Uncertainty flashed in her dark eyes then vanished as her scowl deepened. “Nope. But thanks,” she echoed. Her frown faded, and she stared at him for a moment more before shaking her head. “See you around, Boy Scout.”
Eli watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked away. He wasn’t a huge proponent of premonitions or even faith, but as sure as he knew that the chief was going would bitch him out, he knew he’d see Meaghan again. And next time she wouldn’t be walking away. Not if he could help it.
* * * *
Eli was still thinking about Meaghan while the chief was reprimanding him. He had no idea what had provoked him into acting so out of character, but he couldn’t say he regretted it. Yeah, he’d had a crush on her as a kid, but there was something about her he wanted more of. He briefly wondered where she lived. He could look it up easily enough; he had access to the accident report, after all. But he didn’t want to use his position on the police force to snoop through her personal information. He shook his head at himself. She was right. He practically was a fucking Boy Scout.
“Are you even listening to me?” the chief asked.
“Yeah. Sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
The other man frowned at him. “You’re going to have a fuck-ton of paperwork on your mind if you don’t pull your head out of your ass, Jones.”
“Got it.”
“Good. Now, get to work. I’ve got my own shit to do.”
Eli left his superior’s office and went to the locker room to change into his uniform and try to shove the thought of seeing Meaghan again from his mind. He had other things to focus on at the moment, like his shift and doing all the last minute crap associated with his best friend’s wedding.
His shift was uneventful, but that was fine. He’d had more than enough excitement working in a big city police department. The crime rate in Spring Grove, Michigan was a far cry from his time at the Lansing State Police Department, and he’d had enough of senseless deaths, drive-bys, dead hookers and domestic disputes that turned deadly. He’d seen enough dead kids to last a lifetime. Several lifetimes. He hadn’t deluded himself that he’d moved to Mayberry, but random, violent crimes were fewer and farther between in this small town than they had been in his previous home.
He’d only been back in Spring Grove for a little over six months. Not nearly long enough to dull the nightmares or to forget any of the shit he’d seen while working as a detective in the crime analysis unit. But doing road patrol in a small town was practically a holiday. One he desperately needed.
Taking a swallow of coffee, he glanced at the dashboard clock. Only five and a half more hours, and he’d have a few days of vacation for John’s wedding. Eli sighed. He hadn’t even started the speech yet, and tomorrow was all bachelor party all the time. He’d need a vacation from his vacation.
He made way through the town on nearly deserted streets. The bars wouldn’t close down for at least a half hour. He had time to finish his coffee before dealing with likely DUIs. His radio crackled to life with a noise disturbance call. Responding that he was en route, he headed through acres of farm country to one of the houses on the county line. Time to go bust up a party. At least, it would be more entertaining than driving around nearly empty streets while waiting to pull someone over.
Of course, he wouldn’t mind pulling Meaghan over… Preferably, pulling her over and bending her over the hood of his patrol car. Shoving the thought from his head, he focused on the call.
* * * *
Eli stood under the hot spray of the shower, letting the water roll over his stiff muscles. The noise disturbance had ended up being a house party involving about twenty teenagers and the livestock they’d herded into the house. Who knew goats could run so fast and kick so hard? He glanced at the bruises forming on his shin. Goats were kind of bastards. And here he’d thought being a cop in a rural area would be dull.
Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back under the nearly scalding water, and his mind went right back to the image of Meaghan bent over the hood of his car. In his imagination, she egged him on while he yanked her jeans down around her ankles, baring her sweetly rounded ass.
His cock hardened instantly at the thought of running his hand over her creamy skin, and he wrapped his fingers around his shaft. Thrusting through the circle of his fingers, he pictured plowing into her wet, willing pussy while she writhed beneath him and demanded that he fuck her harder. If his body hadn’t been aching with the need to come, he might have laughed at himself. Here he was fantasizing about the same girl—woman, he amended—that he’d fantasized about when he’d first discovered jacking off. Stifling a groan, he stroked until his release spilled over his hand, Meaghan’s image wavering behind his closed eyes.
