“Why don’t you just focus on kissing me? I’ll worry about my brothers. And William can hook up with anyone he...” Riley cut her off, his lips sweeping across hers gently. Then not so gently. Then so deeply she nearly fell backwards, except that Riley secured his arms around her waist and lifted her a few inches off the floor.
Melinda felt nothing but ecstatic delight, losing herself in his lips. Riley was the best kind of therapy. Who needed coffee and sugar bombs when they had lips as breathtaking, mind numbing and nerve tingling as his?
He pulled away with a frustrated moan. “If only we were spending the day together. Alone.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. Alone was not going to happen today, Lucas would be back any minute and they had a job to do.
“I so don’t feel like working today,” she sighed. “Still, at least you got my mind off this conversation I had with William...” she trailed off, her mistake instant and crushing.
Riley let her slip back to the floor.
She’d meant it to be a good thing. That Riley’s kiss had taken her mind off her depressing conversation with William, but it had come out wrong. And talking about the vampire in front of Riley always got him grumpy. Melinda wanted to explain but Lucas came sauntering in, shoving a light jacket into a backpack.
“I’ll meet you at the truck,” said Riley, leaving in a flurry of movement.
Lucas watched his brother flee and threw Melinda an inquisitive look.
“Don’t ask,” she told him, explaining anyway. “I have a bad habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Or not saying the things I should say… and then my life always get extra fun.” She caught herself, disbelieving she’d just told Lucas this.
He chuckled. “We all do that now and again. I’m sure he’ll get over it.”
“Has your brother always been the jealous boyfriend type?”
“Riley? Jealous type? No. Not at all. But he’s also never been as crazy about a girl as he is you,” admitted Lucas.
“Oh.” Scarlet lit her cheeks. “So what else have you got in that pack?” she asked, moving to a new topic.
“Basic supplies,” Lucas answered her. “Folding shovel, flashlight, bush cutters, knife, that kind of stuff.”
“You’re still sticking to the no magic thing then?”
“Yes. No magic. At least on our part. I won’t interfere with whatever you need to do.” He stood up and threw the pack over his shoulder. “Okay. Ready to go.”
Melinda went to step through the front door and almost hit Riley as she swung it open. He jumped back out of the way. She froze up, unsure what to say to him.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed out. She stepped through, letting Lucas pass by them.
“I’m sorry, too,” she replied. “What I said was meant to come out completely different than it did. It was actually supposed to be a compliment.”
Riley raised his eyebrows.
“I had a very difficult morning...” She wasn’t sure how else to put it without mentioning the accursed W name again. “My job isn’t always easy, and it feels like almost overnight it’s started to consume my life. But when I remembered I had you, everything felt better. Like I could handle it if I could just see you.” She sighed, admitting, “You’re the only thing that can free me from all of it.”
Riley didn’t say anything at first.
“Oh my God,” she groaned. “I’m being that needy girl every guy hates.”
“No,” he said swiftly. “I kind of like when a girl needs me.” His tanned cheeks darkened under a layer of blush. “I like it when you need me.”
Melinda’s heart fluttered. Could she be any luckier?
“How about when we’re together, Riley, I keep the work talk to a minimum?” What she really meant was the subject of William, which for whatever reason sent Riley into an instant mode of jealousy and grumpiness. She didn’t need to explain to Riley. He got it. And grinned in apologetic agreement.
Inwardly, he was shouting at himself to get over it.
She chose you.
The vampire loves her, and she clearly loves him to.
But she’s with you.
It just feels like she’s never fully with me.
Then be a man and prove to her why she should choose you. And only you. The jealous boyfriend routine is childish. So grow some balls and grow the hell up! Act like a man…
I can’t help it. The way she looks at him… talks about him.
“Hey, c’mon you two,” Lucas shouted into the manor. “Don’t you have a job to do?” he aimed at Melinda. She looked around Riley’s shoulders to see Lucas waiting impatiently.
“You two are assisting me, right?” she said under her breath.
“He’s got that big brother syndrome down to perfection,” bemoaned Riley.
Melinda smiled, her heavy heart lighter again. “So we’re okay?”
“We’re more than okay.” He tried to sound like he believed it.
“Okay. Good. Because I really did have a bad start to my day.”
“I could kiss it and make it better…”
She scrunched her face, letting out a frustrated exhale. “I’d love nothing more. But we’d better go before your brother reminds me I have work to do.”
They joined Lucas at the truck.
Riley opened the cab door and offered his hand to help her get in. Melinda wished Lucas wasn’t there. She had it in her mind to knock Riley on his back and climb on top of him. She licked her lips, dreaming of her tongue exploring every inch of him. She loved molasses and his skin was drenched in the yummy stuff. That and a masculine musk that made her want to stick her nose against him and breathe him in.
“What are you thinking right now?” he asked. His dark gleamed in dark amusement.
“I’m wagering you could guess, easily.”
He made a hungry sound and whispered, “I very much agree to your thinking.”
“At least we get to spend the day together,” she resigned. “Even if it is work related.”
