Bite Me if You Can (21 page)

“Sorry,” Leigh said apologetically. “I just turned off the television.”

For a moment Lucian just stared at her, expression blank and body unmoving. Even Julius only stirred himself enough to open one sleepy eye in her direction. Then Lucian forced himself upright on the couch and gave his head a groggy shake. Julius rolled off the couch to the floor as the man said, “That’s okay, I wasn’t sleeping.”

“You weren’t, huh?” Leigh said, not hiding her doubt.

“No, I was just thinking with my eyes closed.”

“Uh-huh,” Leigh murmured, amusement tipping her lips. “Well, you go on and keep thinking. I was just going to make a grocery list.”

He blinked with confusion. “A grocery list?”

“For food,” she said, then explained, “My purse is supposed to arrive today. I was hoping to go out shopping for clothes and groceries. If that’s okay?” she added uncertainly. She didn’t need him to take her shopping—she could take a taxi—but wasn’t sure if he would think it a good idea for her to go out at all. As she’d learned yesterday, she might not be the safest person to be allowed around mortals at the moment.

Much to her relief, he nodded, “Oh, I see. Yes, that’s fine. I’ll take you.”

“I can take a taxi. You don’t have to—”

“I’ll take you,” Lucian repeated firmly, and got to his feet. “I’ll just—Have you fed yet?”

“Three bags,” she said quietly.

“Good, good.” He turned toward the door. “I’m going to grab a bag and make some calls in the library. Marguerite has a good selection of books if you find yourself bored. Otherwise, give me a shout when the courier arrives.”

Leigh watched him go, then glanced down as Julius nudged her hand.

“I bet you’re hungry, too, huh boy?” she asked lightly, petting the dog before leading the way to the kitchen. She wasn’t surprised to find his food dish empty. Lucian seemed forgetful when it came to things like food.

She had opened a can of dog food and was just straightening from dumping it in Julius’s bowl when the kitchen door opened and Lucian stuck his head in.

“Are you hungry?”

Leigh’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the question, then she nodded. Her stomach had begun to growl the moment the scent of the dog food hit her nose, and if not for the fact that it was dog food, she might have given it a try.

“Right.” He nodded. “I’ll splash some water on my face, change, and we’ll head out for breakfast.”

“But the courier—” Leigh began.

“It’s not even seven A.M., Leigh. Deliveries don’t start until at least eight. We’ll be back by then. Just give me ten minutes.”

Lucian backed out of the room, feeling guilty about the wide grateful grin that had claimed Leigh’s mouth at his words. He wished he deserved it. Unfortunately, breakfast had been Bastien’s idea. His nephew was the first call he’d made, catching him just as he’d headed off to bed. They’d spoken briefly, and just before hanging up, Bastien commented, “I don’t suppose Mother has much food there for Leigh to eat?”

When Lucian acknowledged there wasn’t, Bastien pointed out that Leigh was used to eating and that he might consider taking her out for breakfast. Lucian hung up and decided to forgo the rest of his calls and take Leigh to a local restaurant. He just wished he’d thought of it himself.

He’d have to work on his awareness, he decided as he entered the bathroom. He had to remember to consider more than himself. The needs of others was something he hadn’t had to think about for a long, long time, and that lack had made him inconsiderate.

Lucian grimaced as he caught sight of himself in the bathroom mirror. His hair was ruffled and even standing on end in some spots. He didn’t want to take the time for a shower, but his head needed sticking under a tap. He’d also shave, he decided, running a hand over his scruffy face. The idea wasn’t a cheerful one. He’d left everything in Kansas, including his duffel bag with his razor in it. Mortimer had apparently taken over his room when he learned he wouldn’t be returning. He’d found his wallet, keys, and cell phone on the bedside table and sent them off right away by courier. They’d arrived late yesterday while Leigh was sleeping, but the man hadn’t thought to send his duffel bag, too, which held both his phone charger and his shaving gear. It meant that for the moment his phone was useless and the only razor available to him was an old, used disposable he’d found in the drawer. It would have to do, he thought unhappily.

“Wow! You’re ready and with a minute to spare,” Leigh greeted him as he rushed into the kitchen nine minutes later. She then blinked at the sight of him and shook her head. “You should have used the extra minute.”

