from the gym who turned stalker. It was JJ who finally scared the guy off. Yeah, I wondered if these two would ever give their repressed romance a shot.
I tried to focus on the story, laughing too late at all the appropriate parts, my thoughts too fixed on the vampire sitting at the table behind me. I needed to get this guy out of my head. He didn’t even have to be in the room to occupy all of my headspace, and it was making me crazy.
“Did you hear me?” Violet nudged me with her elbow.
I jumped. “No. Sorry. What?”
She glanced at Charlie then over my shoulder before saying, “Come help me get the bowls.”
I followed her over to the back wall of cabinets near the kitchen entrance.
She opened the cabinet and pulled out a few bowls and set them on the counter. “What’s going on with you?”
“Me? Nothing.”
“Something happen at The Green Light last night?”
I shook my head and glanced over my shoulder. Devraj was listening intently to something Mateo was saying, but his gaze flitted to mine like he felt me watching. I spun back to face her.
“Charlie said you want to start dating again.”
Clearing my throat, I took another stack of bowls from her. “Yeah. I think I’m ready.”
“And what’s wrong with Devraj?”
“Violet,” I growled.
“Isadora,” she snapped right back. Then she froze in the middle of handing me another stack of three bowls.
I tugged, but she wouldn’t let go. “Violet, what are you—”
“Well, fuck me sideways. You had sex with him.”
“What?” I whisper-hissed, making sure no one heard her.
She let go of the bowls and tossed her blue-haired head back on a throaty laugh.
I stacked the bowls next to the others, facing the countertop to hide the blush blazing up my neck to my cheeks.
“Damn, Iz. Good for you, girl. Wait, was it not good or something?” She evened out the bowls into two stacks, hip to hip with me.
“God, Violet.” I sighed. “It was the most incredible night of my life.”
“Fucking right.” She bumped her hip to mine. “I’m so proud of you. Gettin’ something for yourself.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re a giver, Iz. Just like Clara. I’m glad you’re enjoying taking some pleasure for yourself.” She glanced over her shoulder when raucous laughter built up at the bar. “I don’t get it. If it was so good, why not date him?”
“Are you serious? I mean, he’s a Stygorn, Violet. A fancy, famous one who likes to party in Europe and who dances like a sex god. I’m just…me.”
“You’re not just anything.”
“That’s not what I mean. I just don’t see us lasting beyond a hot affair. And he even said we should see each other while he’s in town, which means he sees us as short-term, too.”
Violet stared hard at me, her hand sliding over mine that held the lip of one bowl. “Oh, I see.” Her expression softened. “You really like him, don’t you?”
Something sank inside of me at her soft, true words. Blinking quickly to keep tears from starting, I simply nodded. She stared a bit longer before a tender smile that rarely graced her face finally spread wide.
“Well, if you’re sure you don’t want to pursue him.”
“I’m sure.”
“All right. Then there is a dating app for supernaturals you should try.”
“There is?”
“Yep. I’ve found a couple of hot vampires on Zapp. Oh, and one warlock. He was okay, but a bit tame for me.”
“But I don’t want to date guys like you date,” I said. “No offense.”
“None taken.” Violet waved a hand in the air. “They’d eat you alive. You fill out a profile with your likes/dislikes. They actually matched me pretty well.”
“So why aren’t you still dating any of them? You never even brought one home,” I accused.
“Well, I just wanted one date,” she admitted with a cheeky grin.
Ah. She wanted a hook-up.
“But seriously”—she turned to me—“let me help you with your profile. I’ll have guys lining up at the door.” Her gaze skimmed back over my shoulder, her expression thoughtful.
“Profile for what?” Devraj’s deep voice rumbled behind me.
I spun, a stack of bowls in my hand, rattling at my nervous movement.
“Here,” he said with a smile, “let me help you.” He took the stack. “What profile?” he asked Violet again.
Violet lifted the other bowls, grinning with mischief in her bright blue eyes. I shook my head at her, but she apparently didn’t see me or was completely ignoring me.
“Isadora is finally getting back on the dating horse. It’s been like fucking eons.”
“She is?”