“So I guess since you’re on the clock, we’ll have to keep it professional.”
“Professional, really?” she said with a pout as she slid across the seat.
“No. I just wanted to see the look of disappointment on your face.”
“Did you see enough?” she asked somewhat crossly.
“Not nearly.”
This was going to be a long day. With likely, no satisfying end.
Melinda scooted to the middle of the cab, getting as comfortable as she could. Riley slid in next to her and closed the door. Once he was settled she nestled herself into his side. She’d have to settle with leaning against him.
Lucas pulled out of the driveway and Melinda told him which way to head.
Unconsciously, her fingers wove into Riley’s. He brought them to his lap and stroked the back of her hand softly, in little circles.
This is going to be a long drive, she thought to herself with a shudder that left her nerves begging for a lot more than just holding his hand.
They’d made a promise to slow things down.
Way down.
In agreement that their respective families needed a little more time to get used to them dating. And so they could go on an actual date or two in order to get to know each other better. They kept their dates in public places and Melinda was sure to be home by midnight.
But it had been weeks.
She was over it.
She wanted a quarry replay. A cavern replay at the very least. Definitely more than holding hands and kissing. Or the little bit of groping they’d snuck in during their far too public dates. She squirmed in the cab, begrudgingly taking her hand out of Riley’s, biting her lip to keep her hands off him.
Riley could not contain his pleased smile.
Melinda’s leg started shaking up and down.
Riley slid his hand over to stop it. It didn’t help.
“You guys seriously just need to get a room already!” exclaimed Luca
s out of the blue.
Melinda’s eyes opened wide and her breath caught.
Riley leaned in and whispered, “I agree.”
Melinda shook her head, embarrassed, worked up and frustrated.
“New subject,” she announced decidedly. “So Riley, is your, I’m getting a feeling thingy telling you we’re heading in the right direction?” She realized her question could have more than one meaning and almost hit herself in the face. Dumbass!
“Is that place a room built just for two?” Riley asked in a low voice.
She punched him in the arm.
“Okay, okay, taking it seriously.” He leaned back. “It’s actually not telling me anything right now.”
“So it’s not on all the time?”
“No, not all the time.”
“I guess I knew that. So how often is it on?”
“Sometimes a lot, sometimes not so much at all.”
“What does it feel like?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like does it make your heart race, do your fingers tingle... what makes you realize its happening?”
“Why so curious all of a sudden?” Riley asked her.
“Just because.” Just because I need to distract myself. Just because I really would prefer we were going to a room built just for two...
Riley played along with a dark chuckle. “It’s not so much a physical response. It’s more like I get this sudden desire for something. Kind of like when you get the idea of pizza for dinner, and then cannot get it out of your brain, and you need to have pizza, and if you don’t you just keep craving it until you do.”
“Oh, huh.”
“Not what you expected?”
“No idea what to expect, really. But it makes sense. And now I also really want pizza.”
Riley smirked.
“And you, Lucas,” Melinda turned to him. “Do you have any extra magical gifts, like your brother?”
“Nope. Not a one. Just your run of the mill witch.”
“That refuses to be one,” muttered Riley.
“I don’t refuse to be one. I just refuse to let magic rule my life.”
“I think you and my brother Michael would get along really well,” said Melinda.
“If he could get beyond the fact that my last name is Deane, you mean.”
Melinda shrugged. “Yeah, there is that. Okay, take a right here. We’re almost there.”
A short drive later, they pulled into an alcove and parked.
“Mack said someone reported seeing this strange looking man around here somewhere. There doesn’t appear to be anyone around now,” she noted.
“So how do you usually start investigating something like this?” asked Lucas.
“Looking around. I know, exciting right? We look for signs that something supernatural has been around.”
“And how do you tell that?” asked Riley.
“Magic, the supernatural, the paranormal, they all leave magical traces behind. It’s not always easy to spot. Sometimes the trail fades before we see it. And if a supernatural creature is running amuck on the Isle, but not in its true form, it might not leave a trail at all.”
“True form?” questioned Riley.
“Well, like I’m a witch. But only the magic I use will leave a trail. Or another example, um... if a mermaid is in her human form, no trail, but in her natural mermaid form, there’s a...” Riley interrupted her.
“Oh. Oh wait! Hold up!”
“What?” both Lucas and Melinda called out.
“I’m getting that sudden desire to be somewhere. Like super strong.”
“Just like that?” questioned Melinda.
“Yeah. And we’re close. Really close.” They got out of the truck and let Riley lead the way. He walked until the feeling got stronger and then started to fade. They were on a short rocky beach with a steep, but climbable, rock wall on both sides.
He stopped, staring up the steep rock.
“Do we go up there?” Melinda asked, pointing.
“Not sure. It faded. Could be we are here, could be it just faded and might or might not come back. As I said, it’s not always useful.”
“Why don’t you two stay here,” suggested Lucas, peering down at Melinda’s flip-flops.
“Um, yeah. William and I expected to visit with you guys and head home after.”
“You always go out so prepared?” rebuked Lucas. “Aren’t you on the job twenty-four-seven?”
