Welcome to the Neighborhood Read online

  “That could be bad news for us. I don’t want to look for another roommate.”

  “Look at the bright side if he does decide to move out–we can change his room into an office and work from home more.”

  “Yeah, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.”

  Greg focused his attention on the lovely lady outside, clutching the phone to her ear. Her brunet hair, tied behind her head, swayed as she twisted to face them. He imagined untying the band and lacing his fingers through her strands. He loved a woman with long, thick hair.

  Loud pops and a hissing sound from the kitchen stole his attention. “Don’t you need to check on our dinner?”

  “On it.” Corey dashed into the kitchen.

  Greg returned to examining his new neighbor. She intrigued him and he didn’t want to remove his gaze from her. Even though her skin was paler than normal and she looked young, her confident poise impressed him. Was she fae, elf, demon or vampire? Maybe she was a witch. At such a distance, he couldn’t determine the answer, but he knew without question she was not one of his kind.

  Greg watched her every move in an effort to figure out what she was. The fact she wasn’t a werewolf didn’t bother him. He’d had relationships with women from other races, and truth be told, he favored them. Soft skin, a polite attitude and intelligence, were important qualities in his book. Better yet, he preferred a woman who didn’t sprout coarse hair all over her body. He wanted to hold a woman, love her and have passionate sex. His heart turned away from those who were demanding, aggressive and controlling, which was the entire female werewolf population.

  “Dinner’s ready,” Corey hollered, distracting Greg from the beautiful woman outside. Greg turned to find Corey striding toward him with a plate in each hand. He stopped and handed Greg one of the dishes.

  Greg eyed the slab of thick steak. The charred meat gave him pause. “A little overdone?”

  Corey tugged on the plate. “If you don’t want it–”

  “Are you kidding?” Greg snatched his dish. “I’m starving.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Don’t complain, or I’ll eat it.”

  As they both took a bite of their dinner, they heard commotion outside. They shifted their attention back to the window. The young lady stood near the van, yelling at two of the movers. One of them held a broken mirror. Pieces of it lay on the ground near their feet.

  “That doesn’t look good,” Corey said.

  Greg swallowed. “No, it doesn’t.”

  He strode into the kitchen and set his plate on the counter. Broken bits of glass could cut his new neighbor and he couldn’t let that happen. He opened the pantry door and grabbed the trash can.

  “What are you doing?” Corey mumbled.

  Holding the trash can, Greg snatched the broom and dustpan. “Our neighbor needs help. I doubt she wants to clean up glass on her first night. Besides, she might cut herself.” He walked out of the kitchen carrying the three items in his hands.

  “Wait. I should help too.”

  Glass clanked on the counter as Greg headed for the front door. Two seconds later, Corey appeared at his side.

  Greg reached for the knob. “Stay here. I can handle this.”

  “But–”

  He opened the door. “Just stay here.”

  Greg strode out of the house without further delay. He followed the sidewalk to the driveway, crossed it then strode over the lawn. His neighbor’s voice sounded harsh and angry. He heard her curse at the movers. They grumbled at her. As he drew closer, he sniffed the wind and detected the scent of werewolves. He sharpened his hearing and picked up the rapid thumps of heartbeats. Tension grew by the second.

  Greg’s anger and concern doubled as he hurried toward her. The movers needed to be more respectful. Idiots. Such a young and attractive woman shouldn’t have to face a bunch of ignorant werewolves, especially on her moving day. He didn’t know her from any stranger on the street, but his soul told him he had to protect her. And he would.

  2

  “That mirror was an antique,” Alexi said loudly.

  Two movers waited inside the truck, watching. The third one stood at her side with his hands up in a stopping motion. “Calm down, ma’am. The company will pay for it.”

  “I’m not concerned about getting reimbursed. Someone special gave that mirror to me. You can’t replace the emotional value.”

