by Leeah Taylor
“Oh,” she giggled more. “It is the girl that’s got you all fidgety.”
“No.”
Riley stepped off the stairs and his stomach twisted harder. He obsessed over her more than he knew was healthy, but there was something about her eyes. They captured him and never let go. A shadow of a memory prickled over him every time he looked at it. Like she might be his entire world if given the chance.
Now the chance was slipping through the crowds, eyes on her from all directions. He clenched his jaw as the witches looked her over with their noses held high.
He heaved a breath and swallowed hard when her eyes locked with his.
“I’ve seen it all now,” Ivy muttered. “Oliver I’m a sex king Frost is nervous.”
“You hush,” he whispered, keeping his eyes on Riley.
She nibbled on her bottom lip and eyed the growing line of people filling their plates. The lull of chatter rose again as the shock of Juliette’s return set in. Ollie nudged a spot into the line for Riley to come behind the bar. She never took her stare from his as she brushed by him with a slight smile perked up on her lips and pink crept into her cheeks.
Oh, don’t do that. Don’t look entirely innocent. Somehow, without a word, he knew better. She wasn’t innocent, but gazing into those big cobalt eyes on him, she was in her own way.
She shifted her weight. “Hi.”
Words. Right, words. I need words.
He smirked, scratching the back of his head. “Hi.”
Ivy giggled, and he shot her a warning. “Don’t you have a pallet of water to tend to?”
She bit back a smirk. “You got it, boss.”
Turning back to Riley, she looked how he felt. Awkward and nervous. He didn’t do awkward and nervous, which only made it worse. What did she know about him? How much did Juliette tell her? Probably too much.
He swallowed past the growing lump in the back of his throat. The picture, folded and tucked away in the nightstand beside his bed, didn’t do her any justice. Her hair was longer and darker brown. Like a warm chestnut. Pretty pink lips were fuller too. He craved to taste them. See if she was as sweet as she looked.
He smiled. “You look to need a shot.”
She let out a breath. “You have no idea.”
Makes two of us.
Grabbing the whiskey bottle from the bar and two shot glasses, he nodded toward the door behind him. She eyed it, then him, and her heart fluttered between his ears.
“I don’t bite Riley.”
Her eyes widened. “You know…”
“Come on.”
He found some of his voice, forcing down the anxiety scraping under his skin. It’d been over a century since someone had the kind of power she was proving to have over him. For three years he fell in love with the idea of her and now she was standing in front of him threatening to consume him. Heart and soul. If he let her.
Holding the door open, she hesitated before going in. He craved the calm of his space to get his wits.
Riley spun as the door closed. “Jules…”
“Lucien will make sure she’s safe.”
Her brow went up with her arms crossing over her chest. “Because that worked out so well last time?”
Ollie nodded, chuckling as he went toward the back. She obviously knew enough.
“I think Lucien learned his lesson the last time,” he said, dropping into the chair at his desk.
Riley stopped in the doorway, looking over the space. “Maybe I should…”
“If there’s anything I’m sure of, it’s Damien doesn’t have the balls to repeat history.”
She looked to want to find any reason to go back to Juliette. But she held up a finger instead. “One shot.”
“Two and,” he poured the whiskey. “You tell me what suddenly came over Juliette to risk coming home.”
He held out the shot for her, waiting for an answer.
She pursed her lips, eyeing the distance to his outstretched hand. Her hesitance was adorable. Like if she crossed the room it might mean something more.
Riley finally swallowed up the space and took the offered shot. “Believes Damien somehow lost her grimoire.”
Ollie paused, and pulse quickened. Damien better not have been careless with something so powerful. The power it took to shake Sterling down to its foundation meant he had been careless. And stupid.
“Shit,” he sighed, pouring another shot. “It explains a lot.”
Riley pointed to the bed. “You play?”
He glanced at the guitar and nodded. “I do.”
Music was an escape keeping him from falling off the edge of the abyss he teetered on, day in and out.
The corner of his mouth perked up. “Stick around and I might show you.”
He already wanted her to stay. Find out what he had right, and what he had wrong. Was she as innocent as she looked? Or was she as fierce as he hoped she was?
When she said nothing, he risked a peek at her. He took her in, taking him in. Studying him, as if searching for something. Maybe a reason to stay. Maybe trying to figure him out. There was no doubt Juliette had a lot to share about him.
“How long have you been running with Jules?”
She tore her gaze from him, clearing her throat with another glance around the room.
“About five years.”
Well, isn’t that interesting?
At least it meant Juliette wasn’t alone. She didn’t do alone well. Not when it left her with all the chaos and bad ideas to take root and no one to bring her back from the brink.
“I should probably make sure she’s okay,” Riley said.
“I’m sure—”
The door to the back room opened, and he hung his head. Damn. Ivy walked in heaving a case of water. Jet and Dash followed behind her, carrying double the load.
“He didn’t kill her,” Ivy huffed, stacking the water near the door. “So, I’d call it progress.”
Riley smiled. “Thanks for the shot.”
“Anytime. Kinda my thing.”
“I’ve been told,” she nibbled on her bottom lip and looked to want to say more, but nothing came out. She only nodded like she was talking herself out of it.
