Stopping every time Jack, her cameraman, wanted to shoot her ‘in process’ as he called it, and when Clarice came to do touch-ups on her makeup and hair, Kallie finally glanced up at the heart-shaped clock on the wall and gasped, “Lordy, we only have ten minutes til we’re on.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” Jesse jeered, having been grumping around behind her huffing and puffing, no willing to let go of his bad attitude.
Lifting her chin, Kallie sassed, “Stop being such a whining Wendy, will ya’? I’m sorry, already. Yes, I was late. Yes, you hate late. Yes, I should have been more prepared.” She pushed out her bottom lip giving Jesse her best pout complete with puppy dog eyes as she walked towards him. “Can I have a hug, pweeeaassee?” She added some fake sniffles. “I passed out with my face in the frosting at about five AM then Daph and Merrie woke me up and I had sprinkles on my boobs and candy in my armpit.”
Seeing that Jesse was holding back his laughter, Kallie poured on her insatiable charm. “I’m so ready, your boss is gonna make you Queen for the Week when I’m done.”
Hugging her bestie, happy when he hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek, Kallie stepped back. “Now, I have to visit the little girls’ room. I’ll be right back. Have a taste. The ones on the bottom shelve are the extras.”
Racing to the bathroom, hurrying and then speeding back, Kalliope had a sudden burst of inspiration. “I’m gonna put just a little oomph into my recipe.” She smiled from ear-to-ear at every one she passed. “The Goddess can’t get mad at me if I spread around a little love, can she now? It was written in the original recipe.”
Taking her place behind her counter just as her director, Neil started the countdown, Kallie whispered to herself, “Yep, spread the love. That’s what I’m gonna do. What could go wrong?”
Chapter Six
Taking the pat h from his cottage to Brannoc and Annie’s house, Murdock was glad he’d finally gotten a good night’s sleep. Sure, he’d dreamt of the vivacious brunette and had awoken with a hard-on he’d had to take care of in the shower, but still, he was as rested and as relaxed as he could be around large groups of people.
Atticus had always been the social one. Murdock preferred small groups, or better yet, being alone. When they were children, his mother always urged him to follow his older brother, explaining that Dragons were social creatures and needed the comradery of their Clan.
The older he got, the more Murdock realized that although he had a strong affection for those he called brethren, the whole togetherness thing just wasn’t for him. So, when his father, Redmond and their Clan Leader at the time, Riordan, suggested he take the post of guarding their underwater borders, Murdock jumped at the chance.
He could still remember the day he said goodbye to Atticus and Marie, Atticus’ mate. In ways, it seemed like several lifetimes had passed and on the other hand, as if it happened that very morning.
“Do take care of yourself,” Marie whispered , her belly swollen with their first son. “Atticus may not act like it, but he will miss you terribly.”
Smiling and nodding, pretty much all he could do around the lovely Dragoness. Not only did her kind ways and soft voice make him uncomfortable, but the fact that she was so tiny and frail made Murdock fear he would accidentally trip and crush her under his huge frame.
Walking to the water’s edge and stopping next to Atticus, he watched the ebb and flow of the water, enjoying the silence he and his brother could share. Watching the last rays of the sun lengthen over the water before disappearing completely, Murdock turned towards his brother and held out his hand.
“Time for me to go.”
Looking at his outstretched hand, Atticus laughed, “And you think I’m only going to shake your hand. Get the hell over here.” Pulling him into a bear hug and slapping him on the back, his older brother murmured, “Take care of yourself, Dock and don’t forget to come home to meet your nephew.”
“How was I to know that was the last time I’d ever see him?” Murdock sighed to himself. “Hell, this is only the fourth or fifth time I’ve ever seen Brannoc. I completely understand why Doxie stayed up on that damned mountain for so long.”
Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Murdock knocked on the kitchen door of Brannoc and Annie’s two-story home, opening the door and going in when Annie yelled, “Come on in, Murdock. Coffee’s on and I’m making bacon and eggs.”
Smiling as he greeted his nephew’s very pregnant mate, the Guardsman praised, “It really smells good in here.”
Pushing up to her toes and kissing him on the cheek, the bear shifter winked, “I hope you’re hungry. I’m eating for three and your nephew always eats enough for two.”
