I was breathing hard. He wasn’t. Period.
And if he moved his fingers one more time, I was going to go off like a runaway rocket. Again.
In the next second, his fingers were gone and I struggled to keep it together. Everything in me clenched in loss.
“Damn humans,” he snarled. My eyes popped open.
Ash crouched above me, big arms braced on either side of my shoulders, massive chest forming a protective shield as he glared through the windshield. Headlights shone through the window above me.
Sweet Spirits, I’d forgotten where we were. In his truck. In the middle of a public parking lot. With lots of body parts exposed.
I’m a rather modest witch.
I snatched at my blouse, pulled up shredded strips and whispered a quick fix it spell. I’d deal with my support bra later. I had three buttons done up when Ash caught my hands in one of his. “I’ll do that.”
He balanced his weight on his thighs, pushed my hands to the side and grasped the delicate edges of my blouse in his big hands. For a long moment he didn’t move.
The harsh glare of the headlights played over his bare chest. Skin smooth except for his scars, muscles layered upon muscles, tattoo in stark relief. Almost menacing.
Something flashed, hot and fierce, through his eyes before he deliberately blanked it out. He released one section of my top and placed his hand at the base of my throat.
Heavy and oh-so-very warm, the weight pinned me. Not that I had tried to move. Or even wanted to. I loved being beneath Ash.
He just can’t help exerting his dominance.
Bring it on, baby.
Ash slid his hand down my throat, over my sternum to the top of my breasts. He turned his hand to the side and eased it south a few more inches. Heated sparks lit up his eyes as he stared. Cuddled between my breasts, his fingers curled forward, tracing one nipple.
Tingles raced outward. My body had been slowly coming down from blast off. That one touch ignited my fuse once more.
The headlights clicked off and darkness blanketed the truck. Ash growled. His fingers tightened on me as his entire body stiffened.
“Damn it.” He let go, cold air washed over my skin. I shivered. “We should go.”
In seconds, he had my blouse buttoned to the top, my jeans tugged over my hips and done up and then I was in the passenger seat with the belt buckled.
So much for being caught up in the moment.
My lips trembled. I turned quickly to look out the window. We’d been seeing each other for about three weeks and I still was not used to . . . This. My body’s overwhelming response to Ash’s presence. The sheer joy I felt when I was with him. The knowledge that I was vulnerable in ways I have never been before.
Things like people, location and intrusive trucks did not enter my mind when I was with Ash. He obviously did not have the same blind side when he was with me.
“I’m locking Al in your kitchen when we get to your house,” Ash bit out over the throaty roar as he started his truck.
I looked over just in time to watch him wince and re-adjust his pants before throwing the Dodge into gear.
He wasn’t un-effected. Ash wanted privacy. My lips stopped trembling.
I hated this scared, defenseless side of me. I’d thought I had done away with her years ago. Silly me. I’m a mental mess and I will forever deny it.
My heart continued to pound, heated desire raced along my veins and my insides felt raw and exposed like someone had stripped away my protective layers and I had nothing left in defense.
Open and yet tense to attack, the naked me held out hope.
Hope. The one thing no witch, no one, no matter the species, can take away.
Ash braked at an intersection, curled and uncurled his fingers around the steering wheel. In the red of the stoplight, he drew in a harsh breath.
The light turned green and the truck surged forward.
Ash was breathing hard.
We were in this together.
****
Ash parked in front of my apartment building. I had my hand on the door handle when I noticed the curtains move four doors down. Same building as the night before.
I’m not a big fan of coincidence. Or curious neighbors.
“What’s wrong?” Ash asked as he opened my door.
“That neighbor is watching us again.” I nodded towards the house.
Ash turned, stared. “Maybe I should have a talk with him tomorrow?”
“Why don’t we have a talk with him right now?” Never put off until tomorrow, blah, blah, blah.
He checked his watch. “It would take too long.”
Whoa. What?