Snatching a tissue from a box on the table, she began breaking off little pieces as she approached, then dotted them over his cuts to stop the bleeding. “Good Lord! What did you use to shave? A weed whacker?”

“I only have the one blade at the moment. It’s overused,” Lucian said, trying for dignity but fearing he failed miserably. It was hard to be dignified with half a dozen bits of tissue dotting your face.

“Right. Razors and stuff. I’d better add them to the grocery list so we don’t forget.” She paused, then added, “I’m surprised the nicks weren’t healed before you headed downstairs. Shouldn’t the nanos be fixing this?”

Lucian shrugged. “They’re shallow cuts, not an emergency. The nanos are slower acting on such things. They’ll probably be healed by the time you finish pasting me with your bits of tissue.”

“Hmm.” Finished with her first aid efforts to his face, Leigh moved back to the table to take up a pad and pen she’d apparently been making a grocery list with while he was getting ready.

“Razor blades,” she said as she scribbled on the pad. “Is there anything else?”

When Lucian didn’t answer right away, she glanced at him, then muttered, “A hairbrush.”

As she lowered her head to continue writing, Lucian raised a hand to his head and smoothed down his hair. He hadn’t been able to find a comb, so had made do with finger-combing his hair. He gathered it showed.

Finished with her list, they headed out.

They found a restaurant pretty quick considering neither of them knew restaurants in the area. They chose it based on the fact that the parking lot was half full. For that hour in the morning, it was an encouraging sign. It was small, decorated in soothing light blues, and comprised of twelve tables and six booths that lined the front of the restaurant.

Apparently, the booths were popular, Lucian noted as they slid into the last available one.

A short, stick-thin waitress with short black hair was at the table almost immediately, a bright smile on her face and two menus in hand.

“Can I get you coffee while you decide what you want?” she asked.

“Yes, please,” Leigh said, smiling widely. Lucian could only guess that the prospect of food pleased her, and kicked himself again for neglecting her needs.

When the waitress glanced his way, he hesitated, then nodded. He had never tasted coffee, but it seemed a popular drink in the movies he saw and books he read.

Leigh had her menu open before the girl turned away from the table. Lucian shrugged, then followed suit just to give himself something to do. His gaze slid over the words and images with curiosity. While he might not know that Alpo was a dog food brand rather than the name of a human food producer, he had heard of some of the dishes on the menu. Omelets, bacon, eggs, toast... He’d come across all of them at one time or another, though he’d never eaten them. He was still reading through the offerings when the waitress returned with their coffee.

“Are you ready to order?” she asked, setting the coffees down.

“Thank you,” Leigh murmured, reaching for the cup. “Yes. I’ll have the breakfast quiche, a side of sausage, and whole wheat toast, buttered, please.”

The waitress didn’t bat an eye at the large order. She simply wrote it down with a nod and glanced at Lucian. “And you, sir?”

“I’m not eating,” he said automatically.

Nodding, she slid her pen behind her ear, took their menus, and headed away.

“Have you ever had coffee?”

Leigh’s question drew his gaze back to her, then he glanced down at his cup. He shook his head.

“Try it,” she urged.

Lucian hesitated, picked it up and took a cautious sip, which he promptly spit out with disgust. “This is what everyone is so desperate for first thing in the morning?”

Leigh smiled faintly at his horror. “It tastes better with sugar and cream. Would you like me to doctor it for you?”

Lucian nodded, then watched her fix both their coffees, adding a teaspoon of sugar and some cream to each before sliding his back to him.

Lucian tried another sip. It was still bitter on his tongue, but not as bad as it had been the first time.

“It will grow on you,” Leigh said with amusement.

Lucian made a face, wondering why he would want it to, then noticed her attention had turned toward the back of the restaurant and the kitchens. She was obviously hungry, one hand absently rubbing her stomach.

“I’m sorry,” he said with a frown. When she glanced his way in question, he added, “I meant to get you groceries yesterday, but forgot. I should have taken you out for a meal at least.”

Leigh shrugged. “Groceries would have been nice, but going out probably wouldn’t have been. I might have bit the waitress instead of tipping her.”

Lucian smiled faintly. “I could have made sure you’d fed well first.”