“Good night, Riley.”
She swallowed and more words seemed caught on the tip of her tongue. “Good night, Oliver.”
There was hesitation when she went to the doorway, casting a glance back at him and he held his breath. What was going on in her head? What did she want to say? He’d go mad over her. Was it possible to have fallen in love with a picture to sate his craving?
Again, she nodded as if talking herself out of whatever it she wanted to say and walked out the door. It wasn’t nearly enough time with her.
“Shit,” he breathed out, grabbing for the bottle.
He took a long swig, hissing it down and shook his head.
That girl could be dangerous.
Ivy leaned into the doorway. “You okay there sex king?”
“Didn’t I say not to start,” he stood and capped the whiskey bottle. “Don’t need your bullshit tonight.”
She feigned a gasp. “Now would I give you bullshit?”
“Yeah,” he laughed. “You would.”
Ollie went back out into the bar and caught another glance from Juliette at the top of the steps. She looked tired. Worn down and beaten by whatever the chaos of her world was causing. My poor Doll. She’d need a week of snuggles and quiet reassurance to put her world back together.
“She looks good,” Ivy said.
He sighed. “She looks tired.”
“That too.”
“Come on, let’s get those pallets unloaded.”
He needed a distraction, any distraction, to keep from crossing the room and taking his Doll into his arms. Make it all better. But even more from sweeping the pretty little brunette with the cobalt eyes off her feet and tasting those lips.
Riley | 3
>
Riley plucked a fry from her plate. “Damien stole this loft from that realtor.”
Her gaze swept over the skyline.
The view was breathtaking from the balcony with the Falls silhouetted beyond the bay. It was a sweet little picturesque city. The stone streets of the Riverfront had come to life with food trucks and light music coming from the band set up near the water.
“You look captivated,” Juliette laughed.
“I
mean,” she half shrugged. “I kinda am. It’s beautiful. Magical almost.”
“Yeah, it’s always been this way. It’s cozy and embracing. People love the subtle history of witches and magic. The sweet, little quaint locally owned shops and bakeries.”
Riley nodded with a mouthful. “The food is delicious too.”
Juliette giggled. “Liking Shirley’s?”
She’d spent a half an hour trying to convince Juliette to find Damien and have it out once and for all. Give him hell. Speak her mind. Kiss and make up or move on already. But Juliette was obstinate, as usual, and decided food was a better idea. Riley wasn’t sure she was wrong because it was delicious, and it seemed to lift Juliette’s spirts. Considering all the bad in the last day, she was happy to see her best friend with some light in her eyes.
“Oh my god,” she grabbed her chocolate milkshake, arching her brow. “The woman puts out unreal food. Who knew the perfect burger, fries and milkshake were in little old Sterling?”
Riley settled back in her chair with the milkshake hugged to her chest and watched Juliette. She stared off at the Falls with the longing Riley had seen hundreds of times. But now it went deeper. Sterling, home, was at her fingertips but probably felt farther away than ever.
“You miss it.”
Juliette fell back in her chair with a sigh. “I miss what made it home.”
“The Frosts?”
“Not just them. Juleps was a second home. If I wasn’t behind the bar trying to outdo Ollie, it was Chelsea and I ruling it.” Her eyes lit up. “It’s Shirley’s and dinner three times a week but probably more. Not to mention all the holiday events. The Masquerade. The Winter solstice.”
“You could have all of it back, Jules.”
“No, I can’t.” She shook her head. “Damien will never let me stay. Once the barrier is back up tomorrow, we’ll have to pack and leave.”
Riley wasn’t ready to leave. She wanted a little time to get to know Oliver. The moment she locked eyes with him, everything else stopped. Nothing else existed except dark, gentle blue eyes consuming her. Taking her in and thinking she might be the answer to all his desires. She wanted a chance to even find out if she could be. Five years, a picture, and Juliette’s stories weren’t near enough to sate her curiosity about the legend of Oliver Frost. And a few minutes in his little back room wasn’t enough either.
“So,” Juliette smirked. “Was he everything you thought he’d be?”
Prickling heat crept up into Riley’s cheeks. “He’s definitely charming. Sweet.”
And cutely nervous and awkward. It only made him sweeter.
“He’s beyond sweet.”
She picked at the last few fries on her plate. “I was kinda hoping for a chance to get to know him.”
Juliette peeked at her. A brief smile pulled up on her lips. “You can always stay?”
Her heart dropped to her feet. “What?”
“Lucien would make sure you’re taken care of. Hell,” She pointed behind her at the loft. “Could live here.”
“Jules,” Riley frowned. “We said all in. Always.”
“I know,” she nodded. “Maybe this is me being all in. You’d be happy here. And safe. Ollie would love you at the bar. Be like having me around again.”
“No, Jules.”
“Riles…”
“Absolutely not. I don’t want to be here without you. That’s not what I meant. We’ve had each other’s backs for five years. Not going to let you dump me here and take off.”
“I wouldn’t be dumping you.”
“Yes, you would.”
Juliette sighed. “I can’t stay, Riles. Damien won’t let me. And even if he did, a big if, I don’t think I could do this with him again.”