“Do you have something else to do tonight?” I thought I was the only thing he planned to do.
“Yes.” Ash scowled at my neighbor’s window. “I have to leave in a couple hours.”
He hadn’t planned to spend the night? Our first night together?
“To do what exactly?” It could have been the same question we always start our fights with or the snarl in my voice, either way, Ash finally realized I was not happy.
He turned to face me, crossed his arms. “I have things to attend to.”
“What things?” And why was I not penned in for the first ten items on his list?
He lifted his chin. “Things.”
And there we were. Right back at the crux of our problem. Well, one of them.
“I guess I’d better let you get to those things then.” I grabbed my purse and hopped out of his truck. I bared my teeth at him. “Don’t bother walking me to the door. I wouldn’t want to delay you from your things.”
Ash growled my name and then bit back whatever else might have followed. He clenched his jaw so tightly I heard his teeth grind.
Oh, yes. This witch expects more than a couple hours and an I’m outta here. A lot more.
“I’ll call you later.”
“As long as it won’t interrupt your things.” I batted my lashes, turned and sauntered to the door. I added an extra swing to my hips for good measure.
His door slammed shut behind me. Loud enough to echo in the night air. His engine roared to life.
My anger carried me all the way to the top of the stairs, the Dodge’s deep rumble vibrating in my ears. I knew he wouldn’t leave until he saw my lights come on.
My hand shook as I inserted my key. Ash was supposed to be at my side right now.
So much for being in this together.
14. Bigfoot is a Girl.
“Ass isn’t with you?”
“No.” My lips quivered. I turned and glared at the door as I shut it. I was not going to cry over any demon.
“Did you dump him?” Al’s ears twitched at the possibility.
“No.” I turned my glare toward my ankles. He leaned against them, rubbed his ear along the side of my shin, blinked his bulging eyes at me.
Damn it. It wasn’t his fault. I scooped him up, scratched his head and cuddled him into my neck. His scent comforted me.
His chest rumbled against me as I inhaled more of his smell. It sounded suspiciously like a gleeful chuckle.
I pulled him away and held him in front of my face. Watery brown eyes met mine with utmost sincerity and total adoration. I sighed, kissed his head and tucked him under my arm.
Yes, I knew I was being manipulated. And I knew I shouldn’t let him get away with it. But, right now, he wanted me. And I needed to be wanted. Even if it was by my Chihuahua.
Witches can have lots and lots of issues too.
“By the way, Doll.” Al paused to lick my fingers. “A few minutes ago . . .”
He was interrupted by a loud yodel echoing from my living room.
“Bigfoot woke up.”
I dashed into the living room. Bigfoot sat upright on the pull-out, holding its stomach. The moment it saw me, it began to shriek.
I yelled the words to a sound barrier spell and quickly wrapped it around my apartment. As an added measure, I threw in a s
pell guaranteed to interrupt all outgoing calls - both landline and cellular - in a three block vicinity for the next fifteen minutes.
It’s not that I assume all of my neighbors have ADHD and would forget the noise in under fourteen minutes. However Dominion is a small rural town. Mountains and forests border us on all sides. Weird animal noises are common here.
Considering the large HC population, a lot more common.
The noise might have startled everyone within a roughly three block radius, but if it didn’t repeat, the humans would dismiss it and go about their nightly routines.
Those in the HC community might be a little more curious, but since none of them lived anywhere near my small apartment, I figured we were safe.
I also added a nice mental pat on my own back for having the foresight to look up both the sound barrier and phone interruption spells earlier. My witch-scouts training still comes in handy.
I refocused on Bigfoot at its next loud holler and reconsidered my personal kudos. I should have looked up a spell to protect my hearing or at the very least purchased some earplugs.
I really didn’t want to use my silencing spell. I was hoping to start up some communication between us. Right after I apologized again for running it over and kidnapping it.
