squeezed over even one of my thighs and a T-shirt that she’d obviously borrowed from a Chihuahua. Shit.
    “Take your clothes and get the hell out of here.” I heard my voice quiver and hated it. The shower went off. “Now.” Okay, that was a hiss. Much better.
    Little Miss Stick Figure got the message and hustled her butt like her feet were on fire. Valdez nipped at her heels in case she needed incentive. I slammed the door as soon as they both cleared it. I knew Valdez would keep her moving until she hit the hall. Then he’d come back to sit next to the door and listen in. Fine. But I didn’t want or need his eyes on me during this showdown.
    Ray came out with a towel around his lean middle. “Glory.” He looked around, alarmed, like maybe he’d see a drained body on the floor. “Where’s—”
    I held up my hand. “Don’t say her name. She’s alive. No broken bones. Which is a miracle, come to think of it.”
    “Thanks.” Ray sat on the foot of the bed. “Guess this wasn’t such a hot idea.”
    “Ya think?” I paced the carpet in front of him and saw his nostrils flare. I really didn’t have the right to say much of anything to him. Of course he smelled Blade on me and the evidence that I’d had recent sex. Lots of recent sex. And Ray had warned me not too long ago that he wasn’t into celibacy. Of course he wasn’t. He was a virile man in his prime. And a newly made vampire with the libido to match. Since I wasn’t going to scratch his itch, I’d known it was only a matter of time before he’d find someone who would.
    “Well, go ahead. Ream me out. I didn’t plan this, but