Influential Magic (44 page)

The worry left his face, replaced by serious eyes and a raised chin. “I’ll watch Maude tonight to make sure she doesn’t suffer any lasting effects from that piece of shit Nathan. You’ll finally take those self-defense classes Phoebe’s been harping about. I’ll finish what I started with the university here and then we’ll go back to our normal lives. We’ll figure everything else out as we go along.”

My heart sank. Go back to our normal lives. Mine here in New Orleans and his in Eureka. I was too chicken to ask how long he planned to stay, but he’d already been here a week. It couldn’t be much longer. “You’re right. Back to normal.”

It’s what I wanted. Right?

Tal gave me one more hug, kissed my temple, and headed out of the kitchen. “I’ll be in Phoebe’s room watching Maude if you need me.”

After he left, I scraped the biggest cookie off the sheet and stuffed it in my mouth. Despite the presentation, the warm chocolate melted on my tongue, and I decided they were the best damn cookies I’d ever tasted. Or maybe I was too distraught to notice the difference.

After scraping half a dozen cookies onto a plate, I snapped my fingers and Link and I headed off to bed. I only hoped my oak could heal my tattered heart while it rejuvenated my tired limbs.

Over the next three days, between the catch-up needed at The Fated Cupcake and Talisen’s meetings at the university, we only spent about twenty minutes together. And that had been while rushing around the house getting ready for our respective days. Absolutely zero time to discuss the future.

“I’m sure he’ll let you know when he makes his plans to go back to California,” Maude said from a stool in the middle of my lab. We were at The Fated Cupcake, working on an antidote to the modified Influence the Void had been producing under Director Felton.

“Yeah,” I agreed absently. I wasn’t at all sure he would. I’d tried bringing it up that morning but he’d brushed me off, dodging the question altogether. It was classic Talisen avoidance when he didn’t want to tell a girl he’d moved on. A hollow ache formed in my chest right where my heart should’ve been.

I suspected now that David really was out of the picture, his interest in me as more than a friend had vanished. Of course it had. The challenge was gone. And an invisible wall now stood between us. Exactly why I hadn’t wanted to cross that line.

I rolled my shoulders. “It doesn’t matter that much anyway. He can’t stay forever. He has a job in Eureka.”

Maude used a paring knife to chop up dandelion roots in a rapid motion. She paused. “You had a job there before you moved here. That didn’t stop you.”

I ignored the remark. Talisen had never shown any interest in leaving the redwoods. He was fae. It was in his blood. “I just want to know when, so I’m not surprised one day when I wake up and his duffel’s gone.”

“Understandable.” Maude glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’ve got to get to the Arcane building. President Fischer’s coming today to appoint the new Director of Ops.”

I pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. “Are you in the running?”

She shook her head. “I doubt it. Not after Felton managed to control me. Makes the entire Void branch look vulnerable.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll continue to be a field agent, which is all I ever was to begin with.”

“Except everyone thought you were appointed after Felton supposedly stepped down.” The Arcane was keeping a tight lid on recent events, just as they always did, except this time Maude had made many enemies while being controlled and hardly anyone knew the real story. “You won’t have nearly as many resources to fight back if anyone comes after you as a field agent.”

“I have you.” She stood. “Don’t worry, little one. We’ll handle it.” She gave me a kiss on my cheek and headed to the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I’ll be here.” I waved and the door shut with a soft click.

I spent the next thirty minutes moving the dandelion stems, blossoms, and leaves to separate jars and cleaning my work table. Tomorrow, I’d work on the first test batches of antidotes. It wouldn’t do me any good to start with a distracted mind. I logged the augmented plants, made a to-do list, and tacked the sheet of paper to my corkboard.

It was just as well Talisen was too busy to spend any time with me. I was way behind on business. We were completely out of Truth Clusters and Mocha in Motion. The Truth Clusters could wait, but not the Mocha in Motion. I grabbed a tray full of already augmented dried cocoa pods and a gallon of my hand-roasted coffee beans. After a trip through the industrial grinder, the mixture was ready to be brewed, using my secret blend of caramel-and-vanilla-infused liquid. I was bottling the concentrate when a soft knock sounded at the door.

“Come in,” I called, twisting the cap on a glass bottle.

“Willow?” Tami poked her head in. “You have a visitor.”

“Okay, I’ll be out in a minute.” I put the prepared drinks in the walk-in and wiped the counter down one last time. Back in the storefront, Tami was busy helping a customer and pointed to my office.

Who the heck would be in my office? Phoebe? No, she was busy delivering the new agent Maude had tried to saddle her with to the Baton Rouge office. She couldn’t be back already. Oh, no, David? It was still light out. He shouldn’t be visiting me, especially so blatantly. I scowled and yanked my office door open, letting it crash against the inside wall.

Talisen sat in the seat across from my desk, his eyebrows raised in amusement. “Tough day?”

I stopped short in the threshold. “Hey.”

He got up and gently pulled me into the room, closing the door behind us. “Hey, yourself.”