I aimed for a calm “how are you doing?”. Bigfoot bared its teeth. I widened my smile and tried again. Bigfoot screamed. I yelled back. Bigfoot threw a pillow at me.
I grabbed my wand and levitated a chair threateningly. Bigfoot clutched its stomach and moaned pitifully. I set the chair back down.
“Let me try, Doll.”
I lowered Al to the floor. He trotted over and jumped up on the pull-out near Bigfoot’s ankle. I held my breath and tightened my grip on my wand. I’d knock Bigfoot out in a heartbeat - without a single twinge of my conscience - if it tried anything with Al.
“Yo, sweetheart.”
Bigfoot quit whining. It cocked its head and stared at Al.
“I know you’re in pain,” Al rumbled. He placed one tiny paw on Bigfoot’s foot and began stroking his claws through its fur.
“Kate didn’t mean to hurt ya.” Bigfoot shot a snotty glance at me then refocused on Al. “The whole thing was an accident and she brought ya back here to fix ya up.”
Bigfoot made an odd sound. Softer than anything it had uttered so far, it took me a minute to realize it was purring. Deep, gentle vibrations emanating from its chest in low, continuous waves.
“Kate just wants to help ya. She wasn’t trying to murder ya.” Al sighed heavily. “She doesn’t like to murder people.”
I wondered if Bigfoot could hear the annoyance in his voice.
“Blood actually bothers her. Especially if it gets in her hair, she . . .”
“I really am sorry.” I put my hand over Al’s snout. “I do want to help you get better and then I’ll take you back to where I ran, uh, found you.”
Bigfoot eyed me up and down. It looked at Al. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched its foot flex under Al’s paw.
Al wiggled. I moved my hand and he sauntered up alongside Bigfoot’s body, taking in the occasional whiff of fur and then turned and planted his butt next to its hip. Bigfoot scooped him up and sat him on its lap.
Al winked at me.
Bigfoot gurgled something, nodded at me and started stroking Al behind his ears. The purring sound grew louder.
Well, I guess that settled that.
“I’ll order some dinner.” I put my wand away and pulled out my phone as I headed towards my bedroom. After placing six orders of manicotti, I sent a quick text to my Aunt: Bigfoot is definitely female.
****
As a result of our interrupted dinners, Al and I were still hungry. He ate a quarter of one manicotti, I had half an order and Bigfoot ate the rest. Surprisingly, the meal was peaceful, albeit rather uncomfortable. At least for me.
Bigfoot alternated between enormous bites and gentle fingertip strokes over Al’s back. Typical male, Al soaked it right up.
Stretching and growling as if I didn’t pet and massage him nightly. As if I didn’t know his favorite spot was behind his left ear and down about an inch. As if he preferred Bigfoot’s touch to my own.
I’m quite aware of Al’s manipulative tendencies. He knows all of my weaknesses. But I couldn’t tell if he was arching in ecstasy for my benefit or his own.
When I do vulnerable and insecure, I go all the way.
My earlier fight with Ash had set the pavement for the road I was on tonight: straight ahead toward total meltdown. I didn’t see a single detour sign anywhere.
I hate waddling in a cauldron of self-pity.
It stinks.
I’d done it enough when I was younger.
I so much prefer to shove all the bad stuff behind a mental door and walk away. Unfortunately, when that tends to be the go-to method for dealing with, well, everything, the lock will occasionally give out.
Mine had unscrewed itself and lay shattered on the floor with the door wide open and hanging haphazardly on its frame.
I watched Al tilt his head to the side while Bigfoot stroked under his ear as I did a mental run through of my list of current disasters: 1. I had disposed of another dead body, someone was trying to frame me for that murder and I had involved my best friend and Chihuahua in that mess.
Each of those issues deserved their own bullet point, but to paraphrase the great Inigo Montoya “there was too much, I should sum up.”
