Chris reached into his jacket and drew out one of his ever-present notebooks and a short, stubby pencil. “Done.”
Melanie had seen him scribbling in similar notebooks so often she wondered if he didn’t have a roomful of them somewhere.
As Chris made notes on the memo pad, he raised his eyes and met Bastien’s. “Would that have helped you tonight?”
Melanie held her breath.
Chris could have asked Richart instead and avoided conversing with his nemesis. Was this a sort of peace offering?
“Before tonight I wouldn’t have thought such necessary,” Bastien replied slowly, “but, yes. Thermal imaging would have revealed at least a few of them. Those who were concealed by shadows and foliage even our eyes couldn’t penetrate.”
Richart nodded. “When I returned to UNC, I was surprised to see just how many had escaped our attention.”
“Good.” Chris made a few more notes. “Something else to have in our arsenal then. I’ll have them in the hands of every immortal and every Second in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia by nightfall tomorrow. We don’t know how much territory these guys are covering.”
Maybe this was a truce. That would be such a relief.
Melanie patted Bastien’s knee under the table.
Bastien caught her hand and held it against his thigh.
“Stay alert,” Seth commanded. “This is the second time they’ve managed to surprise us. Let us ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Chapter 10
As the meeting concluded, Bastien released Melanie’s hand and rose.
Beside them, Richart vanished as Melanie scooted her chair back and stood.
Tanner circled the table. “Do you want me to accompany you tomorrow night when you meet with the vamp?”
“No. I’d rather you stay here.” Where it was safe. And where he could rub elbows with David and Darnell. Those two could befriend a badger. If they liked Tanner, they would do their damnedest to ensure everyone else did, too.
Just look how they were constantly pushing Bastien on the others.
“Only if you call me before and after your meeting.”
“Of course.”
Tanner clapped him on the shoulder, then headed into the kitchen.
As the other attendees left the table and milled around, some dropping onto the living room sofas and others venturing downstairs, Sheldon sidled up to Bastien. “So.” He cleared his throat and looked around furtively. “I thought I’d hang around here today. See what’s doin’.”
Bastien glanced at Melanie, who shrugged. “And you’re telling me this . . . why?”
He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Richart’s going to spend the day with you-know-who, so I thought you might like to have the house to yourselves.” Dangling a set of keys in front of Bastien, Sheldon looked from Melanie to Bastien and waggled his eyebrows.
Bastien took the keys. “You do realize everyone in this house just heard you.”
Oops written all over his face, Sheldon turned around and jumped when he saw everyone staring at him.
Lisette raised one eyebrow.
“What I meant to say was . . . Richart needs his car back. Gas it up before you drop it off.”
Bastien sighed. “Smooth. Don’t worry, everyone, I’m just going to give Dr. Lipton a ride back to the network.”
All returned to their conversations.
Melanie waved good-bye and followed him out to the car.
Bastien opened the passenger’s door for her, waited for her to get settled, then closed it and strode around to the driver’s side. Neither spoke as he started the engine and left David’s estate behind them.
Minutes passed.
Melanie leaned closer and glanced at the instrument panel, then shifted back to her side.
A few minutes later, she did the same.
“Checking my speed?” he asked, wondering what drew her interest.
She shook her head. “Watching the odometer. We’re about six miles away from David’s, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now we can talk without any of them hearing us. Are you really taking me to the network?”
He had intended to but . . . “Do you want me to take you to the network?”
“No.” Short. Simple. Sweet.
And just what he wanted to hear. “Do you want me to take you home?”
“I don’t know. Sheldon did go to all the trouble of coming up with that grrreat cover story so we could have Richart’s house to ourselves.”
Bastien smiled. “Sorry about that. Sheldon has shown me the benefits of thinking before one speaks.”
She laughed. “And yet I like him.”
“Yeah. I can see why Richart hasn’t killed him yet.”
“If you’d like, we could go to my place. I should warn you, though, that I’m not the tidiest person in the world. At the office? Yes. At home? No.”
We. Bastien’s attention zoomed in on the word. “I think I’ll head to Richart’s house, if that’s okay with you. After the night we’ve had, I’d prefer the added security it offers.”
“True. Richart’s it is.”
Melanie was a little surprised when Bastien capitulated so easily. She had expected him to embark upon yet another verbal dissertation on the many hazards of dating him.
Her eyes narrowed. He didn’t intend for them to go their separate ways at Richart’s, did he?
She wouldn’t put it past him. He seemed determined not to cast a pall over her with his presence. She didn’t think he had even realized that some of the immortals—definitely Richart, possibly his siblings—were starting to soften toward him.
At least, she thought they were.
The ride to Richart’s home was a comfortable one. Instead of worrying about what would or wouldn’t happen once they reached it, Melanie asked Bastien what exactly had happened on the night he had kidnapped Sarah and ended up laughing herself silly when he told the tale.
She was sure it hadn’t been funny at the time, but Sarah really had done her darnedest to thwart him and escape. Bastien had been so shocked and baffled by her actions. Melanie had to applaud him for his patience. And for not holding a grudge. He made the whole kidnapping sound like a Three Stooges skit.
They were both still chuckling when he parked in Richart’s driveway, got out, and guided her up to the front door.
Upon stepping inside, Melanie was surprised to find Richart waiting for them.
“Finally!” he said. “I forgot to give you the code for the alarm system and your phone is off.”
Bastien stared at him. “You trust me with your security code?”
“No. I’ll change it tomorrow. Right now, I don’t care. I’m eager to get back to Jenna. So, here.” He handed Bastien a sticky note. “Make yourselves at home.”
As soon as the tacky paper stuck to Bastien’s finger, Richart disappeared.
Bastien looked at Melanie as silence surrounded them.
Seconds later, they were in each other’s arms, bodies straining against each other, lips melding in a searing kiss, sticky note sticking to who-knew-what.
Melanie rose up onto her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck and clung tightly.
Bastien ravaged her lips, his kiss fierce and demanding, his hands . . .
Anticipation seared her as he slid his hands over her back and up her sides, his fingers grazing the sides of her breasts.
He raised his head. When his eyes met hers, they glowed brighter than she had ever seen them. “Wait,” he murmured, voice hoarse.
Melanie dropped back onto her heels, wanting to scream.
“No, it isn’t what you’re thinking.”
He must have felt the twinge of disappointment and frustration that had struck her. She had assumed he was going to try to dissuade her one last time.