“Hey!” Brannoc laughingly objected as he walked into the room. “I eat for at least three.” Kissing his mate on the cheek as she flipped the sizzling meat and scrambled the fluffy yellow eggs, he rubbed Annie’s stomach before kissing it and whispering, “Your Uncle Murdock’s here for breakfast. Think he’ll eat more than daddy?”
Not sure what to say and not wanting to offend Brannoc and Annie, the older Guardsman quickly chuckled, “Aye, Ah will for sure. Ah’ve not had a home cooked breakfast in, well…Ah cannae remember.” His smile grew as the others laughed at his comment then quickly added, “What can I do to help?”
Maybe this whole family thing is not as bad as I remembered…
Turning around as Brannoc took over cooking, Annie took a seat at the table. “Are you sure you don’t mind?” Rubbing her stomach, as Murdock shook his head, she went on, “These two are getting’ heavy. I just can’t stay on my feet like I used to.”
“No problem at all. Just point and I’ll do the rest.”
Growing more comfortable every minute with the warm feelings of love and affection he felt coming from his family, Murdock set about following Annie’s instructions. It wasn’t long before he had the table set, the orange juice and milk on the table and two cups of hot coffee poured for himself and Brannoc.
Breakfast was actually fun. He listened to the couple tell stories about how they met, and the bear Brannoc had to fight to win Annie’s hand. It reminded him so much of when he was younger and spent time with not only his family but also his brethren with whom he shared an unbreakable bond.
It wasn’t long before his thoughts once again returned to the smiling brunette. Murdock wondered if he too would have to fight for her hand. Would she recognize him as her mate? Did she want a mate? Had she ever imagined he would be a Dragon?
Pushing all thought of the beautiful woman and mating from his mind, Murdock laughed as Annie teased, “Your nephew is quite the fighter. Did he learn that from you?”
“It runs in the Deóireach blood,” Murdock snickered. “Both Atticus and I were quite the scrappers in our day.”
“Oh really?” Brannoc acted shocked, slapping his hand over his heart as she teased, “Scrappers? In our family? Why I never.”
“At least not when anyone was looking,” Murdock laughed, using one of Atticus’ old sayings.
Loving the happy, comfortable atmosphere and being able to spend some real quality time with family made it easy to say yes when Annie asked, “Why don’t you hang out here today? I know y’all are waitin’ on news from Uther and Kayne, but you can hear it here just as well as anywhere.” She tapped her temple as she spoke of the telepathic communication all the Dragons shared. “I would love the company and maybe you can get your nephew to fire up the grill and cook the wonderful steaks I just got from the butcher.”
“Now, that sounds like a plan.” Brannoc clapped his hands together and rubbed them quickly. “My mouth is already watering.”
“But you just ate,” Annie laughed out loud.
“And I’ll be ready for steaks with all the trimmings in a few hours.”
“See what I mean?” Annie winked at Murdock. “He’s a Dragon garbage disposal.”
Laughing as he got to his feet and started clearing the table, Murdock snickered over his should
er, “I regret to inform you, dear Annie, but that runs in the family, too.”
“Oh, Lordy,” the cute female bear pretended to gripe. “And two more on the way. Dear Goddess, please send me a freezer full of beef and another with chicken.”
As the room erupted in laughter, Murdock leaned against the counter and simply watched Annie and Brannoc. A warmth he’d never known, or maybe that he’d forgotten wrapped around his heart filled his soul and made him feel like he was well and truly home.
Getting to her feet, Annie motioned for him to follow. “Leave those dishes. Brann loads the dishwasher.”
“Yep, that’s my job, Dock. Go on out in the living room and watch TV with Annie. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“You sure?” Murdock asked, still grinning from ear-to-ear at the fact that Brannoc had used his old nickname, the one Atticus had always called him.
“I’m sure. Rest up. Old Man. I’m gonna need your help with those steaks.”
“You got it,” the older Guardsman gave his nephew the thumbs up as he followed Annie into the living room.