2. Morgan had lied to me. My UDBF. My only BF. My only friend period. Dead, undead or otherwise. She. Had. Lied. To. Me.
3. Ash and I were fighting. Again. I was madly in lust with him. More than likely on my way to in love and yet I couldn’t totally trust him and I was not at the top of his priority list.
I still wasn’t sure what that said about me as a witch.
4. I was trying to find a way to get rid of the familial curse and not having much luck. Along those lines I was also discovering new things about my mother. Anything having to do with my mother sliced right through my heart each and every time.
Big Al stretched and growled as Bigfoot rubbed his belly.
5. My Chihuahua was successfully manipulating me.
Bigfoot cooed.
6. Oh yes, and I had run over a mythological creature that was currently taking up residence on my couch while I tried to heal it. And keep its seven foot, furry presence hidden and out of sight of curious neighbors.
That was it. Six items on my shit list.
I ran them through my mind again, watched Al and Bigfoot cuddle together and decided sleep was my only option.
I stood, stretched. “Al, I’m going to bed.” I picked up our trash and headed towards the kitchen.
“I think I’ll sleep out here tonight, Doll.”
Nodding my head as if I didn’t care, I continued into the kitchen, dumped the trash into the garbage can, pulled the full bag out, knotted the drawstrings together and set a clean bag inside. I walked down the hallway and put the bag by the front door so I would remember to take it out in the morning.
A splash of purple caught my eye. I stood in the doorway to my office staring at my mother’s book. When my chest filled to the point of painful screaming, I turned and walked slowly back towards my bedroom. I shut the door.
I didn’t bother to undress. I simply burrowed under the covers and held my pillow against my face to muffle the tears.
****
The alarm went off the next morning at eleven. I’m not a morning witch on most days and after a major crying session - complete with chest heaving sobs - and approximately four hours of sleep, I was tempted to cast a time warp spell.
But that’s black magic.
And I’m a good witch.
A little on the heavy side and currently a tiny bit pathetic, but a good witch none-the-less.
I crawled out of bed and stumbled into my small bathroom. I kept my eyes on the shower stall and away from the mirror. I didn’t need the visual. I knew I was the s
tar in my own horror show this morning.
Dry, caked and swollen ping pong balls had replaced my eyes. Tendrils of hair stuck to my lips, left cheek and a small spot two inches down past my right shoulder blade. I had no desire to know in what direction or shape the rest of my curls had conspired to take.
Warm shower, cold cloth, cucumbers, plus a fix-it spell for my eyes and an extra large cup of coffee.
After that I might be able to handle breakfast.
****
I gulped the coffee as soon as I poured it into my mug. I spewed out a quick heal-it spell, dumped in an ice cube and tried the whole process all over again. The coffee bordered on scorching my mouth again, but I was desperate.
I took another large sip. This time I relished the slight burning in my mouth. I’d avoided the living room completely this morning. It was now time to start facing all the realities in my life. Might as well do it slightly pissed off.
It was a helluva lot better than sobbing.
I stomped into the living room. Not quietly either.
Al lifted his little head from the crook of Bigfoot’s arm. The rest of his body was hidden amongst all the combined fur. More than likely Bigfoot’s fur was similar to Al’s black and tan coloring, but it would need several good scrubbings before I could be positive. Right now it was black with a touch of rotting vegetation.
Al yawned widely.
Bigfoot didn’t stir.
“I’m going into the office in a few minutes, but I’ll take you outside first.” I took a casual sip of coffee. “You can snuggle with Bigfoot all day,” There was just the tiniest hint of a grudge in my voice. “I have to put her under for the day again. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.” I turned and strolled back into the kitchen.
“Ya want me to go with ya today, Doll?”
Back to Doll, was I? A little too late as far as I was concerned.
“No, I’ll be fine.” Eventually.
I entered the kitchen. Big Al would have to shout for me to hear him now. As he remained quiet, I figured his furry girlfriend’s sleep was more important.
I am a champion sulker.
Bigfoots Don't Do Mini Coopers (Kate Storm Book 1) Page 9
