Six Times a Charm

by Deanna Chase

  “You need to call the police. Something should be done.”

  I didn’t want the law involved, but it looked as if I had no choice this time. The expression on Jack’s face spoke volumes. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. And in my heart, I knew he was right. However, I couldn’t tell the human police the whole truth. As in: the fact that possibly a lupine was responsible for the mess.

  “I guess you’re right. I’ll call,” I said softly.

  Before I had barely agreed, he reached over and grabbed the phone from the floor, checked to see if it had a dial tone and punched in 911.

  “I know I’m right, look around you. Now call.” He shoved the phone into my hand and I pressed the Call button.

  After explaining to the operator what the problem was and where we were located, I hung up and avoided eye contact with Jack. We would probably have a lot of time to kill, and with him staring at me, waiting for an answer or an explanation that I didn’t want to provide, it wouldn’t be a comfortable situation.

  “So you have no idea who would do this? Or why they would do something so destructive? Does someone hate you?”

  My face remained turned away from Jack. I paused before answering and then said, “I think it’s the client you saw with the sign. The one picketing me on the first day we met. I’d say she hates me.”

  How embarrassing. Thanks a bunch, Lily. I just had to admit I was a failure at my job.

  “Oh yes, her. She seems relatively upset with you, doesn’t she? That makes sense.”

  I nodded. What more could I add? He’d summed the scenario up nicely.

  “I’ve never seen a customer so unhappy before. You’re definitely on her least-favorite-person list.”

  Yeah, well, he’d probably never run into a werewolf with an attitude like Lily’s. If he had, he’d understand.

  “I guess a disgruntled patron makes sense. What could you have possibly done to make her that upset? Did you fix her up with a dud? Or a serial killer? Someone who was married?” Jack moved closer to me, bringing his sexiness with him. Damn.

  “No, he wasn’t married. I guess dud would be an appropriate term to describe him. The guy I set her up with didn’t pan out. She claimed to love him but the feeling isn’t mutual. So of course she blames me. I can’t make him have feelings for her.”

  “That is a problem. You’re right, if he doesn’t like her, that’s not your fault.”

  “I guess I underestimated her agitation with me.”

  “I guess you did,” he concurred.

  “Jennifer said I should talk with her. Maybe I do need to talk to her, convince her that what she’s doing is completely loco.” I laughed, but Jack’s mood was too serious to join me in my amusement.

  “Does this sort of thing happen often? People being unhappy? I mean, do you have a lot of unhappy clients? That’s not very good for business, huh?”

  He’d asked a legitimate question, I suppose, but it didn’t make me feel any better.

  “No, actually, it doesn’t happen often. This was the first time.” And the last, I hoped. “I agree, though, she could be bad for business.” That was an understatement.

  Jack stepped toward me again. I couldn’t avoid his eye contact any longer. “I worry about you, Rylie. You need some sort of security or bodyguard.”

  Perhaps he’d like to volunteer?

  “It’s not safe for you to let this continue. Don’t you worry about getting hurt? I’m not sensing that you feel as if you’re in real danger. But this is a genuine threat, Rylie. You could be injured or, even worse, killed.”

  “I know—”

  “I don’t think you do. Please, don’t be so blasé about what’s happened.” His brows pinched together.

  Once again Jack moved closer and stopped mere inches from me. He was so close that in some cultures we’d be considered legally married. His expression was worried, as if he was mulling over his next move, and it would be the most important one he’d ever make.

  I continued talking, trying not to let his proximity distract me. God, he smelled good, though. “I promise to be more careful. I’m watchful of my surroundings, honest. I told you the other night: my customers would probably end up seeing you when all is said and done. Maybe I’m not such a good matchmaker after all.”

  Nervousness always made me too chatty.

  He chuckled. “Don’t say such a thing. It’s only one customer. I wouldn’t throw in the towel just yet.” His drawl was more pronounced and sexier than ever. Thankfully, his mood had lightened.

  “I guess you’re right. But if it happens again I may close up shop. Actually, I may be forced to close. I’ll try a less dramatic venture next time—like dog training.”