  Alexi bit her tongue and tasted blood. Her temple throbbed and her fangs tingled. She wanted to attack, let go of her anger and sink her canines into the idiot’s neck. Cass had given the mirror to her as a deathday gift. For vampires, celebrating death was like celebrating one’s birth. The mirror held sentimental value the stupid werewolves could never replace.

  “I’m truly sorry, ma’am,” the mover said in a noncaring tone that would’ve raised her temperature if she had one.

  Fury consumed her. She envisioned punching his face and sending him flying into the next county. His apology was unacceptable.

  “Excuse me,” she heard someone say as they approached from behind.

  Alexi turned to face the stranger. A tall man with a stocky build headed toward her, carrying a trash can, a broom and a dustpan. He had dark hair on his head and face. An aura of confidence and strength surrounded him. She slipped into his mind to find out who he was and found nothing, not a single thought or memory. That meant one thing. He wasn’t human.

  Her senses rummaged through the possible supernatural creatures whom she couldn’t read and narrowed the list to warlock and werewolf. Those two creatures alone had minds resembling dark voids. Mother nature or magic decided to protect their thoughts from vampires. Lucky them, but unfortunate for her.

  Alexi quickly appraised the stranger’s physique. His broad shoulders, long torso and beefy arms seemed to favor those of werewolves. If she guessed right, he was one. In the next second, she recognized him as the Peeping Tom from the window.

  He stopped at her side and directed his firm gaze at the movers. “Is there a problem?”

  “No problem,” one of the idiots replied with a shake of his head.

  Alexi tightened her grip on the handle of her purse. It took all her will not to backhand him with her bag.

  “Did you break this young lady’s mirror?” Peeping Tom asked.

  “It was an accident.”

  “I hope you intend to compensate her for it.”

  “Of course. I’ve already informed her we would.”

  “Money will not replace the value of the mirror.” Alexi sneered, her pointed teeth dipping from her lip.

  “I regret your loss, ma’am, but–”

  “I want my belongings here within the hour and everything moved into my house. Then, I want the name and numbers of your superiors and the owner of the company. If you don’t give the information, I’ll find it myself, and I’ll–”

  “Miss…” A warm hand rested on her shoulder, quieting her. “As an attorney, I can assure you that you are entitled to compensation and perhaps have a civil suit if you can prove the company has neglected to handle your move based on the contract you signed with them.”

  Warmth spread down her arm as she stared into his bluish eyes. Normally, she didn’t like strangers touching her, but his gentle touch soothed her. And his eyes reminded her of the ocean. They brought a sense of tranquility to her soul. There was something different about him. Oddly, she found herself unable to look or step away. He had her undivided attention.

  Her fangs retreated as her anger calmed. “I have my contract and I will most certainly pursue a civil action. They had my exact address, yet the other van drove to the wrong location, in Ohio. And now this.” She lowered her gaze to the broken mirror bits on the ground.

  “Young man, what is your name?” Alexi’s neighbor asked.

  “Dennis Watson.”

  Alexi’s neighbor handed the broom and dustpan to the mover. “Mr. Watson, for your own benefit, I suggest you clean up the mess. After you finish, you should contact your
coworkers to ensure they arrive on time. If you wish to prevent further damages against the company, you should ensure this young lady’s belongings are placed inside her home in a timely fashion.”

  Mr. Watson gave him a cold glare as he took the items.

  Her neighbor glided his hand down her arm and tugged lightly on her elbow. “Would you like to come with me, please?”

  “Sure.” The word slid from her mouth before she could stop it, not that she wanted to. The zing shooting up her arm flowed to the sensitive parts of her body and electrified her. She bit her tongue, trying to hide the desire rising within her.

  He removed his fingers from her elbow as they walked side by side. Within seconds, she missed his warm touch and pined for it to return. It had been a long time since man had touched her so tenderly. Too long.

