Chapter 77

The first few minutes of the drive were filled with awkward silence. The kind where you knew it was happening, but your brain didn’t offer up a way to end it.

Words weren’t even used to tell her when to turn. He just pointed. He needed to say something. “How was it?”

Ann glanced at him. “What?”

Wes grinned. “Using your magic openly with others.”

She smiled. “It was good. Probably long overdue.”

“Yeah.” He looked out the window. “Sometimes I think it’s unfair what Alana did that night. Then I remember that if she hadn’t and Ella had been given free rein—” He looked to see her giving him a hard look. “—magic now may have been irradicated or be wildly out of control.”

“You think those girls would have altered the direction of magic?”

“Yes.” He pointed to the street she had to turn down. “They were already persecuting those suspected of being witches. If Alana hadn’t taken Ella’s power from her and they’d done what they wanted to do…”

“More would have died, or all the crazies following dark would have prevailed, and our world would be a very different place.”

Wes nodded. “You three have to succeed.”

Ann sent him an amused look. “I don’t plan to fail.”

“I know.” He pointed. “Third house on the right. We just have to make sure all of you are prepared for anything.”

“You make it sound scary.” She pulled into his driveway.

“You should be afraid. It may be childish pranks they toss at the three of you, but when it comes to that circle—they’re dead serious.”

She put the car in park. “I know. Celia tried to strangle Teegan.”

“She did.” He looked at her for a moment. “Although that may have been Ella’s influence, and you’ve dealt with that happening again.”

She turned to look at him, an amused look in her eyes. “I have.”

“You should come in.” He blurted it out like a fifteen-year-old boy would. “To peruse my collection of tomes.”

She raised one brow at him.

“I often find that when you see the book you need, you know it.” Now, he was overcompensating for blurting that out.

“I thought your collection was at the warehouse.”

She was giving him a look that clearly stated she thought it was just a way to get her inside. He laughed. “Oh, no. That is a few bags full. I have an actual library in there.” Wes pointed at the house. He thought she was going to tell him to get out of the car when she turned the engine off instead.

“What I’m looking for is something serious and permanent.”

So was he, he thought, but didn’t dare say it. He smiled instead. “I have spells that would scare Leland.”

“Really?” Her smile was beaming back at him, and he had to focus to just sit there. “Lead the way.”

As he unlocked the door, he tried to recall what state he’d left the house in. Had he tidied the kitchen? The last month had been a whirlwind of magical urgency, and sadly, he knew his household chores were suffering. He opened the door. “You’ll have to excuse any untidiness; life has been a little hectic lately.”

She snorted softly. “That’s an understatement.”

“Would you like a tea or anything?” He closed the door and stood there with his hands behind his back. Ann was inside his home. How often had he wished for that in the last few years? Too numerous to count.

She set her bag beside the door. “I think I should just look at the books.”

Wes nodded and motioned in the direction of his library. He walked toward the hall. Wanting her to stay longer was natural. He could count on his fingers how many times he’d been alone with Ann in the last few years, and it was just wishful thinking on his part that she would want to stay and spend more time with him.

Wes stood at the door and watched her walk around the room. She would pause and hover her hand over a crystal or candle but seemed to know not to touch someone else’s sacred items. How had her family hidden that they knew yet managed to teach each woman about magic and acceptable procedures? He wanted to read her family journal but also didn’t want to be intrusive. Yes, the Brotherhood had read, studied and cherished the journals carried from that time until now, but hers was private and personal.

Ann moved away from the shelves of items to the other side of the room where the books were. Over the years, his family had obtained any and close to all books on the subject of magic. Some were handwritten tomes; others were in print. He had reference books for all matter of anything categorized as useful in casting, spells, and even any item that was a warning.

“You weren’t exaggerating.” She glanced at him and smiled. “You have a library.”

He smiled and walked over to her. “The books closest to the floor are mostly new age or modern works.” He shrugged. “I’ve read them, but they can be pretty far-fetched.”

Ann ran her hand along the weathered spine of a book of shadows his grandfather had obtained from someone who was the last in their family. “I think I’m more interested in the older practices.”

He chuckled. “Yes. There’s nothing new about the magic you carry.”

She nodded, a smile on her face. “No. Mine is not new.”

Tucking his hands in his pockets, he watched her carefully, almost lovingly, take the book off the shelf. It surprised him that she held the spine cupped in one hand as she gently turned a few pages. His nerdy side adored that she didn’t roughly feather through them.

She paused and looked around. “Can I set a few on the table to take home and study more thoroughly?”

He motioned to the table. “Please.” He was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“I have a few books, but my family didn’t collect a lot because…”

“It would be hard to hide it with evidence sitting around.”

“Yes.” She closed the book and went over and set it on the table. Turning back to the shelf, she bit her lip briefly. “Okay, you’re going to have to play tour guide with these or I’ll be here all night.”

He inhaled deeply so he wouldn’t blurt out how much he wished she would stay. Blowing out a breath, he went over and stood beside her. “Do you feel strongly about anything in particular?”

Her pale eyes connected with his for a moment. “Something to stop them without anyone getting hurt.”

Wes nodded. “We’ll avoid these then.” He pointed to the one area on the top shelf.

~

She stayed an hour, and he wanted her to stay longer but didn’t want to push her. She had enough to deal with right now. Wes reached over and moved the hair back from her face. “I would like very much to kiss you.” Her eyes were amazing. He’d never realized her pale blue eyes had a dark ring around the outside of her iris’ before.

She licked her lips. “But you’re worried about magic bursting free.” She whispered it, and her voice sent shivers over his body.

“No. I think you have enough control of yours that it wouldn’t be an issue.” He put his hand in his pocket before he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her.

“Oh.”

Was that disappointment in her tone? He wasn’t sure. “I don’t trust myself to stop at a kiss.” Her lips parted, but she didn’t comment. Wes nodded abruptly and then leaned forward and kissed her cheek so briefly that she wasn’t certain he’d completely touched it. Straightening, he opened the door. “We’ll leave it there so I don’t do something male-like and spoil it.” She smiled at him, and it was the kind of smile that made his heart feel like it was going to beat right through his ribs.

“Maybe we can do dinner tomorrow night?” She looked around. “Here?”

He smiled and nodded and refused to speak in case the wrong thing came out of his mouth.

“We’ll discuss it at the office tomorrow.” She stepped outside.

“Text as soon as you get home.”

“I will.” She smiled at him. “Sweets dreams, Wesley.”

“Mmm, I’m sure they will be.” He stood in the door and watched her go to her car. He didn’t move a muscle until she was driving down the street. Spinning around, he went inside, closed the door, and leaned back against it. “Dinner. Here.” He grinned, but it faded slowly. “Shit. I don’t even know when the last time I got groceries.” He pushed away from the door and rushed toward the kitchen.