by Cate Dean
Once he was on his feet, she wrapped one arm around his waist, and helped him over the offending threshold. He pointed to an upholstered chair just inside the door, letting her lead him to it and help him settle.
“Can you lock up for me?” he asked. He sounded almost normal this time. “I believe I am done for the day.”
“Sure.” She locked the door and flipped the sign over to closed. “Can I get you some water? Aspirin? That looked like a nasty fall.”
“Just another day for me.” He actually felt himself smile when he said that. He never smiled, or joked about his clumsiness. It was an affliction that he had dealt with his entire life. But with this woman, he didn’t feel embarrassed, or inadequate. For the first time, he felt normal. “My name is Harrison Grey.”
“Lidia. Lidia Reston. I bought the enchanted house at the end of Cauldron Lane.”
Part of him wasn’t surprised that she lived in Nocturne Falls. He wanted to deny what was happening between them, that she only looked like the woman he had seen in his dream.
But he knew it was her. Like he knew the beat of his own heart.
She held out her hand, and he surprised himself by taking it. Heat roared up his arm at contact, his heart pounding so hard he was surprised the sound didn’t echo off the walls. She stared at him, her clear grey eyes wide, then lowered her gaze to their clasped hands. He knew she had felt the same shock of heat.
“I—you—oh, my.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
She burst out laughing, and to his disappointment, she freed her hand.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Fine. Would you have dinner with me?” The words burst out before he could stop them, and he waited, trying not to cringe, for her rejection.
She surprised him again. “I’d like that. This is actually my first full day in town, so I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look for food. Except Mummy’s Diner.”
Harrison schooled his face when she mentioned the one place he refused to eat. The 50s throwback décor discouraged his appetite. He knew that she would probably like Howler’s, the local bar. But he shied away from big crowds; the more people, the clumsier he got. For the second time, his words jumped out before he could stop them.
“We can have a picnic here.”
Her radiant smile made his heart pound faster. “Sounds like fun.”
“I—all right. There is a deli just down the street. We can assemble the picnic there, if that’s all right with you.”
“Harry,” she said, her voice gentle. “You don’t have to ask my permission.”
“Right.” He rubbed his forehead, the throbbing in his right shoulder finally breaking through his instant—and heated—attraction to the beautiful woman in front of him. “I will take that water and aspirin—no, I can get it myself. It will be faster than trying to direct you to it.”
He pushed himself out of the chair and tried not to limp as he crossed the shop, headed for the small back room. With every step, he expected Lidia to change her mind, to apologize and run in the opposite direction. It was the normal reaction when women found out just how clumsy he really was.
Instead, when he glanced over his shoulder, he found her wandering around the shop, smiling as she studied his shelves. Her rich, bright red hair glowed under the lights, almost as beautiful as the face it framed.
She called him Harry. No one has called him that name, not since his mom—
He cut off that line of thought before grief could set in.
By the time he quickly swallowed a handful of aspirin and returned to the front of the shop, Lidia was waiting for him by the door.
“Are you ready?” she asked. “I’m beyond starving.”
“Yes, of course.” He headed to her, his right knee still aching from impact with the sidewalk. When he noticed her looking down at his leg, a frown on her face, he smiled. At least, he hoped it looks like a smile; that was something he didn’t do often, not with women. “It’s all right. I’m a fast healer.”
“Oh,” she said, looking up at him. She was short, the top of her head not even reaching his shoulders. But the sheer power of her presence, of her effect on him, made her seem larger than life. “Are you—a shifter?”
Old grief squeezed his heart. She might as well know the truth now, so she could leave him before he fell any deeper. “I was.”
To his shock, instead of walking away, she moved to him and laid her hand over his aching heart. “I am so sorry, Harry. If you ever want to talk about it—well, I’d be happy to lend an ear.” She smiled up at him, and his defense crumbled.
Before he could talk himself out of it, or second-guess, he cradled her cheek and kissed her.
~ * ~
Lidia’s heart stopped the second Harry kissed her. There was heat, so much heat. She was afraid she’d burn up from the inside out.
She swayed toward him, and wrapped both arms around his waist to steady herself. With a low growl, he pinned her against the nearest wall, and deepened the kiss. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think, all she could do was feel—his lips on her, his lean, muscled body pressed against her, his heat everywhere.
When he finally freed her lips, she took in a shaky breath, her knees like rubber.
“Wow,” she whispered.
“I did not—I hope I didn’t offend you.”
“Hardly.” She smiled, and reached up to trace the line of his jaw. He had such a beautiful, angular face. The lines around his mouth, and the deep indent between his brows, physicalized the pain she felt from him. “Surprised, yes. Offended—never.” Her finger brushed his full, soft bottom lip, and she found herself wanting to kiss him again. To feel the flare of heat she had never felt with another man. Something about him seemed familiar, and it tugged at her. “Who are you, Harry?”
“A broken man,” he whispered.
The raw grief in his voice had Lidia tightening her grip. Whatever had happened to him had left a wound so deep that even time still hadn’t healed it.
