The cord was now wrapped so tightly around Carrie’s finger that it cut off her circulation. “Listen, Amanda, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
She ended the call and sat there in the chair in her room, staring out of the window toward the ocean as she tried to piece everything together.
A healing charm.
But Patrick would never take the easy way out, Amanda said.
Doctors told him he’d walk with a cane for the rest of his life, and yet here he was walking, running, as if he’d never been injured in the first place.
Only now his empathic abilities—those that helped people and solved cases—were all messed up.
All true magic comes with a price.
Carrie’s eyes grew wider. The amulet Patrick wore on a thin leather rope around his neck…it was a healing charm.
Son of a bitch.
PATRICK DESTROYED THE SMALL red amulet in his hotel room. First he crushed it with a rock he found on the beach, and then he lit the remnants on fire. He did so with a lighter, containing the flames in an ashtray. Not totally respectful, but effective enough.
“Goodbye, Erzulie. It hasn’t been fun.” The amulet disappeared in a bright flash of blue fire.
“Oh, come now, child,” a female voice said, so unexpected it made him jump. “The handful of prophylactics you have stuffed in your pocket right now make me believe you had a little bit of fun.”
He turned to see the goddess sitting on the edge of his bed, a mischievous smile on her beautiful face, her legs crossed, wrap skirt parted to show long, lean tanned legs.
So it was the same woman he remembered. A goddess—the first he’d ever met in his career. And he was destroying her summoning amulet right in front of her.
He was in serious trouble. He brought to mind the incantations he’d learned to combat her, but he wasn’t sure if he needed them yet.
“Are you going to punish me for destroying this?” he asked bluntly.
“You do not sound as fearful as you should.”
“I’m not afraid of you. Should I be?”
Her smile remained as she stood and walked toward his window, giving him a wide berth. “Absolutely. But I am not displeased about the amulet. That one has caused me more problems than pleasure over the centuries since it was first crafted. There are others I would like destroyed, as well.”
“Contact PARA and we can probably help you out. For a price.”
Erzulie raised a thin eyebrow. “She knows your secret.”
Patrick watched her warily. “Who? Carrie? I know. You told her.”
“I did not tell her anything. She already had an idea, but even then it was only touching the surface of what is truly goin’ on with you, Patrick.”
She pronounced his name Pa-treeek.
“You should mind your own business.”
“You have captured my interest and this is why I’ve given you a couple of my gifts.”
“I don’t need your gifts, Erzulie,” Patrick said. “Or your advice on how to deal with Carrie.”
“No, you do not need anyone’s help, do you? You like to handle it all by yourself. But what is the human saying, child? No man is an island?”
His eyes narrowed. “You cursed Carrie.”
“I did no such thing. I gave her a gift. When her desire for you is unfulfilled or repressed there will be consequences. And you think you can remove them by destroying my amulet? Foolish boy.” She smiled wickedly. “Keep your lover satisfied and there will be no more stormy weather in your future.”
His stomach sank. “Remove this so-called gift. Right now.”
“It will fade the longer she has it, but I cannot remove it. Even if I could, I would not.”
She was finding humor in this situation. That made one of them. “And is that what you did to this resort? You gave William Crane one of your dubious gifts?”
“You leap to conclusions based on nothin’ but hunches.” Her words were sharp, but her smile held. “And to think you were once a respected, powerful man. How far you have fallen. Your spirit was taller back when you were seated in your wheelchair.”
A flash of anger finally ignited inside of him. “You don’t know anything about me. And you cursed Will’s resort. I want you to leave once and for all. Your summoning amulet is now gone. I haven’t called you here.”
“Believe what you want,” the goddess said, flippantly waving her hand at his outrage. “But there is something else at work. A force of nature closer than you might think.”
“What is it?”
She laughed. “How can you figure somethin’ so simple as this out when you cannot even figure out your own issues, child?”
“I don’t have issues. Not anymore.”
Her smile held. “Your new lover wishes to know where you should meet. She also wonders what she should wear to dinner. I suggest the blue dress just bought this afternoon in a local shop because she thought you might like it.”
The next moment, his phone rang. He glared at it a moment, then returned his fierce gaze to the goddess.
She was gone.
13
A WARM BREEZE BRUSHED against Carrie’s face as she sat across from Patrick, gazing out at the beautiful ocean view from the restaurant’s outdoor patio. It was difficult to believe there had been a storm earlier that day.
“Everything okay?” Patrick asked after they’d finished their meal.
“Fine.”
“I saw Erzulie. She visited while I was destroying the amulet.”
That snapped Carrie completely back to the moment. “Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?”
“I wanted to have a good meal with enjoyable conversation before we got back to business matters.”
That made two of them. “What happened?”
“Not much. She taunted me a little. Told me in so many words that she wasn’t responsible for the curse on Will’s resort.”
“That’s what she told me, too. Do you believe her?”
