Charmed Spirits (14 page)

Matt
sanded down a corner of the box and sighed. He had no idea how he was going to
do it. He sure as hell didn’t want to be mayor. No one really did, and that was
the problem. Nobody wanted the job, and those who might want it didn’t want to
deal with Prescott. It was clear something had to change because they couldn’t
go on living like this.

He
stood back and looked at the half-finished box. When it was finished, it would
be an herb box for Jordan. She had the garden in the back of her grandmother’s
place, but she didn’t have anything for just herself. Something he wanted to
change, even if it was just a pipe dream since she was leaving. Maybe if she
saw this, she’d see the possibility of roots and proof he wanted her to stay.

He
just had to make sure it was
worth
staying. Because, at the moment, he
knew Jordan didn’t want to stay. It wasn’t safe, not with Prescott in charge
and the town rallying against her. There were some folks who hadn’t reacted
that way, but they hadn’t stood up for her either.

That
would have to change.

He
took out a drawer and sanded the sides. When it was finished, it would house
her herbs. They could grow on top and be store, dried, in the drawers. Tyler
had told him she was practicing with her magic more so he wanted to help.
Though he still felt hesitant about the whole magic thing, he had to get over
it. He’d been wrong. Jordan would never knowingly have hurt him. And if she
learned more about her powers, she could help both herself and him.

Hopefully.

“So
let me get this straight,” Justin said as he leaned against the workbench. “You
just let her go to jail and left her there?”

Matt
scowled and shook his head. “Tyler and Jordan told me not to go. That it would
only make things worse. So now I’m stuck here while Jordan is alone in a cell
and Prescott is grinning like the ass he is.”

Justin
sighed. “I can’t believe Tyler actually did it.”

“He
didn’t have a choice.”

“Really?
Because it isn’t like he’s the law or anything.”

Matt
ground his teeth together. “Not in this town. He’s just a fucking glorified
figurehead.”

Justin
cursed and handed Matt a level. “That needs to change.”

“You
think?”

“So,
what are we going to do?”

“That’s
the thing. Other than getting Prescott out of office, I don’t see much we
can
do. But who would run against him?”

Justin
visibly shuddered. “Not me, that’s for sure. I barely have enough time with
being principal as it is. And I think it says something in the bylaws that I
can’t do it anyway since it would be a conflict of interest.”

Matt
raised a brow. “Really?”

Justin
smiled, showing teeth. “Yep. But you know, you could do it. You’re a business
owner and a good seed in society and all that shit.”

“Lovely,”
he said dryly.

“What?
It’s the truth.”

Yeah,
but could he really be mayor and be forever linked to the old Marlow place? He
couldn’t quite see himself ducking out of an event because he had to turn all
ghosty.

“Maybe
Jackson?”

Justin
smiled with unholy glee at Matt’s suggestion, and they both broke out laughing.

“Oh
God, please, please can I be the one to ask?” Justin asked, rubbing his hands
together.

“I
can just imagine his face when he tells you no.”

“Oh,
you mean the
I’m-a-badass-with-coal-and-ice-for-a-heart
face? The one he
gives us when we ask if we can decorate his house with garland and pictures of
hot girls dressed as sexy elves for Christmas?”

“You
know, I think that was one of your more enlightened ideas, bro.”

“What?
Come one, we’re five single guys. We should be allowed to put up pictures of scantily
clad women on our walls as decoration if we want to.”

“Really?
So this is what men talk about when the women are behind bars?” Jordan teased
as she walked into the garage. She looked pale, shaky, and in need of a hug.
But she was here.

Thank
God.

Matt
quickly, and discreetly, pushed the herb box to the side of the room behind a
bench so she couldn’t see it and walked to her. He opened his arms, and she
sank in his hold, her body pressed tightly against his.

“I
missed you,” she whispered.

“I
missed you too, baby.” He kissed the top of her head and ran a hand down her
back.

“Sure,”
she said with a dry twist. “So much so that you’re talking about naked elves.
Hot.”

“Actually,
Justin was the one who mentioned it.”

“Thanks
for throwing me under the bus, bro,” Justin said. “Come here, Jor. Let me get a
good look at you.” He held open his arms, and Jordan extricated herself from
Matt’s and walked to his brother.

Matt
raised a brow. “Watch your hands, Justin.”

“Sure,
I’ll watch them as they rub—
Oof
.” Justin rubbed his side where Jordan
had elbowed him. “’K, that hurt.”

“Keep
your hands where I can see them—
not
on me. And aren’t you the principal
of the school?  I thought you’d reformed your bad boy ways.”

“Obviously
not enough.” Justin gave a wicked smile and winked.

Jordan
shook her head but smiled. “I swear you Cooper brothers are in a league of your
own.”

“As
long as you know there’s no crying in baseball,” Justin joked.

Matt
groaned. “Oh God, I think that was the worst joke you’ve ever told.”

Justin
smiled. “Actually, no. Remember the one where—”

Jordan
smiled and placed her hand over his mouth. “I think I’m good without knowing
whatever you’re about to say.”

Matt
growled. “Jor, could you refrain from touching my brother’s lips?”

Justin
nipped at them, and Jordan took her hand back. “You’re horrible, Justin.”

“True,”
Justin agreed. “So, how was the slammer?”

“I
would think you’d know, dear troublemaker.”

Justin
raised his hands in mock innocence. “Hey, I never got caught. There’s a
difference.”

Matt
shook his head. “As much as I love you, Justin, go.”

Jordan
gasped. “Hey, rude.”

