Brewing Storm, page 11
“She’d probably rat me out to her boyfriend,” he said, then just stared at me with those dazzling eyes. His strong, rugged looks accentuated his chiseled features, and he boasted a five o’clock shadow, his designer stubble, extremely masculine and sexy, especially when he left the razor behind for a day or two.
I just stood there, a prisoner of his eyes for an exaggerated moment, and then the harsh reality dawned on me once again. I knew there was no way we could be together, because I would never take that chance, and remorse flooded my heart. I’m here. Take me. I’m yours. I couldn’t possibly blurt the words, but I knew if I did, he would be mine, right then and there. I couldn’t help but picture those luscious lips making warm trails along my jawline and down to my chin.
“You admitted the other night that you want me,” he said.
“Flirting under the influence,” I retorted. “I didn’t mean it.”
“Are you sure?”
I smiled as he glided his hand up my bare forearm. He looked so hot with his shaggy, dark hair falling to his shoulders. “Yes. I was completely smashed,” I said, “as smashed as that wine bottle I threw off the roof.”
“Yet you remember throwing it,” he said, arching his brow.
“Look, Logan, I—”
“I know, Sophie,” he said with a sigh, as if he’d heard the same excuses too many times. “You want me, but you’re pulling away because you’re afraid I’ll break your heart.”
“You werewolves sure are cocky,” I said, numbed by the heat and passion from his gaze as his eyes swept over me.
“Yeah, but why wouldn’t we be? Of all creatures, we’re the strongest, most protective, most strong-willed, most dominant...and not to mention the cutest,” he said, punctuating his smooth, alluring voice with a playful growl. “I can still taste your lips from our kiss,” he said, running a hand down my arm.
I felt the heat rising in my cheeks, but I could do little to stop that or the tickle in my tummy.
“Sophie,” he said, “are you blushing?”
Deny, deny, deny, I coached myself. “No, not at all. I think I want to go inside though. It’s too cold out here.”
“Cold? You feel pretty hot to me,” he said, touching me and sparking my blood pressure once again.
My stomach fluttered, and I couldn’t believe I had such a strong reaction. Part of me wanted to cup his cheeks and kiss him like he’d never been kissed before, but the other part knew better.
“It’s freezing out here,” I muttered.
“Then let me escort you inside, beautiful,” he said.
I playfully nudged him. “Listen, Your Highness, save that line for Cindy. I’m not playing second fiddle to anyone, fake bride or not.”
“But I only want you, just to play my fiddle,” he said. “Maybe we could grab another bottle of wine and play a little Fiddler on the Roof.”
In spite of his attempts at making light of it, the sincerity in his words stunned me. I wanted him to want me, and maybe he did, but the universe had other plans for us.
“Fate isn’t on board with that,” I said softly.
As we walked back to the castle, Logan placed his hand on my lower back. He smiled widely when I glanced up at him. When he clasped my hand in his, my skin tingled from the touch of his warm, soft fingers, and he led me inside.
“Hello, darling,” Cindy said mockingly, causing Logan to instantly drop my hand.
“Oh, hi,” he said.
“Sorry. Just trying to get into character. I am not as good of an actor as my Freddie.”
“Trust me, the longer you stay with him, the better you’ll get at faking it,” Logan said under his breath.
She laughed. “You two never stop cracking on each other.”
I knew Cindy didn’t mean any harm, but the reminder of their upcoming nuptials totally killed the mood, and that was my cue to leave. “Goodnight, everybody,” I said, then purposely yawned and stretched. “I’ve had a long day. I’m going to grab some cereal and hit the hay.”
“You really would sleep more comfortably on a mattress,” Cindy said, with a serious face.
“Um, I didn’t mean that literally. It’s just an idiom.”
“Are you calling me an idiot?” she said, looking thoroughly insulted.
