by Jane Jamison
At least the woman knew how to take a hint. She passed her credit card to the young man at the register.
Miranda was true to her word, getting the box loaded in less than five minutes. “Here you go. Be sure and tell the guys hi for me.”
“Thanks.” Again, trying hard not to say more than she had to.
“Oh, and Lilli?”
She tried not to let her exasperation show as she answered. “Yes?”
“They’re really great guys, and they’ll make wonderful mates. I’m glad you four found each other.”
What was she supposed to say? Miranda acted as though they were an item, but she wasn’t even sure they had a relationship yet. Instead, she lifted the carton higher. “Thanks again.” She rushed out of the diner, happy that their exchange hadn’t lasted any longer.
Wait. What had she said? Mates? Like a wolf’s mate?
The impact sent the box flying. Cookies and pastries scattered over the sidewalk.
“Shit, Lilli, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you until it was too late.”
Still surprised, Lilli had to take a minute before answering Martin. Surprise, however, soon morphed into joy. “Oh, no, it’s my fault. I came running out of the diner and didn’t look first.”
They bent together, scooping up the treats. As they piled the cookies and pastries back into the box, their hands touched, setting off fireworks. Without warning, he beat her to the kiss, tugging her toward him.
The kiss was passionate, need mixing with urgency, desire flooding from him into her and back again. He bit at her lower lip then swept his tongue inside. She answered in kind, nibbling at his mouth, hungry for more of his flavors.
When they finally broke apart, she was left breathless. And desperate for more.
Desperation, however, quickly changed to embarrassment. Several people were watching them. Standing up, she tugged the box to her chest and tried to act as though nothing had happened.
“Are you taking those somewhere?”
She’d have to lie or tell the truth. And not a half-truth, either, but the whole truth. It was time to either go all in or cut and run. “I was going to bring them out to you and the other guys at the ranch. As a way to say thank you for taking me whale watching.” She paused diving into his soulful brown eyes. “I guess I should’ve checked first to make sure you were there, too.”
“There’s no reason to thank us. We enjoyed every minute of it. And don’t worry about checking. I’m there more than at my place.”
“Still, I want to thank you.” She drew in a breath and took a leap of faith. “What I said is true, but it’s not everything.”
“It’s not?” His dark eyes glittered with amusement and more than enough arousal to send her already throbbing clit into overdrive.
“No. They were my excuse for my dropping by unexpectedly.”
“Oh. Got it.”
Got it? That’s all he can say?
“You’re welcome out at the ranch anytime you want to come. It’s just that right now’s a bad time.”
The flash of joy she’d felt at his first words was suddenly wiped away. “Oh. Okay.” She stalled then jumped in again. “Is it Rogan?”
“Rogan?” He tried not to admit anything, but she saw the truth in the sudden tightness of his lips.
“He wasn’t seasick the other day, was he?”
He opened his mouth to, no doubt, repeat the lie, then stopped. “No, he wasn’t.”
Frustration hit, along with a good dose of anger. “Then what was it? Am I misinterpreting the signals I’m getting? Are you guys interested in me or not? Because if you’re not, please say so. I’m taking off time from work to stick around.” She clammed up, knowing she’d said too much already.
“Lilli, it’s not that simple.”
“Yeah, actually it is. Do you want me or not, Martin? That kiss we shared says you do, but I need to hear you say it.”
“I want you, Lilli, I do.”
She immediately relaxed, happy that at least she knew one of them wanted her. “And what about Travis and Rogan? Do they want me, too? I kind of have the impression that you three are a package deal.”
“We are. And yes, they want you, too.”
They didn’t touch each other. Instead, anyone watching them would’ve thought they were having a normal conversation, just two friends who had happened to meet on the sidewalk. No one ever would’ve guessed that they were talking about needing, wanting each other.
“Then what’s the holdup?”
