She knows who I am, he realized with absolute certainty. Why doesn’t she say something? He fully expected her to toss him out of the shop. But what the hell, he might as well play the game with her for as long as he could.
“You know, I haven’t been able to make up my mind. Perhaps you can help me decide.” He felt lost in those entrancing eyes. It was as if she had cast a spell over him. He realized he’d do just about anything to keep the conversation going so he’d not have to break contact with them.
“Uh, yes, help you decide,” the words came out breathy. What was it about this man that made it so difficult to breathe when he looked at her that way? The intensity of his gaze was nearly overwhelming. She knew instinctively that this man had the power to destroy her. If she had even a speck of sense she would tell him to get the hell out of her shop and never come back. But rather than sending him away she found herself dreading the moment he would leave.
The puppy in her arms began a vigorous struggle to be free, forcing Cassie’s attention away from the tall stranger.
“I, uh, I need to finish drying this little guy before I can help you. Maybe Shelly could ...?”
“I’ll wait. No, I’ll help,” he responded as she turned towards the back of the store. He had absolutely no intention of being foisted off on Shelly. As he followed Cassie to the back room, he realized that from the moment the gorgeous little witch had entered the room he had completely forgotten why he had come to Port Bellmont.
“If you’re serious about helping, you could hold this little guy while I get out the blow drier.” She held out the squirming, towel-wrapped puppy after she had rinsed off the shampoo.
Mac took the pup from her hands, barely aware of the wet bundle in his arms, so intrigued was he with the girl. It wasn’t until he felt the stream of warm air flowing over him and the dog that he snapped back to reality.
“You’re kidding me! You actually blow dry your dogs? How do you get them to stand still for it?”
“Watch,” she ordered as she directed the flow of warm air over the puppy’s body.
Mac tore his eyes away from Cassie to stare incredulously at the puppy that now lay quietly in his arms. Tongue lolling to one side, he’d closed his eyes nearly shut as he luxuriated in the soft warmth.
“You can put him down on the table now,” she instructed as she continued directing the drier at the pup. “He won’t try to go anywhere as long as I keep this dryer running.”
“Well, I’ve never seen anything like that before. Is he always like this?”
Cassie smiled down at the funny looking puppy. “He just knows what feels good, that’s all. I think he’s a pretty smart little fellow.”
Something alien twisted inside Mac’s chest when he saw the gentle, loving expression she directed at the dog. But he rejected the thought that he would be only too happy to have her look at him with even a fraction of the caring she had for the puppy. He’d been on his own for so long that he failed to recognize his own need for human companionship. All he knew was that he’d be only too happy to stay here with this woman for as long as he was able. He realized with a start that the word ‘forever’ had even entered his mind.
“How about him?” he blurted out in an attempt to chase such dangerous thoughts from his mind. “Any reason why I couldn’t buy this little guy?”
“Why, no, no reason at all.” Her beautiful face glowed with delight at the idea. “In fact, I think you two would make a perfect match.” And she realized what she said was true. This happy, loving animal was just what the man with the sad eyes needed.
“You really think so?”
“I’m absolutely certain.”
This was probably the craziest thing he had ever done. He didn’t know anything about dogs. He’d never owned a dog in his entire life. What was he going to do with the animal, anyway?
All these thoughts flew through his mind as he stood at the counter paying for the dog along with the array of equipment and food his new pet required.
Why worry? the sensible side of his brain countered. It wasn’t as if he intended on keeping the mutt. He’d only bought it as a means of getting closer to Cassie, right? As soon as this assignment was over, he’d get rid of it.
Oh, he’d make sure it had a good home. It wasn’t as if he was going to drop it off at the pound ... exactly. It was, well, who could expect him to tie himself down to a dog? The very thought was ludicrous.
“Have you thought of a name yet?”
“I beg your pardon?” He hadn’t realized how deeply he had been contemplating his new acquisition until he realized that Cassie was waiting for an answer to a question he hadn’t known she’d asked.