  They passed her driveway and continued toward his yard. Behind her, glass scrapped on the concrete sidewalk. Hearing the sound of glass shattering, she glanced over her shoulder. The mover tapped the dustpan against the trash can.

  Her neighbor stopped and extended his hand toward her. “I want to first properly introduce myself. My name is Gregory Holmes. Please, call me Greg.”

  Alexi shook his hand. More warmth spread through her and aroused her, especially when he tightened his grip. “Alexandria Cartwright.”

  “Such a beautiful name for a lovely lady.”

  The smooth tone of his voice amplified her desire. His touch, his charm, everything about him made her feel alive. As she gazed deeply into his serene eyes she pondered about why she felt so turned on. She’d been around plenty of handsome men. Was her body that starved for a man to touch her and pleasure her? For God’s sake, he was her neighbor, a werewolf, and he’d spied on her. She shouldn’t feel attracted to him.

  He slid his hand out from hers. “I’m truly sorry your first night here is an unpleasant one.” He sounded genuinely concerned.

  “No apologies necessary. It’s not your fault.”

  He stared into her eyes. Unlike most men, his gaze didn’t venture down.

  “What happened to the other van?”

  “They claim the GPS device malfunctioned and sent them to Ohio. When I checked on Google, there was no such address in Ohio. I think they made the story up.”

  “What was in the other van, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “More antique furniture, clothes and my safe.”

  He lifted his brows, and creases formed on his forehead. “A safe?” He shifted his attention to the movers.

  Alexi followed his gaze. Two movers carried more boxes while Dennis shoveled the broken pieces of the mirror into the trash can.

  “I find it odd the van with your safe took a detour.”

  “You and me both.”

  He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I am an attorney and I would be more than willing to offer my services to you.”

  “Your legal services?”

  Dirty thoughts popped into her mind and she grinned. Although he’d declared his occupation, the way he’d phrased his offer made it sound as if he had other kinds of services to give.

  “I want to help you.” His bluish eyes shimmered while he smiled.

  In what way? Fucking me?

  “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  She turned her gaze away, trying to ignore the devilish voice in her head. Her body ached for a man’s touch, but she knew better than to let one fool her. Sure, he’d help her, but for a price, and if she guessed right, he’d want sex. No matter how badly she yearned for a man, she refused to fall into the same trap she’d been in before.

  “Are you…all right?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. I should watch them to make sure they don’t break anything else.” She stepped away from him.

  “Alexandria.”

  She stopped. Damn it, she didn’t want to look at his peaceful eyes again, but she couldn’t be rude, especially since he’d been nothing but nice. And he was her neighbor. She twisted and met his gaze.

  “My offer stands. If you need anything, my door is open.”

  The attraction to him was magnetic and she fought it, secretly digging her nails into her hands. She refused to put herself in a situation in which a man could use her. They all did, if not at first, eventually. Her best option was to stay away from Greg. She gave him a nod, then walked away, heels clacking on the concrete. If she ever needed anything, she wouldn’t knock on his door.

  * * * *

  Greg watched Alexandria stride away, her ponytail swinging slightly behind her. He lowered his gaze to her rear and he smiled, admiring the view. Her slacks fit snuggly and they were long, an inch from touching the ground. Even in her high heels, she was several inches shorter than he was. The woman dressed for success, seemed intelligent and even smiled at his insinuating offer. Not that he intended to imply anything. He meant nothing bad. Yet, he had triggered something and she changed. She turned away and didn’t want to look at him. Greg ran his fingers through his hair. What the fuck happened?

  He waited until she disappeared inside her home, then headed toward his house. He’d stop by for the broom and trash can the next night or she could keep them. He didn’t care. All he could think about was her beautiful face and soft voice. Not to mention the sneak peak of cleavage when she glanced at the movers and the gap in her button-down blouse opened. Her pallid skin appeared flawless with only a few moles here and there. He definitely saw one on her right breast. Beautiful.

