Bewitching You (30 page)

“Don’t be such a pessimist.” Penny poked at a carrot. “The spell worked out for me just fine. Why wouldn’t it work for Sofia?”

“Dad told me he was in love with you before you even cast that spell on him.” Laura pushed the salad bowl away from her and in front of Penny.

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Now what? How long until it fades and we find out if he really loves her?”

“Eternal worrywart, that’s what you are.”

“Answer the question.”

“The spell fades after a week or two. The love will last a lifetime.” Penny hoped, anyway. You never could be too sure with spells, especially if one didn’t practice as much as one should.

“You’re going to tell her, Mother. I won’t have her heart crushed when she wakes up one morning and sees that he’s gone. No note. No nothing.”

“Well, he’s not Michael, dear.”

“You’re going to tell her.” Laura raised her voice. “And if I find out you’ve put anymore spells on my daughter, I’ll never speak to you again.”

Two could play at that game. “Fine, I’ll explain everything.” Penny raised her voice as well. “But only if you tell her she has more powers than she realizes. She’s a witch like you and me and the ancestors before us.”

“No way. You know how I feel about that.”

“And your reasoning is complete nonsense. You can deny the powers that lie at your fingertips for as long as you like, but Sofia has the right to decide for herself. Don’t you think her gift would be a great deal easier to handle if she had a little extra help? A spell to bind a murderer? A protection spell to help the victim? To keep an airplane from flying…or to fall out of love, if need be?”

~ * ~

Gray pulled into his condo’s parking garage, questioning how ungentlemanly it would be to take Sofia straight up to his bedroom, lock the door, and throw away the key. The plane wasn’t supposed to fly out until tomorrow anyway. They had plenty of time, and her hand on his thigh for the past ten miles had made him quite uncomfortable in his jeans.

He walked her through the lobby. The elevator might be a good place for loving as well. He’d never tried it before, but who better than Sofia to be his first and only?

Her eyes were wide as she took in the high ceilings, extravagant fixtures, and modern furnishings. “This is where you live?”

“My condo is a little more humble.” The elevator doors opened, and Gray led her in.

“Hayes and I picked out this condo. He thought the women in his life would give it up easier if he walked them into a place like this. His words, not mine.”

“And you?”

“I liked the soundproof walls and windows.”

“What is it with you and quiet?” She leaned against the railing and smiled up at him.

Gray moved in front of her, trapping her against the wall. “What is it with me and you?” He brushed his mouth against hers. “I can’t seem to get enough. I’m addicted, I think.”

She returned the kiss, sliding her tongue along his upper lip. She tasted of sweet tea and red licorice—her afternoon snack she’d picked up while he pumped gas into the BMW.

Gray felt her leg slip up his. It was all he could take. He reached down, cupped her ass, and lifted her against him. He pressed her into his erection to show how much he wanted her.

She rolled her hips forward, rubbing him, making him want her naked and under his sheets, or on top. Whichever was faster.

She moaned against his tongue as he slid it against hers.

The sound of the elevator door opening didn’t seem to disturb her, so he continued, getting as much of her as he could until she remembered their self-assigned duty to save thirty-plus lives.

“That is so fucking hot, dude.”

Shit. Gray broke the kiss and saw the curly golden-haired neighbor guy staring back and forth from him to Sofia.

“You are my inspiration. I want you to know.”

Sofia cleared her throat and wiggled away from Gray.
Damn kid
.

“Sorry to interrupt you guys. You were having a moment there, weren’t ya?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Sofia said, cheerfully. “It’s not a big deal.”

How did she do that? Gray frowned at her. “Again with the ‘no big deal’?”

“Of course you’re a big deal, honey.” Sofia waved a hand from his toes to his head. “A very big deal. I just didn’t want to make your neighbor, here, feel uncomfortable.” She held out a hand for the kid to shake. “I’m Sofia.”

He shook her hand and eyed her chest. “Andrew Dashmoor. You can call me Andy.”

The elevator door began to close, and they all stepped out into the hall.

“Dashmoor?” Sofia’s eyes lit up. “As in Dashmoor from DashAir?”

“You got it.” He pushed a hand through his hair as if preparing to make a move on Sofia. “My old man owns the whole entire airline.”

“That is so neat.” Sofia gave her cute smile. “I bet you can get all kinds of deals.”

Gray’s jaw tightened. Did Sofia not see when men were attracted to her? Maybe she did and was playing it up. Either way, Gray stood behind her and decided to play along. “Do you believe in psychics, Andy?”

“You mean, like, that chick on the Montel reruns?”

“Exactly.”

Sofia peered up at Gray with an arched brow.

He would make it up to her later. “Sofia is just like that chick on Montel.”

“No way. Are you kidding me?”

Sofia stepped back hard on Gray’s big toe. “He kids you not,” she said, before he could.

Gray knew damn well her ability was limited to her dreams, but certain circumstances called for certain measures. If they could convince Andy that she was an all-powerful psychic, they could convince him to call his good old daddy to stop that plane from flying. And Gray could have a little fun with Sofia in the process.

“So who or what was I in my past life?” Andy eyed Sofia suspiciously.

“Let’s see. I have to touch you to find out. Do you mind?”

“Not at all, dude.”

“Close your eyes,” Sofia said.