  “Hmm. Dogs bite, you know.” Did I ever.

  Jack’s eyes were fixed on my legs, making me even more self-conscious in my short nightgown.

  “I’m sorry about my appearance. I didn’t think to dress when the racket started. All I wanted to do was catch someone in the act.”

  “Don’t apologize, please.” His gaze locked with mine. “You can wear that around me anytime you want. You look amazing as usual, by the way. You look amazing in everything.”

  “I need to change into real clothing before the police come. I don’t think they’ll be pleased with my attire.”

  “Are you sure you need to?” he asked in a low, husky voice—almost a whisper.

  His words made me tingle all over.

  “No, er, I don’t know.” I couldn’t think straight. I moved my hips, trying to entice him. Sure things in my life were in disarray, but I was only human, er, werewolf. I had needs and desires like everyone else. And Jack defined my needs and desires.

  With the way he stared at me, I didn’t think I could suppress those needs any longer. He leaned in close. My personal space had been invaded long ago, and I didn’t mind one bit. Heat emanated from his body. My pulse increased. Jack pulled me against his chest, wrapping his tanned, toned arms around me, his warmth enveloping me. Pressed against him, I felt his excitement.

  “Rylie,” he whispered, “in spite of everything, I can’t seem to stay away from you. My head tells me not to get involved, but something keeps pulling me to you and I can’t help myself. Even after the crazy stunt in the graveyard.” His lips brushed against my ear. Not being able to help himself was good in this instance, but earlier had been no stunt.

  All I could do was moan in response. Thank God it wasn’t a howl. He gazed into my eyes and lowered his lips to mine. My pulse quickened with every touch of his tongue. As his mouth moved to my neck, I inhaled his electrifying scent. My legs went limp like cooked pasta, and I leaned into him for support. I’d imagined a scene such as this ever since I laid eyes on him.

  Jack planted tiny flutters of kisses on my neck while his fingers grazed the side of my leg. Suddenly I felt his hands move up my body, lift the silky fabric of my gown and come to rest on my hips. The feel of his skin against mine set me on fire. I was glad I wasn’t dreaming. His lips found mine again and his tongue traced my lips. I loved the feel of his skin and the touch of his hands. A warm feeling shimmied in the bottom of my stomach. As much as I hated to, however, I knew I had to make him stop. The police would be here soon, plus I didn’t know how involved I should really become with the sexy Jack Chandler.

  “I need to—”

  Jack stopped me with a kiss. Pressing my hands against his chest, I managed to break free from his mouth. “I—I need to dress before the police arrive,” I stammered.

  Jack groaned. “I’m sure they won’t care what you’re wearing. They’ve seen it all before.

  I think what you’ve got on is perfect. You look beautiful.”

  “All right, then, I feel uncomfortable. And you’re naughty,” I said. He gently held on to my arm until I moved farther away and he was forced to let go.

  “I’ll be right back.” The police might not care, but I sure did. What kind of illegal activities would they think I was involved in with a wrecke
d office and dressed like this?

  “If you have to…” His eyes glistened with lust. “I’ll eagerly await your return and make sure whoever broke in doesn’t come back. However, I’ll watch you go back upstairs. Purely for safety reasons, of course.” He moved to the hallway.

  “Of course, safety first,” I said. “If they arrive before I return, let them know I’ll be right back.”

  Jack might have thought I was into weird crap, but he couldn’t resist my body. He thought I was sexy. I liked the sound of that. In spite of my situation, I felt a little giddy at the thought. Crazy, I know.

  I dashed up the stairs, aware of Jack’s eyes firmly planted on my legs and backside. Slipping into the apartment, I tiptoed toward my room, careful not to wake Jennifer. The fact she was still sleeping amazed me, but I’d let her rest. The hallway remained dark, and as I made my way through, I tried to keep from bumping into the wall.

  Thud.

  No such luck.

  “Ouch. Damn,” I cried under my breath as my foot made contact with the wall.

