Page 37 of Twilight Destiny

Kincaid nodded slowly. Shewasyoung. Likely she would go home and forget all about him. Oh, she might miss him for a day or two, maybe a week, but the young recovered quickly.

As for himself, he wasn’t sure he would ever forget her.

Rosa’s heart did a crazy little flip flop when she saw Jake that night. Was it her imagination, or did he get sexier and better looking every time she saw him? He reeked of masculinity. Her insides turned to mush when he smiled at her, her legs went weak when he drew her into his arms for a kiss. She leaned into him, wanting more, even as she told herself to slow down. There was so much about him she didn’t know, so many decisions to make, so much uncertainty in their future. Even as her affection for him grew stronger, deeper, the gulf between them seemed to grow wider. What kind of life could they have together when he was a vampire and she wasn’t? The more she thought about being turned, the less appealing it seemed.

“Where would you like to go tonight?” he asked, still holding her close.

“I don’t know,” she replied, as her stomach growled.

He laughed. “I think I’d better feed you before we do anything else.”

“I think you’re right.”

“What are you in the mood for?”

“Lasagna and garlic bread,” she said and then frowned. “Does garlic bother you?”

“No. It only affects movie vampires, like Dracula. And it was only the flowers that were effective.”

“But why garlic?”

“In ancient times, garlic was used as an herb and a medicine. Somewhere along the way, people began to believe it possessed magical healing powers against the plague and some supernatural evils, like demons and witches. I guess it was only natural that people thought it would keep vampires at bay, too.”

Rosa mulled that over on the drive to the Italian restaurant in town. She ordered lasagna and Kincaid ordered a bottle of red wine. She glanced around, admiring the paintings on the walls, enjoying the rich smells of garlic and basil and oregano that filled the air. Italian music played softly over the speakers.

She sighed as she bit into a slice of garlic bread warm and fresh from the oven. How did vampires survive without bread? There were so many varieties and she loved them all. And pasta.

She tilted her head to the side when she noticed Jake watching her intently. “Is something wrong?”

“No. I was just trying to remember what bread tasted like. Of course, it looked different when I was young, probably tasted a lot different, too.”

She tried to imagine not being able to remember what her favorite foods tasted like. It didn’t seem possible that she could forget the taste of chocolate, or her dad’s spaghetti sauce, or her sister, Delia’s, apple pie. Kincaid had been alive for centuries, existing on nothing but a warm liquid diet.

“Are you sure watching me eat doesn’t bother you?” she asked when her dinner arrived.

“I’m sure. Does it bother you?”

“Well, sometimes. I mean, I feel guilty enjoying my dinner when … ”

“When all I can have is blood and wine?”

She nodded.

“I’m used to it.”

Feeling suddenly self-conscious about eating in front of him, she decided to forego dessert.

They made small talk over dinner, chatting about movies and music. Rosa told him a little about her brothers and sisters and how fun and chaotic it had been, growing up with so many older brothers and sisters.

Kincaid let her do most of the talking. There wasn’t a lot in his past he wanted to remember, no happy memories, no laughter. Nothing that had mattered to him except his mother and his brothers, who had all died too soon. “What would you like to do now?” he asked, as they left the restaurant.

“It’s such a pretty night. Let’s just go for a drive.”

“Okay by me,” he said, handing her into the convertible.

Rosa turned the radio to a soft rock station, then sat back. It really was a beautiful night, she thought as they drove across the bridge to the highway. Millions of stars twinkled overhead. The air was warm but not hot, the man beside her dark and mysterious and oh, so sexy. Dark hair, dark eyes, taut muscles beneath his black silk shirt.

They traveled in silence for a few miles, and then Kincaid pulled onto a dirt road that led through a stand of timber. She felt a little thrill of anticipation when he turned off the engine.