Tethered 02 - Conjure (27 page)

This didn’t happen.

Thirty minutes and one fourth of my way through the ice cream carton, my cell phone chimed. It was a text from Kace.

Either I’ll give you directions and you can drive to my place, or I’m coming to get you. Regardless, you’re coming to my place tonight.

I didn’t know whether I should laugh or be mad at his boldness. After rereading his text, I went with laughing. I paused my movie and responded back with:

What time?

I scooped up a big chunk of chocolate while I waited for him to reply.

One hour. I’m getting off early tonight. Have you had dinner yet?

I set my ice cream down on the coffee table and sent him a partly true response.

Nope.

Because ice cream didn’t count as dinner, it was dessert. And he hadn’t asked that.

I’m cooking for you then. Do you want directions or do you want me to come get you?

Shivers went along my spine as I replayed his last few words in my mind, imagining them being said in that sexier-than-sin voice he often used. He was right, chick flicks stroked my libido.

Just give me the directions.

I didn’t want him to come get me. I wanted to make him wait a little; he never had to wait on me.

Are you driving or walking?

Driving. For sure.

There was no way in hell I was walking through those woods again on my own.

Take a left out of your driveway. A left at the stop sign. And then a right onto Hayes Haven Drive. I’m in apartment 400 I.

Got it. See you in a few.

Turning off the TV, I got up and speed-walked my ice cream back into the kitchen—to save in the freezer for another time—and then jogged upstairs to find something decent to wear.

Following Kace’s directions to a T, I parked in front of a heather gray apartment complex with a blue roof and I was only about ten minutes late. Amazingly it wasn’t because I had taken a wrong turn, but because I couldn’t decide on shorts or a skirt. I had gone with a denim skirt, which was modestly short with a piece of white lace trim along its edge, and a white razorback tank top with the back made out of lace. I thought my outfit was cute with a dash of sexy mixed in for good measure, but I’d have to see how Kace reacted to it.

Cutting the engine on my Jeep, I stepped out and glanced up at the large complex in front of me. The blue wooden sign that hung on the front of the building said this section housed apartments 400 F – J. I hoped I could find Kace’s easily. I didn’t want to be the weird girl who kept going up and down the stairs. Thankfully, I could read the first two door letters clearly as I walked toward the stairway leading to the apartments. Starting up the stairs, I climbed to the top. Kace and Adam’s apartment was to the right and directly in front of where the stairs dead-ended.

I took in a deep breath, preparing myself for seeing Kace, and knocked on the solid blue door with the letter I attached above the peephole. Rolling on my ankles, I glanced around, trying to look anywhere besides at the little glass-covered hole. I hoped Kace wasn’t staring at me through it. Footsteps sounded on the other side and I relaxed slightly. The door opened, revealing Kace standing behind it with a wide, mischievous smile.

“Hey, sexy, come on in,” he said as his eyes traveled up the length of me.

He was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans that hung low on his waist and a plain blue T-shirt that fit him just right. I noticed right away he was barefoot and couldn’t help but think it made him that much more fine-looking with his hair all tousled.

I smiled and stepped into his apartment. “Hey.”

“Glad you finally made it. I thought you’d either gotten lost on the three turns from your house, or else you’d decided to stand me up because the jury had finally reached a verdict.” He smirked and that dimple in his right cheek became visible.

God, I loved that dimple.

I shook my head and glanced around his apartment. “No, just running a little behind.”

At first glance, Kace and Adam’s apartment was not what I’d been expecting. Light hardwood flooring rested beneath my sandal-clad feet, and white walls with matching wood trim the same shade as the floor edged the doors and windows. An overstuffed black leather couch and a matching recliner made up the living room. There was a single end table between the two and a beat-up looking coffee table in front of the couch. A modern black and chrome TV stand with a flat screen nearly as big as the couch hung suspended from it on the opposite side of the room. Every video game console imaginable rested beneath. No pictures hung on the walls, only two guitars that I knew were from the game Guitar Hero.

“Nice place,” I said. I pointed to the guitars. “Really love the décor.”

Kace closed the door behind me. “Yeah. I’m not going to deny that Adam and I have battles with those every now and then.”

