She pushed back her chair and picked up her purse. “I need to make a trip to the ladies room.”
He stood, a perfect gentleman. “Hurry back.”
“You bet.” All the way to the rear of the restaurant, she thought about how gorgeous he was and how much she wanted him. She imagined how his eyes would darken during sex. So far his lips had only touched her mouth and neck, but she could mentally translate that delicious sensation to full-body kisses. She longed to feel his dark chest hair tickling her breasts as he hovered over her, poised for that first thrust.
Despite her parents urging her to find a nice wizard boy, she’d always been attracted to nonmagical guys. Because they couldn’t wave a wand or brew a potion to create what they wanted, they had to make it through life on sheer grit and determination. She admired that.
She’d noticed Jasper the minute he’d stepped into her downtown coffee shop. What woman wouldn’t notice six feet of gorgeous male with a physique that did great things for his Brooks Brothers suit? She’d become his friend once she’d learned he was suffering from a broken heart. Sure, he probably had the ability to recover on his own, but she wanted to help.
They’d progressed from conversations at Wicked Brew to a lunch date. That had been followed by two dinner dates, and after the last one he’d kissed her until she’d nearly caved and invited him upstairs, rule or no rule.
He had a right to know the truth before the kissing started again, though, and most likely he wouldn’t believe her. If he didn’t, she had to let him go. No clever little tricks to convince the guy, this time. But letting him go would be very difficult.
The bathroom was empty, which pleased her. She’d been hoping for time alone to prepare. Jasper was special and she didn’t want to muck this up if she could possibly help it.
Closing her eyes, she took a calming breath and murmured softly. “Great Mother and Great Father, guide me in my relationship with this man. Help me find the best way to tell him of my special powers. May we find a kinship that transcends our differences. With harm to none, so mote it be.”
The bathroom door squeaked open. Anica quickly opened her eyes, turned toward the mirror and unzipped her purse as a tall brunette walked in. Moving aside the eight-inch rowan wood traveling wand she carried for emergencies, Anica pulled out her lipstick and began applying another coat of Retro Red.
She expected the woman to head for a stall or take the sink adjoining Anica’s to repair her makeup. Instead the woman clutched her purse and watched Anica. Weird. Maybe this chick needed privacy, too.
Anica capped her lipstick, dropped it in her purse, and closed the zipper. Turning, she smiled at the woman, who didn’t smile back. Instead her classic features creased in a frown. Troubles, apparently. She looked to be in her late twenties, about Anica’s age.
“It’s all yours.” Anica started toward the door.
“Damn, I can’t decide what to do.”
Oh, Hades. Anica tended to invite confidences and she was usually willing to listen and offer whatever help she could. But now wasn’t a good time. “I’m sorry. I have to get back to my date.”
“Jasper Danes.”
Anica blinked. “You know him?”
“Yes.” The woman sighed. “I stopped by here for a drink hoping to run into him, because he comes to this restaurant all the time. I should have realized by now he’d be involved with someone else.”
Anticipation drained out of Anica so quickly she felt dizzy. She looked into the woman’s soft brown eyes. “You’re Sheila.”
The woman nodded.
In the spot where hope had bubbled only moments ago, disappointment invaded like sludge. If Sheila was having second thoughts about breaking up with Jasper, then Anica should step aside. What Anica shared with him was mere lust, which might disappear once he found out she was a witch.
She made herself do the noble thing. “We’re not really involved.” Yet.
“I was afraid to ask if it was serious between you two, because it looked as if—”
“We were heading in that direction, but when I first met him, he was devastated over your breakup. If you regret leaving him, then maybe there’s still a chance to start over.” Anica wanted to cry. Jasper was the first man she’d had any real interest in since Edward and she was giving him back to his ex. Nobility sucked.
“Excuse me, but did you say I left him?”
“Yes. He said that he begged you to reconsider, but you—”
“Oh, my God.” Sheila gazed at the ceiling. “It’s déjà vu.” She closed her eyes and let her head drop. “I thought I was smarter than that. Guess not.”
“I don’t understand.”
When Sheila opened her eyes to look at Anica, her gaze had hardened. “I didn’t understand, either, until now. Tell me, did he say that I broke his heart?”
“Sort of. You know how guys are.”
“Apparently I don’t know enough about how guys are, but I’ll learn. Let me guess what he said.” Sheila deepened her voice in a pretty good imitation of Jasper. “I thought we had something special. I was all set to take her home to meet my folks in Wisconsin when she lowered the boom. Maybe I should have seen it coming. Maybe I dropped the ball somehow, didn’t live up to her expectations. I tried to get her to reconsider, but she was finished with me.”
Uneasiness settled in Anica’s stomach. Sheila had quoted Jasper almost word for word. What if this woman was a nut case who’d been lurking in the coffee shop behind a newspaper while Jasper spilled his guts? “That’s . . . approximately what he said.”
“I’ll bet a million dollars that’s exactly what he said.
Because that’s the speech he gave me about Kate, his previous girlfriend. It touched my heartstrings, which appear to be directly connected to my libido. A few dates, and we were in bed, where I could mend his broken heart.” She blew out a breath. “I didn’t leave Jasper. He dumped me three weeks ago.”
Three weeks ago Jasper had walked into Wicked Brew for the first time and she’d elbowed her employee Sally out of the way so that she could personally serve him a latte. Jasper had shown up the next morning, and the next, and on the third morning he’d announced that his girlfriend had left him.
But Sheila couldn’t be telling the truth about that breakup. Anica prided herself on her ability to read people, and Jasper had been one forlorn guy three weeks ago. If he’d made up that story—no, she couldn’t believe that he’d do such a thing.
“I want to hear Jasper’s side,” she said. “I don’t see any reason why he’d—”
“Don’t you? He’s figured out that women are suckers for a sob story. He hangs with a woman until he finds somebody he likes better. Then he dumps the current girlfriend and works the heartbreak kid angle with the new one. I fell for it. And the worst part is, if I could have him back, I’d take him, even knowing what I know.”
Anica shook her head, still unwilling to accept what Sheila was saying. “I’m sure there’s an explanation. Maybe you two misunderstood each other.” That still left Anica out in the cold if Sheila and Jasper reunited, but she’d rather see that happen than discover Jasper was a louse.
“It’s hard to misunderstand when someone says—it’s been lots of fun and you’re amazing, but it’s time to move on. That’s pretty damned clear, don’t you think?”
“Did you two fight about something?”
“No. All was peaches and cream. I’m guessing he met you and decided to trade up.”
Had Jasper lied to her? Anica couldn’t believe it, but there was only one way to find out. “I’ll talk to him.”
“You do that, and if you decide you don’t want him after you find out the truth, let me know.” Sheila thrust a business card in Anica’s hand. “He might bounce back my way.”
Anica stared at her in disbelief. “You’d still want him, even if he lied to you?”
“’Fraid so. I shouldn’t, but . . . he’s just that good.”
br />
Vicki Lewis Thompson, Chick with a Charm
Chick with a Charm Page 30