Riley slumped back in her chair, crossing her arms.
“Well, I told you what you needed to do but you don’t want to listen to me.”
“Only thing that comes of it is heartbreak. More heartbreak. Think I’ve given enough of my heart to him.”
Riley pursed her lips. “Which would be okay if you haven’t lived in a perpetual lovesick hell for the last five years.”
“Shut. Up.”
“Well, you know it’s true.”
“Irrelevant.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Not really.”
Juliette narrowed her eyes. “I hate you.”
“Nope, you love me.”
She rested her chin in her palm with a playful scowl. “Debatable.”
“Whatever, you love me even when you hate me.”
Riley never missed an opportunity to remind Juliette the best way to deal with Damien was head on. Long before now. It was the fear of rejection. True rejection if she went up against Damien.
Too bad he already had.
Juliette lived and drowned in the past in a sea of wrongs and mistakes. It all ruled her world and kept her miserable. But glimpsing over at her, for the first time, Riley saw the smallest glimmer. A little light in Juliette’s eyes as she cast a look down into the Riverfront.
She needed to come home. She needed her family. And, as much as Riley hated it, she needed Damien to man up already and admit what everyone knew. Even she knew it when he opened the door and went weak in the knees. All the love he denied Juliette right there in his eyes, twisted in pain and longing.
Don’t love her, my ass.
Riley held up a finger. “Maybe we can stay for one more night.”
Juliette chuckled. “Really got it bad for the Sterling sex king, don’t you?”
She shrugged. “He’s kinda cute.”
“Ha, whatever you say Ms. I’ve ogled and drooled over his picture for years.”
“Because he’s kinda cute.”
“See how tomorrow goes and maybe.” Juliette leveled a pointed stare on her. “Maybe, we can squeeze one more night in.”
It’s all she was asking for.
Ollie| 4
He watched Juliette slip into the magic of the spell as she worked her hands into the muck of the copper bowl. His stomach tightened and churned. The last time she attempted and cast the spell brought her too close to death's door. He wasn’t ready to lose her yet.
“She can do this, right?” Riley asked.
God, I hope so.
He nodded, swallowing. “Yeah. Come on, we’ll go out on the balcony. Let her concentrate.”
Ollie grabbed the pastry box and his coffee and followed Riley outside. The Riverfront was coming to life as the first morning light lit the sky. He stretched and yawn before taking the seat next to Riley.
He tried going home to sleep but ended up tossing and turning. He went back to the bar and tried but ended up cursing the bed for nothing. Between Juliette and Riley fighting for purchase in his mind, sleep was impossible.
Riley shifted and fidgeted beside him while stealing glances. She was adorable. The shyness was refreshing, but he was sure it had more to do with him than her personality. Riley didn’t strike him as the timid type.
“So, purring?”
She glared at him. “I do not purr in my sleep.”
The couch certainly wasn’t purring.
He bit back a smirk. “But when you’re not sleeping?”
Pink crept up in her cheeks and it was all he needed to know about how the purring worked.
“Ah, so it’s an arousal response.”
She sputtered on her sip of coffee. “No!”
He chuckled. “Then that�
��s a yes.”
“No, we can purr.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “Whenever we want.”
“Oh.” He relaxed and nodded. “Well, go on then.”
She went to say something than stopped while glaring at him and crossing her arms over her chest.
“I don’t wanna.”
His fingers twitched to graze her cheek. Tickle over her exposed shoulder. Lips craved to follow the contour of her jaw. He wanted to see how many shades of pink and red he could lure up her throat into her cheeks. Did her entire body go flush?
He distracted himself by pillaging through the pastry box for a jelly-filled doughnut. Sitting back, propping his legs up on the small table in front of him, he took in the view. The bay was breathtaking.
“Jules and I used to sit downstairs in the diner and watch Sterling come to life every morning,” he said. “Cup of coffee and doughnuts and silence.”
“She missed you,” Riley sighed. “When she’d get down, I mean really down, she’d talk about you. Like it was the closest she could get to some sort of comfort. It was kinda hard to watch.”
“What’s that?”
She met his gaze. “Watching the past and memories of it consume her. She put on a brave face, but underneath it all, it haunted and tormented her.”
Juliette deserved better than his brother’s wrath and it wrecking her. “Juliette has always had two modes. Either entirely consumed by her chaos or consumed by others to avoid her own.”
“That’s very her.” Riley’s gaze swept over the horizon, taking Sterling in. “She’s set on leaving once the barrier is back up.”
By the looks of it, Riley wasn’t as keen to take off.
He nodded. “I expected as much.”
All it’d take for her to stay was Damien apologizing and asking her to stay.
“Sometimes I think maybe running isn’t the answer anymore.”
I’d love for you to stay. Give me a chance to show you it isn’t the answer.
“And why’s that?”
She shrugged. “It’s exhausting. I mean we stopped and set up in Canonpeke but even then, we were still kinda running. Surviving. I think I sort of knew things were bad. I just didn’t realize how bad. Or didn’t want to.”
All Juliette had to do was make a phone call. Hell, email. They had set her for life with no questions asked to protect her.