Argeneau 14, Hungry For You Page 0,2

character. I wasn’t really—I mean, I didn’t want to hook up with her or anything. She was just a representation of the type of woman I thought I might end up with.”

“Voluptuous and sexy,” Sam suggested.

“Exactly,” Mortimer said, sounding relieved.

Cale didn’t need Bricker’s groan to tell him that was possibly the stupidest thing the man could say. Dark hair, huge eyes, and a stick figure didn’t suggest voluptuous and sexy to him.

“Mortimer,” Sam said, her voice hard, “I’m neither voluptuous nor sexy. If that’s what you want, why spend eternity with me?”

“Honey, you are sexy. You’re smart, and brains are really sexy as hell.”

“Right,” Sam snapped, obviously not buying that line.

“Gad!” Bricker barked.

When the younger immortal leapt off his stool and hurried toward the dining-room door, Cale followed. He entered the room on the other man’s heels, his eyes moving with interest over the couple peering toward them with surprise.

Bricker’s description of dark hair, big eyes, and spindly as a stick figure fit Sam, Cale decided. It was probably also the most unattractive way to put it. The woman did have dark hair, but only in that it wasn’t blond. There were tints of light brown and even red in her hair that made for a lush, almost auburn. As for her eyes, Cale had always found large eyes an attractive feature, but they did tend to dominate this woman’s thin face. He suspected they would be lovely if she had a little more meat on her to round her cheeks out a bit. Actually, the woman could have done with a little more rounding everywhere. Her body was on the point of being emaciated. It made him wonder if she didn’t have some ailment of the thyroid or something.

He shifted his gaze to Garrett Mortimer then, but barely got an impression of fair hair and a muscular body before Bricker paused before the couple, and snapped, “For cripes sake, you two! What are you doing? Sam, you love Mortimer, and he loves you, and that’s what he’s trying to tell you, he’s just too stupid to get it out right. But he loves and wants you just the way you are.” He shook his head with disgust. “You should be secure in that knowledge by now for God’s sake. The two of you have been going at it like a pair of bunnies for months, with no sign of letting up.”

“Bricker!” Sam squawked, flushing bright pink as she glanced from the enforcer to Cale with a mortification he suspected wouldn’t be nearly as strong had he, a stranger, not been present.

“Oh, right,” Bricker muttered, glancing back toward him with a sigh that suggested he’d briefly forgotten Cale’s presence. “Sam, Mortimer, this is Cale Valens. Cale, this is Garrett Mortimer and Sam Willan.”

“Cale,” Mortimer said slowly, offering a hand, and then recognition lit his face. “Martine Argeneau’s son.”

“Yes.” Cale shook the offered hand politely and then glanced again to Sam. Much to his surprise, the embarrassment that had been coloring her face a moment ago appeared to have slipped away, replaced with an interest that was sharp and focused.

“Are you single, Mr. Valens?” Sam asked as she moved forward to shake his hand as well.

Cale raised an eyebrow at the blunt question, but glanced to Bricker when he released a short, sharp laugh.

“I see your agreeing to turn hasn’t dampened your determination to see Alex settled with an immortal, Sam,” Bricker commented with amusement, then warned Cale, “Look out. She’ll be holding a dinner party and introducing the two of you by week’s end.”

“Well, why not?” Sam sounded a touch defensive. “You never know. They might suit each other.”

“Honey,” Mortimer said on a sigh, “the chances of Alex’s being a possible life mate for an immortal are pretty slim. It’s amazing that Jo turned out to be Nicholas’s life mate. It’s very rare to find three mortal sisters who suit—”

“Chances shmances,” Sam interrupted firmly. “Besides, there’s no harm in introducing them and seeing if they wouldn’t suit. Alex would make a good immortal. She’s smart, successful, and already works nights. I’ll just call her and see if she can come over for dinner.” Sam started to turn away, but Mortimer caught her arm.

“Why don’t we find out why Cale is here and see if he even has time to stay for dinner first?” he suggested quietly.

Sam hesitated, but then glanced to Cale. “Can you stay for dinner?”

When he nodded, she grinned and then whirled away again.

“Thank you for humoring her,”