“Made sure I fed well before feeding?” she asked with amusement.

He smiled wryly.

“Here we are.”

They both turned to find the waitress had returned with two plates of food, one with a good-sized quiche and sausages, the other smaller plate holding toast.

“That was fast,” Leigh commented, her eyes locked on the food being set before her.

“You picked the right dish, honey. Our breakfast quiches are our most popular specialty. We cook a certain number ahead and keep them warm,” she explained. “And the cook always has lots of sausage on the go. The only thing you had to wait for was the toast. Enjoy.”

Leigh thanked the woman as she left, but it was an absent, distracted murmur. Her attention was wholly focused on the food as she reached for her knife and fork.

Lucian was watching her dig in when the food’s smell reached his nose. It was an enticing aroma and stirred his interest. He found himself leaning over the table, following his nose to the plate... until a fork gently poked him in the tip of the nose.

Pausing, he blinked and his eyes shot up. Leigh’s gaze was amused.

She finished chewing the food in her mouth, swallowed, then said, “You looked like you were about to crawl into my plate.”

Lucian straightened in his seat and cleared his throat, muttering, “Sorry, it smelled good.”

Leigh tilted her head and considered him briefly. She’d gotten the distinct impression that food wasn’t high on his priority list.

“When’s the last time you ate?” she asked. There was no food in the house, so she knew he hadn’t eaten there since their arrival, but suspected it had been longer than that.

Lucian tipped his head, his expression thoughtful, then said, “At the celebration of Alex and Roxane’s marriage.”

“Who are Alex and Roxane?” she asked with confusion.

“Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon. They call him Alexander the Great now. He was a—”

“I know who Alexander the Great is,” Leigh interrupted, eyes wide. “You’re joking right?”

“No.”

“But that was two thousand years ago,” she protested.

“Two thousand, three hundred and something,” Lucian corrected.

“You haven’t eaten in two thousand and three hundred years?” she asked carefully.

“That’s right.” He shrugged. “Actually, I only ate then because he was a good friend and it was a celebration.”

Her gaze dropped to his stomach. “Do you even have a stomach anymore?”

“Of course,” he said with annoyance.

Leigh nodded. “Of course... but does it work after all this time?”

“Of course it does.” Lucian shifted, feeling suddenly self-conscious; like he’d sprouted a second nose out of his abdomen or something. Frowning, he reminded her, “The nanos keep us in peak condition and all that. They keep it in working order whether we use it or not.”

“Right,” Leigh said slowly, then shook her head and took another bite of quiche. She couldn’t help noting the way Lucian’s gaze moved from her mouth to her plate then away, only to follow the same circuit again.

Leigh watched him warily as she ate. Despite the fact that he didn’t eat, she saw definite lust in his eyes as they slid over her food. She was almost tempted to put her arm around her plate and growl like a dog to warn him off.

Realizing how rude she was being, she said reluctantly, “I suppose you don’t want any.”

Much to her alarm, he immediately sat forward.

“Just a bite,” Lucian said, and while his voice was nonchalant, his eyes were eager. “To try it. It smells interesting.”

Wishing she’d kept her mouth shut, rude or not, Leigh began to cut a small piece of quiche.

Lucian watched her with interest, then asked, “What’s that?”

“Quiche,” she answered tersely, then raised the piece she’d cut to offer to him, only to blink in surprise when he looked horrified and sat back like a child refusing spinach. Frowning, she asked, “What? I thought you wanted to try.”

“Real men don’t eat quiche,” Lucian informed her dryly.

Leigh blinked in surprise at the old expression, then a laugh burst from her lips.

“Nonsense. That was a stupid book title from way back in the eighties. The truth is real men don’t feel threatened by quiche.”

Realizing she was working to convince him to try it when in fact she had no desire to share the food, she shrugged. “Never mind. You don’t have to try it.”

She almost had the fork to her mouth when he suddenly said, “All right.”

Leigh froze, the bite so close to her lips she could almost taste it, then her shoulders slumped and she held it out for him. She watched his mouth close over the food and pulled the fork free, silently praying he wouldn’t like it. She was starved and didn’t want to have to be polite and offer him more. With the fork free, Leigh quickly cut another bite for herself and slipped it into her mouth.