Free Sex Symbol by Tracey H. Kitts Page A

visible in his eyes…well, it made me want to smile too. In fact, I couldn’t stop.
    He paused at the door and I turned back to take his hand.
    “Come on.”
    A feeling passed over me when he stepped across the threshold. It was strange and something I really can’t put into words. It wasn’t exactly a bad feeling, but a chill of sorts. Almost like a shiver of excitement.
    Instantly I thought about the rumor that a vampire has to be invited before they can enter someone’s home. Eramus wasn’t a vampire. He had too nice of a tan. Besides, I saw him out in the sun all the time. I scolded myself for having such thoughts in the first place. Anyhow, vampires were supposed to be cold. His hand was warm to the touch and as I continued to lead him toward my kitchen I tried not to think bad thoughts.
    Still, I had the impression that I’d just invited the big bad wolf over for dinner and from the smile he continued to wear, I might be on the menu.
    I released his hand and checked to be sure the oven was ready.
    “Here, let me. That looks heavy.” Eramus moved to set the ribs in the oven as he said, “I wanted to thank you again for your help with the garden. I really appreciate it.”
    “It’s no problem. I like gardening.”
    “Maybe in a little while it will match the other side.”
    I was confused. “What’s on the other side?”
    The blast of hot air from the oven seemed to make his scent even stronger. I remembered on nature shows how they talked about animals being drawn by the scent of the opposite sex. Surely that crap didn’t apply to people. Isn’t that why we use perfume, because we don’t have our own naturally alluring scent?
    “You mean you haven’t seen it?”
    I shook my head.
    “This great big rose climbing up the side of the house. It’s beautiful.”
    Now I remembered. “Oh, yeah. I forgot all about it. I never come home that direction, so I haven’t noticed it in ages. It’s that big now, huh? I can’t believe it grew so much without anyone taking care of it.”
    When he closed the oven and stood back up, Eramus was so close to me that our bodies almost touched. I was dead even with the middle of his chest, right where his shirt parted, revealing just enough skin to make my mouth water. He touched my shoulder lightly and I wanted more. I wanted to lean into him, to press as much of my body against his as possible.
    “Are you all right?”
    He was so close now that his breath caused my bangs to move against my forehead. Was I moving closer or was he?
    “You smell really good.”
    Before he could reply there was a loud crash and what sounded like someone running across the front porch.
    “Motherfucker!”
    “That would be Justina,” I said.
    I’m not sure what would have happened if we hadn’t been interrupted or why I wanted so much to touch him. It wasn’t like I was sex starved. Ozzy had helped me take care of that problem. I would say it was magic, only I wasn’t certain. I believed that magic was real. Witches and wizards did exist, or so I’d heard. Like everything else that went bump in the night, I had never personally met one. Even if that was the case, why would anyone waste a spell on me?
    Eramus seemed unfazed by the interruption. He motioned toward the door as he said, “Sounds like your friend could use some help.”
    We opened the door to find Justina chasing potatoes across the porch and down the steps. Apparently the large bag she was holding had ripped just as she reached the door.
    “Well, that would explain the noise,” Eramus said.
    From the look on her face she had a scathing comment at the ready, but her sarcasm was no match for his smile.
    We started helping her retrieve the potatoes while he said, “I’m Eramus by the way, Lucy’s new neighbor.”
    Justina paused and brushed back her long dark hair. She was wearing an orange tank top this time that contrasted well with her black coat and matched her nail polish.
    “I’m Justina, the moron who yells