Free Lifestyles of the Rich and Undead by MacAlister Katie Page B

it fell onto the floor.
    “The keys.”
    Trudy blinked twice, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Should she tell him what she thought of his high-handed treatment? Should she point out that she was the hostess of the highest rated show on the Otherworld’s network? Should she scornfully point out just what he’d lost through his obvious stupidity? She considered all of those options in a fraction of a second, reluctantly discarding them when she remembered that next month’s most eligible bachelor wasn’t available for another three weeks. She smiled, somewhat tightly, to be true, but it was still a smile. “What keys, dear Grayson?”
    “I’m not your dear, and I’d like the keys to my gate and house that you obviously pilfered from somewhere. Now.”
    He held out a hand for them, yelping and jerking his arm back when the sun raised a couple of white blisters on his palm.
    Served him right, the obstinate vampire. Trudy was just contemplating whether or not she could squeeze an interview out of him by holding his precious keys hostage when Manuela, with a rapt look at Grayson, hurried forward and handed him a big old-fashioned ring holding the keys to his house.
    “We got them from the real estate agent,” Manuela told him, her eyes dewy with idol worship. “He said you wouldn’t mind so long as we didn’t go into the house. I told Trudy we shouldn’t go in the house. I told her we shouldn’t disturb you. I’m Manuela. I’m chock-full of blood.”
    Gray looked more than a little startled now, a fact that Trudy took advantage of to push past him into the dark coolness of the hall. She’d have a word or two with that shameless hussy Manuela after she convinced the sexy—if annoyingly obstinate—vampire that it was in his best interest to be eligible and plastered all over the TV sets of the Otherworld. “Grayson,” she purred, closing the door behind her against the protests of both the producer and the cameraman outside, while covertly brushing a switch to the microphone pack strapped to her back. “I think we’ve gotten off to a very awkward start. Let’s start over, shall we?”
    “No,” he said, but he didn’t throw her out, a point she counted in her favor. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, an expression of annoyance on his face, clearly unaware that their conversation was being recorded by the film crew outside the door. She’d have to make sure they got some video to match the “interview” later.
    “And it’s such a nice face, too,” she said to herself, smiling at the flare of surprise in his eyes as she allowed a hand to caress his chest for a brief moment. “You have a very strong jaw, Gray, but I like that in a man.”
    “I am not interested in—”
    “Of course you’re not,” she interrupted, trailing a finger along his jawline. “Ooh, stubble. That’s so sexy. I particularly like it when it rubs against my thighs.”
    A new light of sexual interest briefly lit his eyes, the light that she was used to commanding in men . . . and some women. Trudy was a believer in opportunity, and didn’t particularly care who offered it. If seducing this brooding vampire would ensure that he’d appear on her show, then she’d take one for the team . . . and enjoy every second of her sacrifice.
    “Your chin is very nice as well.” She leaned forward, making sure her cleavage was amply available, and gently bit his chin. “Blunt, but manly.”
    He pulled back, his expression now one of suspicion. Drat it, she’d gone too far. Obviously, he was one of those men who took a while to warm up to a woman. Unless he preferred his seductions with a more masculine tinge? Perhaps she should mention that Ernst was right outside, just in case his tastes lay in that direction.
    “If you are attempting to seduce me to be on your blasted television show, you can stop right now. I told you that I’m not interested in being your eligible bachelor.”
    “No?” She gave him a swiftly