Cupid In Blue

by Sandra Sookoo

  Tremors rocked his body at her touch. Aaron had no idea his wings could bring such intense spikes of pleasure, but as Catherine drew her fingers over the soft, downy feathers, his knees buckled. Intense waves of need crashed into him with enough force to make him flinch. “Catherine…” His voice was rough with a passion he couldn’t explain.

  “You’d better be careful, Cupid. If a simple touch has you nearly doing cartwheels, I can’t imagine what a kiss would make you do.”

  He met her gaze and almost pleaded with her to stop her torment, but he quelled the urge. He wanted to know what else would happen. “Catherine.” Urgency flooded his voice. She swept her palm down the length of his wing. Aaron shivered and clutched at the hand she placed on his chest. He groaned as his arousal strained against the front of his jeans. Never had he felt this way, and all because a woman touched his wing. “Enough.”

  Catherine’s laugh was throaty and smugly feminine, but she removed her hand. “I can honestly say I’ve never turned a guy on quite like this before.”

  “Damn.” He felt the loss of contact immediately, as the extreme sensations subsided and his ragged breathing returned to normal. “You almost killed me.” He stared at her with newfound respect and a healthy dose of shock.

  “In order to be the authority on love and passion, wouldn’t you need to experience it for yourself?” She shrugged then turned away. “I’m going to the diner. You’re welcome to join me when you’re able.” At the last moment, she glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t know how you men function with those things between your legs. Seems to me they spring to life at the most inopportune moments.”

  His jaw dropped. He stared after her for long moments as “that thing” calmed down enough so he could walk about town without embarrassing himself. Not for the first time did he wonder what exactly went on behind Catherine’s confident façade.

  Aaron folded his wings beneath his skin, cringing when joints snapped and the skin on his back stretched. He’d never get used to that sensation. He took a deep breath and let it hiss out between his teeth. Being Cupid was not the problem. Being Cupid with the hots for an unattainable woman definitely was.

  * * * *

  Catherine eyed the interior of Peg’s Place with skepticism. A far cry from the trendy cafes and fine dining establishments she was used to, the diner was just that—a diner from any part of the country that served hometown comfort food. A sappy Michael Bolton love song wafted through the speakers. Red cardboard hearts hung from white curling ribbon and swayed each time the door opened. She perched on one of the white cushioned stools at the counter, scanning the vinyl menu as she tapped a French-manicured fingernail on the Formica.

  “What can I get ya, darlin’?”

  She narrowed her eyes, noting the woman’s nametag read “Peg,” which surprised her. She really didn’t expect there was a real woman by the same moniker. “Do you have anything on the menu that’s not fried or covered in gravy of some sort?” Catherine frowned at the frizzy redhead with the heavy coral lipstick. This was the second evening she intended to eat at the diner, and yesterday’s salad had been a dismal disappointment. They didn’t even know what romaine lettuce was.

  “Well, now, you can always have the club sandwich.” Peg planted a hand on her hip as she snapped her gum.

  “Fine. I’ll have that.” Catherine sighed and jammed the menu into the wire rack nearby. Tomorrow, she would make Jenika sign the damn deed one way or another. She couldn’t stand to be in this town another minute! She laid her head on her arms as she waited for her mediocre food. She heard the door open and Peg ask the newcomer if the usual would be okay.

  “You could have at least waited for me.”

  She raised her head to shoot an amused glance at Aaron as he slipped onto the stool next to hers. “It looked like you needed your privacy.” Two potato chips fell off the plate Peg deposited in front of her, and Catherine muttered her thanks to Peg then turned to him. “I mean, it appeared you had a rather big problem to deal with.”

  Annoyance flitted over Aaron’s face. “I’m fine now, thanks for asking.”

  “I didn’t ask.” She peeked under the sesame Kaiser roll, contemplating her sandwich. “Does everything have to come topped with bacon?” She picked the offending smoked meat from the perfectly folded slices of turkey and dropped them on the side of her plate. She tried to ignore the mayonnaise that clung to the top bun.

  “Listen, Catherine, about what happened back there…” His words trailed to a halt and he rubbed a hand over the blond stubble on his jaw.

