the strength to profess her feelings. Not that it would change anything. But to walk away without saying anything was starting to seem worse. She ached so badly, she could cry.
“So, what’s next?” she asked, trying to sound cheery about the rest of their sightseeing schedule.
“I want to show you some of the houses I designed.”
“That’s a brilliant plan.” She leaned back in her seat, the tails of her scarf trailing in the wind behind her.
He headed for the Hollywood Hills, and she asked, “What happened to your house?” She added with trepidation, “Was it burned completely to the ground or was it salvageable?”
“It was destroyed.”
The bodies that been torched inside of it still gave her an uncomfortable chill. The vampire who’d lit the match crowded her thoughts, too. She hated picturing Anthony returning to Simone’s bed. It actually made her stomach retch. It didn’t matter that Simone wasn’t who Anthony would have chosen for himself. She was still his vampire maker, his lover, the woman he’d been sleeping with since his supernatural inception.
After tonight, Tessa would be losing Anthony. He would be nothing more than a desperate memory forged in the achy recesses of her heart.
He turned onto a narrow street and parked in front of a driveway. “That’s one of mine.”
She gazed at the little vine-covered house. Instantly, she imagined living there, holed up inside, like the recluse she was sure to become once again. It looked like an enchanted cottage. A bit haunted, as it were. “It’s captivating.”
He shrugged. “It was a common design back then. In those days, this neighborhood was Hollywood land , not Holly wood . It wasn’t as costly as the other side of the hills. But I designed mansions on the other side, too.”
Continuing the tour, he took her to the mansions. Some of the sprawling estates he’d designed had been modernized, but others remained true to the original architecture, with renovations that preserved their history and vintage style.
“Your work was exceptional,” she said. “I’m thoroughly impressed.”
“Thank you.” He drove away from the hills. “I’m just glad I was able to leave my mark on the world.”
“You’ve left your mark on me.”
He smiled, looking as dapper as ever, his hair catching the breeze and his button-down shirt rustling against his chest. “My bite marks.”
It was more than that, she thought, as her heart continued to fall. So much more.
Chapter Nine
In the morning, Anthony watched Tessa pack her bags. He noticed how carefully she folded the ball gown, treating it with reverence, almost as if it were a wedding dress. He needed to tell her that the gown would disappear after she returned the necklace. That anything connected to his magic would be gone. But he couldn’t find the heart to say it.
But then she glanced over and caught on, without him having to mention it. His expression had probably given away his concern. Because she said, “I’m packing this for no reason, aren’t I?”
He nodded.
Regardless, she didn’t remove the gown from her suitcase. She kept everything as it was, gently packed. Even the petal-damaged corsage had found a spot in her luggage.
“Would you like me to order breakfast for you?” he asked. It was early and she was still wearing a robe. He was, too, courtesy of the hotel. “Or I can whip up something.”
“I didn’t know you cooked.”
“I was going to fix you something magically. But I can cook for you, if that’s what you’d prefer. It won’t be anything fancy, though. I’m not a chef.”
“I don’t care. I’d love a home-cooked meal by you.”
“How about scrambled eggs? I used to make them myself when I was human, with toast and jam. I can fry a slab of ham, too.”
“A slab?”
“Some slices.”
“It sounds perfect.”
While she finished packing, he proceeded to the kitchen. He was tempted to cheat and use his magic, but that wouldn’t be fair to
“So, what’s next?” she asked, trying to sound cheery about the rest of their sightseeing schedule.
“I want to show you some of the houses I designed.”
“That’s a brilliant plan.” She leaned back in her seat, the tails of her scarf trailing in the wind behind her.
He headed for the Hollywood Hills, and she asked, “What happened to your house?” She added with trepidation, “Was it burned completely to the ground or was it salvageable?”
“It was destroyed.”
The bodies that been torched inside of it still gave her an uncomfortable chill. The vampire who’d lit the match crowded her thoughts, too. She hated picturing Anthony returning to Simone’s bed. It actually made her stomach retch. It didn’t matter that Simone wasn’t who Anthony would have chosen for himself. She was still his vampire maker, his lover, the woman he’d been sleeping with since his supernatural inception.
After tonight, Tessa would be losing Anthony. He would be nothing more than a desperate memory forged in the achy recesses of her heart.
He turned onto a narrow street and parked in front of a driveway. “That’s one of mine.”
She gazed at the little vine-covered house. Instantly, she imagined living there, holed up inside, like the recluse she was sure to become once again. It looked like an enchanted cottage. A bit haunted, as it were. “It’s captivating.”
He shrugged. “It was a common design back then. In those days, this neighborhood was Hollywood land , not Holly wood . It wasn’t as costly as the other side of the hills. But I designed mansions on the other side, too.”
Continuing the tour, he took her to the mansions. Some of the sprawling estates he’d designed had been modernized, but others remained true to the original architecture, with renovations that preserved their history and vintage style.
“Your work was exceptional,” she said. “I’m thoroughly impressed.”
“Thank you.” He drove away from the hills. “I’m just glad I was able to leave my mark on the world.”
“You’ve left your mark on me.”
He smiled, looking as dapper as ever, his hair catching the breeze and his button-down shirt rustling against his chest. “My bite marks.”
It was more than that, she thought, as her heart continued to fall. So much more.
Chapter Nine
In the morning, Anthony watched Tessa pack her bags. He noticed how carefully she folded the ball gown, treating it with reverence, almost as if it were a wedding dress. He needed to tell her that the gown would disappear after she returned the necklace. That anything connected to his magic would be gone. But he couldn’t find the heart to say it.
But then she glanced over and caught on, without him having to mention it. His expression had probably given away his concern. Because she said, “I’m packing this for no reason, aren’t I?”
He nodded.
Regardless, she didn’t remove the gown from her suitcase. She kept everything as it was, gently packed. Even the petal-damaged corsage had found a spot in her luggage.
“Would you like me to order breakfast for you?” he asked. It was early and she was still wearing a robe. He was, too, courtesy of the hotel. “Or I can whip up something.”
“I didn’t know you cooked.”
“I was going to fix you something magically. But I can cook for you, if that’s what you’d prefer. It won’t be anything fancy, though. I’m not a chef.”
“I don’t care. I’d love a home-cooked meal by you.”
“How about scrambled eggs? I used to make them myself when I was human, with toast and jam. I can fry a slab of ham, too.”
“A slab?”
“Some slices.”
“It sounds perfect.”
While she finished packing, he proceeded to the kitchen. He was tempted to cheat and use his magic, but that wouldn’t be fair to
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