“I don’t know.” His jaw tensed.
What was happening? That was something she’d been asking herself for hours—ever since Erzulie had claimed not to be responsible for Will’s problem. If it wasn’t the goddess, then who was it and how could she and Patrick figure out the answer before they had to leave?
Carrie played with the rim of her wineglass. “Other than Erzulie, there’s only one person I’ve met with enough motive to have a curse put on Will’s resort, and that’s Ruby.”
“Who’s Ruby?”
“She’s got something to do with the Loa Loa. The resort over there behind Will’s.” She nodded toward the grand hotel that they could see even from here. It loomed over everything else with its glass-and-metal exterior, architecturally designed to make the entire structure resemble a waterfall. In fact, an actual waterfall was built in the middle of the building, feeding a huge pool.
The article in the in-flight magazine had made the Loa Loa seem like the jewel of the Bahamas despite—or perhaps because of—its hefty five-star price.
“She wants Will to sell his resort to her?” Patrick asked.
“That’s right. I was confused for a bit because when I met her I could have sworn I felt sparks coming off her. Like she was really attracted to Will and that’s why she was coming around.”
“And now?”
“I’m not so sure anymore.” She raised her glass of pinot grigio and took a sip. “After some of the things I’ve seen in the last day and a half, I’m realizing that magic works in mysterious ways. For all I know, the vibe I was getting off her might have been some sort of a spell to influence him to sign.”
“But he doesn’t want to lose the resort.”
“He’s going to if we’re wrong about Erzulie and destroying her amulet doesn’t get rid of the curse. If Will’s business doesn’t pick up, it won’t take a math whiz to realize that he’ll have to sell.”
“I think he’s hanging on to the property because of his wife.”
&nb
sp; “No doubt about it.” Carrie’s heart ached to think about it. She’d felt his deep grief for Violet.
“Love can do strange things to a guy. Make him act crazy.” He reached over and slid his hand over hers, making her skin tingle. She liked it when Patrick touched her. “Will was madly in love with his wife. The resort helps to keep her memory alive for him.”
“But she’s gone and she’s not coming back. It’s rough, but he needs to move on.”
“Sometimes it’s difficult to let go of something that gives you comfort when you’re grieving.”
She nodded and intertwined her fingers with his. “Something like a healing charm?”
His hand froze. “Excuse me?”
“I think you know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t think I do.”
She hadn’t been sure when she was going to lay this all out on the table, but there it was.
“That thing you wear around your neck,” she said. “I didn’t think it suited you, but now I know what it is and why you wear it.”
His jaw tightened. “Talking to Amanda again?”
“She has no clue what’s going on. She mentioned healing charms but said you’d be too smart to use one. Guess she doesn’t know you half as well as she thinks she does.”
“And yet you do.” He pulled his hand away and placed it in his lap instead.
She wasn’t going to back down. “Yes, Patrick. I know you better than you might think. You were a runner, Olympic-bound at one point.”
“I sprained my ankle just before trials. Kept me out of the Games.”
“That was then and this is now. Maybe it was that disappointment that led you to look for an easy answer to a big problem.”
His green eyes flashed, but not with desire this time. “Is that what you think this is? An easy answer?”
She bit her bottom lip. “I have no idea what this is, actually.”
“And here I thought you had me figured out.” He pulled out his wallet and slapped a couple of bills on the table. “I don’t want to talk about this.” He got up and walked to the edge of the patio toward the beach. He looked over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”
She was surprised he wasn’t storming off without her. She fought against her frustration as she pushed back her seat and stood, then followed Patrick to the beach.
“Take your shoes off and carry them,” he suggested. “It’ll be easier to walk.”
She eyed him skeptically. “Sure you don’t want to run?”
“Not at the moment.”
The sun had begun to sink beneath the horizon. She wished she could freeze this moment, the ocean view, and the feel of the warm breeze on her skin. She pulled off her sandals, as he’d suggested, and felt the soft, warm sand beneath her feet.
“Beautiful,” Patrick said softly.
“It is.” She turned to him.
“I wasn’t talking about the view.” His gaze swept over her, and that heated look was back in his green eyes.
She felt a swell of desire for him, but wouldn’t let herself be distracted. “We need to talk about your problem, Patrick.”
“Why?”
“Because I care about what’s happening to you.”
“Don’t care about me, Carrie. It’s not worth your time or effort.”
She glared at him. “Oh, brother. Give me a break, would you? And stop this pathetic self-pitying because it’s already getting old.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Pathetic self-pitying? Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“Big-time.”
“I appreciate your opinion.”
“No, you don’t. The only opinion you appreciate on this particular topic is your own. Although I do recognize that you didn’t try to deny that you’re using a healing charm.”
“I figured it wouldn’t do me any damn good. Once you set your mind to something you’re like a pit bull with a slab of meat.”
“Sounds sexy.”
