This week’s #teasertuesday is from Shades of Sepia, book 1 of The Sleepless City series I wrote with Elizabeth Noble.
Ben answered after a few moments. He wore very form-fitting black trousers, and the buttons of his shirt were still undone. Simon tore his gaze away from the dark chest hair and flat stomach with some difficulty and cleared his throat.
“Hello. I’m sorry. I’m a little early.” Simon went to take a step forward, then caught himself in time. Bouncing off the invisible barrier that prevented him from entering a private dwelling uninvited was something best avoided as it would be embarrassing, to say the least. Only very old vampires could cross a threshold without an invitation. “Do you want me to wait outside while you finish getting ready?”
“You’re not that early, and I’m running late. I had a difficult customer at the last minute, so I got held up.” Ben waved his hand to invite Simon in. “If you make yourself comfortable, I won’t be long.”
“Umm…” Simon froze. Ben hadn’t said the words, and a gesture wouldn’t suffice. What the hell was he going to do now? “I can’t…” The explanation died on his lips. He couldn’t do this, not now. Not tonight. Maybe not ever.
This was a mistake. He started to turn away, to run. Better that than Ben’s reaction when he discovered the truth.
“It’s fine, really.” Ben kept talking. “Come in, Simon. I can give you the five-second tour if you’d like. With the size of the place, that’s about how long it’s going to take.”
Simon heaved a sigh of relief. “That sounds good, thank you,” he said, walking into the apartment. He really hated that stupid rule. Of all the things that were believed of their kind, why did that need to be one that was actually true?
You can read more of this story here.
Drops of Ink 