  Sudden stabs of desire pricked her gut. Her eyes followed every movement of his fingers. “It’s none of my concern what you do with your body.” She gave him a smile then quickly turned back to her sandwich, hoping the act of eating would distract her from his maleness. He smelled citrusy, like the orange groves in Florida, with a vague note of chocolate? Oh God. That was her biggest weakness.

  “Funny.” He nodded his thanks to Peg when she deposited his beverage on the table. He popped a straw into the ice-filled cup and sipped his soda. “What’s the deal with your cavalier attitude toward love? Bad relationship? Husband with a cold shoulder? Distant father? Unrequited affection?” He snatched a piece of her discarded bacon and waited.

  Catherine worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she willed her stomach to settle down. There was no reason she should be so discombobulated because of him. “No, nothing like that. My life is great, actually.” She fiddled with a chip and nodded when he reached for one of them. “Well, it was until Jenika moved away. Now, it’s just quiet.” She frowned. “Really quiet, and a little lonely.”

  “Loneliness is one thing, but single people usually seek out relationship partners. So, what’s your whole hang-up with romance?”

  Peg returned and presented Aaron with a plate containing turkey Manhattan, swimming in pale gravy. Catherine shuddered. Gravy reminded her of a mud puddle. She risked a glance at her companion, studying him as Peg walked away. His blond curls were windblown and tiny downy feathers dotted the shoulders of his red sweater. She almost preferred him with his wings. They gave him an air of powerful authority, an acute masculine presence that couldn’t be ignored. “I don’t know. I’ve never really been in love and the prospect scares me. So I mock it.” Catherine shrugged. “I’ve done pretty well without a man. Why should I invest my time in one now?” Her eyes followed the forkful of mashed potatoes as it passed his lips, those sensuous, kissable lips... Oh God.

  “Because that’s why we exist. To love others. To find the one person to whom we belong. To feel completed by someone.” His smile reached his eyes. “I suppose that’s why I exist. To help people find their other half.”

  “Whatever.” She pushed her picked-over meal away. “Who are you to preach to me about love? I mean, come on. A single Cupid?” She didn’t like how his intense brown-eyed gaze held hers. “Whoever heard of such a thing? You couldn’t possibly give advice about romance when you don’t know it yourself.”

  “I’m working on it.” He wiped a bit of potato from his lips with a recyclable paper napkin.

  “Well, you let me know if anything changes. Until then, my number one job is to get that deed signed and get out of here.” She fumbled in her purse then threw a twenty-dollar bill on the counter. “Tell her to keep the change. See ya around, Fly Boy.” Once out the door, she sucked in a few gulps of the cool air. There was no reason she should feel like burning to a crisp every time she saw the man. No reason at all.

  Chapter 4

  The aroma of strong black coffee teased Catherine’s nose and tickled her senses. She sipped the dark brew and smiled when she tasted the bitterness on her tongue. Comfort settled into her bones as the liquid heated her throat. If nothing else, Just Cookies definitely served a great cup of java.

  “Bad night?” Jenika slid a cookie on a plate down the counter toward Catherine.

  “You could say that.” She picked a bit of the pink frosting from the h
eart-shaped sugar cookie and let it dissolve on her tongue. She’d tossed and turned for several hours before she finally called defeat and ended up watching an hour of the Weather Channel. Thank goodness for artfully applied makeup that hid the dark blotches under her eyes. “I didn’t get much sleep.”

  “That’s because you’re in denial.”

  “Of what?” Catherine scooped up another fingertip full of icing, content to lick the pink goo like a Popsicle. Sometimes extra calories were a good thing.

  “Being smitten.” Jenika filled a yellow plastic tray in the glass pastry case with fresh, round sugar cookies dipped halfway in dark chocolate.

  “Smitten? I think you’ve been reading too many sappy romance novels.” Catherine lifted a brow. “Or spending too much time in front of Lifetime.”

  “Then you’re ‘in like’ with someone, but that sounds really dumb and not at all romantic. Now spill it. Who has caught your eye?”

