In the Witching Hour

by In The Witching Hour (lit)

She flipped open the lid to the suntan lotion. Within seconds, three of Roger’s friends were by her side, volunteering to put it on her bare back. Too bad it wasn’t the man she wanted for the task. She could almost feel his large hands upon her, touching her arms and her legs. A shiver ran over her skin.

  From behind her sunglasses, she watched with interest as Adrian dove under the water. His long, lean body moved expertly with the waves as if he were a professional swimmer. Not only was he handsome like his father, but he had the physique his father had been proud of so many years ago.

  But John had blackmailed her into doing what he wanted. The pimp! If only she could find a way to be free of his hold. He was the only person who knew her secret, and his threats had worked.

  She clenched her teeth against the memory. He had ruined her life. He’d made her like this. Now he’d have to deal with what she wanted to do with him … and his son. Revenge would be hers—just as soon as she became better friends with Adrian.

  With a flip of her hand, she dismissed her nephew’s friends. Threading her fingers through her thick hair, she lifted the mass, letting it run through her fingers as it fell down her back. Stretching her legs in front of her, she lay back on the chair.

  Still keeping an eye on the handsome Adonis playing water volleyball, she couldn’t stop herself from admiring John’s son. His muscles flexed when he reached up to hit the ball, beads of water running off his skin like pearls on silk. His triumphant smile displayed lustrous white teeth, his grin making the dimple in his cheek deepen. Adrian Robinson was a real looker—just as his father had been, and she anticipated the game she’d play with him.

  It wouldn’t be hard to make it happen. She noticed the way he watched her when she walked toward the pool. His lust-filled gaze caressed every inch of her body. She supposed he had mentally licked his way up to the panty line of her swimsuit. Surprisingly, she looked forward to the moment his body would worship hers in mindless passion.

  Against her will, her nipples rose with eagerness and she cursed her responsive body. It was the senator’s fault for turning her into the woman she was today. But now she was satisfied to sit back and watch.

  Watch and wait.

  And scheme.

  Her nephew’s ring of laughter disturbed her thoughts. He jumped into the pool. The cannonball dive splashed water on her and she sucked in a breath as she sat up in surprise. Pulling off her water-spotted sunglasses, she looked for something to wipe them on. Someone pushed a towel in front of her, and she glanced up into the deep sapphire eyes of Adrian Robinson.

  “Will this help?” he asked, his voice husky and sensual.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  She reached for the towel, but he pulled the cloth out of her grasp. His grin widened. “Here, allow me.” He tugged her sunglasses out of her hold. The whispery caress of his fingers speared her skin like molten lava.

  While he rubbed the towel against her glasses, he kept his gaze locked on hers, looking away only long enough to glance at his handiwork. His brows knitted in concentration before he raised the shades to his lips. When they parted and he breathed softly on the glasses, his eyes met hers.

  Liquid heat pooled between her legs. Just looking at him turned her on, but imagining his mouth and hot breath on her body cranked up the temperature inside her a little higher.

  She lay back on the chair, crossing her arms behind her head. His attention dropped to her breasts for a brief second, and excitement caused her nipples to pucker. She really shouldn’t be enjoying the subtle flirtations so much. After all, he was just a means to an end. By the rugged stubbornness of his jaw and the lift of his secretive grin, she knew what she wanted.

  Her gaze wandered over his broad shoulders, down his lean chest and tight waist, lingering longer on his snug-fitting trunks. She seductively drew her tongue across her lips, knowing he watched.

  Would it be wrong if she enjoyed her revenge to the fullest?

  “Here you are, ma’am.” He handed back her sunglasses.

  She lifted her gaze to his face. “Please, call me Colette. I’m really not that much older than you.” Considering witches never aged past twenty-five.

  He nodded.

  Without another word, he turned and moved back to his friends in the pool. She liked the way the wet material molded his tight ass—cheeks made for sinking her teeth into.

  He dove into the water, the muscular build of an athlete arched with precision.

