Vampire Romance Series - Coffee And Vampires 1-7 (Vampire Romance Bundle) by S L Hartley
Authors: S L Hartley
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could rend her in two.
Then, of course, she’d taken a spill while trying to turn in the unfamiliar skates. She’d waved it off, quickly righting herself, and they completed their two-hour rental. Only then did Nicholas notice she was bleeding.
It was only a scrape, but Nicholas had wanted to disinfect and wrap it thoroughly before Page went to work.
“ No point in teasing the clientele,” he pointed out when Page resisted.
Plus it had meant a few extra minutes with Nicholas alone in his apartment. They’d been so intent on stealing burning kisses that Page had very nearly been late for her shift.
Armand had raised his eyebrows at her flushed face and bandaged arm, but hadn’t passed comment. When she’d cashed in, he flippantly remarked that he’d be spending her shift in the basement, tending to the beans.
“ Think you can handle the regulars?”
Page grinned. “Absolutely.”
She’d been working at the coffee house nearly a month now, always with Armand near at hand. She’d gotten the regulars memorized by the end of the second week, but couldn’t fault Armand for his caution. In a normal café, she might have been insulted that her boss hadn’t trusted her memory sooner, but in a normal café there was no chance that she’d end up accidentally serving blood to the wrong person.
In this coffee house, Armand leaving her alone felt more like a mark of trust than a business decision. She still didn’t know much about the soft-spoken man, though Nicholas had mentioned that he was far older than he looked as well as being a werewolf. Page never would have guessed. Armand wasn’t exactly a small man, but he was downright diminutive compared to Donovan’s bulk.
Page managed the first few hours easily, even as the coffee shop began to approach full capacity. She was used to long lines and customers far less patient than the ones who frequented Armand’s shop. She was so absorbed in her work, though, that she didn’t notice the strained hush that had fallen over the crowd until she was nose-to-nose with the cause of it.
“ Hello, Page,” Van said cheerfully. Page froze. A lump formed in her throat, but she swallowed it down and forced an empty smile.
She toyed with the idea of calling Armand, but something in the flinty stares from a handful of the seated customers told her that she already had people ready to help.
“ Can I help you?” she asked cheerfully, affecting not to recognize Van and hoping that he couldn’t hear her heart pounding.
He smiled – or, at least, he showed all his teeth. The effect was less than reassuring, but Page managed to continue meeting his gaze. “Large coffee,” he said, his voice practically a purr.
“ To go?” Page asked.
“ No, I’d like to stay.”
“ I’m afraid you’ll have to take it to go,” Page replied. The Styrofoam take-out cups were kept just under the counter, but she had to turn her back on Van in order to fill one.
The cup was nearly full when Van reached over the counter and grabbed her bandaged forearm. He squeezed down, making Page flinch with renewed pain from the fresh scrape. She wheeled around as best as she was able.
“ Let go,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even. One of her patrons – a regular, she remembered, who took two pumps of blood in her latte – stood and began walking toward the two of them.
Page was beginning to feel a little tired of being rescued. When Van didn’t relinquish his grip, she threw the only thing she had in hand at him.
Of course, Armand insisted that they keep their coffee very hot.
Van yelped as the hot liquid splashed over the front of his shirt, releasing Page’s arm as he jumped back. “You little—!”
“ What did you expect, startling her like that?” the other patron interrupted. She smiled at Van. Page had a feeling her teeth were showing too, and felt a small surge of triumph when Van visibly checked his temper. “Maybe you should just pay for your coffee and
Then, of course, she’d taken a spill while trying to turn in the unfamiliar skates. She’d waved it off, quickly righting herself, and they completed their two-hour rental. Only then did Nicholas notice she was bleeding.
It was only a scrape, but Nicholas had wanted to disinfect and wrap it thoroughly before Page went to work.
“ No point in teasing the clientele,” he pointed out when Page resisted.
Plus it had meant a few extra minutes with Nicholas alone in his apartment. They’d been so intent on stealing burning kisses that Page had very nearly been late for her shift.
Armand had raised his eyebrows at her flushed face and bandaged arm, but hadn’t passed comment. When she’d cashed in, he flippantly remarked that he’d be spending her shift in the basement, tending to the beans.
“ Think you can handle the regulars?”
Page grinned. “Absolutely.”
She’d been working at the coffee house nearly a month now, always with Armand near at hand. She’d gotten the regulars memorized by the end of the second week, but couldn’t fault Armand for his caution. In a normal café, she might have been insulted that her boss hadn’t trusted her memory sooner, but in a normal café there was no chance that she’d end up accidentally serving blood to the wrong person.
In this coffee house, Armand leaving her alone felt more like a mark of trust than a business decision. She still didn’t know much about the soft-spoken man, though Nicholas had mentioned that he was far older than he looked as well as being a werewolf. Page never would have guessed. Armand wasn’t exactly a small man, but he was downright diminutive compared to Donovan’s bulk.
Page managed the first few hours easily, even as the coffee shop began to approach full capacity. She was used to long lines and customers far less patient than the ones who frequented Armand’s shop. She was so absorbed in her work, though, that she didn’t notice the strained hush that had fallen over the crowd until she was nose-to-nose with the cause of it.
“ Hello, Page,” Van said cheerfully. Page froze. A lump formed in her throat, but she swallowed it down and forced an empty smile.
She toyed with the idea of calling Armand, but something in the flinty stares from a handful of the seated customers told her that she already had people ready to help.
“ Can I help you?” she asked cheerfully, affecting not to recognize Van and hoping that he couldn’t hear her heart pounding.
He smiled – or, at least, he showed all his teeth. The effect was less than reassuring, but Page managed to continue meeting his gaze. “Large coffee,” he said, his voice practically a purr.
“ To go?” Page asked.
“ No, I’d like to stay.”
“ I’m afraid you’ll have to take it to go,” Page replied. The Styrofoam take-out cups were kept just under the counter, but she had to turn her back on Van in order to fill one.
The cup was nearly full when Van reached over the counter and grabbed her bandaged forearm. He squeezed down, making Page flinch with renewed pain from the fresh scrape. She wheeled around as best as she was able.
“ Let go,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even. One of her patrons – a regular, she remembered, who took two pumps of blood in her latte – stood and began walking toward the two of them.
Page was beginning to feel a little tired of being rescued. When Van didn’t relinquish his grip, she threw the only thing she had in hand at him.
Of course, Armand insisted that they keep their coffee very hot.
Van yelped as the hot liquid splashed over the front of his shirt, releasing Page’s arm as he jumped back. “You little—!”
“ What did you expect, startling her like that?” the other patron interrupted. She smiled at Van. Page had a feeling her teeth were showing too, and felt a small surge of triumph when Van visibly checked his temper. “Maybe you should just pay for your coffee and
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