by Lynn Cahoon
The redhead choked on a sip of beer. Wiping her mouth, she looked wide-eyed at Parris, “What?”
“Just wondering if you wanted to add to the chatter before I threw.” Parris grinned at the woman. Rachel tended to talk first, think later. Often, she’d wait until Parris released the dart to yell some lame encouragement. The noise would cause Parris to jerk, her dart veering away from its intended target.
“You told me to be quiet, so, I’m being quiet.” Rachel went back finishing off her beer, muttering, “Jeez. Damned if I do.”
Parris turned to the dart board, focusing her attention on the result she wanted. Three darts, aimed at the bullseye. Time to play hard. She whispered a short prayer of good luck. Leaning for the throw, released her first dart. A second flew fast after. Then the final dart hit. Pleased, she walked up to the board, pulling the closely gathered darts with one hand.
Turning back, she saw Ty watched her, standing in between her and the table, blocking her path. He held his hand up waiting for a high five.
She couldn’t ignore him but one touch would take her mind to a different game, one best practiced behind closed doors. Steeling herself, she walked toward him, hand in the air.
“Nice answer.” Their hands slapped together. Parris recognized desire in the man’s eyes. And something else–surprise. Ty looked genuinely surprised.
Welcome to my world. Parris broke eye contact returning to her team table where her team congratulated her.
“See, I knew you had this game.” Jan linked her arm with Parris’. “In the bag.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Parris muttered, still refusing to watch her opponent throw. She’d know if she’d have a chance at a second round by sound alone.
When she’d heard two gunshots, she turned to watch. A triple seventeen, the game would be over. If he wasn’t a ringer, like Sally had claimed, his initial inclination would be to hit another bull, leaving one point. Crap no, Ty had moved his arm lower, aiming at the one shot to win the game, the triple seventeen,
Heat coursed through her body. This would be the first singles game she’d ever lost in league.
Miss, miss, rang through her mind. She didn’t like wishing bad luck but liked losing less.
As if he’d heard her, he turned, delaying his shot. “Not nice.”
She hadn’t spoken aloud. Shocked, she glanced around at her teammates who looked confused too. The four watched the dart fly right where he’d aimed. Ty won the game. Three hundred and one points in six darts.
Rachel broke the silence at the table. “Great game. You would have won if you’d gone first.”
“I know.” Parris didn’t know how to say what she was feeling without sounding like a spoiled brat. “It’s just…”
“You’ve never lost before. She is human, folks!” Rachel grinned, nodding to Jan. “Let’s get this match back to our favor.”
Jan took her place at the line. Rachel inched closer to Parris, whispering, “What was the chatter on the line about? You didn’t say anything.”
“Maybe he read my thoughts.” Parris whispered back, glancing over at Ty with Sally hanging on his arm, giggling over the win.
“Yeah, a man who looks like an angel and knows what a woman is thinking? Now that’s a fairy tale.” Rachel finished off her bottle, nodding toward Parris’ glass. “You need a refill?”
“Thanks.”
Rachel and Carol headed to the bar leaving Parris alone. Her mind kept wandering to Ty’s words. Did he read her thoughts?
* * * *
At the end of the night, the match went to Parris’ undefeated team. Sally didn’t seem fazed at the loss.
“We’re going to Sunshine to get breakfast before heading home. Want to come along?” Sally rested her hand on Ty’s forearm.
He looked at his secretary, hope flooding her face. Yep, this had been a bad idea. He picked up the beer he’d been nursing, finishing a last warm swig. “Sorry, I’ve got a busy day tomorrow. I think I’ll have one more beer.”
Standing, he patted her on the shoulder, dismissing her. He walked over to the bar. Time to question Parris. Maybe he’d been wrong. He’d hate to turn her into The Council if she was a low-level natural who didn’t even know her power. He’d seen witches broken during The Council’s testing process.
Parris busied herself behind the bar when he walked up. “Need one more?”