Chapter Three
Meaghan woke to the sound of purring turned hissing at her sister’s ringtone. Blearily, she rubbed her eyes then reached for the phone. “Hey, sister mine. What’s up?”
“I’m just calling to see if you remember that you were going to take us to the airport today.”
“Shit!” Meaghan squinted at her alarm clock. “What time is it?”
Emma laughed. “Relax. There’s plenty of time. Ian’s not even done packing yet.”
The kitten batted at Meaghan’s nose, and she groaned remembering the night before. “Crap. Minor change of plans. I got in a little accident last night.”
“Oh my god, are you all right?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I thought the car was, too, but something’s rubbing on the tire. I’m not sure I want to take it all the way out the airport like that. Can you guys come here and pick me up then I’ll take you to catch your flight?”
“I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t you drop your car off at Butch’s, and we’ll meet you there. You can use ours until yours is fixed.”
Meaghan smiled as she scratched the kitten behind the ears. Her sister would probably never stop looking out for her. It used to bug her, but not anymore. “That would be awesome. Thank you.”
“No problem. I’m going to make sure Ian’s actually packing. How about we meet you at eleven-thirty?”
“Perfect. I’ll go hop in the shower. See you in a bit.”
Meaghan hung up the phone and stretched, giggling at the kitten batting at her hair. It had been an impulsive move to bring the little beast home with her. Her cat had died a few months earlier, and she hadn’t thought she was ready for another one, but she couldn’t leave the little fur ball on the road. She couldn’t bear the thought of bringing him to the shelter, either. In retrospect, she was glad she’d kept him. She hadn’t realized just how empty her house had felt until she wasn’t alone in it anymore.
For a brief second, she considered Rowan’s offer of a love spell, but she dismissed it just as quickly. Loneliness was a stupid reason for using magic so frivolously. Not that she hadn’t used it frivolously—hell, even carelessly—in the past, but that was then. She wasn’t as immature as she used to be. That was a good thing, because she couldn’t get Eli out of her head. The last thing she needed was for a love spell to target him. Since she couldn’t stop thinking about him that would likely be how it would go down. To be fair, it was probably the last thing he needed, too.
She’d gone to bed with the memory of his intense gaze boring into hers, and that was the first thing she’d thought of this morning. She couldn’t quite remember what her dreams were about, but she was sure his long, tanned fingers had made an appearance. There was something about a guy with big, strong hands. What she wouldn’t give to have those hands on her body right now.
Meaghan closed her eyes, imagining his fingers spearing through her hair as he angled her head to kiss her. Her nipples tightened at the thought of his mouth on hers. Her pussy grew slick, and she squirmed beneath the covers as she imagined his hands on her breasts, plucking her nipples…pinching…twisting.
Her fingers trailed over her stomach, teasing the sensitive skin there before slipping toward her panties, but needle-sharp claws ha
lted the downward motion. The kitten stood on top of her, biting at her hand beneath the sheet.
“Maybe your name is Fun-Hater,” she said to him. He ignored her, of course, and continued happily gnawing at her through the bedding.
With a sigh, Meaghan carefully extracted herself from the kitten’s claws and sat up. As much as she could use a little physical release, she really needed to get ready to meet Emma and Ian. It was probably a good thing she’d been interrupted by her furry roommate.
Forty-five minutes and a shower later, Meaghan had dropped off her car at Butch’s Auto Repair and waited for her sister and brother-in-law to arrive. As she flipped through a magazine, a woman came in with a stack of papers and spoke quietly to the man behind the desk. Before she left, she taped a piece of paper to the window next to the door. It was a missing child alert hung above another one that was yellowing with age, the edges curling up around the tape.