  After hopping up and down for a minute to ease the pain in my big toe, I jumped into jeans and a t-shirt, slipped on sneakers and headed back toward the door. As I hurried past Jennifer’s bedroom door, I noticed it was slightly ajar. It hadn’t been that way when I left. I poked my head into her room and saw she was asleep. I couldn’t believe she hadn’t roused when the crash sounded. All the noise down there had been enough to wake the dead. Snuggled in the blankets, she really could snooze. Maybe I just hadn’t noticed the door open when I went out. I’d rushed past in a tizzy.

  Easing Jennifer’s door shut, I slipped back down the stairs to my office. When I reached the doorway, I stopped just short of entering, uncertain of what I saw.

  Chapter 12

  How to Date a Werewolf Rule # 12:

  Don’t remind your date what big teeth they have.

  Jack hovered over my desk, staring down at the few stray files that remained on the top—most had ended up scattered haphazardly on the floor. Watching him made me uneasy. What if he saw the word werewolf somewhere? My heart rate spiked. I remained quiet. Jack hadn’t heard me enter the room. Was he looking for something in particular? I made a noise with my foot and moved forward, pretending I’d just arrived. By the look of guilt on his face, he knew I’d seen him, I guessed.

  “I was just tidying up a few things around the desk. I was bored…” His voice trailed off.

  My eyes searched his. “All right.” I was a little suspicious, but I shook the feeling off.

  “It’s none of my business, but I have to ask. Why do all of these people have ‘wants werewolf’ beside their name?”

  I had to think quickly.

  “Um, that’s code. Yes, that’s my code. It means they want someone very hairy.”

  “Hairy?” His expression was nothing short of shocked.

  “Yes, hairy.” I went for a nonchalant look.

  “I can’t believe that many people want someone hairy,” he said.

  “You’d be surprised. People have strange fetishes.”

  “Right. Okay. Well, what about vampire?”

  “Oh, that means someone who’s clingy. You know, they just suck the life right out of you.” Where did I come up with this stuff?

  “There are actually people who want that?”

  “Like I said, there are some weird people in this world.”

  “You have a strange way of organizing your clients.” He scratched his head.

  “It works.” Big fat liar. I was going to hell. Why couldn’t I just tell him the truth? I told Jennifer. Of course I’d been young and stupid when I told her, but it had worked out. Just then I heard the door of the foyer open and turned to see the uniformed men enter.

  “Someone phoned the police?” The short, pudgy man surveyed the room.

  “Yes, officer, I called the police.”

  Acknowledging their presence made me edgy. I hadn’t wanted to invite them.

  “I’m Officer McDonnell and this is Officer Doody.” He pointed at the other man in uniform standing in the doorway.

  Did he say Doody? I tried to keep a straight face as I nodded and said, “Hello, I’m Rylie Cruz and this is Jack Chandler.”

  Jack shook their hands. They didn’t offer to shake mine, which was fine by me. They took their businesslike persona to the next level.

  “Whoa. You got a real mess on your hands. Did you have a lovers’ spat?” Officer Doody pulled a pad of paper from his pocket. He took in my appearance with his beady, chocolate-colored eyes. Something was odd about his face, and at first I couldn’t put my finger on what seemed off about his appearance. Then I realized he had nearly nonexistent eyebrows, which kind of creeped me out. From the looks of both men, we could be in for a long night. They seemed to move in slow motion. Maybe if I offered to pay for doughnuts they’d hurry it along.

  “No, it’s not a lovers’ spat. This is my office. Someone broke in and destroyed everything. I think they came in through the window.” I waved my hand to point out the destruction.

  “Uh-huh. Did you leave the window open?” Officer McDonnell scoffed. His dark hair appeared wet from what I assumed to be sweat. Taking in his appearance, I wondered if his shirt buttons might zing across the room at any moment. They strained under the pressure of his bulging belly.

  “No. Of course not. I distinctly remember closing it.”

  “Did you lock the window?”

  “I don’t remember. It was shut, but I don’t know about locked.”

  “Uh-huh.” He scribbled something down. “Is anything missing?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. Of course I haven’t looked closely. That will take some time.”

  “Did you touch anything?”

