It took Denise a second, but then her eyes widened. "Your wife was one of the women who hired Bones back when he was a gigolo?"
Spade laughed. "I was terribly insulted at the time, but the voyage was too horrible to concern myself with that for long. We nearly died on the way to the colonies. Once there, we nearly died again under the overseer. We only had each other to depend on, and I grew to care for them as if they were family."
"Whatever happened to Timothy? I don't think I ever saw him around Bones or Cat."
"He went on sabbatical a long time ago, searching for proof that Cain, father of all vampires, was still alive. In truth, I suspect somewhere along the way, Timothy was killed. None of us have heard from him in over eighty years."
She looked wistful. "I'm sorry to hear that, but at least you, Ian, and Bones stayed friends all these years."
"Sometimes good comes out of even terrible circumstances," Spade said quietly.
Denise looked away. She thought he was referring to Randy, but Spade would be the last person to spout nonsense about looking for the good out of the murder of a loved one. He meant the demon brands that had led Denise to him. They'd both lost loved ones for no other reason than life being cruel at times, but despite that, perhaps they could find happiness again, with each other.
Spade tensed, feeling the encroaching power even before the light tap on his shoulder.
"May I cut in?" Web asked pleasantly.
Denise fixed a polite smile on her face as Spade relinquished his hold on her and she stepped into Web's arms. He wasn't as tall as Spade, so she didn't need to look up very far to meet his cool cobalt gaze.
"Are you enjoying yourself this evening?" Denise asked, playing her part as the polite hostess.
"It's been interesting," Web replied. A smile twisted his lips. "It's not every day a noted Master vampire abruptly decides to move next door...with his human girlfriend."
Even though she had no intention of pursuing Nathanial anymore, Denise wasn't about to let Web harbor any suspicions over Spade's claim. After all, lovers broke up all the time. Her leaving tomorrow didn't have to be seen as anything but another relationship gone sour.
"What's not to love about Monaco?" Denise asked with as much of a shrug as she could manage while waltzing. "And everyone starts out as human before they become something else," she added with a slanted glance upward.
Web chuckled in a way that didn't ease her tension. "You're quick, aren't you? Now I'm even more intrigued."
That was going in the opposite direction than she'd intended. Okay, one shallow, uninteresting female, coming up.
"I just love your girlfriend's purse," Denise said with the proper amount of feminine gushing. "Is it Versace? Versace's my favorite. Oh, well, maybe Gucci, too, but they haven't had anything really good come out lately, you know? And oh, you have to tell me where she got her shoes from. Mine are Escada, but you know, I really think I should have gotten Stuart Weitzman instead. They're a much better bargain considering what these cost..."
A glazed look descended over Web's half-covered face as Denise went on about the inadequacies of different designers, ticking off her list of bests and worsts for purses, shoes, and dresses. By the time the music ended and Spade walked up, Web almost shoved her back into his arms.
"A pleasure," he managed before stalking away.
Spade whirled Denise around so that his back was to Web, a devilish smile curling his mouth as he led her deeper amid the other dancers.
"That was brilliant," he whispered, so close to her ear any observer would think he was just nuzzling her.
She smiled, pleased at the compliment. "I didn't even get a chance to talk about my most and least favorite jewelers," she teased, her voice also just a whisper.
Spade laughed, brushing his mouth across her neck. "Tell me. I promise to be fascinated."
Denise couldn't stop the tremor that went through her at the feel of his lips on her skin. It's only an act, she reminded herself.
Her body disagreed. Heat rose up inside her as Spade lingered, his mouth alternately brushing or hovering over her skin. His one hand still grasped hers in the proper waltz fashion, but his other caressed her back instead of staying at her waist, pressing her much closer than the formal dance dictated.
Denise cleared her throat, mindful of all the people who might be watching.
"Stop, dear. We have guests, so you can't follow through," she said, her voice breathier from his mouth sliding up her neck to her cheek.
"Oh?" His voice was a low growl. "I can if I take you upstairs."
The instant clench in her loins made her gasp. It's only an act, dammit!
"We have guests," she repeated, her voice rougher than her charade dictated.
"They'll manage." Two words, full of promise.
Denise drew back, forcing a smile to her lips. No matter how Spade was affecting her, his actions and this offer weren't real. Spade was pretending, same as actors around the world did for movie love scenes every day.
"Really, don't be such a tease. You know we can't leave yet," she said, this time managing to sound affectionate and chiding at the same time. Just as a normal girlfriend would under the circumstances.
Spade's eyes changed from tiger brown to green in an instant. "I never tease," he replied, each word emphasized. Then he swept her up in his arms, striding off the dance floor.
Chapter Twenty-three
Spade ignored Denise's stunned whisper to put her down. "I thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen," he called out. "Even though I take my leave of you, please, stay as long as you wish. I look forward to seeing all of you again soon."
Denise felt her face flame as Spade carried her past the people in the ballroom as nonchalantly as if what he was doing wasn't outrageous. The knowing laughter by a few of the vampires they passed didn't help her growing embarrassment, either. It was one thing for Spade to act affectionate; another to publicly carry her off in a feigned burst of passion.
The only reason she quit arguing was that she caught Web's speculative look out of the corner of her eye as Spade swept past him. Web was too dangerous to let him become suspicious. After all, Spade had killed Web's dealer, Black Jack, only a few days ago. Web had to wonder who'd done it, and he'd already expressed skepticism at Spade moving in next door with his shockingly alive girlfriend.
Denise kept her mouth shut the whole way up the flight of stairs to the third floor. She didn't say anything even when Spade carried her into the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him. When he set her down, though, she immediately shoved him back, giving him an annoyed look as she crossed the room to turn on the television. Loudly.