A sadness filled his eyes like a cloud hiding the sun. “Like I said before, right now’s a bad time. If you can hang on for a while longer, I know we can make this happen.”
She should’ve been happy, but her mind was too filled with questions. “How long is ‘a while’ longer? And what do you mean by ‘this’? Do you mean a fling? A relationship? A ménage between the four of us? I’m really confused.”
He took her by the arms, and for a moment, she leaned closer, her face lifted, her lips parted for another kiss. But it wouldn’t happen.
“Rogan’s going through a rough time, but Travis and I are hoping things will get cleared up soon.”
“Wow, can you be vaguer?”
“I know and I’m sorry.” The muscle in his stubble-covered jaw jumped. He was holding back. “The only thing I can say right now is to ask you to hold on.”
“Maybe I can’t. What happens then?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Then that’ll be your decision.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, embarrassing her. “You’re not giving me much to hold on to.”
“You’re right. But, Lilli, know this. Whatever happens in the next few days will decide not only our future but yours. Just remember this before you decide to leave. Travis, Rogan, and I want you more than we’ve ever wanted anything.”
“You guys sure have a shitty way of showing it.”
His smile was so soft, so tender, yet somehow managed to break her heart. “I’m hoping you’ll stick around long enough to give us a chance of doing better. Will you stay, Lilli?”
She ached to give him the answer he wanted. But pride, fear, more, held her back. “I don’t know.”
Hurt shone in his eyes. “I understand. It was good seeing you, Lilli.” Pivoting, he strode away.
She stared after him, bewildered. Was it over? Or did she stay and see if what he’d said was true? If they really cared for her, really wanted to know her better, wouldn’t it be worth it?
Trying to stuff the disappointment tearing a hole in her stomach, she dumped the box into a nearby trash can and headed down to the marina. Maybe a long walk along the pier would help her decide what to do. At the very least, she’d get to enjoy the wildlife and the cool breeze.
As she neared the dock, she gazed up the hill toward her hotel. Adding to her disappointment, the wolf hadn’t reappeared. Why she thought it might was beyond her. Why had he come so close to the town, anyway?
She kept walking, passing several couples along the way. From young to old, it seemed as though everyone except her had found love. But if she stayed, would love find her?
Settling on the edge of the pier, far away from the other people, she gazed over the water, watching for signs of fish popping to the surface to catch bugs. Although she knew it was unlikely, she still looked for any dolphins or whales that might have wandered closer to land.
West End would be a great place to make a home. She could easily imagine children running and playing along the shoreline, learning to kayak, and fishing the waters. Did the men want the same thing? Did they envision having a wife who would have their children and help out on the ranch?
Which begged the question. Would she be a wife or a mate?
Mate was such a strange word. Yet Miranda had used it without a moment’s hesitation.
“Hey, sweet thang, want some company?”
Shit. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll take the hint and go away.
But her luck continued to run bad.
/>
The man, smelling of alcohol, plopped down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned closer. She almost gagged at the stench.
“It’s a little early to be drinking, don’t you think?” she asked. She’d be pleasant until she couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Shit, no. You know what they say. It’s happy hour somewhere.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Wilson.”
“Right.” She eased his arm off her and ignored his hand. “I’m sorry, Wilson, but I’m not in the mood for company.”
“Aw, come on, sweet thang. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be sitting all by her lonesome. How about you and me go grab us a drink at my hotel? I’ve got a bunch of booze stashed in my room. We can have ourselves one hell of a good time.”
“Thanks, but I’ll pass.” She started to get up, but he clutched the back of her hair, jerking her to the dock again.
She let out a yelp, alarm skittering through her. Taking hold of his hand, she did her best to pry his fingers loose. “Let me go, you shithead.”
“Damn, girl.” He grinned, acting as though they’d shared a good joke. “You’ve got one hell of a mouth on you.”
“Wilson, if you don’t let go, you’re going to find out that I have one hell of a fist on me, too.” She’d been a courier long enough to know a few tricks. Not that she wanted to use any of them.
