Page 43 of Never Invite a Vampire to Dinner

“Closer.”

I look at him.

“You fit here.”

He is quiet for a beat too long.

“You keep saying that.”

“Because you keep acting surprised.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“No?”

“I’m uncertain.”

“About what?”

He looks past me at the cottage, then towards the invisible town behind us.

“I have spent a very long time being good at living beside things. Beside people. Beside places. Near enough to know them. Not near enough to⁠—”

He stops, and I wait until he looks back at me.

“You make that distinction difficult to maintain.”

My heart gives one hard beat.

“Is that bad?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“That’s very inconvenient.”

“It is.”

“Because I have.”

His whole attention focuses on me.

“What have you decided?”

I step closer.

“That I like you here.”

His eyes drop to my mouth.

“Here?”

“In Black Harbor.”

“Ah.”

“And here.”

I tug gently on our joined hands until he’s standing directly in front of me. The fog closes around us. His free hand comes up and cups the side of my face. There’s no hesitation tonight.