Taking a seat on the couch as she got into the recliner, Murdock sat back watching as his niece-in-law flipped through channels until she landed on something called the Food Network . Looking on as a man with platinum blond hair that stood on end finished up a dish that he called Bangin’ Shrimp Tacos, Murdock scooted farther into the overstuffed cushions behind his back and crossed his arms over his chest. Thinking about taking a nap, he nearly fell off the couch when the music coming from the television changed to a voice he knew he’d never heard that reached right into his chest, wrapped around his heart and demanded he pay attention.
Gawking at the TV, the Guardsman could barely breathe as he watched the woman from his dreams smile at the studio audience while announcing, “Hey Y’all, I’m Kalliope Sugarbaker, Thanks for tuning in. Today on Kalliope’s Kupcake Kitchen I’m gonna be whipping up my Gram’s Famous Red Velvet Cupcakes.” Leaning closer to the camera and giving a wink, the absolutely captivating woman he immediately knew was a Witch winked, “One taste of these bad boys and your lover will beg for more.” She wrinkled her cute little nose which made Murdock smile as she went on, “And I’m not just talking about cupcakes.”
As the audience laughed, she added, “So, get those aprons on and make sure your mixer is warmed up, cause we’re gonna be adding some special magic to these bad boys with lots of X’s and O’s. See you right back here in less than two minutes.”
“Do you know her, Murdock?” Annie’s voice pulled the Guardsman out of his stupor.
Jumping to his feet, embarrassed that he’d been caught ogling the woman he now knew as Kalliope, Murdock shook his head, “Nay.” He tried to chuckle, knowing before it crossed his lips that it was going to sound stiff and forced but still went on trying to cover by adding, “Never met her.”
I really need to get out of this house. I have to think…
Making a quick excuse, he stammered, “Ah - Ah forgot. Ah promised tae meet wit Rian. Ah’ll be back in an hour or so.”
Not waiting for Annie’s reply, he swept through the kitchen, callws his goodbyes out to Brannoc as he exited the same door he’d arrived through and raced towards the forest.
He needed to be alone, to think, to figure out what the hell he was going to do. Not only did he know beyond all doubt that the woman from his dreams existed, but there was no more denying that she was his mate. He’d felt it to the bottom of his very soul. Kalliope, the Cooking Witch, had been made by the Universe just for him.
Stopping at the back of Dragon’s Lake, Murdock had just taken a seat on the end of the wooden dock as Raibert snickered, “And so it begins. Yur little Witch already has ye all tied up in ye knickers, dear Murdock.”
“Shut up, Raibert. Just shut up.”
Chapter Seven
Ban g !
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Kalliope!”
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Kalliope Jane Sugarbaker, get your ass outta bed or I swear to Gianni Versace’s ghost that I’ll climb this trellis and drag you outta there by the hair on your head!”
Staring towards the window as Meredith and Daphne ran into her room, Kalliope let her legs slide off the bed, and her feet hit the floor. Shoving her long dark curls out of her face, she got to her feet, stumbled across the floor and opened the curtains.
There, standing in the middle of her front lawn, looking like he’d had a few too many Cosmos and woken up on the wrong side of someone else’s bed stood none other than Jesse James waving his hands and sounding like a fog horn as he once again screamed, “KALL-I-O-PE!”
Opening the window, the less-than-thrilled-to-be-awake-on-a-day-with-no-show Earthen Witch, shoved her head out the door and shrieked in retaliation, “JESS-E JA-MES! SHUT THE HELL UP!”
“Oh no, you don’t!” He shook his fist and stomped his foot. “You do not get to yell at me an act all high and mighty when you are the one to blame.”
“Blame for what, Crazy Pants? I was asleep until you decided to have a coronary on my front lawn.”
“Get down here and open this effing door, Girlie, or I’m breakin’ it down,” Jesse demanded, still shaking his fist in Kallie’s direction. “And turn on the TV while you’re at it.”
The thought of leaving Jesse outside until he’d cooled off crossed her mind, but then she’d just have to listen to more bitchin’ when he did finally gain access. So, turning away from the window, she grabbed her robe, slid her feet into her slippers and motioned for her roomies to follow.