  “No one, okay?” Catherine shrugged. “I’m just tired of being in this town, that’s all.” Abandoning her now-naked cookie, she snagged another one from Jenika’s tray. “I haven’t talked to anyone beside you since I’ve been here.” She hoped her friend believed the tiny lie.

  “Oh, so then having dinner with Aaron Bernhart was just an illusion?”

  Obviously, Jenika knew a thing or two about life. Catherine bit savagely into the new cookie and closed her eyes briefly as the bittersweet chocolate flirted with her taste buds. The richly sweet taste had the power to make her forget downy soft wings and golden curls…

  “You know, I could try brewing you a love potion.”

  Catherine’s eyes flew open in order to gape at the baker. “What?” She knew Jenika wasn’t quite…normal, but she had no idea how far the woman could go. She dropped the cookie on the plate, her appetite for chocolate severely diminished. “When did you become a witch?”

  “I’m not, but I did buy a copy of an old spell book at a rummage sale Mrs. Wiggins had a couple of weeks ago. I want to see if anything in there is real. I like the idea of magic. Wouldn’t it be great to learn how to do it?” A smile lit her pixie-like face. “So, are you game?”

  “Absolutely not! You’re not using me as a guinea pig.” Catherine slipped from the stool and cast a wistful glance at the chocolate-covered cookie. “I don’t suppose you’ll sign that deed this morning?”

  “Still thinking about it.” Jenika removed Catherine’s plate and coffee cup to the tub that waited for dirty dishes under the counter. “What will you do with yourself today?”

  “Beats me. What is there to do in Crystal Falls?” Catherine slipped her arms into a supple, black leather blazer. “And I didn’t bring too many changes of clothes with me since I didn’t expect to stay very long.” When Jenika didn’t pick up on the annoyed tone in her voice, she sighed. “Maybe I’ll do laundry.”

  “You don’t need tons of clothes since you don’t have anyone to impress, right?”

  “Right.” Catherine frowned as Jenika busied herself with a handful of backpack-toting children flooded into the bakery. She shivered from the gust of cold air, glad her schooldays were long behind her. Catherine hesitated a fraction of a second before opening her mouth to ask her ex-roommate a question regarding the love potion, but a smooth, cocky voice behind her shocked the thought from her head.

  “Just the woman I wanted to see. Come on, we’ve got a full day ahead of us.”

  She blinked as Aaron strode into the bakery to a chorus of jingling bells, a black knit stocking cap over his curls. A black-and-white Fair Isle sweater clung to his well-built chest. Catherine wrenched her eyes from his torso to focus on his eyes. “I didn’t realize we had an appointment.” Her pulse accelerated when he threw her a slow, sexy grin that seemed to wrap her in a warm cozy blanket. That smile was a definite challenge to her peace of mind.

  “We don’t.” Aaron nodded to Jenika as he threaded his way through the group of school kids. “But I figured since you’re stuck here in Crystal Falls, you might as well see the town at its best.”

  “If you wait until closing time, I’d be happy to go with you, Mr. Bernhart.” Jenika was oblivious to the tension between the two. “I haven’t gotten out much since I’ve been here.”

  Catherine stifled a giggle as Aaron shot the baker a pointed glance. “It’s not necessary, Aaron. I’m sure the tour isn’t very exciting.” She nervously fiddled with the padded black handles of her barrel-style purse. “After all, what does Crystal Falls have besides the bakery, a diner and Mrs. Wiggins?”

  Aaron’s brown eyes gleamed. “Magic.”

  ”Are you making fun of me because of what I told you about,” she jerked her head in the direction of Jinx, “you know who?”

  Aaron’s grin didn’t lessen in intensity. “Absolutely not. I’m simply trying to get to know you better, you know, like normal ready-to-date people do.”

  “Magic, huh?” Her shoulders slumped as a sigh escaped her. “This I have to see.” She met Aaron’s bright gaze. “I don’t want re-worked stories about Santa or the Easter Bunny. I want to experience something so bizarre, so mind-numbingly awesome, I’ll get chills and feel heat at the same time.” Chilly fingers of excitement shivered along her spine. She lifted her chin in challenge and kicked common sense in the rear. “I dare you to make magic sexy.”