Wilson’s smile turned from happy-go-lucky to you’re-a-fucking-bitch. “I’m only wanting to party, girl. It’s not like I’m asking you to marry me.” The fucking-bitch smile grew meaner. “We can play hooker and pimp. You can suck my dick, and I’ll tell you what a whore you are.”
“Fuck off.” She lifted her elbow, ready to slam it into Wilson’s face.
He jerked backward, letting go of her hair. His eyes widened, surprise sobering him up in that quick second. Suddenly, he was lifted into the air and flung out over the water. She stared, stunned, as the man floated above the water a moment then dropped like a rock. Water splashed up and over her as Wilson smacked into the surface.
“How the hell?” She hadn’t hit him. Even if she had, she couldn’t have lifted him off his ass and over the water.
“Are you all right?”
Whirling around, she lost her balance. If Travis hadn’t caught her, she would’ve joined the now sputtering Wilson in the murky water. “Travis? Where’d you come from? Did you see him? Did you see him float in the air?”
Travis tugged her away from the edge, moving her quickly down the pier. “All I saw was an ass treating you like shit. He deserved what he got and more.”
She let Travis pull her along, the heat from him seeping into her. “Wait a second. Did you do that? But how? How’d you make him float in the air?”
He avoided making eye contact with her. “I shoved him is all.”
They were halfway to the main part of town, getting close to the clock tower. “You did more than shove him. You picked him up and made him airborne.”
Travis darted his gaze around at the people who had begun to stare. “Keep your voice down, darlin’.”
She jerked her arm away, forcing him to confront her. “Tell me the truth. Did you do something to him?” She couldn’t believe she was about to say the words, but all at once, nothing else made sense. “Travis, are you a witch?”
* * * *
“Damn it, Lilli, calm down, will you?” Travis felt the eyes of everyone staring at them. Having tourists overhear her was bad enough, but the locals were staring him down hard. Thankfully, the number of tourists was low, but it took only one person to talk.
“I’ll calm down when you tell me the truth.”
Shit. Why does she have to be so damn beautiful? Makes it really hard to think straight.
“Lilli”—he plastered on a smile and dropped his voice lower—“let’s go somewhere private to talk, okay? We don’t need a bunch of people listening.” He lifted his hand and gave the onlookers a short wave. “Nothing’s going on, folks. You can go about your day.”
A young man and woman edged closer. The young man pointed at Travis. “She called you a witch. I heard her.” His friend and others began nodding.
“She’s kidding.” He shot a hard look at Lilli, silently begging her to go along. “It’s a joke, folks. You know. One of the stories about the island.”
“She didn’t act like she was joking.” The young woman spoke to Lillie. “Were you joking? Or do you really think he’s a witch?”
If one more person calls me a witch, I’m going to show them what a wizard can do.
“I promise you. I am not a fucking witch.” Miranda from the diner as well as two other witches from her coven lifted their eyebrows at him and crossed their arms. The last thing he needed was to have the witches on the island upset with him. Witches weren’t all that fond of wizards anyway, without him adding fuel to the fire. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being a witch, but I’m not one. Trust me. They wouldn’t have me if I begged them to be a witch.”
“Which means you think witches do exist.” The young woman pointed at Travis. “Tell the truth. Are you a witch or not?” She gasped. “Or maybe you’re not a witch. Maybe you’re something else. Like a vampire or a werewolf.”
Things weren’t getting any better. “I told you. I’m not a witch. I’m not a vampire or a werewolf. Holy shit, people, they’re stories.” If only he could get the tourists to go on about their business. But at least Miranda and her friends seemed to have calmed down.
“I know what I saw, Travis. You picked that man up and floated him over the water.”
He pulled Lilli next to him and tried once more. “I hit him. That’s all. Please, Lilli, let’s talk about this somewhere else.”