Before he answered, she’d grabbed a bottle out of the fridge and popped the top. As he reached for his wallet, she waved him off.
“On the house. Six marks earn free drinks.” She grinned. “Nice darts.”
He took a sip of ice cold beer. “You only saw the last dart.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t have to see delivery, I saw results.”
A customer waited at the cash register, credit card in hand. Parris slipped away to settle the young man’s tab.
As moments passed in silence, he watched regulars pay their tabs, calling out their good nights. The bar grew quiet around them. Ty scrutinized Parris working. Her patrons loved her. An old man, sitting a few stools down, got a cab ride home, Parris giving the driver money out of the till.
When she’d sent her last customer on his way, locking the door behind her, she turned off the open sign. Parris placed a fresh bottle in front of Ty and filled her wine glass. Coming around the bar, she climbed on a stool next to him. “Now we’re alone, do you want to tell me why you said ‘not nice’ in our game?”
Ty grinned, keeping his gaze focused on the beer. “If you tell me why a sweet girl like you would wish me to miss a winning shot.”
Parris choked. “What makes you think that?”
Ty ignored her question, glancing up at her, he took in a breath. The woman was stunning. Being this close to her, he imagined taking her in his arms, pressing his lips hard against hers, tasting wine on her lips. A muscle in his jaw twitched as he tried to banish the vision.
He wiped a drop of wine off her full, red lips with his thumb. “Is wishing your opponent loses the secret to your wins? Not very sporting, I have to say.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” Parris’ eyes darkened. Ty couldn’t tell if her reaction was based in anger, or desire. He hoped the latter.
“And you didn’t answer mine.” Twisting in his stool to face her, he opened his legs and without thinking, pulled her close and kissed her. A kiss he’d wanted to take since he’d walked in tonight. Parris didn’t resist, in fact, she melted toward him, her mouth hungrily seeking his, her body soft in all the right places, making him hard.
He abandoned her arms, instead caressing her back, strong, muscular. He circled around her body to find her breasts, soft and firm. Her mouth slackened as he held the round orbs in his hands, thumbs seeking nipples. At the right spot, she groaned.
Slowly, he pulled back. He dropped his hands to his sides, regretfully leaving her soft, luscious breasts. Pulling away, ending the kiss.
Parris stood in front of him, dazed. Quickly, she followed his lead, sitting on her stool. She laughed a low, growly sound making him regret pulling back. “Wow, you could have just answered my question.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Ty said words he didn’t mean.
“Drunk sex happens. Don’t worry,” Parris responded lightly, appearing to try to match his mood.
Ty knew he wasn’t drunk. He needed to know this woman more. Losing himself in her wouldn’t be seen favorably by The Council. He took a breath. “How’d you wind up here? Owning a bar?”
Parris smiled, apparently choosing to ignore the elephant. “After graduating college with an English degree, I drifted one job to the next, not loving my choices. When I was substituting at the middle school, I came here with a group of teachers for a girl’s night out. I struck up a conversation with George, the last owner.”
“You started working here,” Ty guessed.
Parris nodded. “At first, the job paid rent. I wasn’t getting a lot of calls to sub at the time, however I’d been promised a full time teac
hing position the next fall. After George asked me to work night shift, the job seemed like a perfect fit.”
“But you stayed,” Ty pressed. Why hadn’t Parris been registered at sixteen like Council law demanded? Some of his kind seemed to think the gift more of a curse. Trying to hide in plain sight, to be normal.
As he listened to her life story, one thing became plain. Parris McCall’s carefully constructed world was about to blow up in front of her eyes.
And the explosion would be his fault.
Chapter 2
“You realize it’s eight in the freaking morning.” Derek Chandler slouched in the leather high-back in front of Ty’s heavy oak desk.
Ty appraised his second with a quick look. The man looked like he’d just left whatever party he’d been at when Ty set up this meeting. Derek still wore a tuxedo shirt and dress pants even though he’d slipped on running shoes. His dark black hair was slicked back and his green eyes bloodshot.