“The puppy - have you thought of a name for him?”
Mac looked down at the animal who was now tethered to the end of a brown leather leash. Circling the pup’s neck was a thick, metal-studded collar. Dancing brown eyes looked out of one of the ugliest faces Mac had ever seen. The dog’s coat was a brown brindle and he had a white lopsided star on the middle of his forehead. His squat, stubby little body quivered with excitement at this new adventure.
“Yeah, I guess I’ll call him Sarge. He has a striking resemblance to a drill sergeant I had when I was in the Marines.”
Cassie’s heart did a funny little twist when he gave her that lopsided grin. Somehow she knew that he rarely smiled. How sad.
“I, uh, I don’t suppose you give lessons on these things?” he asked, the smile still in place.
“Give lessons ...?”
“Yeah, you know, to teach me how to take care of him, when to feed him, when to walk him. I guess what I need is something like an owner’s manual.”
“You’ve never had a dog before, have you?” Sudden understanding hit Cassie. It struck her as odd that the notion had taken this long to come to her. From the first moment she had seen this man she had felt a strong psychic connection. She was surprised she had missed this very important fact about him.
“Well, no, not exactly. I’ve known a couple of guys who had dogs, but, well, Mom and I never managed to stay in one place long enough to acquire pets.”
His brief statement told Cassie so much. A single mom, perhaps an only child, always on the move, never putting down roots. No wonder he had such a melancholy air about him.
“We do have several good books on how to train your dog,” she suggested.
“Right. I’ll have to buy a couple. But what I had in mind was more in the line of private lessons. I thought maybe you could spare a little time. How about giving me a quick class in puppy care over lunch?”
The intensity of his gaze far outweighed the light banter of his words. A smile slowly lifted the edges of her mouth as she nodded her acceptance.
She had planned on staying close to the store today, out of the public eye as much as possible. In fact, she and Shelly hadn’t been sure they should have even opened shop, given the horrible cloud of suspicion that hovered over them. But there was absolutely no way she could refuse him. The magnetic force between them seemed to have taken on a life of its own.
A fresh sea-salty breeze greeted Cassie and Mac as they stepped out of the shop. The warm late summer sun cast nourishing rays upon them. Cassie turned her face to the sun. Drawing in a lung full of air, she drank deeply from nature’s gifts. She felt her spirits lifting, allowing her to let go for the moment the unyielding burden that had engulfed her ever since she had opened the door late last night to Sheriff Whitaker’s insistent rapping.
Becoming one with nature always restored her, she reminded herself when the thought that Mac’s presence might partially explain her sudden surge of happiness. And since the coven’s desperate situation was not likely to dissolve into thin air simply because it was a beautiful day, Cassie realized these warm sensations would be but a transitory respite.
“Great! Now what do I do?” Mac’s annoyed voice broke into her thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder, she was surprised to see him standing several feet behind her
. While the man was quite obviously exasperated, the dog appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
She managed to keep from laughing at the sight the energetic pup and the frustrated man made, but it wasn’t easy. It had taken Sarge less than ten seconds to wrap the leash tightly around Mac’s ankles, preventing his new master from taking a single step.
Barely able to control the upward twitching of her mouth, Cassie eyed the short distance they had traveled. Mac hadn’t exaggerated, she realized. He hadn’t a clue what to do with a dog. She definitely had her work cut out for her!
Mac watched Cassie try to anchor the paper wrapper on her tofu burger before the gusty wind whipped it out of her grasp. Though the wind was a nuisance, he welcomed it, enjoying the way the stiff breeze played with Cassie’s hair.
Get back to reality, he reprimanded himself, as he pulled his attention away from the beauty that was Cassie. All this was well and good, but it wasn’t getting him much in the way of a story.
