Chapter Eight

“Who are you talking to? You didn’t hear me knocking because you were so deeply engrossed in conversation, Miss McCall. What would you have done if I was a bad guy? Keep your doors locked, please. There’s another murderer afoot,” Constable Ace Collins said, his expression tight.

Ling Ling gave another scoffing sneeze. She prided herself on her spectacular hearing, and she was right, she could hear a mouse fart at fifty paces. And with that she rolled her eyes and exited stage right, tail swishing.

“So, you just let yourself in? And what’s your definition of a ‘bad guy’ anyway? Does it include someone who sneaks up and scares a person?” I crossed my arms over my chest, mortified to be caught talking with a feline about my nonexistent love affair. “And I was discussing philosophy with Ling Ling. She’s studying Stoicism.” There, make of that what you will.

His eyes bugged out a little bit. Ha!

“You know, you don’t need to make up stories to get my attention. I just came by to touch base and bring you this.” He held out the book he’d mentioned earlier. “Not a grand gesture on a scale of one to ten, but a mark of respect for your brilliant mind, Miss McCall.”

“Ahh, thanks.” I accepted the book, ignoring his poke about a grand gesture and glanced at the cover. Real Magic.

“Who was that guy I saw you with earlier?” he asked, casual-like.

“Who? Oh, you mean James, the guy I just hired to be my new helper? Why, what about him?” Yikes. Had he heard what I was up to with his brother?

He didn’t answer but moved a step closer, his expression shifting. Was it my imagination or was he looking a tad smugger than he had been just a second ago? I set the book down on the counter and looked up, way up. He leaned in toward me, using the back of his hand to caress my cheek with gentle swipes of his knuckles, garnering my full attention. “And we have other unfinished business, if I’m not mistaken. Something promised earlier. You have such beautiful skin,” he murmured.

Oh, but he’s beautiful. Chocolate brown eyes with long dark, curling lashes. Tan skin, his square jaw sporting a five o’clock shadow. He was still wearing his uniform and the officialness of it stirred me, adding another layer of danger between us.

The world hushed. He slipped an arm around me and tugged me to him. I breathed in his woodsy masculine scent, my body beginning to vibrate at a whole different frequency. Then it happened. He captured my lips with his.

The first touch of his warm mouth sent an electrical charge coursing through me. The heat of his body radiated into mine, the combination instantly deadly. Each nerve, each cell, each fiber of my being came alive. A wash of sensation pulled me away from the real world and made this moment—this incredible moment—matter far too much. Something was awakening within me. Something wild and free. His kiss—I couldn’t understand or escape it.

A vision arose in my mind. Me, making a pact with the man branding me with each thrust of his tongue, each slide of his lips over mine. Him, getting me to promise him something. I don’t care what it is, just keep kissing me…

He broke the kiss and ran a fingertip over my swollen lips. “You are an amazing kisser, darlin’.”

I couldn’t speak. Too many sensations swirled inside me. Surely a kiss shouldn’t cause me to lose it?

“Cat got your tongue?” he teased, adding with a full-on grin, “Didn’t seem to earlier.”

I cleared my throat, the ground still shifting under my feet. “What do you think you’re doing, sending me a vision of me kowtowing to your demands? Planting ideas? Right! Like I’d ever agree. That’s low.”

“It was worth a try, darlin’,” he said, not looking one tiny bit sorry. In fact, even smugger.

“Just so you know, it won’t work. You know I can help you. You testing me, Ace?”

“How about we work a deal, darlin’?” His warm body remained so close to mine, making me want another kiss. Would kiss number three be just as good? I wanted to do some testing of my own…

“Maybe. What are the terms?” I hedged.

“I call you when I want you to check someone out. Otherwise, you stay out of things. I can focus better, do my job better, if I know you’re safe.”

“Hmm,” I stalled. I had plans for tomorrow, plans that included checking out an idea that had come to me earlier tonight. I couldn’t afford to have my hands tied, even by this big, tall, strapping Mountie. Now what would that be like? The idea held some merit…

“You think about it. We could make a good team doing things the official way. I should be going now,” he said. Disappointment filled me that he had given up so easily. Surely another bribe was in order?

“Ah, yeah, I need to get to bed, too.” Bed. Why mention that place? A part of me wanted to drag him by the hand up the staircase and see just where that would lead, while another part, a far smarter part, was horrified. And what if you lose your goddess-given gifts, sweeting? Granny Toogood’s voice filled my mind, settling the matter. Nothing like thinking of my granny to cool the ardor. Besides, there had been no definite sign that he was ‘The One’. But what did I expect to happen? Some otherworldly voice intervening and giving the go-ahead? Life is never that easy or clear-cut. I had to take this in little tiny baby steps, even though my body was giving the green light to head right on past third base and slide into home plate. I licked my lips. Baseball had never sounded so sexy or hot to me before.

He stepped back and a space opened between us, helping to halt the insanity.

“Sleep well, darlin’.”

“You know I will,” I said, adding a grin to make sure he would be uncertain of how much his mere physical presence influenced me. Thank goodness he couldn’t read visions. He’d be encouraged all the more and we’d be upstairs in a flash. That was, if I still had an upstairs available with Ivana working so hard to give it away.

“Oh, that reminds me, my parents are coming for a visit this weekend. If you’re free Saturday night, I’d like you to join us for dinner.”