  “Yes.” Jack had a guilty face and I suspected he wished he hadn’t touched my desk. Either that or he wished he hadn’t gotten caught touching possible evidence. “I moved some papers.”

  “And I moved the lamp and the figurines. Oh, and I touched the light switch over there on the wall too.” Maybe my confession made Jack less troubled by his snooping, although that hadn’t been my intention. Let him sweat it out for poking around.

  “You shouldn’t have done that.” Officer Doody wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief he’d pulled from his pocket. It wasn’t even that hot, but both men were perspiring as if the room was a sauna.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know. I’m not familiar with break-in etiquette,” I said.

  “What made you come down here in the middle of the night to discover this?” He ran his eyes along my body, stopping at my chest.

  “I was in bed and heard something crash down here.” I folded my arms across my chest to block his view.

  “When do you think this happened? About what time?”

  “About an hour ago, I guess.”

  “Did you hear anything?” Doody gestured to Jack.

  Jack shook his head. “No.”

  “With all of this mess, I would think you’d have heard more than one crash. This would make a lot of noise.”

  “I don’t know. I heard a couple of crashes, I guess. Plus, the walls are thick,” I said through gritted teeth. I felt as if I was the criminal.

  “And you didn’t hear anything? Sorry, what was your name again?”

  “Jack Chandler. I was in the shower and didn’t hear anything.”

  “So I assume Ms. Cruz came to you for help?”

  “No, sir. I did hear her down here after my shower and came to investigate.”

  Officer Doody frowned and then said, “We’ll dust for fingerprints, but it’ll be moot now with a contaminated crime scene. We’ll look for prints along the points of entry, though.” He seemed overly dramatic in my opinion. “Can you have a seat and tell me who you think did this?”

  Why did he assume I knew who did it? Wasn’t that his job to find out? People break into places all the time. It could just be a random act. The pudgy one commenced gathering evidence. It l
ooked as if he was doing a half-assed job of collecting it from my perspective.

  I parked my rear in the leather chair while Doody hovered over me, drilling me for information I wasn’t willing to provide.

  “You have no idea who did this or why?” By the arched eyebrows, I assumed he didn’t believe me.

  Jack approached and instantly took away my option of lying about Lily. Silence loomed.

  “There might be one client who isn’t all that pleased with me at the moment.”

  My shoes suddenly became extremely fascinating. Staring at them was better than looking at Officer Howdy-Doody—or Jack.

  “All right. Can you write down everything that’s going on for me? Give me as many details as you can. I want names and addresses. Don’t leave out anything.”

  “Yes, sir.” I saluted half-heartedly behind his back. Maybe I’d give them the wrong number for Lily. I didn’t want her to go to jail or anything.

  When she discovered I called the cops, she’d probably make things even worse for me. I still wasn’t convinced she meant me any real bodily harm, although I was going to make her pay for any damages. And replace my figurines.

  After Doody questioned me like a common criminal, he turned and swaggered away. I watched as he moved into the hallway outside and spoke to Jack. I couldn’t hear what they said.

  Officer McDonnell wrapped up his little CSI project and said, “Call if you need us.” He paused, looked me up and down, then pivoted and marched out. Not sure what that was all about. Leave it to me to get the worst policemen on the force.

  “Thanks,” I mumbled dryly. The uniforms skedaddled and I was left with cleaning up the mess. The bastards had destroyed my damn figurines. Breathe in. Breathe out. I’d been collecting the knickknacks since I was sixteen, and now most of them were smashed into tiny pieces scattered about the floor. The only thing getting me through the moment was the fact Jack was still there and had given me the best kiss of my life moments earlier. Just when I didn’t think he could make me feel even better, he did. I still felt flushed from it.

  “Let me help you clean up. It’s too much to handle by yourself.” Jack stood in the doorway, his beautiful blue eyes shimmering in the dim light. He’d finished discussing my little snafu with the police. I wondered what he’d told them. Of course I didn’t offer a lot of details about Lily in my verbal statement. And, needless to say, I couldn’t tell them about the werewolves. If they found the person responsible, I’d be happy, but I’d lay odds they wouldn’t uncover the culprit.