The Witch's Love Spell Book One

by Larissa Ladd

  Skyler smiled. “Leave it to you to be prepared. Come on, I’ll get my robes.” She started back toward her bedroom, but Jayden didn’t follow. She turned with a curious frown, only to find her friend staring at her with a knowing look. “What?”

  Shaking her head, Jayden said, “Don’t play games with me. What happened at work today to put your panties all in a bunch?”

  Skyler cursed under her breath. Every witch honed one particular skill as they grew into her own. Jayden’s choice had been a psychic-like ability to read emotions, and she was so good she could not only identify what you were feeling but the source of that feeling. She should have known better than to just ignore her concerns. Jayden would have smelled it on her the instant she stepped out of her car. With a sigh, she shrugged. “It’s not that big a deal. Marina hired a new assistant editor I report to, and the man’s a complete control freak who hates me.”

  Jayden laughed. “No man hates you! Look at you. Scratch that—look at us. We are both smoking hot, and there is no man who doesn’t like us. Is he ugly or something? I mean, unless he’s just so vile that he knows from the start he doesn’t have a chance with you, I don’t see how it could possibly be so bad that you’re simmering inside.”

  That was a perfect description of the sensation inside, where her lungs seized and her heart felt like it was shivering. She couldn’t stand the idea of losing her job, and Jayden’s words also made her realize just how much his lack of attraction to her hurt her feelings. “That’s the strange thing. He is one of the most beautiful specimens of human I think I’ve ever seen in my life. I almost lost my cool, Jayden. You know that doesn’t happen to me.” Sticking out her bottom lip and dropping to the couch, she shook her head. “And if it’s not bad enough that he doesn’t like me, he also insulted my work.”

  Jayden offered a sympathetic look. “Oh, honey, he must have had someone put a glamor spell on him to look that good because obviously he’s a troll.” She took a seat beside Skyler and ran her hand up and down over her friend’s back soothingly. “Look, Marina won’t let anything happen to you or your job. Besides, you have a lot of options under your belt. Give him a potion, something to lighten him up. You could try some Laughing Lilac. It tends to take care of all those sticks in the mud.”

  But Skyler didn’t want to. “If this was personal, maybe I’d go there. But I’ve never used magic to get something I want at work. That’s all been elbow grease on my part, and I don’t mean the kind of elbow grease you brew in a cauldron.” That was another one of Skyler’s genius concoctions. A shot or two of that, and you clean an entire medium-sized house in under two hours, no help needed. While Jayden had focused on emotional psychic readings, Skyler had spent her time with herbs and spices. She had created a number of new potions, as well as stronger and more effective versions of recipes several hundred years old. Usually, it came naturally; she would think of something she needed and would just know what to put in the mix.

  Standing up, she forced a smile. “But I can do this. I’ve made it this far doing things the mortal way. I’ll just keep at it.” She walked away.

  “You like him.” The astonished words still came from the couch, and Skyler whirled, incredulous, to look at Jayden, who had a shocked smile on her face. “You hate that he came down on you partly because you take pride in your job but more because you like him, and you wanted him to like you back.”

  Skyler laughed derisively. “You’ve lost your mind, Jayden. Now, can we get these measurements? I’m a little tired, and I love having you here, but I’d rather sit around and watch a movie with some popcorn and candy.”

  Reluctantly, Jayden followed, taunting, “Of course you would because you know that I can’t stand conversation interrupting a movie, nor will I talk if you fill my mouth with such succulent treats.”

  “I just don’t want to talk about Chad anymore, okay? It’s bringing me down, and I want to be in a good mood tonight.” She was digging through her closet, trying to get to the far end where her robes were pressed tight against the wall by the rest of her extensive wardrobe. “I’m sure you can understand.”

  She heard Jayden scoff. “Sure, I understand. I understand you’re calling this Looney Tune by his first name. This ‘Chad’ you speak of has you all hot and bothered, and instead of inviting you to his doorstep, he’s more inclined to kick you to the curb. And you can’t stand the fact that he didn’t seem interested in you.”

