Miss Darcy wasn’t bored. He also realized the other women were simply calling her Darcy. “May I know your names?”
“I guess so,” the short one answered. “I’m Margaret Mary O’Brian, the assistant director. Everyone calls me Maggie.”
“Vanda Barkowski.” The purple-headed one raised a hand, displaying long purple fingernails.
He shifted his gaze back to the woman in blue. “And you?”
She curled her fingers around her writing pen. “Darcy.”
“First name or last?”
“Last,” she whispered, while the other two said, “First.” Her eye twitched, and her hands clenched the pen more tightly.
“Which is it?” he asked softly. The poor girl was a nervous wreck. Why? Was it because she was forced to keep company with vampires?
She took a deep breath and set the pen down carefully on the table. “Do you have any acting experience?”
He started to recite the list of lies he’d prepared, but changed his mind. “No, no experience at all.”
He’s an honest man. And intelligent. Her thoughts sifted into his head, followed by a flood of guilt from his own conscience. Honest? He wasn’t even telling her his real name. And how intelligent could he be if he was auditioning for a reality show? Besides, these women didn’t look or act like vicious killers. He’d questioned the other applicants as they’d left the conference room, and none of them reported being harmed in any way. Could it be true what Shanna had said? That there were actually two kinds of vampires— harmless ones and violent ones?
No, he wasn’t ready to accept that yet. Even so, this seemed like a waste of time. Emma had the right idea. His abilities would be better spent in Central Park, hunting the vampires who attacked people and fed off them. And when he caught one of the creatures, he could interrogate it about Shanna.
“I’m afraid my audition was a mistake. I’m sorry I wasted your time.” He gave Miss Darcy one last look as he stood. Poor beautiful sweetheart. Whoever she was, he wasn’t giving up on her. She might be in danger and need his help. He’d start investigating her right away. He strode toward the door.
“Wait!”
He turned. She’d risen to her feet.
“You… you don’t really need any experience. Or even any talent. This is a reality show.”
He couldn’t help but smile. And when she smiled shyly back, he knew he was lost. So what if it was a waste of time? Sean had ordered him to do the show.
She gave him a pleading look. “I’d like you to be on the show.”
I’d like to kiss you senseless. “I can do that.” She heaved a sigh of relief and grinned. “Good.” Oh, it would be good. His gaze swept down to her hips, then back to her face. “More like excellent.” Her eyes widened. “I—we’ll be in touch.”
“I’m sure we will.” He let out a long breath as he left the room. He had every intention of touching her.
And very soon.
Darcy took a deep breath and willed her racing heart to calm down. Adam Olaf Cartwright—just the thought of him made her heart thump ridiculously fast. She reached for his photo with trembling fingers. Good God, you could see his dimples in the picture. And the beautiful turquoise blue of his eyes.
“Are you all right?” Maggie asked. “You could hardly speak.”
“I—I had an itch in my throat.”
“Really?” Vanda watched her with an amused expression. “I could have sworn that itch was further south.”
Maggie huffed. “Sweet Mary! There’s no need to be crude.”
“No need to be in denial, either.” Vanda stood and stretched. “Admit it, Darcy, you have the hots for that guy.”
Darcy shook her head. “I’m just tired. We’ve been interviewing the dregs of manhood for over four hours.”
“Dregs is right,” Maggie yawned. “But you are flushed.”
Darcy fanned herself with his photo. “It’s hot in here.”
“I’m not hot.” Vanda looked at Maggie. “Are you hot?”
“No. Actually, I thought it was a
“I guess so,” the short one answered. “I’m Margaret Mary O’Brian, the assistant director. Everyone calls me Maggie.”
“Vanda Barkowski.” The purple-headed one raised a hand, displaying long purple fingernails.
He shifted his gaze back to the woman in blue. “And you?”
She curled her fingers around her writing pen. “Darcy.”
“First name or last?”
“Last,” she whispered, while the other two said, “First.” Her eye twitched, and her hands clenched the pen more tightly.
“Which is it?” he asked softly. The poor girl was a nervous wreck. Why? Was it because she was forced to keep company with vampires?
She took a deep breath and set the pen down carefully on the table. “Do you have any acting experience?”
He started to recite the list of lies he’d prepared, but changed his mind. “No, no experience at all.”
He’s an honest man. And intelligent. Her thoughts sifted into his head, followed by a flood of guilt from his own conscience. Honest? He wasn’t even telling her his real name. And how intelligent could he be if he was auditioning for a reality show? Besides, these women didn’t look or act like vicious killers. He’d questioned the other applicants as they’d left the conference room, and none of them reported being harmed in any way. Could it be true what Shanna had said? That there were actually two kinds of vampires— harmless ones and violent ones?
No, he wasn’t ready to accept that yet. Even so, this seemed like a waste of time. Emma had the right idea. His abilities would be better spent in Central Park, hunting the vampires who attacked people and fed off them. And when he caught one of the creatures, he could interrogate it about Shanna.
“I’m afraid my audition was a mistake. I’m sorry I wasted your time.” He gave Miss Darcy one last look as he stood. Poor beautiful sweetheart. Whoever she was, he wasn’t giving up on her. She might be in danger and need his help. He’d start investigating her right away. He strode toward the door.
“Wait!”
He turned. She’d risen to her feet.
“You… you don’t really need any experience. Or even any talent. This is a reality show.”
He couldn’t help but smile. And when she smiled shyly back, he knew he was lost. So what if it was a waste of time? Sean had ordered him to do the show.
She gave him a pleading look. “I’d like you to be on the show.”
I’d like to kiss you senseless. “I can do that.” She heaved a sigh of relief and grinned. “Good.” Oh, it would be good. His gaze swept down to her hips, then back to her face. “More like excellent.” Her eyes widened. “I—we’ll be in touch.”
“I’m sure we will.” He let out a long breath as he left the room. He had every intention of touching her.
And very soon.
Darcy took a deep breath and willed her racing heart to calm down. Adam Olaf Cartwright—just the thought of him made her heart thump ridiculously fast. She reached for his photo with trembling fingers. Good God, you could see his dimples in the picture. And the beautiful turquoise blue of his eyes.
“Are you all right?” Maggie asked. “You could hardly speak.”
“I—I had an itch in my throat.”
“Really?” Vanda watched her with an amused expression. “I could have sworn that itch was further south.”
Maggie huffed. “Sweet Mary! There’s no need to be crude.”
“No need to be in denial, either.” Vanda stood and stretched. “Admit it, Darcy, you have the hots for that guy.”
Darcy shook her head. “I’m just tired. We’ve been interviewing the dregs of manhood for over four hours.”
“Dregs is right,” Maggie yawned. “But you are flushed.”
Darcy fanned herself with his photo. “It’s hot in here.”
“I’m not hot.” Vanda looked at Maggie. “Are you hot?”
“No. Actually, I thought it was a
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