“Not from where I’m standing.” Again, she felt a flare of surprise from him. Didn’t women fall all over him? He was beyond gorgeous.
But he was also unsure of himself around her, like a teenaged boy with his first girlfriend. Because he was clumsy—or because of whatever happened to him? When he had answered her question about being a shifter with past tense, she’d wanted to interrogate him.
No—she’d wanted to hold him, tell him that she understood. And that was the last reaction she expected, after running across the country to escape her boyfriend. Men were supposed to be off limits, persona non grata—not a tall, gorgeous hunk of wounded male, with dark, tousled, sun streaked hair, and golden brown eyes that seemed to look straight into her soul.
Lidia cleared her throat and stepped back, putting space between them. She was afraid that if she didn’t, she’d be tempted to find out what was hiding under his thick sweater and baggy trousers.
“Ready for that picnic?” She fought to keep her tone light, to pull Harry out of the funk she could see him falling into. She understood all too well.
“I don’t...” He met her eyes, his brows drawing together. “You still want to do this?”
“Duh.”
His shout of laughter warmed her, in a different way. “You are constantly a surprise, Miss Reston.”
“And you are good company, Sir Harry.” She bowed, smiling at his deep chuckle. “Is the aspirin kicking in?”
He nodded, his smile fading. Lidia desperately wanted to bring it back. She had a feeling he didn’t smile often. He waved to the door. “Ready?”
Her stomach growled before she could answer. Loudly.
“That would be a yes.”
Harry shook his head, but she could see another smile threatening. He unlocked the front door and opened it, waiting for her. “Shall we?”
She walked outside, and turned quickly, in case he tripped again. But he lifted his feet as he stepped over the thr
eshold, like he was avoiding a deep puddle. She found it endearing, and a little heartbreaking. How long had he been prone to clumsiness? Did it make him the quiet, careful man he was now? Lidia wanted to get to know him—and not only because he made her feel like she was going to burst into flame every time he kissed her.
A blush spread across her pale, redhead’s skin. Her own personal curse. Even the least bit of exertion, or emotion, showed on her face. More than one friend had been afraid she was on the verge of heatstroke after a vigorous walk.
She kept her head down as they walked, until the blush faded. One thing she did miss about her hair was the ability to hide her face. Now, she really had to swing what was left of it forward, which drew more attention than flushed cheeks.
Get over yourself, Lidia, and enjoy his company.
After tonight, he may run in the other direction.
He wasn’t the only one who had been broken.
Four
It was too good to be true.
Harrison, walking with a beautiful woman, through the center of town. Locals stared at them, probably wondering if she was that desperate for company.
Stop it—she had plenty of chances to walk away, and she didn’t.
He still couldn’t get over the fact that she was at his side, by choice.
“What is that?” Lidia’s voice jerked him back to the moment.
He followed her arm to the spectacle across the street. One of the local vampires was out, playing Vampire of the Day, and showing off for the tourists.
“Part of the show that is Nocturne Falls.”
She leaned in and whispered. “Is he a real vampire?”
Harrison nodded, figuring that since she was a supernatural, she knew the truth behind the town. Pandora would have vetted her, before selling her an enchanted house. He took a chance and laid his hand on the small of her back. She surprised him again by smiling up at him, and moving closer.
They finally reached the deli at the end of the block, and he opened the door, happy to get away from the attention. The owner, Sally Markham, smiled at him from behind the counter.
“Harrison—good to see you! And who is your lovely companion?”
Lidia stepped forward before Harrison could open his mouth to introduce her.
“Hi—I’m Lidia. I just moved into the house—”
“At the end of Cauldron Lane.” Sally took her hand, studying Lidia as she shook it. “I heard.”
“Wow.” Smiling, Lidia shook her head. “I’ll have to get used to the small town grapevine.”
“It’s huge here.” Sally’s smile faded. “Your power is—”
“We’re here for a picnic,” Harrison said. He knew interrupting was rude, but he didn’t think Lidia wanted to discuss her—issue with someone she just met. Though, he fit into that category as well. But he didn’t feel like he had just met her. To the contrary; her presence had already changed everything, and he couldn’t imagine not having her in his life. At his side.
Stop dreaming, fool. She is not for you.
He frowned at the voice in his mind.
Let her decide.
The connection between them was real—he may have overblown everything else about their meeting, but that was true. It was solid, and something he could hold on to.
Sally released Lidia’s hand, raising one eyebrow at him. “Okay, then. Let’s see what we can put together for you. Lidia, are you one of those California veggie only eaters?”
“Heck, no. Carnivore all the way—I love my meat.”
Harrison fell a little deeper with her words. Who was he kidding? Every second he spent with Lidia pulled him deeper, closer to the inevitable heartache.
With an effort that hurt, he put space between them, under the pretense of checking the long, well-stocked deli case. He felt Lidia’s glance, and a flare of confusion. No—he was projecting. There was no possible way he was connecting to her emotions already. They had just met, and he has lost the ability to bond, along with everything else that made him a shifter.
“Harry?” Lidia’s quiet voice jerked him out of his dark thoughts. “Where did you go?”