I chuckled softly. For as long as Cindy had been in the States, she still hadn’t picked up on all the nuances of the English language. “It only means I’m going to bed,” I clarified, “and you are most certainly not an idiot, my friend.” With that, I walked into the kitchen, ready to grab my Frosted Flakes and become a hermit in my room. “Damn you, Logan!” I found myself shouting a few minutes later.
“What?” he said, suddenly behind me and wrapping his arms around my middle.
“You’ve been slacking off on your dish duty, and there are no bowls now. I took your turn the last two times. Learn to use a sponge, would ya?” I raged as I quickly washed out a bowl and a spoon. I then squirmed away from him, slammed the box with the tiger on it down on the island, snatched the gallon of milk out of the fridge, and took off the lid like I was ready to strangle it. “I just want a bowl of cereal.”
Again, Logan was behind me, this time peppering my neck with open-mouthed kisses, his hot breath softly assaulting my skin between kisses, driving me crazy. “Are you sure that’s all you want, Sophie?”
I dropped the milk at that point, splashing it all over the linoleum floor. “Look what you made me do,” I said. “You’re some kind of canine. Why don’t you get down there and lap it up?”
“I’d rather lap you up.”
Speechless, I just stood there looking at him, so angry and turned on that I couldn’t fathom even speaking, let alone moving.
Chapter 15
Something inside me wanted to push Logan away, to tell him to leave me alone because I could no longer stand the back-and-forth from hot to cold. Really, I just wanted to take my dry cereal up to my room, watch a little mindless TV, then go to bed, but something kept me from doing that.
“Don’t cry over spilled milk,” he said in a whisper, dangerously close to my ear.
I turned and looked into his eyes. “I’m not crying,” I said, “and it’s your fault I spilled it.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry. No judgment here.”
“Kissing my neck? Seriously? Your fiancée is in the next room.”
“Yep, but she’s being entertained by another lover at the moment.”
“Ew. Fred and her, on the couch?”
“Of course,” he said, staring deeply into my eyes, as if his bride-to-be making out with someone else was the most natural thing in the world. “We have so much to discuss, so much...unfinished business.”
“You’re right,” I said, nodding down toward the mess on the floor. “The mop and bucket are in the linen closet.”
“Your point?”
“My point is that you’re going to help me clean this mess up.”
“But I didn’t make it.”
“That’s a matter of debate, cause and effect,” I said as I walked to the closet and reached for the mop. “I guess you could say the devil made me do it.”
“So I’m the devil now?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Fine. I’ll do it,” he said, snatching the mop from me.
I smiled and gave him a pat on the head. “Good boy.”
“Enough with the dog jokes,” he said. “Next, you’ll be telling me to sit.”
“Or play dead.”
He smirked. “I’d rather you tell me to roll over.”
I laughed. “Anyway, what are the plans for tomorrow? I know we’re leaving early in the morning, then—”
Before I could utter another word, his lips crashed into mine, nearly knocking the breath out of me, and the mop clattered to the floor. It was completely unexpected and caught me off guard, but I clearly wasn’t fooling either of us. He knew, as well as I did, that I lived for those kisses, for the magical feel of his mouth devouring mine.
He wrapped his arms around me while kicking the mop bucket away, then effortlessly lifted me up to sit on the island countertop. The kiss deepened when he gently used my chin to tilt my head to the side, and I thought my heart would pound right out of my chest. Logan gave me everything, spilled his heart out to me as much as I spilled that milk all over the floor, and I felt every single ounce of emotion he poured into that kiss.
In the next moment, I didn’t think about milk or mops or island missions. My mind swirled with only one thought, Logan, and the world around me blurred, as if time itself stopped. It felt true, sincere, and more right than anything I’d ever felt before. I wasn’t one for romantic cheesiness, but it truly was an epic kiss, the kind that had book or movie characters claiming they saw fireworks. I swept my fingers through his hair as he ran his hands up my sides, caressing me mercilessly. In the heat of our passion, my bowl of cereal was accidentally knocked off the island.
Crash!