“I need you to find everything you can on this woman.” Ty slid a slip of paper toward his friend. “Without getting The Council involved.”
Derek’s head jerked upward. “This is off the books? Why?”
Good question. Ty remembered the moment he kissed Parris. Now, he regretted letting his emotions take over even a split second. Her dark full lips had called to him. She’d wanted the kiss.
“You haven’t gone off script since you…” Derek paused.
“Since Rowena died.” Ty finished Derek’s sentence. Saying her name felt like a knife jabbing his chest. “This isn’t about that. I don’t want to bring Parris under The Council’s regulations until I know more.”
“Parris McCall. Interesting name. I don’t think anyone with the original bloodline survived Salem. Do you think she’s below level five?” Derek tucked the paper in his pants pocket.
God, he hoped so. The Council wasn’t interested in every person with a touch of power, or who thought they did. Most of the declared witches today were freaks wanting to validate an unconventional lifestyle. The Council only bothered controlling witches with real power. Controlling power of the individual controlled the power of the world. Council members sat on every important business or governmental board. The Council hinted often that Ty should explore political office. If he followed their advice, he wouldn’t be the first man who sat in the Oval Office doing The Council’s bidding. Ty didn’t want to give up his anonymity. Not now, not yet.
“I don’t know. I need a complete history. She runs a dive bar down on Broadway. The Alibi. Her parents are dead, raised by a grandmother.” Ty leaned back in his chair. Parris. Her name echoed in his head. He hadn’t felt this way since Rowena. Another reason he wanted this cleared up soon. He wouldn’t go through that pain again.
His intercom buzzed.
Frowning, he reached over to answer. “I’m in a meeting.”
“Sorry, nothing was on your calendar. Parris is here. She needs to speak with you.”
Derek sat up in his chair. “Interesting.”
“Parris?” Ty responded back to Sally.
“Yeah, you know the owner of the bar last night.”
He glanced at Derek who shrugged his shoulders. “No time like the present I guess.”
“Send her in.” Ty straightened his black suit coat, smoothing imaginary wrinkles. He hadn’t expected to see her again. Now she stood outside his office. This wasn’t good. He didn’t like when his worlds collided. He could see this being a train wreck.
Derek chuckled under his breath. “I’ve never seen you this nervous.”
Ty flashed him a look of warning. “I’m not nervous.”
“Whatever. This chick has you twisted three ways to Sunday.”
Ty started to respond but the opening door caused him to clamp his lips shut. In an instant, Parris stood in his office. Her raven hair pinned in a loose bun making Ty’s fingers itch to remove the pins, bringing her hair down. She wore a soft flowing peacock blue dress hugging each curve. The heels on her shoes were so high he wondered how she’d walked to his office from the underground parking garage.
He swallowed, stepping forward to greet her. He kissed her cheek, waving his arm to propel her forward. “Come in. Did Sally offer you coffee?”
“I don’t want to be a bother.” Parris saw Derek and froze. “I didn’t realize you were busy. I’ll wait outside.”
Derek stood running a hand through his hair. “Not to worry, lovely lady. On my way out.” He glanced down at his rumbled clothes flashing an apologetic smile. “Need to clean up before I start my day.”
Parris slipped into the chair Derek had vacated. Watching her, Ty wondered if he’d been wrong last night. She seemed nervous, scared even, not qualities he’d ever seen in a witch of her strength. Could there have been someone else there he’d picked up on?
“I’ll call you tonight when I complete my reports.” Derek slapped Ty on the back.
“You’ll be done that soon?” Ty asked, keeping his voice down walking Derek to the office door.
Derek looked over his shoulder back at Parris. “I’ll have a preliminary report. There’s definitely something there. I’m intrigued.”
“And it’s powered down today.”
Derek hesitated, his hand resting on the doorknob. “You sure you want this off book? If I find something, The Council may not like not knowing.”
Ty glance at Parris staring out the high rise window. “I’ll deal with The Council if we find something.”