Andy clenched his eyes shut, and Sofia looked up at Gray, sticking her tongue out at him.
You’re going to get it
, she mouthed.

Gray was looking forward to it. But did she really have to
touch
Andy?

The elevator door opened again, and Mrs. Farley, Gray’s neighbor two doors down, walked out with her cane in one hand and a sparkly pink leash attached to her toy poodle in the other.

“I’m waiting,” Andy said with a smile on his face. “Are you going to touch me or not?”

Mrs. Farley gasped, and the poodle barked. The silver-haired woman had been Gray’s neighbor since the day he and Hayes had moved in. Lord only knew how long she’d lived here before that. Her hobby was walking around with a notepad and pencil, writing down
occurrences
that happened in the building. She’d gone through a new notebook every week when Hayes was alive. Yep, his brother had kept her very busy.

Gray took Andy by one arm and Sofia by the other. “Why don’t we take this somewhere where Sofia can concentrate?”

“Mr. Phillips,” Mrs. Farley called out. “Mr. Phillips. Mr. Dashmoor. There is to be no funny business in this building. Do you hear me?”

Gray glanced over his shoulder to see her and the dog scowling up at him. “Of course not, Mrs. Farley.” He shoved his key into the lock. Gray had learned a long time ago the less said to the elderly woman, the better. He turned the key in the lock. It worked. The door opened without a problem. His luck was improving.

“Yeah, Mrs. Farley,” Andy said. “No worries.”

Sofia piped up. “I wasn’t going to touch him anywhere inappropriate, I assure you.”

“You weren’t?” Andy frowned.

“Well,” Mrs. Farley huffed. “I’m going to have to write this down on my list of grievances. I would’ve expected this from your brother, Mr. Phillips, but not you.”

Gray blew out a breath. He really wished she hadn’t stooped to that level. “Mrs. Farley,” he said, after she’d started down the hall. “Your dog pissed against my door again last week. Next time he does that, I’m going to find that notebook of yours and use it as toilet paper to wipe my—”

~ * ~

Sofia hadn’t realized she’d had the strength to push a man Gray’s size onto his butt. But she did and she had, and now he was sitting on the dark maple hardwood floor in his foyer.

“Super psychic woman,
baby
.” Andy put his hand up for a high-five, but Sofia knew better.

She shook her head for him to nix it and looked down at Gray. “I’m so sorry, honey. I had no idea I could do that.” She held out a hand for him to grab.

Needless to say, Manly-man didn’t accept it. He stood on his own. “Don’t worry about it,” he grumbled.

“Well, I couldn’t let you threaten to—”

“I know, Sofia.”

“Don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not.” He sure the heck sounded like it. He brushed past Sofia and Andy and headed to the kitchen.

“This place is nice, dude.” Andy followed him. “Do you have more square footage than I do?”

Sofia glanced around for the first time. The floor plan was open, revealing the living room, dining area and kitchen. The floors were all hardwood. A black leather sofa and loveseat and a glass coffee table sat in front of a flat screen television in the living room. A fireplace posing as a half wall separated the living room from the dining room. The dining table was a dark oak. Four high-back leather dining chairs surrounded it. The kitchen had dark granite countertops and an island bar with stools separating it from the rest of the space.

Everything was very masculine. Of course, Gray and Hayes were the only two people who’d lived here. Bachelors. Sofia was sure Mrs. Farley’s comment had hit a nerve with Gray. The twins had grown up together and lived together as adults…and now Gray was alone.

He pulled out two bottles of beer and handed one to Andy. “Sofia, I can open a bottle of wine if you want. Or I have water, but that’s about it.”

“I’ll take a beer.” She sat on the bar stool beside Andy.

Gray grinned. “Yeah?”

“Sure. I drink beer sometimes.”

“Awesome.” Andy leaned toward her. “Super psychic woman who can drink a brewski. I like that. How do you feel about cozying up in a humongous bean bag and watching a football game on a plasma?”

“Um.” Sofia wasn’t sure how to answer that, but it appeared she didn’t have to. Gray walked around, put an opened beer bottle in front of her, and kissed her cheek.

“I love you,” he whispered into her ear, and sat down on the stool on the other side of her.

Sofia’s skin prickled with delight. She’d never tire of hearing that, and hoped he’d never tire of saying it. The make-out session in the elevator had left her wanting more.

She took a sip of the beer, and from the corner of her eye, caught sight of Gray’s upper arm flexing as he leaned against the island. She looked farther up to see him smiling at her.

“Super Psychic Woman,” he said teasingly, “are you going to tell Andy his fortune?”

“Wait,” Andy said. “Doesn’t she have to touch me first?”

“Right.” Sofia hopped off the stool and swiveled Andy around to face her. “First, I’ll tell you who you were in your previous life.” She sized him up like her mother did with all of her clients.

Andy was an average-sized man, but seemed smaller in the presence of Gray. Maybe a couple inches less than six foot. He was lean, but not too skinny. He had some muscle to him. He appeared to be a year or two younger than she was, so maybe he was twenty-one or twenty-two. He wore a shirt with the name of a rock band she’d never heard of and ripped jeans his daddy probably paid a bundle for. He was attractive in a boyish way, with his curly blond hair and puppy dog brown eyes.

“Close your eyes again,” she said.

He did, and added the extra step of flinging his head back and bracing his arms against the island. The man was ready to be touched, that was for sure.