“You seem so sure that Deacon is forcing dad into this. I’m not. He’s always treated me this way, used my power for his own good: this is no different,” Annabelle said, shaking her head. “It’s just not worth it any longer; I want to have a normal life, Joslin. I’m tired of all this.”
“So, you’re just going to walk away from everything, your family, the coven?” Joslin asked, shocked. She’d known that Annabelle wasn’t all that excited about taking over responsibility for the coven, but to hear her say it out loud make it real.
“Maybe; it wouldn’t be the first time a designee turned down the job,” Annabelle said, shrugging her shoulders.
“But that would mean that I would have to take your place, and I don’t want to do that. I’m not strong like you are,” Joslin said, her heart sinking at the thought of being tied down to the coven and the family.
Annabelle reached out and took Joslin’s hand in hers. “You are so much stronger than you realize,” she said, echoing Jake’s words from the night before. “You’ve just never used your magic that way, but just remember that without you not only would Justin not be here, but we never would have beaten those shifters.”
Joslin was silent for a long time, so Annabelle said, “You don’t have to accept; let one of the boys take over the coven; let dad bully them for a change.”
“Even if you don’t take over the coven, I can’t believe you’ll be okay with being exiled, with never coming back here. We have to clear your name, Annabelle; please help me do that. I can’t just leave this alone,” Joslin said stubbornly.
Annabelle sighed, “I can see that.”
Justin, who had been silent through the exchange, finally spoke up, “I made Annabelle promise not to make any decisions until after the wedding, no sense in stirring things up any further, so it seems to me that going to New York isn’t necessarily a bad idea.”
Annabelle looked up at him, surprised. “I thought we were just going to go about our business not let this interrupt our wedding plans.”
“I know that’s what we decided, but I think Joslin and Jake’s plan has some merit. It feels like we’re missing something; neither of you seem to feel that this is normal behavior from your father, so maybe Deacon has put him under a spell. If that’s true, it’s up to us to find out and put a stop to it,” he explained.
Annabelle thought about that for a second, then said, “I guess I could look for a dress in New York instead of Boston. Will that work for you all?”
Joslin jumped up and gave her sister a hug, “You won’t be sorry, and I’ll even go shopping with you.”
“I’m counting on it,” Annabelle said, hugging her back.
***Jake***
Jake was a little bit ashamed to admit that he was having a good time. Not only was he not just hanging around keeping Justin company, but he was sitting next to Joslin on an airplane headed for New York: a place he’d only dreamed of visiting. He should have been worrying about what they were going to do when they got there, but the smell of Joslin’s perfume had invaded his brain, and all he could think about was kissing her.
It was impossible not think about her that way, not after they’d just spent weeks together. Instead of making his crush fade, being with her had only made it worse, to the point that he was sure it could no longer be considered a crush. But he knew that his feelings were one-sided, that Joslin only saw him as a friend, or even worse: a little brother.
Still, they were on their way to New York together, and right at that moment, she was resting her head on his shoulder, fast asleep. He’d take what he could get and hope that with time, she’d begin to see him as more than just a friend, that some of his fantasies might come true. It was silly to hope that she’d someday see him as more, especially since he was almost four years younger than she was and had so little experience with women, but a man had to have hope.
As the plane began its decent, Joslin stirred and opened her eyes, then realized that she’d been leaning on Jake. “Sorry, I must have been more tired than I thought,” she said, sitting up in her seat.
“That’s okay; you can lean on me any time you want,” he said, a playful smile on his face.
“Well, you did make a good pillow,” Joslin teased back, then flashed him a smile.
Jake’s heart went wild in his chest when she smiled at him; a wave of desire washed over him, and he blushed. “I, um…I think we’re almost there,” he finally stammered.
Luckily Joslin didn’t notice his reaction. Instead she turned and looked out the window. “Oh, look at the city down there. I love New York and everything about it; it’s exciting and different every time I come here,” she said, leaning back so he could look out the window.
Jake hesitated; he knew that if he leaned over to look out the window, his face would be just inches from her breasts, a tantalizing thought that had his blood beginning to pump through his body. He’d been looking at those breasts for weeks now, dreaming about what they might feel like; it made him feel guilty, but he just couldn’t seem to control his thoughts.
He leaned over her and looked out the window, inhaling the scent of her perfume until he had to shut his eyes to control the desire rushing through him. When his groin began to tighten, he knew that he was in trouble and tried to sit up, but Joslin, completely unaware of what she was doing to him, pulled him farther into her lap.
When his arm brushed across her breasts, she let out a little gasp and looked at him, her eyes wide. Her face was only inches from his, and he knew that at that moment he could have stolen that kiss he’d been dreaming of for weeks. But the moment passed, so he sat back in his seat, his heart pounding and his groin tight with desire.
Joslin was still staring at him, a look of curiosity on her face, and he wondered what she was thinking, but then she seemed to come back from where ever she was. “I can’t wait to show you the hotel; it’s twenty stories, and I got us rooms on the top floor,” she said, her voice a little shaky.