Sally’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into her blonde bangs. “Harry, is it? How long have you known each other?”
Lidia answered before Harrison could gather his thoughts.
“Just this afternoon. He fell at my feet.” She smiled, like it was a fond memory. “Literally.” Her smile faded as she turned to him. “I never asked if it was okay to call you Harry.”
“I like it,” he said, his voice a little too raw.
“Good. Harrison sounded a little stuffy.” She took his hand, twining their fingers together. “I don’t think of you as stuffy. Not after that first kiss,” she whispered, winking at him.
He swallowed, staring down at their joined hands. How was he going to tell her?
Kissing had been as far as he had gone with any woman.
She would laugh at his inexperience, and he wouldn’t blame her for walking away. Not being able to shift was already a huge strike against him; how would she feel when she learned his biggest secret?
Her voice drew him back to the moment, so warm, so lively as she joked with Sally, putting together enough food for several hungry people. She had also kept her grip on his hand. It felt right. She felt right, standing at his side, her arm brushing his when she leaned in to take a closer look at a nice chunk of dill studded Havarti.
Harrison swallowed, and eased his hand out of hers, ignoring her questioning look as he moved away from her. It was too much; her unquestioning acceptance, her kindness, the warm, heady scent that belonged only to her. He had to leave now, before she completely broke him.
He strode to the door and shoved it open, flinching when it slammed against the outside wall.
“Harry!”
Lidia’s voice followed him out. He hunched his shoulders and kept going, crossing the street to lose himself in the crowd outside Delaney’s Delectables. It didn’t work.
Her hand caught his wrist before he could hide. “What is it?” Her quiet question took him by surprise. “Talk to me, Harry. Please.”
He nodded, and let her lead him to the narrow side street. She waited until the darkness engulfed him before she halted, hands on her hips. His night vision hadn’t been taken from him, and he could see the spark of anger in her eyes.
“Lidia—”
“Why did you leave? The truth, Harry.”
He swallowed, staring at his feet. “I wanted to do it first.”
“Do what first?” She sounded like she already knew the answer, but her silence told him that she wanted him to say it.
“Leave.”
“Wow. I didn’t think a single word could be so insulting.” She crowded him until he trapped himself against the side of the building. “Listen up, Harrison Grey, because I’m only going to say this once. I’m attracted to you. No—I’m drawn to you. And that so wasn’t in my plan. I know you feel it, too, so don’t even try denying.” He stared at her, so turned on by her temper, and the glow around her as she lectured him, that he wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her until they couldn’t see straight. “Are you listening?”
“Yes.” He knew he sounded distracted, but he couldn’t stop looking at her full lips, couldn’t stop his reaction to her scent. She smelled like wildflowers and sunshine. Before he realized what he was doing, he had slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in, his nose pressed into her bright hair. “You smell beautiful.”
“I smell—what?” Her voice was muffled against his chest, but he could hear the tremble that edged it. “Harry—what’s happening?”
“I don’t know.” The admission that he had seen her in a dream would never leave his lips. She would think he was insane, and run away from him as fast as she could. He let out a sigh, and met her eyes. “Because of my past, I shy away from any kind of involvement. It has never ended well. But you, Lidia,” he cradled her cheek, marveling at her silky skin. “
You didn’t laugh, or make me feel like a bumbling idiot. I haven’t felt awkward around you, even after my spectacular tumble.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “It was impressive.”
Warmth spread through him. “I really want to kiss you, Lidia.”
She smiled up at him. “I really want you to, Harry.”
She was still smiling when he captured her lips.
~ * ~
The wild, almost primal kiss took Lidia by surprise.
She gasped, which had Harry deepening the kiss. Another gasp escaped her when he picked her up and trapped her between his lean, muscled body and the brick wall. All she could do was hold on to him and let herself fall into the heat.
He had been so gentle with her up to this point, like he was afraid of scaring her away. That wouldn’t happen, not now. This self-effacing, clumsy, charming man had stolen her vulnerable heart.
His constant, low growls had her wanting to climb him. She settled for sliding her hands under his sweater, up the hard, defined muscles of his back. He felt so good, and the way he pressed into her told her that he was just as affected.
Too soon, he ended the kiss, panting as he stared at her.
“Lidia—”
“Don’t stop, Harry.”
He swallowed, and laid his forehead against hers. “I want this. I want you, my beautiful Lidia, more than I’ve wanted any woman. But—”
“You’re married.” She smiled at his snort. “Celibate? Waiting until marriage? A virgin?” She had been kidding with the last one, but the way he stiffened told her she’d hit the nail directly. “Harry—you’re ... no. Not the way you kiss.”
He let out a sigh, and started to lower her to the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on. “Lidia.”
“Sorry—not letting you go. It’s too late, Harry,” she whispered. “I’m already attached.”
“I don’t know what to do, beyond kissing.” His whispered admission threatened to break her heart.
She slid her hand into his thick, sun streaked hair. “I think we can figure it out.”
He swallowed, his voice strangled when he finally spoke. “You’re—not hungry?”
“Oh, I am.” She brushed his lips with hers, whispering. “Just not for food.”