Melinda’s stare turned lethal. “I made it all the way to your house in them.” Although she knew walking on the road was a lot different than rock climbing.
“I’ll just climb up and take a peek, see if there’s anything up there. You two try not to have too much fun while I’m away.” Lucas started to climb, easily making his way towards the top.
“I warned you my brother could be a little...”
“Too much like my brothers,” Melinda finished. “Kind of getting sick of them all.”
“Not going to disagree,” Riley said.
Melinda leaned her back against the rock wall, her arms crossed, for some reason determined to keep her hands off Riley.
“So this feeling thingy,” she asked, “does it drive you absolutely mad?”
“I wouldn’t say it drives me mad, but it can sometimes be a little maddening. It did bring me to you though.”
“You mean at the beach when I got caught in the rogue wave?”
“Well yes, but… do you remember when we ran into each other in town? Before we’d officially met.”
“You mean when I barreled around a corner and pretty much fell into your arms... yes, I recall.”
“I wasn’t there by chance,” he admitted.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I had a feeling that I needed to walk down that street and around that corner. And there you were. I knew instantly I was meant to meet you. Too bad it didn’t also warn me you were a Howard.”
“I think we’ve gotten past that.”
“Have we? What would your brothers actually say if they knew we were helping you right now?”
Melinda took too long to reply.
“It’s like that,” stated Riley. “I feel like we’re stuck in the middle of a test that will never end.”
“I know. It’s getting... tiresome. But maybe we can move things along a little? We’ve given them all time to adjust. I don’t want to be stuck any longer.”
“I can see it’s driving you mad. You’re a hot little volcano about to erupt.”
She reached out and punched his arm. He winced, pretending her dainty punch had actually hurt him. She rolled her eyes, but he wasn’t wrong. It took everything she had to stay where she was and keep her hands to herself. Little pebbles fell down the rock and they looked to see Lucas climbing back down.
“Nothing up there except stunning views all around.”
“Okay, well, let’s look around down here then,” Melinda suggested.
“You mean you didn’t while I was climbing?”
Melinda felt her face getting hotter. Now he thinks he knows how to do my job... geesh!
“Lucas,” groaned Riley.
Lucas shrugged. “Sorry.”
“Whatever,” she said, turning to Riley. “I take it you’ve got nothing new happening in the feeling department.”
He wanted to make a witty reply, but upon seeing her face kept it on topic. “No, sorry. Feeling is gone completely now.”
“Okay. Stand back then, away from the wall. Since this is where your feeling thingy... you know, we really need to come up with a better name for it.”
“Not so easy, is it?”
“Anyway, back away from the wall. Since this is where your ability brought us, I’m going to do a spell which should reveal any magical traces left behind.”
Melinda held out her palm and whispered an incantation. A sparkling haze fell over the rock wall as she swept her palm back and forth across it. But the haze dissipated leaving behind the rock wall, look
ing normal.
“Cool,” said Riley, impressed.
Lucas said nothing.
Which was also what Melinda found. Nothing. Not a single trace of magic.
“Bummer. Guess we’ll just have to search around on foot. See if this strange man happened to leave anything behind.” Melinda started to glance around, peering under bushes and around rocks. Lucas and Riley joined in, combing the beach, while Melinda focused her efforts in the woods lining the beach. After a few minutes, Melinda thought she heard Riley say something but she couldn’t understand him. “Sorry, what?” she called out to him.
“Huh?” he replied.
“Oh, I thought I heard you talking to me.”
“Nope.”
“Never mind,” she replied, continuing her search. After another minute, she heard someone laughing. Not a normal, just-heard-a-funny-joke laugh, more of a low, through your teeth, snarling sort of laugh.
“Who’s there?” she asked, anchoring herself to the ground. Her palm raised in front of her, facing outward toward the direction of the laughter. Except now the laughter was coming from everywhere and nowhere. She spun around looking for the source. She groaned, unable to hear it anymore.
“What is it?” asked Riley, sidling up alongside her.
Lucas followed, taking a stance on her other side.
“Heard something,” Melinda said. “From over there first,” she pointed with her head. “But it kept moving. It was someone laughing... maniacally.”
“Seriously?” asked Riley. “Is that common?”
“Not really, no. And I don’t hear it now. Probably just my imagination.” She released her stance, putting her hands on her hips. “This is a waste of time. I’m going to call Charlie and Michael, see what’s up with them. I don’t think we’re going to learn anything more here.”
“We will, um, wait for you by the truck,” suggested Lucas, motioning for Riley to follow and give her some privacy.
“I’ll be right there,” she said, reaching into her pocket for her phone. Just as she started to dial, she heard the Deanes shouting and dropped the phone.
“Hey. You! Stop right there!” Lucas was ordering.
“He’s getting away,” warned Riley.
Melinda ran to see what was happening when a cracking boom and a plume of smoke stopped her. She heard shouts, and feet scuffing across the ground, and what sounded like someone hitting someone.
A Nightmare to Remember (Wicked Good Witches Book 5) Page 7