“The talk around town is that you’re one of those so-called Port Bellmont witches,” Mac plunged in with the subject matter that had brought him to Port Bellmont.
“I am. Does that bother you?” she challenged.
“Nah, I’ve had my inoculation against witches, werewolves and vampires updated recently.”
“That’s good. But don’t forget to always wear a solid gold cross when I’m near. And you must get yourself a garlic necklace. You wouldn’t want to take any chances, would you?”
“So, tell me, now that your secret is out, maybe you’ll answer one burning question for me. Are all witches vegetarians?” Mac asked as he eyed Cassie’s tofu burger. The two sat side by side upon a weathered bench near the end of Port Bellmont’s fishing pier.
“Of course not. What would we do with the meat from all of the animals we sacrifice during our rituals?” she asked, her tone of voice implying that what she said was far too ridiculous to believe.
Mac’s smile was sardonic. If she had a clue which paper he worked for she’d realize that such a statement could be horribly damning. He could easily visualize the headline a couple of his fellow writers at The Inquisitor would delight in spreading across the front page of their rag - PORT BELLMONT WITCH ADMITS TO HORRIFYING ANIMAL SACRIFICES!
“Besides, there’s some who would say I’m not a true vegetarian because I eat eggs and dairy products. I just don’t like the idea of some poor animal dying so I can have a hamburger when a tofu burger tastes just as good and is better for me.”
“So it’s a moral issue with you.”
“No, it’s a personal issue with me.” She smiled up at him, hoping she hadn’t come across as preaching for her cause. But just the same, it was a cause that was important to her.
She glanced over at Sarge who happily munched on a chew toy. Cassie had spent nearly an hour teaching Mac how to train the pup to his new leash. She figured the little guy had earned his reward.
“You were at the courthouse this morning, weren’t you?” she asked, holding his gaze with eyes that demanded nothing but the truth. “Since I know you’re not from around here, may I assume you’re a reporter?”
He would have given anything to deny his profession, but he realized he could never lie to this woman. “Yes,” he answered on a sigh. “And now, knowing that, I suppose you won’t want to have anything to do with me, right?”
She gazed out to sea for a moment before turning to answer him. Looking directly into his eyes, she replied, “No, not really. If you had lied to me, then I’d have told you to get lost. But you were honest and I trust you.”
“Trust me? You’ve got to be kidding! Let me give you one piece of advice, my little witch. Never, but never, trust a reporter, no matter what he tells you. We’re sharks, every one of us.”
She turned those penetrating eyes on him once again, pinning him with their power. He felt as if she could see into the very depths of his soul.
“I’m sure that’s true of most of the others, but it’s not true of you.”
Cursing, he turned his face from her. A muscle at the edge of his jaw twitched as he tightened his emotions against her. She really was a witch, he thought angrily. He hadn’t cared what anyone thought of him for longer than he could remember. Now, using trust as a surgeon would use a scalpel, she had forced him to recognize painful emotions churning deep within himself, emotions he had been certain he’d destroyed years ago.
“I’m not what you think I am,” he said through clenched teeth, directing his gaze far out to sea. He couldn’t bear to see the look of disgust in her eyes what would surely replace the trusting expression he found so appealing, yet so frustrating, when she learned the truth about him.
“No, you aren’t what you think you are,” she rebuked him gently.
His eyes met her steady gaze. “And just what do you mean by that?”
“I mean that you see yourself as someone who doesn’t care about anyone but himself. But that’s not true. I know it’s not true.” She spoke the words softly but with conviction.
“Did anyone ever tell you you’re nuts?”
“Not nuts - psychic,” The edges of her lips lifted ever so slightly, as if she knew he would treat her words as a joke, but she had spoken them in total candor.
He blew out a gust of air from lungs tight with emotion. “Psychic, huh? I suppose that’s another ‘witch’ thing?”