“Just tell me what you—”
With a quick snap of his fingers, Lilli shut her mouth.
Shit. I wish I hadn’t had to do that.
Resorting to putting a spell on her was the last thing he’d ever wanted to do, but he couldn’t have let her continue. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s take you back to the ranch. We can talk about it there.”
She struggled against him, her eyes wild, panic on her face. Wrapping his arm around her, he led her away from the group, doing his best to shield her from the onlookers. At first, the young couple followed them, but when he finally reached his pickup, they stopped and stayed on the curb.
After he’d helped her into the pickup, he took her hand. “Damn it. I’m sorry about this. Really sorry. But I had to get you away from everyone else. Please forgive me, darlin’.”
Closing her door, he hurried around to the other side and hopped into the driver’s seat. “As soon as we’re out of town, I’ll take the spell off. I swear it. Then you can tear into me every which way from Sunday.”
The anger in her eyes was enough to make him cringe. He’d reacted without thinking, and now he was stuck. “Let’s get back to the ranch.”
* * * *
Lilli raged inside, even as wonder filled her. Travis was a witch. Or a wizard or whatever a male witch was called.
When he’d snapped his fingers in front of her face, she’d been powerless to open her mouth. Even fighting him as he’d pulled her along had been useless. Through magic, he’d gained control over her.
Whatever I want to do to him. You can bet on it, Travis.
She glared at him, anger surpassing her initial fear. He kept glancing her way, grimacing then staring at the road as he drove the pickup out of town.
“Damn it, Lilli. I hope you won’t hate me for this. I was in town searching for Rogan when I saw that drunken idiot hitting on you. I couldn’t stand to see his hand on you. Then when he grabbed you by the hair, I just lost it.”
She tried to speak but couldn’t open her mouth.
“We’re almost at the edge of town. Hang in there a little longer, okay?”
Oh, I’m hanging. But once you take your fucking spell off me, I’m going to rain hell and damnation down on your sorry ass.
“Here we are.�
�� He pulled the pickup to the side of the road then twisted to face her. “Okay. I’m going to remove the spell now. Just let me explain before you go ballistic. Can you do that, darlin’? Can you let me explain first?”
She nodded. Go on, Travis. Turn me free.
He took in a long, slow breath. “Here goes.” He snapped his fingers in front of her face.
Remaining silent, she let him stew a moment. When she couldn’t hold out any longer, she let go.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Her slap landed against his cheek, jerking his head to the side. “Don’t you get it, you fuckhead? Don’t you dare touch me ever again.”
“Well, technically, I didn’t—”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she screamed. “First, you put a spell on that man, and then, thinking you’re my knight in shining armor, you do the same fucking thing to me.” She slapped him again, this time hitting him on the other cheek. She tried for a third slap, but he caught her arm. She glared even harder, and he turned her arm free.
“Darlin’, I had to do something. You were telling everyone I was a witch.”
“Because that’s what you are! You’re a witch, and you put a spell on me.” Her breath burned in her throat with each hard-won pant.
“No, I’m not a witch. I’m a wizard.” He sat back inches out of range. “I’m a wizard, and I had to stop you. What was I supposed to do? Let you keep on telling everyone what I am?”
“You don’t put spells on me, that’s what you don’t do. Damn it, Travis. That was fucking low.”
“Yes, I agree, but can’t you just get over it?” His eyes widened as he realized what he’d said. “Oh shit.”
“Oh shit is right.” She flung her body at the door, shoving it open and almost spilling out.
He grabbed her just in time to keep her from falling. “Lilli, calm the hell down.” He motioned toward the back of the pickup. “There are people by that building. They can hear you shouting.”
“Don’t you tell me again to calm down.” With the door still ajar, she leaned out and waved to the people. “Hey, you! He’s a—” Suddenly, her voice was gone again.
Travis pulled her back into the pickup then waved at the people to let them know everything was all right. “It’s okay, folks. Just a little squabble with the wife.”