  She tore her stare from him long enough to glance around the pool. Roger’s other friends watched her with interest—and her nephew’s female friends eyed her with envy. Jealous fangs showed quite often whenever she was in a crowd. She didn’t want it—she didn’t ask for it. But the master had taught her how to dress and move to get whatever she wanted … or in most cases, whomever he had wanted.

  The playful scream of Roger, accompanied by the annoying giggles of the girls, told Colette it was time to leave and go back into the house. If she knew her nephew, roughhousing would soon follow. It seemed the whole group wanted to see who could dunk the most people.

  She turned and lifted herself off the chair, preparing to leave. At that moment someone yelled in pain, and another person screamed, “Oh, shit!” She swung her head toward the pool. Silence had captured the group as all eyes stared at the person injured.

  Adrian held his nose, lines of blood dripping between his fingers.

  She ran to the side of the pool and helped him to the nearest lounge chair. “Roger, run up to the house and have Mae fix an ice pack. Quick.”

  She grabbed a towel and brought it to Adrian’s face. Trying to keep the situation under control, she stroked his forehead and gave him a smile. “Adrian, put pressure on it until it stops bleeding. Roger’s bringing the ice.”

  Adrian took the towel and pressed it gingerly to his nose. “Pinch the tip of your nose,” she instructed.

  His jaw hardened and she suspected his injury was more painful than he wanted others to think. She swiped his wavy, damp hair out of his face and soon his breathing slowed.

  Within minutes Roger returned with two ice packs. Colette placed one on Adrian’s neck and the other just above his nose.

  Roger knelt by her side and looked at his friend. “Shit, man, I didn’t mean to elbow you.”

  Adrian nodded, keeping his eyes closed. “I know. It was an accident.”

  The afternoon sun beating down on Colette’s back nearly fried her skin, and it certainly wasn’t helping Adrian any. “I think you should move out of the sun. Can you stand? We’ll go over to the gazebo.”

  With help from the others, Adrian stood. Colette grabbed an extra towel and draped it over her shoulders, then slipped an arm around his waist. Damn, his body was rock hard. When he swayed, she brought her other arm up and grasped his shoulder. “Can you walk?”

  “Yeah.”

  Taking careful steps, she led him to the shaded gazebo. She sat first then helped him lie down, making sure his head rested on the extra towel she rolled up as a pillow on her lap.

  Adrian readjusted the ice pack, opening his eyes to look at her. She smiled. “Feeling better?”

  The corner of his lips turned up into a grin. “Hurts like hell, but I’ll live.”

  “I think you should lie still until the bleeding stops.”

  He nodded. “Good idea. Right now my head is spinning so fast, I’m worried I’ll walk into something and hurt myself again.”

  She chuckled. “Then I won’t let you walk until you’re ready.”

  His grin widened. He looked over at his friends who stood nearby. “Hey, why don’t you guys go back and have fun? I’ll be out of commission for a while longer.”

  Gradually, the crowd dispersed and Colette was grateful for the privacy.

  He gazed up sideways at her. “You know, you don’t look a day over twenty.”

  She laughed. “How old do you think I am?”

  “Roger told me you were thirty-five, but you sure don’t look that
old.”

  He’d been checking up on me. This was better than she’d first planned. His eyes were now focused on her breasts just mere inches away from his face. If she leaned down further, and if he turned his face toward her just a little more, she’d be able to move her nipple across his tempting mouth….

  Shivers of delight ran over her skin. His tongue snaked out and slid across his lips. Her nipples tightened, and when his gaze went there his eyes turned smoky blue.

  The plan to seduce the Senator’s son became another challenge. Adrian wouldn’t know her purpose because his father hadn’t been in her life for the past several years. She hid her scars well and one day she’d give John Robinson some of his own scars to hide.

  Soon.

  Very soon.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Adrian stared at the barely covered nipples that loomed so near. What did he think he was doing? Wrapping his lips around Colette’s pointy nipples was out of the question. Yet, it would be so easy to accidentally bump his face against them.