  Rage began to swirl in Skyler’s chest. She didn’t want to hear any more, and she yanked the hanger with the robes out of the closet. She threw them on the bed and tried to settle down, breathing heavily as she counted to ten. When she turned around, she locked eyes with Jayden, who stared at her with raised eyebrows and a satisfied smile. Her shoulders sagging, Skyler couldn’t help but smile, as much as that pissed her off. “You’re a shit for purposely trying to get a rise out of me.”

  “Feel better?” Jayden asked in a teasing tone.

  Reluctantly, Skyler nodded. She sat on the bed beside Jayden, who was already stretching out parts of the robes and making measurements that she wasn’t even writing down. “So, you didn’t come over just for the robes. There was no need to hurry with this. What’s really on your mind?”

  Jayden didn’t look up, just kept working. “It’s no big deal, just a little gossip.” She was silent, and Skyler knew she was downplaying whatever she had to say. Still, she waited patiently for Jayden to continue. “I just heard some news today. About David.”

  Uh oh, Skyler thought. David was the one that got away. Jayden had been dating him just about a year ago, and she’d been madly in love with him. When he’d insisted on knowing where Jayden was when she went to meet with the coven, she’d refused to tell him, and he’d threatened to leave. So, she’d broken down and told him the truth, for which he said she was crazy and left anyway.

  Skyler felt a knot in her throat for her friend, even before Jayden finished telling her the news. “I knew he’d started seeing one of the girls we went to high school with, Beth. They’re in medical school together now. And she posted all over social media last night that he proposed. So, David is now going to marry this girl, probably have the August wedding I always wanted, and live happily ever after with a white picket fence and 2.5 kids.” There were tears in her eyes, as well as a tremble in her voice, and Skyler felt for her. It was so hard to find a mortal man who didn’t ask questions. In fact, men were frustrating all the way around, and that brought her back to her own issues at work.

  Sighing heavily, she asked her friend, “Should we go get ice cream instead of popcorn? I think it’s that kind of night.” Jayden perked up at the idea, and Skyler grabbed her sweater and keys. She dropped her phone in the pocket of the sweater, grabbed her purse and left, turning the radio up loud for both of them to sing along as she drove.

  Chapter 5

  Having just finished editing her article for the fifth time and putting the last bit of polish on it, Skyler smiled in satisfaction. She was confident Chad couldn’t rag on her too hard for an article about a fashion designer who had bombed at her latest show in New York with a terrible idea of what the spring trends would be. The grapevine had it that next weekend this designer would be making a guest appearance at another big unveiling from another popular designer, who had agreed to let her re-release her line of spring fashions with modifications. Skyler had already expensed her flight to that show, wanting to be there live and in person when this went down.

  She sent a copy to the printer, then submitted it by email to Chad, and she carried a folder with her to protect the original pages as she headed straight for Chad’s office. The hunk of sex appeal sat behind his desk, and Skyler knocked on the open door and waited for him to look up from his computer before stepping inside. “I have a submission ready for your review.”

  He turned back to his computer, a clear dismissal, but Skyler was infuriated. She wasn’t going to walk away from him so easily. She was more about confrontation. “Mr. P
earson.” She made his name a complete statement, determined to get his full attention. When he didn’t respond, she turned and closed the door, making it obvious she didn’t plan to walk away right now.

  After several long moments of just standing there, she gained a small, insignificant triumph as Chad huffed and pushed away from his desk, leveling an annoyed expression at her. “I don’t have a lot of time for personal insecurities, Ms. Duran. What is it that so plagues you, that you feel the need to address me right this instant when you were so clearly in a hurry for me to read through your work, which is likely just like all your other articles and wouldn’t sell tabloids, much less a serious magazine?”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “Tell me why you hate me so much.” It was a demand, not a request. “I have done nothing to give you a predisposition against me or any reason to criticize me as brutally as you have. You met me yesterday morning, and already you’ve gone through judge and jury and condemned me. I have a right to know why.”

