The shock that he’d stay and eat Bertha’s health food line for me was finally wearing off. We were all still waiting for her to give up on the idea, but Bertha was nothing if not tenacious. And to give her credit, she might finally be getting the knack of healthier fare.
“Would it be so horrible if I wanted to take my woman out for dinner away from here for a night?” He brushed a few rainbow strands away from my face and then rubbed the locks between his fingers.
“There’s still clients in here,” I said softly, knowing we would again be the talk of Xest.
“I thought you’d realized already that I don’t care who sees us.”
He cupped the back of my head and moved his lips over mine. The same thing happened that always happened. I forgot about the rest of the room.
Someone made gagging noises in the background. “Ugh. I can’t believe you two. Do you never give it a break?” Mertie said, walking through the office.
I broke slightly away from Hawk, laughing.
Hawk didn’t bother looking in her direction. “Didn’t I see you in the alley with Zab last night, or am I wrong?”
She sucked in a breath. “I’d never…”
Her words trailed off as Hawk glanced over at her with a raised brow.
She stomped off across the room.
“Really?” I whispered.
“Really,” he replied. “If you insist we stay, I’m going to go grab a couple of biscuits.”
“I do insist.”
“Don’t forget it’s going to cost you later.”
It always cost me, and it was a price I was more than willing to pay.
“I’m going to go do my thing, but I’ll be back soon.”
With a last kiss, Hawk left me. Mertie was standing across the room, and I couldn’t stop myself.
“Really? You and Zab?” I asked.
She let some steam out of her nose. “It was just a quick nothing.”
“Okay. But if it wasn’t, it might be nice for you.”
“It was nothing. Where’d your worse half go?”
“To fill up before dinner.”
“Smart man. Well, sometimes. Are you ever going to tell him he never actually kept you here? You chose to stay? Because we both know he couldn’t stop you at this point.” She rolled her eyes as if she couldn’t fathom how anyone would think differently.
“Probably, at some point, but I like to let him think he has some control. It makes him feel better to think I can’t run out on him at any second.”
“Oh, I don’t think you’re capable of that, no matter how much magic you might have. You’re as stuck as he is, the way I see it.” The very rare Mertie laugh made its appearance.
Bibbi walked over, leaning on the desk near us, having been listening in. “Oh, maybe worse.”
“Well, time to make my rounds,” I said, grabbing my jacket.
“Can I come? I’ve been dying to see how this works.”
“Sure, but I told you, it’s boring.”
She barely heard me in her rush to get her coat.
We headed out the front door, and I stopped to get my bearings, letting the ebb and flow sink in. It didn’t take more than a second to feel it. I tilted my head toward the right, and we began walking.
“What do you do, exactly?” Bibbi asked, looking about like some visible miracle was about to take place.
“I’m doing it,” I said.
“Right now?” she asked, examining me from boot to hat.
“Yep. There’s a patch of magic in this area that’s too much. I’m absorbing the excess. Further down the way, someone just got pregnant. As I pass, I’ll release magic in that direction. The baby will take what it needs, and then that’ll be it for the night.”
“So that’s it?” She sounded like she’d ordered a caramel latte and gotten a cup of plain black coffee.
“Yeah. I told you it’s not that exciting.”
When I first started, I’d thought there would be more to it as well. And then I’d realized there was just as much involvement as I wanted. I didn’t want to tinker in people’s lives or mess with the way Xest was. It was already perfect. Keeping it that way was the best ability I’d ever been granted.
We continued to walk for a little while, and all the time Bibbi would sneak peeks, as if there had to be something more interesting she was missing.
By the time we were heading back to the broker building, she’d given up, looking like a tired puppy who was ready for a nap.
“So what’s going on with you and Oscar? Have you given in yet?” Oscar had been trying to get Bibbi to commit for the last month. We’d all assumed Oscar would break her heart. I’d never thought it would be the other way around, but that was life, I guess. Sometimes the impossible happens.
“No. I’m still thinking about it. I don’t feel like I’ve lived my life enough yet to settle down. In retrospect, I probably wouldn’t have gotten involved with him if I knew he was going to get so serious.”
We walked back into the office, and my impossibility was standing there. How I’d finagled this man into loving me was beyond comprehension, but I’d stopped doubting it. Now I took everything I could get.
Hawk slung an arm around me, pulling me into his side like it was old hat for us. It didn’t matter how often we touched. My heart would still race at his nearness, the heat in his eyes, the warmth of him beside me.
“That was fast.” Hawk had a gleam in his eye that matched my own.
“Yes. Everything was pretty much in balance.”
“Then we’ve got a couple of minutes before dinner.” He moved toward the stairs, tugging me after him.
“Hang on one second,” I said, resisting. I’d never wanted to tinker, except for one rare occasion.
I turned to where Bibbi was tidying up some slips from the workday.
Could I do it? Did I have any maneuverability in that department? No one said I couldn’t.
I let the tendrils of my magic, the ones that seemed to feel everything alive in Xest, reach out and wrap around Bibbi, giving a slight push in her direction.
She straightened, her eyes narrowing as if she’d felt something but couldn’t quite figure out what. She shrugged and went back to getting her table in order.
“What did you just do?” Hawk whispered as I turned back to him.
“Not sure. Maybe something. Maybe nothing.”
“Are you done?” He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me up against him.
“With her I am. With you? Never.”
“Good thing, because I’m never letting you go.”
I laughed softly, deciding this wasn’t the right time to break it to him that I could leave. Maybe next year. Maybe not.
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Acknowledgments
Donna Z., Lisa A., Camilla J., Lori H. and Ashleigh M., it would be impossible to find a better group of people. Instead of enjoying a book, you read my stories with a critical eye that makes the product better for everyone else. You each bring something unique to the table and none of my stories would be the same without you. Thank you for all your hard work!
Also by Donna Augustine
Ollie Wit
A Step into the Dark
Walking in the Dark
Kissed by the Dark
The Keepers
The Keepers
Keepers and Killers
Shattered
Redemption
Karma
Karma
Jinxed
Fated
Dead Ink
The Wilds
The Wilds
The Hunt
The Dead
The Magic
Born Wild (Wilds Spinoff)
&
nbsp; Wild One
Savage One
Wyrd Blood
Wyrd Blood
Full Blood
Blood Binds
Witch of All Witches: Tales of Xest #4 Page 23
