ETHAN’S MATE (Book One: The Vampire Coalition) (8 page)

She frowned at the thought, reaching up to tug at a
stray curl of her dark, wayward hair. She had swept it up in a
chignon, but it was curly and long. Tendrils escaped and curled
around her face. She hadn’t looked in the mirror, but she was
pretty sure her hair was a disaster.

With her dark brown eyes, hair and fair skin it was
hard to detect what her origins were. Callie really didn’t know
because she was a foundling. Abandoned in a local park and never
claimed, she was turned over to children’s services and had gone
the rounds of foster parents. She had never been adopted.

Callie jumped as a large, dark hand slid a plate
across the table that stopped directly in front of her. She had
been so engrossed in her thoughts that she hadn’t seen the man even
approach the table.

Her eyes lifted to see Rory Hale sit down directly
across from her, a piece of cake big enough to feed ten people
sitting in front of him. He slid a smaller piece--maybe only big
enough to feed five people—closer to her.

“I don’t want that,” she told him, irritated now that
she had to actually stare at the pastry in front of her.

“Why not?” Rory cocked his head and shot her an
I’m-so-confused smile as he started eating his piece with obvious
enjoyment. “It’s fantastic.”

Callie rolled her eyes, trying not to be charmed by
the incredibly gorgeous specimen of manhood. For God’s sake, did
the man have to look so damn perfect? He had eaten more in one
evening than any normal man ate in a month, and he still didn’t
look like he held one ounce of fat on his body. It was disgusting.
Still…she tried to be polite. He was Brianna’s new brother-in-law.
“I’m trying not to eat sweets, Rory. I have to watch what I
eat.”

Rory continued to grin as he consumed his giant sized
piece of cake. “Why watch it when you can eat it?” He paused to
shoot her a curious look. “How do you know that I’m Rory? Liam was
sitting here earlier.”

“Who else would you be? We were introduced at the
rehearsal.” She shoved the piece of cake to the middle of the table
as she answered.

“Liam and I are twins. We’re identical,” he answered,
polishing off the mammoth pastry and setting his fork on the plate.
He stared at her curiously.

They weren’t identical, Callie mused. Not really.
Although they were both incredibly handsome with midnight black
hair that just touched the back of their collar and very dark eyes,
Rory was just…different. Yeah…they were dressed in matching tuxedos
and they looked very much alike…but she would never mistake one for
the other.

She shook her head as she answered, “You aren’t
really exactly alike.”

Rory looked perplexed. “Most people can’t tell us
apart.”

Really?
Liam was attractive, as was his
brother Nathan, but Rory…was a walking temptation. She looked
around for Liam, but didn’t see him in the crowd. She didn’t have
anything for comparison but she was doubtful she would ever confuse
the two. Liam didn’t make her edgy and nervous. Rory definitely
did. It was like she could feel the male hormones coming across the
table, making her want to jump the table and attack.

Callie crossed her arms in front of her and answered
defensively, “I just don’t think you’re alike, that’s all.”

“Does that mean I’m the handsome one?” he asked
hopefully, smiling brightly.

It was strange, but he wasn’t flirting. It was almost
as if he wanted validation. Callie refused to give it to him. His
head was probably already fat enough. “No comment.”

Rory’s face fell. “I guess that means I’m not.”

Callie searched his face for signs of conceit, but
she didn’t see anything except raw honesty. As she took in his
perfect features and glanced at his wavy mass of dark hair with one
little stray strand that seemed to separate from the others, she
wanted to reach out and brush it back in place.

Come on, Callie. Get real. The guy has to know he’s
incredibly gorgeous. Don’t feel sorry for him.

“I guess not,” she answered, feeling even guiltier
when he looked even more dejected. Wanting to see him smile again
she offered, “Have my cake.” She pushed it in front of him.

He pushed it back. “I know you want it.”

“I don’t,” she answered firmly.

“You do.” He started to smile again.

“Don’t,” she insisted.

“Come on, Callie. You were looking at the cake table
like a tiger looks at raw meat. You wanted it. That’s why I brought
it.”

Oh, shit.
She groaned inwardly. Was she really
that obvious? “I’m a chef. I was just checking out the
competition.”

“You wanted to
taste
the competition. Admit
it.” He took the plate from her and set it in front of him.
Grabbing a clean fork, he scooped up a bite of the irresistible
confection, reached over the table and held it to her mouth. She
opened automatically and he dropped it gently between her lips.

Callie closed her eyes as the silky chocolate slid
over her taste buds. She nearly groaned. It was perfection. She
opened her eyes to see him holding out another bite. She slid her
chair back. “No, Rory. I can’t.”

He looked perplexed. “Why?”

Callie was getting pissed. Did she need to spell it
out for him? “In case you didn’t notice, I can’t afford the
calories.”

Rory sat back in his chair, dropping the fork back
onto the plate. “I didn’t notice. You look fine to me.”

If I looked so fine, you would be asking me for my
phone number. You would ask me to dance. Why did you have to say
that with nothing but confusion and detached interest?

It wasn’t his fault. He just wasn’t interested.
Callie couldn’t even blame it on the fact that he was attached.
Brianna had said all of the brothers were single and unattached.
Rory just didn’t want
her.

She grabbed the plate of cake and pulled it in front
of her. What the hell! She would be careful tomorrow.

Rory picked up a clean flute glass and filled it with
champagne, saluting her before he raised it to his mouth. He didn’t
quite smile, but his lips were twitching.

God, he was irresistible. Rory may not be interested,
but he was sweet. Her instincts were telling her he was completely
genuine and he was certainly unusual. She could see a certain
insecurity in him that spoke to her and she knew what that was
like. It didn’t matter that he was outrageously attractive,
charming, genuinely kind. He just didn’t believe he was anything
special.

“Rory?” She queried softly between her luscious bites
of cake.

“Yes,” he answered in a low voice as he refilled his
champagne and topped off hers.

She leaned slightly across the table, as if she were
about to give away a huge secret. He leaned in slightly.

“You
are
the best looking of all the Hale
brothers,” she whispered softly, just loud enough for him to
hear.

His smile started with his lips and moved to his
eyes. His whole face lit up and his eyes sparkled mischievously as
he leaned over and she leaned in to hear his secret.

“Callie…you don’t need to lose weight. You are the
most ravishingly beautiful woman here.” Still no interest, but his
voice was sincere. He might have said it matter-of-factly, but he
truly meant it. He hadn’t said it in a suave, artificial way that
she would have doubted. He stared her directly in the eye, his gaze
almost bashful, but straightforward.

She blushed and tried to look another direction,
embarrassed that she was flushing like an adolescent teenager.

When her face cooled down, she sneaked a look in his
direction. He was watching her. Rory lifted his champagne flute and
she raised her glass to his in an unspoken salute, a silent
agreement.

With the clink of the glasses, a tentative friendship
was born.