Derek opened the door. “I think the word is when, not if.” He shut the door after him, leaving Ty alone with Parris.
Swallowing again, he put on his lawyer’s mask. There she sat, hands folded neatly in her lap. Looking more like a job candidate or potential client than the sexy bartender he’d met last night. Derek saw right through him. This woman tied him in knots. He needed to cut the cord before he surrendered.
He slid back behind his desk, leaning back in his leather chair. “What can I help you with today?”
She met his gaze. “I need a lawyer.”
“I don’t handle small business issues. I can give you a good referral. There’s another member in our firm who’s well versed in these issues.” He took a slip of paper off his notepad. Easier than he’d thought.
She stilled his hand. A surge coursed through him.
“I don’t want a referral. I want you.” Parris’ voice was hoarse, close to tears.
“I can’t represent you if I don’t know the problem. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on before we decide if working with me is your best option?” Ty knew he would regret those words. A referral would have been a clean cut.
Parris struggled to speak, emotion hanging on every word. “It’s my grandmother. She raised me after my parents died. I owe the woman everything. Now they’re trying to take her house.”
“Who’s trying to take her house?” Ty doodled on the paper. This problem might work in his favor. Meeting the grandmother could reveal the level of Parris’ power. Confirming once and for all if he needed to report her to The Council.
“The city. She owes back irrigation fees. There’s not even an access to the irrigation water at her place. The ditch was buried years ago” Parris sighed. “It’s a long story. She’s been fighting with the water department off and on for years.”
“And still getting charged.” Ty took a sip of his coffee. A sign the two weren’t exactly powerhouses. He couldn’t believe any witch would have let a few bureaucrats in a tiny city office beat them. A good witch would have removed her name and any traces of her property off the water master’s rolls. Not fought this fight in human courts.
“Exactly. Of course, she refuses to pay. I’ve even called to pay the back taxes. The office won’t let me. I think they want to take her home.” Parris sat back in her chair, defeated. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Why did you come here?” Ty watched Parris, wondering what emotion her face would betray as she answered. He wasn’t disappointed. The gi
rl could blush.
“I thought, I mean, after last night, I hoped,” Parris paused, apparently realizing how her words sounded.
“You thought since I kissed you, you’d call in a favor.” Ty’s index fingers folded into a steeple and he leaned his chin forward, considering his options.
“Are you going to help me or not?” Parris stood, her eyes reflecting red.
Ty cocked his head. Interesting. Most witches controlled their feelings, especially anger. When emotions weren’t controlled, bad things happened. The first lesson a young witch learned. Never cast a spell in anger. Yes, he needed to meet the grandmother who’d raised Parris. He might not only bring in a single rogue, but two. Decided, he punched a button on his telephone.
Sally’s voice came over the speaker. “Yes?”
“Cancel today’s appointments.” Ty pushed away from the desk, motioning to the door. “After you. I’ll drive.”
“Drive where?” Parris stood.
“Over the river.”
“What the heck are you talking about?” Parris put her hands on her hips.
“We’re going to your grandmother’s house.” Ty put his hand on the small of her back, gently pushing her forward.
“You’re quoting a Christmas song?” She stared at him, falling in step, pausing at the door. “I didn’t think you’d actually go meet her.”
“I meet my clients in person. It’s the only way to know if they are telling the truth.”
That brought Parris up short. Forward movement stopped. “You think I’m lying?”
Ty knew she was lying. “You’re not my client. If I take this case, your grandmother is my client. You’re an interested party.” He looked at her. “Are we ready to go?”
Parris sighed. He’d won. He saw resignation.
“Why not? Grans would love to meet you. But beware.”
“Beware of what?” This time, Ty paused with his hand on the door handle.
“She thinks I should be married. Every man under eighty she meets is a potential husband. She imagines herself quite the matchmaker.” Parris reddened.
“Believe me, I’ve been hunted before.” Ty swung open the door. Walking to the elevator taking them to the parking garage, he called, “Sally, I’ll see you in the morning.”