  The throbbing in his swimming trunks matched the pounding in his nose. Something needed to be said, needed to happen to break this electrifying moment. He couldn’t let Roger’s sexy aunt get to him. After all, she was not a Victoria’s Secret goddess sent here for his pleasure.

  Stirrings from within his wet trunks reminded him it’d been a while since his sexual needs had been satisfied.

  But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. The widow Carmichael was dangerous. He’d heard the stories.

  Adrian cleared his throat and turned his face away. When he adjusted the icepack on his nose, his hand brushed against her breasts, and her nipples practically burned his skin. She gave a quick intake of breath. Inwardly he scolded himself for not remembering how close those mounds of pleasure were.

  “Sorry,” he said, trying to sit up.

  “That’s okay.” She held onto his shoulders, keeping him flat on his back. “You shouldn’t move yet.”

  But he couldn’t stay lying down with her hovering over him, either. It was too risky. “I … I just thought you might be uncomfortable.”

  He glanced up at her and she gave him a smile. Damn, she must know what I’m thinking.

  “I’m not uncomfortable,” she said.

  She touched her fingers to his hair, smoothing the strands away from his forehead. Her warm touch sent electricity through him, setting fire to his blood quicker than any woman ever had. Was it because she was so attractive? So damn sexy? Yet there was some kind of invisible force pulling him to her. Her nearness made it difficult to breathe, and his breath came faster, heavier. He swallowed, but his throat stayed dry.

  “So, Adrian, what have you planned now that you’ve graduated?”

  He sighed with relief. Thankfully, she’d said something to take his mind off his lustful thoughts.

  “Actually, I have a job lined up already. I start work next week at Crane, Burns, and Rowley.”

  “Really? How impressive.”

  “During my last two years at Harvard, I had an internship with them. They liked me and thought I’d be a good asset to the law firm.”

  “Well, I’m sure they were inspired by your talents.”

  Her brows lifted, her eyes twinkling. Was she flirting? Why would she? Other women practically threw themselves at him for a chance to ride the money train, but Colette Carmichael already had wealth, and he didn’t think she needed power. Obviously, she was looking for a play toy and had him in mind.

  He chuckled. “Thank you. I was up against stiff competition.” And speaking of stiff.… He squirmed.

  She tilted her head, still keeping her eyes on him. “Do you think your job offer had something to do with your father being a senator?”

  He shrugged. “The thought has crossed my mind. I like to think I got this job because they know I’ll make a damn good lawyer.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  She pushed her sunglasses up to perch on top of her head. Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders and curled provocatively around her breasts.

  He fought an inward battle, trying to keep his libido from beating like a tom-tom.

  Now that he’d graduated, he needed a little rest and relaxation before starting his new job. Although his idea of relaxing might have included a beautiful woman, he wouldn’t take advantage of Roger’s sexy aunt. Especially not with her reputation.

  Women came easy and he was tired of playing their game. He wanted an intelligent woman. Once they saw past his body, all they were after was a part of his father’s money and power.

  He glanced back up at Colette. Her emerald eyes sparkled with mischief. What was she planning with him? Would he be a pawn in her game?

  Her gaze moved over his chest, then down the length of him. His erection was obvious by the intense strain against his wet shorts. He cursed his weakness. The woman knew what she did to men—it was written on her Cheshire grin.

  Although extremely beautiful, the stories circulating about her worried him. Had she killed her husband for his money? Did she still seduce men to get more? That could be the reason she was after him—to get a piece of his father’s wealth.

  “How do you feel?” she asked, her voice husky with desire.

  He cleared his throat. “The ice is helping. It doesn’t hurt as much.”

  “I’m no doctor, so you might want to have it looked at.” She drew her finger down the side of his face.

  He pulled away and tried to sit up. “I will.”

  She helped him sit next to her. His nose still throbbed with almost the same rhythm as his erection, and almost as painfully. What was she doing to him? But more importantly, why did he let her?

