Tall, Dark & Hungry by Lynsay Sands Read Free Book Online Page A

chaos reigning around him.
    "Right." He clapped his hands together. "Let's get organized. You need a room… er…" He stared at the editor, trying to recall the fellow's name. He'd remembered it earlier. C-something, he thought, but the name just wouldn't come. He didn't bother to try to hide his irritation as he asked, "What's your name again?"
    "Chris," the slender editor answered. "Chris Keyes. Kate probably calls me C.K. when she mentions me, though."
    "Oh, yeah." Bastien didn't really care; he had more important things on his mind at the moment. His glance slid to Vincent. "Which room did you take?"
    "Lucern's."
    "Fine. The editor can have Etienne's room," Bastien decided. It put the blond man between Vincent and Terri. Hopefully, if Vinny got hungry, he would go to the nearest source of nourishment and leave Terri alone. Bastien really didn't want to kick his cousin's ass in front of these two. Well, not in front of Terri at any rate. He didn't much care what the editor thought of him. Christopher, he reminded himself, going naturally for the long version of the name and bypassing nicknames altogether.
    "Can you walk?" he asked the editor.
    "Not without help," the fellow admitted apologetically.
    Bastien grimaced. It looked like he'd have to cart him around like a baby. Which wasn't a problem, he could lift and carry the man easily enough. It just seemed a bother.
    "You aren't going to take him to his room already, are you?" Kate's cousin asked as Bastien moved toward the editor. "He hasn't eaten yet. And do you know, I didn't notice Kate carrying any kind of luggage or overnight bag for him when they came in." She eyed the invalid with concern. "Didn't you two stop at your apartment to collect some clothes from your apartment?"
    "There wasn't time," C.K. admitted, looking not at all pleased. "Kate called the airport from the hospital once she knew that she would be taking my place, then raced here to drop me off. There was only one plane headed for California tonight that had two seats left on it, and that didn't leave much time to spare. She had to collect Luc and get going if she wanted to make it."
    Bastien wasn't at all surprised to hear that Kate had expected that Luc would accompany her to California. The two had been inseparable ever since Luc had turned her.
    "He'll need clothes," Terri pointed out almost apologetically.
    "Yes," Bastien agreed. Another problem for him to attend to.
    Terri patted his arm sympathetically. "It doesn't appear to be your day."
    Bastien almost assured her that everything would be fine, that he was used to dealing with crises, but he very much feared that doing so would bring an end to the soothing way Terri was touching him; and he found he quite liked her touch. So, for the first time in his life, Bastien kept his mouth shut, shook his head, and went for the sympathy play. "No, it doesn't."
    "Umm."
    "What?" He cast a scowl down at Chris Keyes, irritated with the editor's interruption of the brief interlude.
    "Do you think it would be possible to get me that glass of water?" the editor asked. "Those painkillers from the hospital—I could really use one about now."
    "Get him a drink, Vinny."
    "Vincent," Bastien's cousin corrected firmly. "And get it yourself, I'm not your housekeeper."
    "No, you're the reason I no longer have a housekeeper," Bastien growled. "Get the drink."
    "I'll get it." Terri rushed off before Bastien could protest. It wasn't until she was out of the room that he remembered she wouldn't have a clue where the kitchen was. Fortunately, she took the right hallway. She'd find her way, Bastien assured himself, then rubbed one hand wearily across his forehead as he considered the tasks ahead and what order to accomplish them in.
    First, he had to deal with Vincent. It would be best to get his cousin out of the apartment and on his way to feeding; that was the only way to keep him from nibbling on the guests. Then Bastien would go after Mrs. Houlihan and wipe her