“Actually,
I have to go help Abby with some last minute things for the play tonight. I
would say you should come, but with what happened today, I don’t know if you’d
want to make a scene.”

Jordan
shook her head. “I know. I just want to stay home.”

“You’ll
stay with me,” Matt growled.

“Oh,
really?” Jordan raised a brow.

“Oh,
look, a lovers’ quarrel. I should go.” Justin tugged Jordan close and hugged
her tight. “I’m glad you’re okay, hon,” he said seriously. “We’ll fix this.”

Jordan
shook her head and kissed his cheek. “I don’t think this can be fixed.”

“You
obviously don’t realize your boyfriend over there is a fixer. We Coopers stand
together, and you’re an honorary one, babe.”

Jordan
teared up, and Matt held her close to him. God, he loved his family. They were
accepting of anyone who they considered family. Maybe they wouldn’t freak out
as much when, and if, he told them he was a ghost…then again, maybe not.

“You
two stand together, and you’ll be fine.” Justin smiled, a little sadness in his
gaze before he masked it, and then he walked out of the garage.

Matt
kissed her neck, and she moaned. He pulled back but kept that thought for
later. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jordan
turned in his arms and looked up at him. “I’m a bit jarred, but okay. Tyler
didn’t put me in a cell.”

Matt
closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

“He
just made me sit there for a couple of hours with breakfast and hide out from
Prescott.”

“I’m
going to kill that man.”

“Who?
Tyler?” She tried to smile, but it fell flat.

Matt
pulled her into his arms and kissed her neck. The shiver that slid down her
body made him think of naughty things. Naughty things that they could be doing
right now if they wanted. First, he needed to make her feel better.

“I’m
going to figure out a way to get Prescott out of office since I don’t want my
brother arresting me for murder.”

Jordan
looked up at him, her eyes tired and weary. “I don’t want you getting hurt or
losing your job, Matt.”

“I’m
not letting you be the catalyst for Prescott’s hatred.”

She
shook her head then rested it on his chest. “It’s nothing that I didn’t get
used to when I lived here before.”

A
sharp pang speared him. How could he have let her feel this way in the town where
they’d both grown up? It was no wonder she’d left. He tightened his grip, and
she snuggled closer.

“Are
you hungry?” She’d been gone for over two hours, and though she’d said Tyler
had fed her, he still wanted to take care of her.

“No,
I don’t think I could eat anything.”

He
ran a hand through her hair then kissed the top of her head. “Let’s head over
to my place and be lazy. What do you say?”

Jordan
kissed the bottom of his jaw and nodded. “That sounds perfect. But I still have
a lot to do on the house.”

He
tried not to think of the fact that she as getting closer and closer to leaving
him. Maybe a distraction would work.

He
kissed her softly, letting his tongue run along the seam of her mouth. She
moaned into his mouth, and he ran a hand down her back, cupping her ass. She
wiggled into him and let out a laugh.

“Hey,
I’m putting on my best moves here, why are you laughing?” He squeezed her ass,
and she laughed hard.

“I’m
sorry, baby. I love how you distract me.”

“Uh-huh.
Then why are you laughing?”

“Because
we’re in Jackson’s garage.”

Matt
looked around at their surroundings and frowned. “I don’t understand. We could
make love here. I could bend you over that work bench.” If fact, that sounded
like a fucking fantastic idea.

She
shook her head, but her eyes had darkened at the suggestion. “Take me to your
place, and you can bend me over something there.” She grinned, and he groaned.
Her hand crept down his stomach and brushed against his cock, which was
currently trying to escape his jeans.

“Is
your car still at the old Marlow place?” God, it was getting too hard to think
about logistics. They needed to get to his place—now.

“Yep,
that means you need to drive with a hard-on and not crash.”

He
groaned and kissed her hard, her tongue fighting with his. He pulled back,
panting. “Get in the car.”

She
grinned and lowered her eyes. “Race you.”

“Baby,
I’m about to make it to the finish line right now if you don’t hurry up that
ass of yours.”

She
huffed, but her eyes held laughter. With a wink, she ran out the garage toward
the car. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and willed his cock to calm
down.

“Come
on, buddy, just hold on until we get there. The last thing we need do is crash
because you’re too busy thinking about Jordan.”

“Are
you talking to your dick?” Jordan asked as she walked back in.

Matt
growled. “Get in the car.” He felt his cheeks heat up. Yeah, she wasn’t
supposed to have heard that little pep talk of his.

Jordan
laughed—God, he loved that sound—and he ran behind her.

Somehow,
they got to his place and stood in his living room, panting, needy, and staring
at each other.

“So,
does he talk back?” Jordan asked, a small smile on her face.

“Why
don’t you come over and see?”

They
broke out into laughter. “Oh God, that has to be the worst line ever.”

Matt
shrugged. “Hey, you’re the one asking if my dick talks.”

She
shook her head, and he smiled. “Did you say something about bending me over
something here?”

Matt’s
cock rose—again, damn thing—and he groaned. He prowled toward her, determination
in his stride. Her breath hitched, and he crushed his mouth to hers, wrapping
her ponytail around his fist. He trailed his other hand up her shirt and cupped
her breast.

She
wiggled, and he pinched her nipple and rolled it.

“Matt,
God, that feels good.”

“Good?
Oh, I think I can do better.”

He
pulled her backward and brought them to his kitchen table.

“What
is it with you and tables?” she asked as she kissed his neck.

“I
can’t help it. I see one, and I want to fuck you over it.” He tugged off her
shirt and groaned when her braless tits bounced.

“That
could prove disastrous in public.” She moaned, and he sucked a nipple into his
mouth