“Who else will be there?” I asked, though disappointment filled me that I had a wedding to attend I couldn’t dare skip. Not unless I wanted to be skinned alive by Melody and Mick, the bride and groom, not to mention the wedding party consisting of a slew of Northern Lights Coven members. Thank goodness the stag and shower had been last week, or that would tie up another night.

I glanced at Ace when he didn’t respond right away. Was that a blush? So, She Who Would Not Be Named would be there. Now I was plenty annoyed that I couldn’t attend.

“Jennifer Morgan’s an old family friend. If you’d give her a chance, I think you’d like her.”

I pasted an innocent look on my face. “What makes you think I don’t like her? I’ve been nothing but nice to her, even offering free treats. But I’m sorry, I’ll have to take a rain check. I have a wedding to attend on Saturday night.” Was that a hint of disappointment reflected in his eyes?

He shrugged. “She thinks you might misconstrue things. You know, think that our going back so far makes you uncomfortable. She wanted me to say that she’d like for the two of you to become friends.”

“Take it from me, nothing she could say or do would affect anything I already know about her. And I already have more friends than I can keep up with. But I do wish her well.”

He frowned, as if trying to decipher my words but not finding anything wrong with them. Good. I had Jennifer’s number. Six, six, six.

“As you wish…”

“Did you just Princess Bride me?” I held back the laughter. Okay, fair recompense for the Goodfellas quote.

“Did you just use Princess Bride as a verb?” A grin flashed on his handsome mug. Oh my. When he was filled with such glee, he looked ten years younger, the stern Mountie façade melting clear away. The image tugged at me.

“Good night, Ace.”

“Good night, darlin’.”

I watched him saunter from the kitchen, knowing the spring in his step was my doing.

I glanced around the kitchen. What was left to do? Nothing that couldn’t wait till morning. And so, to bed. I climbed the stairs with a light step, looking forward to time alone to savor the recent conversation. Please, please, let Ivana be asleep. I slowed down, creeping on tiptoe by her door, not wanting another altercation.

Her suite door flew wide open. “Ah, Charm. We talk.”

“Could this wait? I’m exhausted.”

She crossed her arms over her spectacular breasts, a pout beginning on her full lips with their perfect coating of femme fatale lipstick. “No time for best friend?”

I pasted a bright smile on my face. Best to get it over with. “Sure. I have a couple of minutes. Then I must get to bed, I have an early morning.”

“I got boarder to bring in money for friend.”

I held back a groan. “Really? When and who?” No point in asking the why. Ivana always did what she wanted.

“Lady. Makes wolf faces.” She wrinkled her nose at the idea.

A lightbulb moment. “Right. The special effects person who applies silicone appliances and makeup and dresses people to look like wolves.”

“What I say.” Ivana was all indignant that I’d just repeated her information in a coherent manner.

“Yes, of course. When is she scheduled to start staying with us?” Please, not tonight.

She made a face. “Not today. Foolish.”

I tried not to look too relieved. “Yes, very. Tomorrow?”

“Yes. She come tomorrow.”

“And what shall I call this person? Does she have a name?”

Ivana narrowed her eyes, giving me a glimpse of her former life in Russia. “Miss Regina is title. She hates murder. We should ask others to come. Live here. Be safe.”

“No! Please, there’s no room!” I was so horrified I forgot myself for a second. I could only envision rows and rows of cots and bunks set up in every available nook and cranny. I leaned against her doorframe to keep myself upright, my knees refusing to function.

“Money.” She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together in the universal gesture.

“No more money necessary.” I shook my head so firmly I gave myself an instant concussion. “I’m going to make lots doing the new catering job for the movie set.”

“Yes?” Her expression changed again. “No more money? Ah, maybe I not pay now? Get—what you say in Canada—commission?”

“Yes, fine. You don’t have to pay if, and only if, you don’t invite anyone else to stay here. You understand? In fact, you cancel Miss Regina’s contract for my suite, and I’ll pay you, say, fifty dollars a month on top of your free room and board.” Certifiable. That’s me. But when negotiating with Ivana I was more than used to getting the Russian end of the stick.

“Nice.” A huge smile lit up her gorgeous face. “I take care of her.”

Some feeling came back into my legs as a little of the stress drained and I pushed away from her doorjamb. Wait. On second thoughts, I’d better clarify or the movie might be minus one special effects person. “Ah, you will be kind when you explain things to Miss Regina? Let her down gently?”

She pounded her hand into her chest in the general location of her heart. “Ivana make Charm promise. Miss Regina gone.”

“I don’t literally want her gone.”

She shook her head, obviously not getting my meaning.

“Not gone, okay?”

“Not gone?” Now she looked confused.

“Still at movie set. I want her to be able to keep working. Just not living with us, but living. Alive, not dead. You understand?”

“Hmm. Okay. Ivana gets it.”

Jeez. Just in case, I’d better send out a protection spell to help the unsuspecting woman. “Good night, Ivana.”

“Good night, my friend.” She tugged me to her and double-kissed both cheeks. I was so relieved that we’d straightened things out that I did the same back with extra enthusiasm.

Like we were about to be separated for years and years, she gave me a lengthy farewell in the form of long ongoing hand waves and multiple air kisses until I’d shut my apartment door behind me. I took a deep breath and tugged off my shoes. I walked straight to the bedroom and face-planted on my bed, too exhausted to bother doing one more thing. Of course, things never worked out as planned.