Meaghan’s throat thickened, and she swallowed hard as she read the flyer. The details were startlingly similar to the one already hanging there. Both girls were around the same age, both had dark hair and both appeared to be stranger abductions, with the suspect driving a tan or gold car. Unable to keep from staring at the girls’ pictures, she knew she’d be seeing them in her nightmares. The memory of another child’s body rose in her mind.
She still had bad dreams about the little girl her sister had found a few years ago. Well, Emma hadn’t found Marisol—just her body. Together with Meaghan and their friend Rowan, Emma had helped the little girl’s spirit cross over to the other side.
Flooded with memories and needing fresh air, Meaghan pushed out of the hard plastic chair. As she glanced again at the photos as she passed through the door, she couldn’t help but wonder if these two disappearances were somehow related to Marisol’s. The police had never found her killer, and as far as Meaghan knew, they didn’t even have any leads. Hopefully, it wasn’t too late for these two.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, opening them only when she heard a car pull into the parking lot. Forcing a smile, she slid into the driver’s seat as her brother-in-law, Ian, climbed in back.
“Thanks for taking us to the airport,” he said.
“No worries. I’m just glad you guys are finally able to take your honeymoon—”
“I thought you said you weren’t hurt!” Emma interrupted, peering at Meaghan’s face, concern filling her dark eyes.
“I’m not.”
“You’ve got a bruise by your hairline,” she said.
Meaghan adjusted the rearview mirror to look. Emma was right, a faint purple mark spread downward onto her forehead. She’d figured she’d bruise, but she hadn’t really thought it would be that noticeable. Great. She’d have to cover it with makeup for the wedding shoot tomorrow or figure out a different way to wear her hair to conceal it.
Normally, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but this couple was particular about having the photographers blend in with the guests so as not to be a distraction. Meaghan doubted that Bride and Groomzilla would appreciate a photographer with a bruised up face. Even without the mark, it would be hard not to be a distraction since she and Toby would have cameras, tripods, reflectors and light kits. It wouldn’t be easy to blend in with all that equipment. Whatever. If they wanted their photographers in wedding attire, that’s what they’d get.
Meaghan looked at the bruise one more time and turned to Emma. “Is it really that noticeable?”
Her sister winced. “Kinda.”
She sighed. “Extra makeup, it is.”
Emma reached into the backseat. “Honey, can you hand me the cookies?”
“Gladly.”
Glancing into the rearview mirror as she backed out of the parking lot, Meaghan laughed at the expression of disgust on Ian’s face.
“I really hope this craving doesn’t last all pregnancy,” he said. “I’m not sure I can stomach the smell of those things for the next six months.”
“Want one?” Emma offered around a mouthful of cookie.
Meaghan pulled up to the stoplight and looked at the package then at her sister. “Watermelon Oreos? Seriously?”
Her sister nodded and offered a cookie to Meaghan. “They’re delicious. Have one.”
“I can’t even begin to tell you how much I don’t want to.”
Emma shrugged. “More for me.” After a moment, she added, “Do you think they’ll have these in Ireland?”
“Christ, I hope not,” Ian muttered from the backseat.
Emma chattered excitedly about the trip—their delayed honeymoon—while Meaghan navigated the busy roads leading to the airport and wondered what it would be like. Not just to take a trip with a guy but to trust him enough to be honest about who and what she was.
At first, Ian had hated the fact that Emma was a witch—even hated Emma. He’d hated Meaghan and Rowan, too. He’d tried to, anyway. But he’d come around—particularly where Emma was concerned. Rowan had never had to hide the fact that she was a witch from her lover.
Meaghan thought of Eli. Not that he was her lover, but she couldn’t imagine telling someone like him her secret.
Actually, she could. She’d told someone her secret once. Told him and showed him what she could do. He’d taken off and never talked to her again. Sure, she’d seen him around campus, but he’d always given her a wide berth and refused to make eye contact. She’d tried repeatedly to return her engagement ring, but he refused to take it. It had amazed her that a person could go from talking about wanting marriage and kids to simply never talking to her again. It was what it was, and she wasn’t making that mistake again. Not with Eli or anyone else.