That earned a glimmer of a smile from him. “I never would have thought so before, but yes. It kind of is.”
She searched his face. “Tell me why you’re doing this, Patrick.”
“Why I’m using a healing charm?”
“Yes.”
He tensed. “Because without it I wouldn’t be able to walk.”
“No, that’s not true. You would be able to walk again if you got off your lazy ass and went to regular physio sessions.”
His jaw set. “Amanda needs to keep her opinions to herself.”
“She wants what’s best for you. And so do I.”
“Without the healing charm it would take an eternity to get better, and even then I’d be walking with assistance for the rest of my life. Right now I can walk. I can run. I’m in the best shape of my life.”
“And you can’t touch anybody or your head will explode.”
“Not literally. It just feels like it will.” He was silent a moment. “And that’s not entirely true anymore. I can touch you.”
She remembered just how good it had felt to have his hands on her skin, his body against hers. “Yes, you can.”
“See?” He drew closer and cupped her face. “No head explosions.”
She inhaled sharply. “Patrick—”
“If you weren’t wearing that ring, I couldn’t do this.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.
What were they talking about again? Funny how everything that seemed important vanished the moment he touched her.
“Do you want me?” he whispered.
A breath caught in her throat. “You know I do.”
He searched her face. “I’m not certain until you tell me. I can’t read your mind.”
“I want you.”
“Erzulie told me what she did to you—it’s related to how you feel about me. If we don’t give in to the passion between us, then there’s stormy weather ahead.”
“Did she actually say that?”
He smiled. “I’m paraphrasing, but the meaning’s the same.”
She frowned, upset that he’d distracted her, but he managed to do that so easily. “I’m not even close to being finished talking about your healing charm.”
“Come here.” He pulled her over to a natural formation of rock, worn down by the tide over the centuries. They could still hear people talking in the restaurant and music playing, but they had a measure of privacy.
Still, anyone could walk past.
“Patrick…” she began. “We should go back to the resort.”
“Not yet. I’m too hungry.”
“But we just ate.”
He smiled and leaned closer to her, pressing her back against the rock. “Would it be cheesy to say I still want dessert?”
“Very cheesy.”
“Then forget I said it.”
Another kiss swept any further protests away. All she could concentrate on was the taste of him…the feel of him…
“I do like this dress.” His hands were at the hem of her new blue wrap dress and he slowly lifted it to the tops of her thighs until he reached her panties.
“Glad you approve.”
A breath caught in her throat as he brushed his fingers against her sex through the silky barrier. The next moment, he took hold of the flimsy garment and pulled it down so she could feel the warm evening air on her sensitive flesh. Her breathing came quicker then, but she didn’t stop him. She stepped out of her panties when they reached her ankles.
“Hold up your skirt,” he instructed as he sank to his knees in front of her. “I want to see you.”
A surge of desire shot through her. She couldn’t think straight. All she could do was feel the warm imprint of his hands on her inner thighs. She did as he asked, pulling her skirt up so she was bared to him from the waist down. The warm breeze now felt wicked against her skin. She wasn’t only exposing herself to Patrick, she was exposing herself to anyone who might stroll by.
“Patrick…I—”
She was about to suggest
they go somewhere more private, but a cry caught in her throat as she felt the hot, wet stroke of his tongue on her. He pushed her legs further apart so he could taste her more deeply.
“Do you like this?” he asked, sitting back on his heels and looking up at her with a dark hunger. The sun had almost disappeared beneath the horizon, bathing them in shadows.
“Oh, yes.”
The soft hiss of an answer was enough for him to continue and she moaned his name over and over, reaching down to grab the back of his head. His hair felt so soft running through her fingers. He slowly licked her until she thought she might explode into a million pieces. She tried to stifle her harsh scream with the back of her hand as he effortlessly brought her to climax.
His fingers bit into her thighs as he rose to his feet and, without pausing for a moment, crushed his mouth against hers. She tasted herself on his lips and it only made her want him more.
“Patrick…” she moaned.
“Turn around. I need to be inside of you.”
“But Patrick…”
“Please, Carrie.” There was deep, naked desire in his gaze as he kissed her again, openmouthed and ravenous.
“I get the strange feeling that you’re trying to distract me from talking about your healing charm,” she panted.
“Turn around and lean against the wall.”
It was as if he had some sort of dark, unnatural power over her, and she did as he asked without another word spoken.
The next moment, she heard the quiet rasp of his zipper. She turned to look over her shoulder as he tore open a condom wrapper. She smiled despite herself. He’d stocked up before they’d left the honeymoon villa. He’d anticipated that they’d be together again. He’d wanted this.
So had she.
A moment later, she felt the head of his erection press against her.
He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Do you want me inside of you again, Carrie?”
“Yes.”
That was the only invitation he needed. She clawed at the hard, rough rock as he filled her with one deep thrust. His right hand stroked her clit as he slid his hard length in and out of her.
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