TALL DARK AND HUNGRY Page 0,16

they came in." She eyed the invalid with concern. "Didn't you two stop at your apartment to collect some clothes from your apartment?"

"There wasn't time," C.K. admitted, looking not at all pleased. "Kate called the airport from the hos-pital once she knew that she would be taking my place, then raced here to drop me off. There was only one plane headed for California tonight that had two seats left on it, and that didn't leave much time to spare. She had to collect Luc and get going if she wanted to make it."

Bastien wasn't at all surprised to hear that Kate had expected that Luc would accompany her to Califor¬nia. The two had been inseparable ever since Luc had turned her.

"He'll need clothes," Terri pointed out almost apologetically.

"Yes," Bastien agreed. Another problem for him to attend to.

Terri patted his arm sympathetically. "It doesn't appear to be your day."

Bastien almost assured her that everything would be fine, that he was used to dealing with crises, but he very much feared that doing so would bring an end to the soothing way Terri was touching him; and he found he quite liked her touch. So, for the first time in his life, Bastien kept his mouth shut, shook

his head, and went for the sympathy play. "No, it doesn't."

"Umm."

"What?" He cast a scowl down at Chris Keyes, ir¬ritated with the editor's interruption of the brief interlude.

"Do you think it would be possible to get me that glass of water?" the editor asked. "Those painkillers from the hospital--I could really use one about now."

"Get him a drink, Vinny."

"Vincent," Bastien's cousin corrected firmly. "And get it yourself, I'm not your housekeeper."

"No, you're the reason I no longer have a house¬keeper," Bastien growled. "Get the drink."

"I'll get it." Terri rushed off before Bastien could protest. It wasn't until she was out of the room that he remembered she wouldn't have a clue where the kitchen was. Fortunately, she took the right hallway. She'd find her way, Bastien assured himself, then rubbed one hand wearily across his forehead as he considered the tasks ahead and what order to accom¬plish them in.

First, he had to deal with Vincent. It would be best to get his cousin out of the apartment and on his way to feeding; that was the only way to keep him from nibbling on the guests. Then Bastien would go after Mrs. Houlihan and wipe her memory, swing by Keyes's apartment to collect him some clothes, pick up some food for Chris and Terri, then stick the edi¬tor in a room for the night, leaving himself free to entertain Kate's cousin. He was smiling over this idea when he realized his cousin would be back by then, and no doubt do his level best to charm the pants right off Terri. Literally. His smile died as he ac-knowledged that his life had become a sort of hell.

"Bastien?"

"Hmm?" His gloomy thoughts vanished as he turned to Terri. She had returned to the room, handed the editor a cup of what presumably was wa¬ter, and now moved to Bastien's side. He smiled. She was a lovely woman--a lovely, thoughtful woman who had taken a good chunk of her vacation to fly 2,320 miles to help her cousin and best friend out with wedding preparations, only to find herself dumped at his door like some stray puppy while her cousin and Lucern wandered the earth attending ro¬mance writer conventions, making love in hotels, and no doubt kissing every two steps of the way, like the brainless lovesick duo they were.

"While I was in the kitchen getting Chris the glass of water, I had a quick look around and I noticed you have no food."

"Oh?" Bastien asked vaguely, thinking that perhaps describing her as being "dumped on him like a stray puppy" was unkind. There was nothing doglike about this woman. She was more a cat-type--sleek and graceful.

"No food at all," she added significantly.

"I see." Bastien's eyes dropped down her figure. All those curves weren't really very sleek or catlike, which is why he supposed he hadn't made the associ¬ation at first. But she had those large green eyes like a cat. Which were rather similar to Kate's, he noticed now. They must be a family trait, he decided, his gaze briefly drifting back up to her eyes before returning to her figure. She really had a gorgeous body, and her University of Leeds T-shirt and tight white jeans showed it to advantage. She definitely wasn't a puppy.

"Or