“Oh my gosh!” Cindy said as she walked in, staring at the newly scattered Frosted Flakes in a soggy puddle of milk and broken porcelain on the floor. “What the hell is this?”
Shit!
We broke apart like forbidden lovers, caught in the act, and I quickly pushed the hair back out of my face. “It’s, uh...not what you think,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
Cindy crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the floor, as she often did when she was pissed off. “Look, I don’t care if you are making love with my fiancé.”
“What!? No! I mean, we weren’t actually—”
“I only care about this mess!” she interrupted. “I am not cleaning this up. I swear, you people live like dirty dogs,” she said, then looked at Logan. “No offense, of course.”
I smirked. “We’ll take care of it,” I said.
“Yes, you will. Also, no more funny business on the kitchen island, and use some Lysol on it, would you? I have to chop the veggies there for our omelets tomorrow. Other people live here. Show a little respect, would you?”
“We’ll leave the Lysol out for you, so you can disinfect the couch,” Logan snarked.
“Ugh!” she said, glaring at him before she stormed out.
I looked up at Logan. “Your fiancée keeps getting in the way of our love affair.”
We both burst out in laughter.
I rested my forehead against his. “That was one hell of a goodnight kiss.”
“Just an appetizer, kiddo,” he whispered in a sexy voice.
It was a promise of much more to come, and it flattered and excited me, but I wasn’t going to allow that until his divorce was finalized, and he wasn’t even married yet. “I’m going to bed...alone.”
He seductively kissed my hand. “If only we didn’t knock that bowl down, she wouldn’t have walked in on us.”
“Yeah, that’s what life is made of, if-only and what-ifs. Goodnight, Logan,” I said, then tried to walk away from him.
“First of all, you can’t leave me to clean this up all by myself.” He pushed a strand of hair out of my face. “Second, I want to know about that what-if.”
“What do you mean?”
“How far would we have gone?”
I ran my finger down his face. “Hmm. I guess we’ll never know.”
He laughed and shook his head. “You go on to bed and think about it. I’ll take care of this disaster.”
I nodded and turned to leave the kitchen without my dinner or another word. I had too many butterflies in my stomach, and I’d totally lost my appetite. Logan respected my wishes and didn’t follow me, but I couldn’t help giving him one last smile over my shoulder as I caught him on his hands and knees, scooping broken porcelain into the dustpan.
Yeah, don’t cry over spilled milk, Sophie, I told myself, then took my exit.
Chapter 16
The meeting with Tabby took place in a hotel conference room, and I was the ambassador for our group, as the others were busy with other chores and preparations. It was a boring meeting, and it didn’t take me long to realize why Logan and the others opted to stay home.
“Thank you for coming,” Tabby said after the final agenda item was covered, “and thank you for all you’ve been doing to help our cause.”
“It’s my pleasure,” I said.
“We are all so very proud of you, Sophie. You’ve come a long way, baby, as they say.”
I smiled. “Thank you. That really means a lot, coming from you, but truth be told, I never could have done it without my team.”
“They are wonderful, aren’t they? Logan has improved greatly as well. He’s always been one of my best, but then he just sort of lost his way, and I had to put a leash on him. He was so consumed with rage and revenge, drinking like a fish and taking foolish risks on missions that put himself and others in danger.”
“Yes, I know, but he’s really working hard to get past all that, and he hardly ever drinks anymore.”
“I knew he could get his life back on track. We’re all proud of him as well.”
“He’ll be pleased to hear it,” I said. “Tabby, I want to thank you for officially hiring me. I’ve got bills to pay, so I appreciate the paycheck.”
“You have dedicated your life to us, and you deserve to be compensated.”
“Well, Julie and Taylor and the others have taught me so much.”
“Speaking of that, there is a new instructor I’d like you to meet,” Tabby said, much to my surprise.
“A new one? I think I’m doing all right with the people I already know,” I said, with a bit of atremble in my voice, because I didn’t relish the thought of change, nor did I trust just anyone.
“This teacher is the best, the one who taught Julie and Taylor. His name is Dylan, and he’s a tiger shapeshifter.”