  ***

  Chad had no idea what to say to her. You give me goosebumps when you walk in the room and not because you’re gorgeous. That sounded completely insane. Certainly her writing wasn’t as good as she’d like to believe, but when he had gone back and read over her previous work, it wasn’t bad. It just needed a little more finesse. And she was beautiful, friendly with everyone in the office. She wasn’t some pariah, someone to be avoided because she was bitter or mad or self-absorbed. And she was confident, not someone to look down on because she had no sense of self-worth.

  Even Chad couldn’t pinpoint why he absolutely despised Skyler Duran, but he did.

  A deep frown creased his brow, and he searched for words that would at least send her out of his office. He needed time to come up with a reasonable explanation for either treating her poorly throughout their work relationship or an even better excuse for firing her. Immediately, he needed to satisfy her need to know what he held against her.

  “Listen, I like confidence in my employees, and I even appreciate when they’re cocky about their work. But when you think you’re bulletproof and walk around like you own the office and everyone in it or you believe you’re completely irreplaceable, it gets on my nerves. You need to get knocked down a few notches. You are not an award-winning journalist, and honestly, I doubt you ever will be. That doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of amazing work. It just means you should work harder and campaign less.”

  He watched her reaction and could almost see the chills along her skin; he thought he saw her heart drop into her stomach. Wow, she’d been trying to impress him and really believed he was going to be as fascinated with her as everyone else seemed to be. Skyler nodded to him curtly. “I get it.” Holding her head up high, she told him, “Honestly, if I were impotent, I might need to take everyone around me down a notch myself. I’ll see if I can cater to your insecurities.”

  Chad watched her sashay out of his office, somewhat amused. To her credit, Skyler Duran didn’t give up easily, and for every hit she took, she dealt one out. Maybe, if she had that kind of spirit, there was hope for her as a writer on his staff. Of course, he had to be careful of the people with whom he surrounded himself. He couldn’t let just anyone into his inner circle. If he was going to even consider keeping her around, Chad was going to have to put Skyler through the ringer. He’d have to test her, and by the time he was done, she’d hate him.

  Hell, he was surprised she didn’t hate him already. Chad knew he’d been a complete ass from the moment they first met, and it had been completely intentional. He was sure Skyler knew he was purposely treating her this poorly, and now that he’d given her a reason, she had to be plotting her revenge.

  While it sounded over the top, Chad got the feeling that everything about Skyler was over the top. And he almost looked forward to seeing how the woman handled things from here on out. After all, he could use the entertainment. Of course, he still had a creepy feeling about her; she wasn’t like any other woman he’d ever met. But maybe he could get past that. After all, he hadn’t had a good battle on his hands in a long time, and Skyler seemed like the first worthy opponent he’d come across in ages.

  Yes, this was going to be a gratifying opportunity, and whether he won or lost, he knew he’d enjoy the process. But he didn’t intend to lose.

  ***

  Skyler fumed for a while as she sat at her desk, until she looked in the mirror and saw the line her scowl created between her eyes. She wasn’t going to let Chad ruin anything, not her career and certainly not her youth and beauty. She realized she was moping and decided that was a bad idea. She’d presented a strong front in his office, and she’d continue on that path. She could certainly hold her own against him.

  Perhaps the only problem here was that she was letting her attraction to Chad Pearson overwhelm her need to take him down. Maybe, rather than trying to impress him or live up to whatever insane standards he was going to set, she should be looking for a way to have him escorted out of here the way he kept threatening to have her take her leave. It certainly beat trying to reach an unattainable bar of excellence that was set much too high, specifically to keep her from achieving any kind of success.

