TALL DARK AND HUNGRY Page 0,13

going to sink his teeth into her. She was--well, she wasn't on the menu.

"Do you think she could make something for me, too?" Chris Keyes asked tentatively from the sofa. "I could do with something to eat as well."

"She'll make something for both of you," Bastien agreed, then glanced at his cousin. "You'll have to find your own food."

"Oh, surely Mrs. Houlihan could make enough for him to join us," Terri said.

"Vincent has a... digestive condition. He needs a very particular diet, and I'm afraid I haven't anything here he can have." Bastien spoke carefully, knowing his cousin would get the message. Everyone in this household was under his protection and off-limits. Well, Terri and Mrs Houlihan definitely were. Bastien didn't know Chris and didn't much care if Vincent bit him, except that, were he to do so, one of the women might witness the act. No, Vincent would have to prowl the streets for his food. It shouldn't be that difficult a task.

"I'll go see if Mrs. Houlihan has recovered suffi¬ciently to see to a meal. In the meantime, Vincent, be¬have." Bastien started to exit the room, then thought better of it and turned back. He was glad he had, for he noted Vincent had moved closer to Terri, his eyes on her lovely neck. "Terri, perhaps I should show you to your room on the way. You can get settled while the meal is being prepared."

Sardonic amusement flashed across Vincent's face, but he remained silent.

"Oh, that would be nice." Terri picked up her carry-on and moved toward her suitcase, but Bastien beat her to it.

"This way," he said, and led her to the guest rooms. He gave her the one Lissianna usually used. It was the more feminine of the chambers, and it also happened to be right next to the master bedroom, which he was now occupying. Close enough for him to keep a pro¬tective eye on her, he assured himself as he led her in¬side and glanced around the rose-and-blue-hued room.

"Mrs. Houlihan keeps all the rooms ready in case family or friends drop in, so you should be all set," he said as he set her suitcase down at the foot of the bed. "But if there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, it's lovely." Terri set her carry-on down on the bed and unzipped it, commenting, "It's a shame about Kate's friend having the toilet fall on him. What a freak accident. And this is the worst time for it."

Bastien knew she was thinking that now she had absolutely no reason to be there burdening him, but her words also made him realize that while he had re¬moved Terri from Vincent's grasp, he had left Kate's coworker firmly in it. Alone. "She'll be grateful for your presence now more than ever," he assured her. "In fact, you may find yourself doing more than you ever intended in preparation for the wedding."

Terri looked a little more chipper at the thought. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Yes. Well, it's true. Kate will be grateful for your help. In fact, you may be sorry you came. She and Lucern have both been going a little squirrelly trying to arrange it all, and fix last-minute problems. Now it will be you dealing with it. You and me."

"Oh yes, you're the best man," she remembered with a smile. Then she added, "Actually, Kate said that your mother was very helpful, so I wasn't too sure if she really needed me. But I'd already booked the flight, so I came anyway."

"Mother has been as helpful as always," Bastien al¬lowed. "But Lissianna's pregnant, and Mother's been rather busy lately helping set up a nursery and such."

"Lissianna? That's your sister, right?" Terri asked. "Kate mentioned her."

"Yes." He hesitated, then admitted, "Kate hasn't spoken much about you to me. Apparently she told Lucern about you, but I don't see him as often as all that. I've been bouncing between Canada and Euro¬pe for most of the last six months, and only shifted to New York recently," he explained, so she wouldn't be offended that Kate hadn't told him about her. "I no¬tice you don't have much of a British accent. You weren't born there. Did you move to England be¬cause your husband is from there, or--"

"I'm not married," Terri said quietly.

"Oh." Bastien nodded, unable to stop the smile that spread across his lips. He was glad she wasn't mar¬ried, though he wasn't prepared to examine why too closely. "Well. Take your time