  * * * *

  “Tell me again why we’re sitting up here? I hope it’s not to see how quickly my feet can freeze, because that happened ten minutes ago.” Catherine was not happy after Aaron flew up and deposited her in the tree.

  “I guess the concept of patience being a virtue has escaped you.” Aaron let his fingertips play with the taut bowstring before lowering the weapon altogether in order to glance at his companion. “I am going to show you the subtle art of matchmaking.” He grinned when her face contorted with a sour expression. Beautiful and skeptical. It would be a challenge, but he could handle it. “Observe.”

  He gestured down below to a man in a tan business suit, probably in his mid-twenties. “It’s this man’s lucky day because he’s about to meet the woman of his dreams.” He ignored Catherine’s sound of derision and scooted closer to her on the sturdy branch of an oak tree, which overlooked the post office. “Now, all I need to do is strike our unwitting friend with one of these.” He held up a special arrow and plunked the quiver into her lap.

  “What is it?”

  “What does it look like?” He liked the way the rosy blush stained her cheeks. “This,” he waved the thin object in front of her face, “just happens to be an authentic Cupid’s arrow, guaranteed to infect its target with amorous feelings.” Aaron fitted the slim arrow to the string, and then paused to admire the liquid interior of its shaft. He wondered what the substance inside was.

  “So, are you going to shoot the guy or what?” Catherine shifted on the branch, clutching tightly to the quiver with one hand and the branch with the other as she teetered a bit. “I think I’m afraid of heights.”

  He drew the arrow back to his ear, took aim and quickly released it. A brief wind stirred as the feathers caressed his cheek. The arrow struck the man square in the middle of his back. “Bulls eye.” Aaron couldn’t contain his laugh as the befuddled target squirmed, shrugged, then finally went on his way as if nothing happened. “There goes a very happy man.”

  “How do you know he’s happy?” Catherine gripped Aaron’s arm as a stiff breeze swept through the naked treetop where they rested. “I mean, if someone just shot me with an arrow, I’d be the opposite of happy. I’d imagine it has to hurt.”

  “It’s probably just a quick sting then the target feels nothing. I mean, if a Cupid’s arrow really did hurt, wouldn’t people start complaining on blogs or something?” He hoped she’d stop asking questions he had no answers for and made a mental note to read the damn manual that came with the bow and arrow. On the other hand, her curiosity intrigued him. Aaron hung his bow on a nearby branch then turned slightly to study her. A frown marred the pink perfec
tion of her lips as confusion warred with doubt in her sapphire blue eyes. He wondered what it would take to see those eyes sparkle with laughter.

  “Come on, show me something I haven’t seen before. You shot some guy with an arrow. Big deal. Anyone could do that.”

  “It was a magical arrow. That takes skill.”

  “Whatever.” Her shrug caused the thin fabric of her sweater to pull tightly across her breasts. With an effort, he ignored the enticing display. He made a sound of exasperation in his throat, which turned to annoyance when his wings unfurled on his back. They seemed to be directly linked with his emotions—the more irritated or aroused he got, the better the likelihood his wings would make an appearance. “You’ve got to be the most frustrating woman I’ve ever met.”

  “Sorry, guess I don’t fit your preconceived romantic mold.” She turned her attention to the quiver in her lap. “Maybe I’m not soft enough around the edges for all that mushy frou-frou love stuff.”

  Aaron took one look at her trembling bottom lip and her slender fingers as they absently stroked one of his arrows. Even her French manicure was sexy. He stifled a groan. “Damn, Catherine, if you’d just let yourself believe in things you can’t see, you might learn something new. Heaven forbid that tough exterior of yours cracks.” He swallowed heavily and stared hard at the dull grayish-brown branches of the tree. She wanted something she’d never seen before. Fine. He’d give her a show she’d never forget. He hoped he had the small command of magic that Landon thought he did. Aaron never had cause to force the issue before.

  He wasn’t disappointed.

  The air before him shimmered and rolled with an invisible force. He concentrated harder. Surely, this couldn’t be the extent of his power. Aaron ignored the woman beside him, the hard, gnarled bark of the tree, the cold that seeped under his sweater to chill his skin. Then, he gave a triumphant bark of laughter, then grinned.