Free The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks Page A

arms and legs. Oh God, she wanted this man. She was actually falling for a man
    she couldn’t read.
    Eleni cleared her throat.
    “Oh.” Olivia stepped back. “This is my grandmother, Eleni Sotiris.”
    “Mrs. Sotiris, it is a pleasure.” Robby bowed to her. “I am Robert Alexander MacKay.”
    “Please have a seat.” Eleni motioned to the kitchen table and chairs. “Would you like something to drink?
    Some wine? Hot tea?”
    Robby sat at the table. “Some…tea would be nice.”
    “Excellent.” Eleni plucked a mug off a cupboard shelf. “So why do you keep such late hours, Mr. MacKay?”
    Olivia glanced at him as she arranged the flowers in an old pickle jar. She hoped he didn’t mind being
    interrogated.
    He smiled at her. “I’m busy during the day, providing security at a villa on the other side of Petra.”
    “I thought you were a soldier.” Olivia set the jar of flowers on the table.
    “I was, but I work for a private company now. MacKay Security and Investigation.”
    “MacKay?” Olivia sat beside him. “Is it a family business?”
    “Aye. My grandfather owns it. ’Tis based in London and Edinburgh, but we have clients all around the world.”
    “Is your grandfather married?” Eleni asked as she set a mug of tea in front of him.
    “Yia Yia,” Olivia whispered with a warning look.
    She shrugged. “I’m a single woman. And if the grandfather looks anything like this one…” She gave Robby an
    appreciative look.
    Robby’s mouth twitched. “I’m afraid my grandfather has recently remarried.”
    “Humph. Well, that’s his loss.” Eleni pulled on oven mitts, then began removing pans from the oven. “Are you
    single, Mr. MacKay?”
    “Please call me Robby.” He slanted an amused look at Olivia. “Definitely single.”
    “You’re in for a special treat.” Eleni readied a plate with leftovers. “My granddaughter is an excellent cook.”
    Olivia shook her head and wrinkled her nose. Robby’s eyebrows lifted with a questioning look.
    “She’s been cooking all day.” Eleni plunked a plate on the table. “Try these. You’ll love them.”
    Robby gave the dolmades a dubious look while Eleni went back to the counter to ready another plate. “What
    are they?” he whispered to Olivia.
    “Stuffed grape leaves,” she whispered back, then pointed at a messy, lopsided one. “That’s one I made.”
    He smiled and picked it up. “What’s inside?”
    “Ground meat, onions, bulgar wheat, and spices,” Olivia explained. “I suppose that sounds strange.”
    “Nay. My mother used to stuff minced meat and oats into a sheep’s stomach to make haggis.”
    “Eew.” Olivia made a face, then lowered her voice. “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to.”
    “My granddaughter made all this food,” Eleni boasted as she spooned rice onto a plate. “One of her suitors
    came for dinner. Spiro.”
    Robby’s hand flinched, tightening so hard that the grape leaf squished and the stuffing popped out. It
    bounced off the pickle jar and splatted on the table. “Sorry.” He dropped the mangled grape leaf on the plate.
    bounced off the pickle jar and splatted on the table. “Sorry.” He dropped the mangled grape leaf on the plate.
    Olivia stifled a laugh. He was jealous! “Here.” She grabbed a cloth napkin and reached for his hand to wipe
    off the mess.
    “Thank you.” His fingers curled around hers.
    Her heart raced, and she glanced at his eyes. Big mistake. Whenever she looked at his eyes, she felt like she
    was drowning. And actually enjoying it.
    “Well, what do you think?” Eleni plunked another plate on the table, this one filled with lamb, rice, and
    spanakopita. “Looks delicious, doesn’t it?”
    He never took his eyes off Olivia. “Yes. I can’t wait to have a taste.” He continued to hold her hand. His thumb
    smoothed over her knuckles.
    Her skin tingled as goose bumps rushed up her arms.
    “You won’t find a better cook than Olivia,” Eleni announced.