***Joslin***
Joslin wasn’t quite sure what had just happened, couldn’t believe that a simple brush of Jake’s arm across her breasts had resulted in the reaction it had. Desire wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling for her, she’d had several boyfriends, and even a few chance encounters over the years, but this had felt different. What was most alarming was that she’d felt it for Jake, someone she’d only seen as a friend or a little brother.
Admittedly, they’d grown closer over the last two weeks, and she’d come to see that Jake was capable of far more than his family gave him credit for. But to feel desire for him came as a shock to her, it wasn’t something that she’d expected to feel. He was much too young for her, still nothing more than a baby really, but sitting next to him as the plane landed, she realized that he was a man, not a boy. With his broad shoulders, muscular build, and those amazing blue eyes, any woman would give him more than a passing glance.
Shocked again at the path her thoughts were taking, she pushed them aside to concentrate on what they were there to do. “As soon as we get checked into the hotel, we’ll find out where Deacon has his office and go check it out. We need to see how you can get into his office without anyone seeing you.”
Jake only nodded, a dreamy look still in his eyes, and she knew that she’d hadn’t been the only one to feel the sexual tension between them. Not sure if she should be happy or alarmed by that, she waited for him to reply, praying that he was going to ignore the sparks between them. Then to her relief, his eyes focused and he seemed to come back to reality.
Finally, he said, “Okay, I think that’s a good idea, but you’re not coming with me. Justin and I will do it alone.”
“What? When did we decide this?” she asked, annoyed.
“Justin and I talked about it; I meant to tell you, but I forgot.”
“When did you and Justin become the decision makers? Didn’t you think I’d like a say in this?” she asked, even more annoyed.
Jake knew that he’d screwed up; he could tell by the look on
her face. “I’m sorry, it’s just that Deacon knows you, might recognize you, and if we get the chance to go in, you’ll be left alone. I should have talked to you about it.”
Her anger deflated a little bit; his argument was logical, she just wished that he’d talked to her before deciding on a course of action. “I’ll let it go this time, but in the future, I’d appreciate it if you talked to me before making any decisions.”
Jake felt like he was being scolded but knew that he deserved it, and surprisingly found that he liked the fact that Joslin stood up for herself. “I promise I’ll never make a decision without you again. Friends?” he said, giving her a big sloppy grin.
Joslin felt all her anger melt away when he smiled at her like that, and to her surprise, it was replaced by the urge to lean over and kiss him. Instead, she said, “Good,” Then got to her feet and pushed past him to grab her bag out of the overhead compartment.
Chapter Five
***Jake***
As he followed her down the aisle and into the terminal of the airport, Jake couldn’t help but smile. Not only did he have an excellent view of her tight little butt, but he’d also felt the electricity between them and for the first time was beginning to think that he might have a chance with Joslin.
Age difference or not, he’d heard her quick intake of breath when his arm brushed her breast and felt the spark between them. Grinning like an idiot, he followed her through the airport to the car she’d arranged to pick them up. She hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten off the airplane, but occasionally, he’d find her staring at him, a confused look on her face.
Once they were in the car, she turned to Annabelle and began reminiscing about their trips to New York, effectively shutting both he and Justin out of the conversation. That was fine with him; he needed some time to figure out what to do next. Clearly, she was attracted to him, but not all that crazy about the idea.
What he needed was some advice, someone to tell him what he was supposed to do next, but the only person he could talk to was Justin, and right now they were stuck in the car. It would just have to wait until they were alone later that afternoon; there would be plenty of time to talk to him then.
For now, he was just going to enjoy the fact that Joslin was attracted to him, so he leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of her perfume and thinking about how it had felt to touch her breast, even if it was only with his arm.
When they got to the hotel, Joslin checked them in then gave each of them a key card. “I booked us a suite on the top floor, that way we’ll have a private place we can talk,” she said, heading for the elevator.
They got off on the top floor after a long elevator ride, then walked a short distance to the end of the hallway. When he stepped into the room, Jake couldn’t help but stare open-mouthed at what he saw. Nothing had prepared him for the luxury of the suite, which had a huge living area, a kitchen, and three bedrooms, all decorated in plush velvets and silks.
But what really caught his attention was the balcony, located on the corner of the building; it gave them a view of nearly the entire city, from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building. He could see traffic and people on the street far below, surging and flowing with the traffic lights, everyone so intent on getting to where they were going, they didn’t notice anything around them.
It was both overwhelming and exciting to be in such a big city, and he couldn’t wait to get out and explore. But this trip wasn’t about fun; they were here to find out what Deacon was up to, and it was time to focus on that, to figure out where they could find him. It was a huge city, and no one knew for sure where Deacon’s office was located; once they’d started asking around, they’d discovered that no one really knew that much about him.
They knew that he was heavily into real estate, came from a family of witches somewhere in the heart of Montana, and that he’d put himself through college. Other than that, there was very little they could find out, which made Jake all that more suspicious of the man. Only someone who was hiding something would keep even his office location a secret.