  And even if she did get that far, Chad Pearson still wasn’t going to be a fan of hers. He wanted humility from her, and that was far beyond her capability. She couldn’t even think of a spell or potion that would dampen her self-confidence, and the thought alone made her shiver in disgust. She would never compromise her personality to gratify someone else.

  In a conundrum, she considered her options and wondered how she could get dirt on the man who had weaseled his way into a position superior to hers. If she could find out more about him, she could certainly identify a weakness that would benefit her. With that idea in mind, she still managed to concentrate on work, and by the time she headed home, she had several stellar ideas floating around in her head. Unfortunately, instead of being able to explore any of them, she found a familiar car in her driveway and groaned to herself. She hated when her mother showed up uninvited without notice. And especially today, when she had other things on her mind that she really wanted to dig into.

  Chapter 6

  She walked through the unlocked door and found her mother muttering over a pot of something that smelled delicious cooking on the stove. Skyler rolled her eyes. “Mom, you really shouldn’t just show up unannounced.”

  The woman finished her spell and smiled up at Skyler. “Darling, I just worry about you. All those long hours you work, and I’m sure you don’t eat right. In fact, I don’t sense anything of value in this room. When was the last time you cooked?”

  Skyler winced. Her mother was a kitchen witch, and she could sense how often and well a kitchen was used, the same way she never failed to create the most delicious meals, with or without the seasonings she needed. One little spell could create the utmost flavor in anything she aspired to cook. But having the woman in her kitchen drove Skyler nuts because, according to her mother, microwave dinners were sacrilegious. “Mom, I’ve been eating just fine. I have cereal or oatmeal with fruit in the morning, which doesn’t require cooking. And I have some excellent frozen dinners.” She opened her freezer to show her large selection.

  The horrified expression on Ava’s face was almost comical. “Skyler, I appreciate your show of independence, but you obviously need mothering at times.” She shook her head disapprovingly. “So, I thought I’d come over and make you a large pot of my famous stew. You can eat a bowl tonight, and I’ll help you freeze several more so you can do what you prefer and take them out to microwave them on nights when you don’t have time to cook. At least this will be wholesome and nutritious.”

  All her defensiveness fleeing from her, Skyler let out a long, deep breath and leaned against the counter, smiling at the fussing woman. She really meant well. “I love you, Mom.”

  “I know, honey, I love you, too.” She stepped away from the stove and poured them each a glass of the wine she’d alread
y opened to let breathe. “So, tell me all about him.”

  Skyler stared at her mother over the wine glass, confused. “Him? Who are you talking about, Mom?”

  Ava waved off her words as if it was a denial. “Oh, please, child. Kendra Goodwin told me there’s a new man in your life.” She sat down at the kitchen table with her glass of wine and stared right at Skyler. “I want to know all about this man. Where you met him, what he looks like, what you like about him, and whether or not you feel like I might end up with a son-in-law, finally.”

  Skyler groaned and sat across from her mother, dropping her head into her hands. “Mom, you know Kendra often gets confused. I know she can read a lot about people’s futures, but she never quite honed the interpretive skills she needs to understand her visions.” This was a disaster. “The truth is, Mom, I did meet a man yesterday, but I’m not personally involved with him in any way. He’s my new boss, an assistant editor at the magazine. He works for Marina, and I report to him now. We didn’t exactly hit it off very well, but I’m working on that. If Kendra saw something between us, it’s only that I’m trying to settle things in the office so it’s not a hostile work environment.”

  Ava didn’t look like she fully believed what Skyler told her, but she was willing to accept the explanation for the moment. “Why don’t you just give the man some of that Temperamental Tea of yours and be done with it? You act like pacifying him is so difficult.”

  And they had rounded back to the same old argument, Skyler thought. “Mom, you know I don’t like using magic to control situations like this. Yes, I’m a witch, but I also want people in the real world to like me for who I am and to respect my work because I’m talented at it, not because I can pull the wool over their eyes with a little hocus pocus.”