Stalking down the stairs, she marched across the room, thankful Daph had remembered to turn on the TV as she ripped open the door and shouted right into Jesse’s face, “What the hell crawled up your Calvin Klein’s, Dude? My neighbors are gonna report you to the ASPCW.”
Stopping whatever he was about to say and standing with his mouth wide open for nearly three whole seconds, Jesse slammed his hand on his hip and asked, “What the fuck does that stand for?”
“The Astrological Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Witches,” Kallie huffed, spinning on the toe of her pink, fluffy slippers and walking away.
“Whatever, Kals,” Jesse grumped before beginning to once again scream. “We’ve got bigger problems than your precious little feelings.” Grabbing the remote from Meredith’s hand, he clicked the button to change the channels so hard that Kalliope thought his finger was gonna go all the way through to the battery before he stopped on Sunshine Morning News with Sunnie Day and Jack Smart .
Pointing and screeching, Jesse jumped up and down as he screamed, “Look! Look! Look what you’ve done.”
Sitting on the coffee table with her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, Kalliope stared at what she immediately recognized as the station where she worked. What confused her more than Leprechauns delivering Christmas presents were the men, thousands of them, lined up both sides of the street, circling around behind the building and continuing into the seven-story parking garage.
“What…?”
“Oh, just you wait, Buella Badass. You ain’t gonna believe what comes next.”
Turning her head back to the TV, Kalliope watched as Sunnie Day, the nauseatingly cheerful anchorwoman, dressed in one of her signature bright yellow frocks, walked up to one of the men and asked, “Can you tell us your name and why you’re here today?”
“My name is Charlie, Charlie Brooks and I’m here to meet Kalliope Sugarbaker of Kalliope’s Kupcake Kitchen. I love her and I want her to marry me,” the young man with sun-bleached hair and a dimple in his chin announced, loudly and just a little too proudly.
As Sunnie moved down the line, the answer from every man she interviewed was the same, they were all in love with Kalliope and wanted to marry her. There was even a guy who played an accordion and sang a ballad of his undying love and devotion to the ‘Witch with the long brown locks’. It was all too much. Jumping to her feet, Kallie waved her arms in her best impression o
f a freaking-out-chicken and accused, “What did you do, Jesse James? Who did you pay off for this stunt? I swear…I swear I’ll…well, shit, I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’s gonna be…”
“What did I do?” Jesse was on his feet, the tip of his nose touching Kalliope’s as he yelled, “What did I do? You have to be fuckin’ crazy. I’m not the one with superpowers. That’s you, Sista.” He poked Kallie in the shoulder. “You’re the lovesick, lovelorn, love-what-the-ever who’s done something stupid.” Taking a step back and throwing his arms wide, Jesse wailed, “It’s fucking raining men, and God help us, they all want you.”
“I didn’t do it?” Kallie adamantly denied at the precise moment that the air around her was drenched in magic and the scent of night-blooming jasmine and sage filled the room.
The space between the Witch and her TV started to undulate, kind of like the surface of a lake after a stone is thrown through it, right before the usually smiling but now frowning face of the Grand Priestess of her Coven appeared. “Kalliope what have you done?” Calysta’s voice was low and foreboding. “What magic have you let loose that is now running amuck among the men in your vicinity?”
“I…I didn’t…well, I don’t think…that is, I was just…” Falling onto the couch with a loud, “Shit!” Kallie continued, “I was making those stupid cupcakes for yesterday’s show and telling my audience how the object of their affection was going to love them. I even went so far as to set the stage.” She looked up at the magical visage of the most powerful Earthen Witch in the world and motioned with her hand. “You know, with flowers and candles. Maybe a bottle of wine.”
When Calysta didn’t smile, or even a move a muscle, Kalliope hurried on, “Well, dang it all, I kinda zoned out. I knew Grams had put a little oomph in her recipe. Then I thought about all the love spells she’d written for people and how many of those people were still happily married because they’d come to her. By the time I came to my senses, I was signing off.” She shrugged then whispered, “Since nobody was actin’ weird, I figured I was just overreacting. I said, ‘Good show’ to the crew, went to my dressing room and after talking to Clarice and Jesse came home.”
Sinfully Delicious: Six Scintillating Stories of Sweets, Treats, and Happily Ever Afters Page 45