“Grrreat,” I joked, though she didn’t seem to get it.
“Just don’t be too alarmed if his eyes turn gold.”
I tried to pretend it was as normal as coffee and muffins, but the surprised look on my face gave me away. “Golden eyes?”
She smiled and placed a consoling hand on my shoulder. “Dylan is excellent. I am releasing him from his duties at the Sapphire Academy of Magic to personally train you.”
“When does my semester with my new professor start?” I asked with a grin.
“In a few weeks. Do you have room for him at your castle?”
“Yes, and he’s more than welcome to stay.”
“Great.”
I paused for a moment, not wanting to tread into territory that I shouldn’t, but I had to ask, “Tabby, have you heard any news about Beth? How’s she doing?”
“For a human, she’s doing quite well. She has more potential than I expected, and...” She trailed off when a huge man approached. “Look! Here he is,” she said. “Dylan, this is Sophie.”
“Hi,” I said nervously, looking him over.
He was all chiseled looks, broad shoulders, bulging muscles, a powerful chest, and narrow hips, and he looked like he could be the king of any castle. His blond, shoulder-length hair cascaded down to his shoulders, and his light brown eyes were piercing. Something about the gleaming smile atop his six-four frame reminded me of Thor.
“Are you still looking for a date to take to that human wedding?” Tabby casually asked.
“Yes. I can’t seem to find any takers.”
Shocked that no one would go out with such a hottie, I found myself stuttering, “I-I’m available.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them, but it was too late to take them back. More than that, I was surprised I offered. Maybe I know it’s time to move on. Maybe if I casually date someone else, I’ll forget about the one I really want but can’t have, I tried to reason. I knew my fixation on the pointless wolf was not healthy, but I was ready to invite a guy into my life, even if it was just someone to talk to.
Tabby smiled. “Sophie, dear, don’t you think that would be a conflict of interests?”
I laughed. “Oh, it’s nothing serious. It’s just... Well, I haven’t been to a normal get-together in a long time. I’d love to do a little dancing and have some cake, just to feel human for a few hours. Plus, I don’t want Dylan to have to go alone.”
“I understand. You’re all cooped up in that castle,” she said, nodding. “It must be difficult, after living a human life so long, to only go out for missions.” She turned her head and looked at Dylan. “What do you think?”
He flashed a movie star smile at me. “I think Sophie would be the perfect, no-strings-attached date. Plus, it would be good to get to know one another better, since we’ll be training together. The wedding is next week, so it will give us a chance to get comfortable with each other before the teaching begins.”
Tabby nodded. “Agreed,” she said. “I’ll happily cover the cost of Sophie’s dress and shoes.”
“You don’t have to do that, Tabby.”
“I insist,” she said. “It’s basically a business expense, is it not?”
“Right. Don’t forget to take it off your taxes!”
She chuckled. “Of course. The Immortal Revenue Service must be made aware.”
“The IRS? Ha!” I said with a smile. “That’s a good one.”
Someone called Tabby’s name, and she kindly excused herself and walked away, leaving me alone with the tiger.
“So, Dylan, Tabby told me you’re a shapeshifter,” I said nervously, like some star-struck fangirl meeting her favorite musician.
“Yes. Have you ever met one?”
“Just a wolf or two.”
“Well, cats or dogs, we’re all animals!” he joked.
I wasn’t sure what to say, so I opted for flattery. “Well, you’re a teacher, a trainer. That’s impressive.”
“Thanks. I’ve been an instructor for centuries, and it comes quite naturally to me, as I know all about witch magic and history. I’m half-witch myself, and my mother was a tiger shapeshifter, my father a warlock, so I am somewhat of a rare hybrid.”
“Wow. What an amazing batch of DNA!”
He smiled again, his teeth so brilliantly white that I was almost blinded by them. “I’m familiar with all supernatural gifts and how to use them most effectively. Not to sound arrogant, but even kings have sought my knowledge.”
