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I went upstairs to put on shorts, a tank top, and sturdy hiking boots. At thirty minutes on the dot, Wes, the ever-punctual Taurus, knocked on my door. Was it my imagination, or did he seem disappointed that I’d finished changing before he arrived? Must’ve been the lingering effects of the magic. Though, thankfully he’d had a lot more control than I had earlier. It was embarrassing. Not how it affected me sexually, that part didn’t surprise me a bit, but it was downright mortifying that he had a better grip on his powers.
I’d just have to practice harder, that’s all.
I scooped up my backpack and filled it with a few bottles of water, bug spray, and some trail mix, just in case we were out there for a while. “Ready?”
“Yep.” He had changed into cargo shorts and a light green T-shirt that stretched across his chest and biceps, testing the seams. He pulled a roll of papers from his back pocket and handed them to me. “The deed to your land.”
“Aww, and I didn’t get you anything.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” His heated gaze trailed the length of my body.
“Right.” So hot. Needed water. “Can we go now?”
He opened the door and gestured forward. “After you.”
The trail behind my property diverted around the spring, which was hidden behind thick foliage. The overgrowth in that small area was the only reason why I’d been able to keep it a secret from tourists, and now that it was officially mine, I intended for it to stay that way. Though the earthquake had ripped through the forest with enough force to down trees and smash boulders to dust, everything looked relatively undisturbed. It was wild and tangled, the way nature was supposed to be, but it didn’t appear to have suffered any trauma. As if magic had repaired it. Or something else had created an illusion to begin with.
Sweet-scented lilacs and peonies bordered the common trail hikers used for day trips. Bees dipped in and out of soft petals, and I wondered if any of them were Brooke’s, traveling across the island to bring sprinkles of pollen back to her hives. The canopy of leaves kept temperatures cooler than on the main streets, but it was still warm. Sweat pooled at the base of my spine. I took a drink and passed the bottle to Wes, careful not to let our fingers brush.
“How did it go with Finn?” I asked.
“He’ll be fine.” He took a long swallow of water. “Once he gets used to it, anyway.”
“I heard Paige Newcomb told you off in front of the credit union.”
He stopped so fast, I nearly ran into his back. “What did you hear about that?”
I gave him a funny look. Why did it matter? No one took Paige seriously; she went off on people every other day. Last week she tried to have a bag boy at Constellations fired for putting a can of tomato paste on top of her bread. “The usual. You told her what to do, and she didn’t like it very much. Someone said there was a video involved?”
“Hell.” The muscles in his jaw tightened. “I was just looking out for Finn. And do you think that fucker appreciated it? No, he did not.”
“Let me guess?” I put a hand on Wes’s arm, and quickly removed it when the energy began to build again. “He thought it was hilarious.”
“Said he was going to put the video up on his company website.”
“No. That’s amazing.” I laughed until my cheeks hurt as Wes stood there with his arms crossed and a grouchy expression on his face. “God, I love Finn.”
“Yeah, he’s the salt of the earth,” Wes muttered.
I poked him in the side. “Such a grump.”
It had been over four years since I’d spent any time like this with Wes, and I hated to admit how much I’d missed it. We just slipped back into the easy banter we used to have. Which probably made me a complete idiot. The whole time I thought we were close, he only ever viewed me with contempt. Yet here I was, missing something that never existed in the first place.
Shutting down those old feelings, I focused on our present problem. “Tell me why you think Thora caused the earthquake.”
“Not yet.” He started walking again. “I’m saving that for dinner on Saturday.”
“Why?” I caught up to him, barely keeping pace with his long strides. I tried to catch his gaze to get a feel for what was going on inside his head, but he wouldn’t look at me. “We’ve got time before we reach the cave.”
“Because.”
What the hell kind of answer was that? I’d been nothing but forthcoming with him, and this was the kind of bullshit I got in return? That wouldnotfly with me. “I get that this is all a giant inconvenience to your super-important life, but I thought we were in this together. Why are you keeping information from me?”
He spun around, his expression so pained, it threw me for a loop. This was not the arrogant Wes I was used to dealing with. “It’s taken me four years to get that dinner with you, and I don’t want to give it up by telling you everything now.”
He looked completely miserable. Was it possible I’d misread things?
No, I hadn’t misread anything. He just had a sexual interest in me thanks to these damn side effects from using our powers, and he was used to getting what he wanted. It annoyed him that I wouldn’t give him the time of day.