Once they’d all unpacked, they met in the living room and ordered lunch. After it had arrived, they got down to business. “How are we going to find Deacon? There’s no record of him having either an office or a house in the city,” Jake got right to the heart of the matter.
“We can do another location spell; I’ve got everything with me, and since we’re closer, I should be able to get a more precise picture,” Joslin said.
“Once we find him, we can follow him and find out where he’s living. If I know Deacon very well, it’s going to be someplace out of the city, someplace swank, someplace that has status. Wealth is his obsession; that’s all he thinks about,” Annabelle said, then set down her food. “I think I’ve lost my appetite.”
Justin put his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Remember what we talked about: that man is no longer a part of your life, and he can’t hurt you.”
Annabelle took a deep breath. “I know you’re right, but sometimes it’s hard to believe I almost married him.”
“Well, I, for one, am glad that you didn’t,” Justin said. “Now let’s get spell casting and find out where the bastard is and take him down.”
Jake knew that look in his brother’s eyes all too well, someone was going to pay for making Annabelle unhappy, and it was Deacon. Witch council or not, Justin wasn’t the kind of man to stand aside and let anyone mess with someone he loved. He felt a surge of power go through him, his body picking up on Justin’s hunting signals, the animal side of him surging to the surface in anticipation of the hunt.
When Annabelle and Joslin left the room to prepare for the seeking spell, he crossed the room and sat down next to Justin. “What are you going to do to this guy?” He needed to know what Justin’s real plans were.
“Nothing yet, but I’ll do whatever I have to in order to keep Annabelle and Joslin safe,” he said, “I don’t trust their father or this Deacon guy.”
Jake nodded his head; he’d known that was what Justin would say, but he wanted to hear it directly from him. “I thought so, but you don’t have to worry about Joslin; I’ve got her.”
Justin looked at him surprised, then got a knowing look on his face. “Oh, you do? When did that happen?”
“Well, it hasn’t yet, but…It will,” he said, feeling the blush creeping up his cheeks.
Justin laughed and said, “Little brother, I think I believe you.”
***Joslin***
“Earth to Joslin. Are you in there?” Annabelle asked, grabbing her shoulder.
Realizing she must have gotten lost in her thoughts, she focused on Annabelle, who was standing in the middle of the room with a candle in her hand. “What’s with you? You’ve been distracted since we got off the plane.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve got something on my mind,” Joslin said, trying to push the memory of Jake’s arm on her breast and her reaction from her mind.
“Let me guess: shopping or the theatre, or maybe food? You’re the one who wanted to do this, so why am I the one doing the spell?” Annabelle was clearly annoyed at Joslin who normally would have been thinking of those things.
“I wasn’t thinking about any of that,” Joslin snapped.
“Look, if you’re worried about me, I’ll be fine. We both have to focus if this is going to work,” Annabelle said, gesturing for Joslin to join her.
When she hesitated, Annabelle set the candle down and put her hands on her hips, “Okay, spill it: what’s going on with you?”
Joslin looked at her sister, embarrassed, then blurted out, “It’s Jake.”
“What has he done now? I know he can be juvenile at times, but he’s a smart kid.”
“He hasn’t done anything. I mean, he hasn’t done anything on purpose,” Joslin said, unable to say the words.
“You’re not making any sense,” Annabelle said, shaking her head. “What did he do?”
> “Nothing, it’s just that I think I might be attracted to him,” Joslin finally spit out.
The frustration on Annabelle’s face slowly faded as she considered what Joslin had just said, then a smile spread across her face and laughter bubbled out of her mouth. “He’s just a kid. Are you sure? I wouldn’t have ever imagined you two together.”
“Me either, and maybe I’m just imaging it,” Joslin said, “And he’s not just a kid; he’s intelligent and kind. He speaks three languages and….” then she trailed off, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Did he kiss you?” Annabelle asked, rubbing her hands together.
“No, and stop acting like this is juicy gossip,” Joslin said, “This can’t be happening.”
“Well, you know what they say it happens when you least expect it,” Annabelle said with a grin on her face. “And if it is happening, there’s nothing you can do about it; you either feel something for him or you don’t.”
“I could just ignore it, pretend that I don’t feel it,” Joslin said stubbornly.
“Yes, you could, but then you’d be a mess just like you are now,” Annabelle said. “Just relax and stop worrying about it; let life happen for a change instead of trying to control it.”
Joslin knew that she was right, that she tended to try and control her life so that she never got hurt; it came from a heartbreak she’d suffered years ago. “You know how hard that is for me.”
Annabelle came over and gave her a hug. “Joslin, we’re not talking about something horrible here; we’re talking about something wonderful and exciting. Give yourself a break.”
Joslin nodded her head; she felt better now that she’d told someone how she was feeling, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t still thrown a little off kilter by the discovery, so she let Annabelle do the spell. When they walked out of the bedroom, they had an exact location for Deacon, and Joslin felt more hopeful than she had in days.
Jake (Fairplay Shifters Series Book 2) Page 3