  It surprised him to see a mirror hanging on the wall of the gazebo, but he figured Colette had it there for a reason. He stood, paused as he waited for the dizziness to pass, then walked over to it and gazed at his reflection. Moving the ice pack from his nose, he studied the puffiness in the middle of his face. Why in the hell did it have to happen now? He looked like the damn elephant man!

  In the mirror, her movement caught his attention. She walked up behind him and peeked over his shoulder. When she smiled, her face softened. No, she certainly didn’t look thirty-five years old now.

  “I guess I should go have my nose checked out.” And my head.

  She nodded. “Do you want me to take you?”

  Through his damp swimming trunks, she lightly caressed his buttocks, and the heat from her hand made an imprint. He sucked in his breath. She touched him with such skill it nearly knocked him to his knees. It also made him want to turn and hold her perfect body against his.

  But he wouldn’t. This was Roger’s aunt. It was unethical.

  Being as polite as he could, he stepped out of her reach. “Mrs. Carmichael, thanks for everything, but I’ve got to go.”

  He took a step backwards and stumbled against a support pillar. With as much finesse as he could muster, he smiled at her then turned and hurried out of the gazebo. Imprinted in his mind was the dejected expression on her face, and on his ass, the heat from her hand.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Why hadn’t it worked?

  Colette let out a frustrated growl and pushed the bike pedals faster than normal in her daily exercise. Last night’s try at seduction hadn’t gone as she’d hoped. Yet it worked on the other men at the party. They hadn’t taken their eyes off her.

  Was it possible her seduction hadn’t worked because Adrian was John’s son? Did that somehow make him immune?

  She clenched her jaw and pushed the exercise bike faster. I need to get my necklace back.

  But how?

  She slowed the pedals as the question swam around in her mind. While John had her necklace, he controlled her, which meant her powers remained useless against him.

  But it appeared she couldn’t even use her seductive powers on the very man she wanted. Only on the men John wanted to control.

  A burning sensation began in her thigh muscles, so she sl
owed her leg motion. She breathed slower, trying to get her heart rate back to normal. Yet the more she thought about Senator John Robinson, the angrier she became.

  How could she obtain her powers if she couldn’t seduce John’s son? The younger Robinson was vital to her plan.

  A ring came from the hallway. Colette stopped the exercise bike and listened over the whirling of the tires. Had the doorbell rung? Between her laborious breathing and the fans blowing, it was hard to hear anything else.

  The doorbell chimed again. She cursed and grabbed her towel, brushing it over her damp forehead, then down her neck.

  “Mae? Would you answer the door?”

  Where was her maid? Colette draped the towel around her neck, and left her home gym to walk into the foyer. She called out again, “Mae?” Her voice echoed through the house.

  Groaning, she remembered. Her housekeeper had run into town this morning. Colette was the only one in the house. Now she’d have to answer the door looking like she’d just stepped out of a sauna.

  Lifting up the edge of the towel from her shoulder, she dabbed her face. She opened the door, and froze. Adrian Robinson.

  She bit her lip when another curse threatened to escape. This wasn’t the way she wanted to look when trying to seduce the man. She’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail, and she was sure most of her make-up was gone.

  But she had one thing going for her—the white skin-hugging leotard and sports bra that showed off her tight stomach. Her body glowed with the sheen of perspiration from her workout. Didn’t that turn most guys on?

  She smiled. “Hello, again, Adrian.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Carmichael.”

  Inwardly, she cringed. She hated being called that name. It reminded her of the deal she couldn’t get out of with John Robinson. “Please, call me Colette.”

  He nodded, but didn’t reply. He didn’t have to. She knew his thoughts, only because his blue eyes had turned darker. His bold gaze swept over her exercise outfit, lingering on the spandex stretched across her chest that emphasized her breasts. The deep cut of the sports bra also showed a sizable amount of cleavage slick with moisture.