As she pulled into the drop-off lane, she pushed the thoughts of Eli and magic out of her head. She didn’t need to worry about relationships and confessions that would never happen. Right now, all she had to do was send Emma and Ian on their way and find a dress for the wedding tomorrow night.
* * * *
Eli loved his best friend. He really did. But even with the goats, breaking up the house party two nights ago had been more enjoyable than John’s wedding rehearsal today. Part of the problem was that he was still hung over from the bachelor party last night. John hadn’t wanted the traditional strip club party, so instead they’d gone kayaking down the Thornapple River and gotten good and hammered once they’d arrived at their campsite. They’d made it back to town with enough time to shower, pick up their tuxes and make it to the rehearsal.
The other part of the problem was that John’s wife-to-be was hell bent on setting up Eli with Cara, one of her bridesmaids. Cara was nice enough and definitely pretty, but they had absolutely nothing in common. She looked just as uncomfortable as he felt. Unfortunately, the entire evening had them joined at the hip. At least, he’d be able to leave once dinner was served. All he wanted was fall into bed and sleep for a week.
The moment Cara excused herself, John headed in his direction. “How’s the head?”
Eli grinned. “Better than yours, I’m betting.”
“You’d be right. There’s nothing like a pre-wedding argument to make a hangover extra potent.”
Eli leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Everything all right?”
John sank into Cara’s empty chair. “It’s okay. Shannon’s just stressed out. Her family is being its usual dysfunctional self, and for some reason, she was under the impression that I was coming home last night.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. It hasn’t been the greatest day.”
Eli shifted in his chair. “Sorry, man.”
John shrugged. “It is what it is. It’ll be better once the stress of the wedding’s over. Speaking of, Shannon wants to know how you and Cara are getting along.”
“Look…she’s sweet, but…”
“No spark?”
“Not even a little one,” Eli admitted.
John nodded. “I didn’t really think she was your type. You need someone who’s more of a challenge.”
Eli grinned. He had the perfect challenge in mind. He just had to find her again. In a town this small, it wouldn’t be that hard.
Chapter Four
Meaghan adjusted the focus on her camera as the bride’s processional music started playing and froze. She was supposed to be getting shots of the groom while Toby was photographing the bride’s entrance. Except what filled Meaghan’s frame at the moment wasn’t the groom. It was his best man.
Eli.
She couldn’t believe her luck. Her stomach fluttered nervously, but she forced her attention to the man next to Eli where it belonged.
If she missed these shots, they couldn’t be reproduced and Toby would kill her. Meaghan didn’t even want to think of how the bride would react. Inhaling deeply, she watched the man’s face, capturing the exact moment he saw his wife-to-be enter the church. After snapping a few more pictures, she took a few of each member of the wedding party as the bride made her way up the aisle.
As soon as the bride was at the front of the church, Meaghan switched places with Toby and moved to the balcony to take a few overhead shots. Maybe she’d make it through the reception without Eli noticing her. It wasn’t a big deal if he did, she supposed, though the idea of more contact with him made her uncharacteristically nervous. Maybe she’d get lucky and he wouldn’t recognize her. Then again, who cared if he recognized her? Weddings were great places to hook up. Maybe she wouldn’t need a Get Meaghan Laid spell after all.
She studied him from above. Something about him still seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place him today any better than she could the other day. He was even more attractive than she remembered. The tux didn’t do anything for her, but imagining pulling it off him certainly did. Her nipples tightened, chafing against the lining of her dress.
Sighing, she pushed thoughts of a nearly naked Eli out of her head and zoomed in on the altar where the priest addressed the bride and groom. This shoot couldn’t be over soon enough, and she’d have to make sure she deleted the excessive amount of photos of Eli that were sure to be on her memory card before she gave it to Toby.
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