  He strode across the lawn, his thoughts focused on Alexandria. From the moment he looked into her inviting gray eyes, he felt an attraction, a longing deep within him that made his heart thump fast and his cock stiffen. Out of the two-dozen women he’d had in his life, none made him feel such yearning. He wanted her, badly, like he needed food to survive. How could this woman have such an effect on him?

  Pushing open the front door, he stepped into his house with his dick wide-awake. A cold shower would help, but the rumble in his stomach demanded attention first. Corey sat at the tall counter in the center of the square kitchen. His plate had a few pieces of steak left.

  “Now you come back. I was getting ready to eat your dinner.”

  Greg scooted the stool from underneath the counter and sat on it. He pulled his plate toward him. Frowning, he eyed the hunk of meat that was lukewarm at best. His stomach wouldn’t care.

  “So, what happened?”

  “Nothing. The movers broke a mirror someone gave to her.”

  “That sucks.”

  Greg nodded as he speared a piece of meat. “There’s a second van containing antiques and her safe. The movers claim their GPS broke.”

  “Sounds like bullshit.”

  “She knows that. Hence the reason she’s pissed off at them.” He chomped on the steak.

  “So, what did you do?”

  Greg finished chewing. “I offered my services.”

  “Legal or other?”

  He stared at Corey. “Legal, but she thought I meant other.”

  Corey laughed and smacked him on the shoulder. “That’s hilarious.”

  Greg continued eating and ignored his friend. Maybe he should’ve been more selective of his words. He hadn’t thought about them until after she asked about his legal services, and it was the way she asked that caught his attention. Damn, he’d made a huge mistake, and because she was smarter than the average female, she had picked up on it.

  “What did she say?”

  “She turned cold and walked away.”

  “Man, I’m sorry.”

  The more he thought about it, the more Greg regretted what he’d said. The need to apologize pressed upon him. He wanted to let her know he meant well.

  “Did you at least get a good look at her?”

  “Trust me, she’s stunning, and she’s also a vampire.”

  “Fuck.” He sounded disappointed. “Are you sure?”

  “I saw her fangs when she yelled at the movers.” He held his fork up as if it were a swo
rd. “And I do believe she tried to get inside my head. I heard a buzzing sound.”

  Corey shook his head. “I know you like chicks outside of our kind, but vampires…their bites hurt.”

  “How would you know? You never dated one.” Unless his friend of eight years hadn’t told him.

  “Actually, I did date one when I was in high school.”

  “That was fifteen years ago?” And it explained why he failed to mention it before.

  “We were sophomores and I thought she was cute. I let her bite me because I wanted to see what it felt like.”

  “And?”

  “It fucking hurt worse than a wasp sting.”

  “I think you’re exaggerating. You were a kid.”

  “Uh, counselor, I was a teen, not a kid.” Corey rose with his empty plate in hand and headed for the dishwasher.

  Greg thought back to his youth when a wasp had stung him. It hurt worse than getting a nasty paper cut or staple stuck in a finger. A vampire bite couldn’t hurt that bad, especially coming from a sophisticated, young beauty. No, he didn’t believe for a second Alexandria’s bite could hurt worse than a light pinch. Women of her caliber enjoyed the finer things in life. He imagined her bite would feel sensual and erotic. A love nibble. Shit, the more he considered what it would feel like the more his cock twitched.

  While he finished the last of his steak, he pictured his neighbor smiling. Her lips had a slight pink tint and her skin looked wrinkle free. He wondered how old she had been when she died and became a vampire. Twenty maybe? How sad. Innocence lost.

  “Are you done yet?” Corey asked as he dropped his dish onto the shelf in the washer.

  Greg dropped his fork on the plate, then handed both to Corey.

  “I have to apologize to her.”

  “For what?” Corey slipped the dish and utensil into the dishwasher.

  “For the misunderstanding. She’s our new neighbor and I don’t want her to think I’m some werewolf lusting after her.”