I let him lead me to the old, comfortable couch against the wall. “It’s been a while,” I said and sat next to him, stiff with anxiety.

“Just a few days.” He leaned forward, his hands clasped lightly.

Right. A few days after I’d told him my life was in danger, and I’d heard barely a word from him. “Yeah. Only a few days. Are you leaving?”

Surprise flickered through his eyes. “What makes you ask that?”

I shrugged. “You’ve been working hard to finish your business with the university. I figured you needed to get back to California.”

He sat back, studying me. “Do you want me to leave?”

I shrugged again, avoiding his gaze.

Talisen was quiet for a moment, then he chuckled. “You’ve pegged me all wrong. Again.”

“Huh?” I jerked my head up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

His face turned serious, almost angry. “It means you’re thinking the worst of me, as usual. Do you really think I’d leave you now? After finding out about Asher?”

“But…” I rubbed a hand over my eyes. “Where have you been the last three days?”

“Interviewing.”

“What? Here?” My heart started to hammer against my ribcage.

He nodded. “And apartment hunting.”

I sat up straight, hope and fear fighting for dominance in my chest. A tiny smile tugged at my lips. “You’re staying, then?”

He nodded, his eyes crinkling as he tried to hold back a smile. “Yes.”

I flung my arms around him, burying my head against his shoulder. Tears of happiness burned my eyes. His strong arms came around me and we sat together, holding on to each other as he stroked my hair. “Thank you,” I said, my voice muffled by his shirt.

“Shhh, there’s no need to thank me. After Beau died, I made a promise to myself I’d protect you. No matter what. That’s what I intend to do.”

Protect me? I pulled back and got to my feet, my fists on my hips. What was I, a charity case? “I don’t need a freakin’ baby-sitter.”

He gritted his teeth in clear exasperation and stood toe to toe with me. “Jesus! Stop that. I don’t want to be your damned baby-sitter.”

“Then what do you want?” I yelled, hurt and beyond frustrated.

He stared at me, shaking his head, and then laughed. Actually laughed at me. “I want to be with you. And only you.” He cupped my face with both his palms, his intense gaze boring into mine. “Don’t you get it? The reason I never stay with anyone is because I’m meant to be with someone else. It’s you, Wil. It’s always been you.”

Speechless, I gazed back.

“I know you heard me. You’ve got that look you get when you don’t quite believe what I just said.” He tilted his head down, his lips inches from mine. “Believe it.” Closing the distance, his warm, firm lips brushed lightly over mine. I opened to him, welcoming his slow and deliberate exploration.

He tasted of sweet cream and coffee. Goddess, he felt good. I clutched his shirt, my head spinning with his gentle, yet commanding, kiss. A kindling of wonder filled me as his steady hand cupped my neck and the other traced my jawline, tender and sensual at the same time. This was what love felt like. My full heart threatened to burst into a million pieces.

All too soon, he pulled back and brushed the hair out of my eyes. “Does Saturday at seven work for you?”

“Huh?” I stared up at him, dazed.

“Our first date.” He grinned and gave me another light kiss. “I’m asking you out. This is where you refrain from breaking my heart and say yes.”

I blinked and a slow smile claimed my lips. “Yes.”

“Good.” He caressed my cheek, taking me in.

Something inside me melted into a gooey mess.

His hand fell to his side. He took a step back as his cocky grin slid into place, and I had the distinct impression he somehow knew exactly what he’d just done to me. Damn him and his intuitive fae magic. Not fair. But the grin didn’t leave my face.

I cleared my throat. “Saturday, then?”

Grabbing the doorknob, he nodded, his eyes sparkling. “I’ll pick you up at seven. And if you’re lucky, I might even let you con your way into my new place by the end of the night.” He winked and disappeared back into the store.

I laughed and flopped back onto the couch. Link looked up from his place on his doggie bed. “I’m definitely in trouble now. Or at least my heart is.”

The door swung open and Tami bounded in. “Oh my God! Was that him? The infamous Talisen?”

I nodded, my cheeks starting to ache from my perma-grin.

“He asked you out, didn’t he?” She clutched her chest in a mock swoon.

“Yes. We’re going out on Saturday. But that’s not all. He’s staying. Permanently.”

“Oh, goodness.” She fanned herself. “You better buckle up, girlfriend, cause he’s hotter than high noon on a mid-July day.”

“You’ve got that right.” I flipped my calendar over, marked the date, and then counted backward. Four days until my first date with the man I’d been half in love with my entire life. Oh boy. This required serious planning.

I picked up my old-fashioned rotary phone and dialed. “Phoebs? Clear your schedule. There’s shopping to be done.”

Deanna is a native Californian, transplanted to the slower paced lifestyle of southeastern Louisiana. When she isn’t writing, she is often goofing off with her husband in New Orleans, playing with her two Shih Tzu dogs, making glass beads, or out hocking her wares at various bead shows across the country. For more information and updates on newest releases visit her website at
www.deannachase.com
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