Her soft chuckle worked as a soothing balm to his troubled soul. “No, it’s not another ‘witch’ thing. It’s just something I was born with. As a matter of fact, I think it came from my father’s side of the family. And as far as I know, no one from his side of the family practiced witchcraft. But, according to my mother, several of his ancestors were reported to have had ‘the gift’, as they called it.”
“You are a very strange woman, Cassie Adams. Next you’ll be telling me you can read minds.”
“Only sometimes.” She burst out laughing at the expression on his face. “Believe me, it’s more of a nuisance than anything else.”
“You mean to tell me you know everything I’ve been thinking?”
“No! Not everything …” her voice trailed off, saying more than her words.
“Next I suppose you’re going to tell me that you can just plug into anybody’s thoughts anytime you want.”
“No, thank goodness. Most people’s thoughts are dreadfully dull. Some people’s minds are completely closed to me, Sheriff Whitaker’s, for one. And then there are others who fairly spew their thoughts at me. I think of some people as ‘loud thinkers’. Unfortunately, they usually fall into the dull category.”
“And which class do I fit into? He wasn’t sure whether he would rather have a closed mind or be one of those people Cassie classified as boring, loud thinkers.
“Actually, you are in a class of your own. Your mind is far from closed to me, but I’m not getting your actual thoughts. What I get from you are your emotions. I feel what you feel.”
“I’m not so sure I like that idea.”
“Well, you can relax. It doesn’t happen all of the time and I can’t tune into you at will. It just sort of happens.”
“Hey! Watch it!” Mac yelped as Sarge who, tired of chewing on his chew toy, decided to turn his attention to Mac’s shoe.
“I need to get back to the shop.” Cassie stood, grateful for the interruption. Mac would never understand. She would rather end the conversation than continue trying to convince him of her special talents. Sometimes they were beyond her own understanding. “Would you like to walk with me, or have I completely scared you away?”
“I’m not that easily scared off,” Mac mumbled as he took hold of Sarge’s leash in the manner that Cassie had taught him.
“Good! You’ve got it.” She gave him an approving glance as they turned back to her shop. “Now, tell me, Mr. McCormick, how long have you been a reporter?” She looked up at him, curious to see the expression in his eyes as he answered her question. The bitterness she saw in them saddened he
r.
“Forever,” the bitterness in his voice matched the expression in his eyes, but then, determined to not allow his dissatisfaction with his current job status to spoil their pleasant time together, he turned to her and with a teasing smile asked, “And how long have you been a witch?”
“Forever!” Her golden eyes sparkled with humor as she echoed his own answer. They laughed together as if one of them had told a particularly funny joke, though both had been completely serious in their responses.
At that moment he saw the woman Cassie Adams truly was: a charming, delightful, altogether sexy lady who bore only a slight resemblance to the ‘witch’ he had observed at the courthouse earlier that morning. He cringed at the thought of what the media could do to this beautiful creature.
“Do you realize how very serious the charges are that are likely to be brought against your mother and perhaps every member of your coven?” he asked, all traces of humor gone from his manner. “There are people in this town who would gladly see all of you burned at the stake.”
“Oh, I know that all too well. In spite of what you may think, I’m not a stupid woman. What happened to Reverend Elkins is appalling, and I realize all too well that many people believe our Wiccan coven is guilty of his murder. But no matter what they think, none of us would do such a thing. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I will find a way to prove to you, and to everyone in this town, that they’re wrong.”
“But how? No one is going to believe the word of Myra Adams’ daughter, especially since you admit that you’re one of her followers.”
“You’re not, one of her followers, that is. If you could be convinced of her innocence, then perhaps you could convince the others.” Cassie stopped suddenly and turned to face this man she had come to trust in such a short time. “You could do it,” she urged, her eyes pleading.
“This whole situation just keeps getting crazier. I report the news, I don’t manipulate it.” For just a moment his conscious reminded him that of late his stories had been more figments of his own imagination than true news reporting, but he pushed that thought quickly aside.
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