I held up my hands in front of me. “Hey, I’m not judging.”

“Sure you aren’t.” He smirked and shook his head.

Kace walked to the kitchen, which was still practically in the same room I was in. The floor plan was open with the living room off to the left of the front door, the dining room to the right, and the kitchen straight ahead with a bar separating it from the dining room area. There was a hallway slightly askew from the front door where I stood, and all I could think about was how it led to Kace’s bedroom somewhere back there.

A whining and the sound of something scraping against metal met my ears.

“What is that?” I asked. “Sounds like you have a beast locked up someplace.”

Kace chuckled. “That beast would be Dibs.”

He motioned to the corner of the dining room where a large piece of something sat covered by a white sheet.

“Ah, I’d forgotten about the poor guy,” I admitted. “Why don’t you let him out?”

“Because he would be all over you.”

“Poor guy, he just wants some love,” I said as I listened to him whimper once more.

“Yeah, yeah…so do I and I’d prefer not to have to compete with my dog for it.” He grinned. “He’ll quiet down in a little while. Want something to drink?” he asked.

I walked to the entrance of the kitchen and leaned against the black and tan speckled countertop. “What do you have?”

“Water, milk, sweet tea, beer, wine,” he said as he opened the fridge and bent down to glance around at its contents. “Take your pick.”

“What are you having?” I asked.

“Beer…you could have one too.” He came up holding two in his hands. “You don’t have to drive, you know. You could always crash here for the night.”

I felt my cheeks warm under his stare. “I could…” I said slowly.

He held a Corona out to me and raised an eyebrow. “I could make it worth your while, you know.”

“And what about Adam, won’t that be awkward?” I took the beer and glanced around, realizing for the first time I hadn’t seen or heard Adam the entire time I’d been here.

“What about him? My bedroom has a door.”

“Clever.” I smiled and raised my beer to him in a little toast. “Very clever of you.”

He shrugged and twisted the cap of his beer off. “I try.”

I watched as he took a long swig. His Adam’s apple bobbed a little and I felt my stomach tighten with want. What was I doing here? Was it just the magick flowing through my veins urging me to be with him, or was it something else entirely? I couldn’t be sure. Was this one of those moments in life where I was supposed to just shut up and go with the flow?

I needed a sign.

I needed something that would help me decide which way to go with all of this. Right now though, the beer in my hand tasted pretty good and I knew the guy in front of me would taste even better. I tipped my beer back and let it slip down my throat, deciding maybe going with the flow
was
my best option right now.

“So…what are you cooking for me tonight?” I asked as I hoisted myself up on the countertop I’d been leaning against, careful not to give him an eyeful just yet due to my skirt.

His eyes skimmed over that area anyway, seemingly hopeful he’d be getting a closer look later. “Do you like tacos?” he asked.

“Tacos? Seriously, that’s what you’re cooking me?” I scoffed.

“Yeah, why? You don’t like them?”

“No, I do. It’s just I figured you’d cook something romantic and gourmet.”

He grinned and then placed his lips back against his beer as he took another sip. “I never claimed to be a chef.”

My cheeks and neck warmed slightly with embarrassment. “I know that… I just assumed you’d be able to cook amazing food.”

“Wow, don’t set the bar too high for me or anything.” He shook his head. He set his beer down on the counter and moved to the fridge to gather ingredients. “I can’t believe you don’t think tacos are amazing food.”

I laughed. “Are we really having this conversation? Tacos are fine; they’re great, in fact. It just seems weird to go from all this crazy good Italian food and expensive wine to tacos and cheap beer.”

Kace turned around to face me, a head of lettuce held in his hands. “Ah, so you’re one of those…”

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t suppress my smile. “And just what
one of those
am I this time?”

“The type who gets spoiled too easily,” he said as he set the lettuce on the counter and reached down to pull a pan out from a lower cabinet. “And Corona is not a cheap beer.”

“I am not.” I didn’t like how true that sounded. I hated people like that. “I just can’t believe you’re
one of those
guys. The type who wines and dines a girl to reel her in and then drops all the romanticism and charm after a few dates and becomes all cheap.”

Kace paused in opening the package of hamburger meat he was holding. His right hand came up to hover above his heart. “Now that hurts…but truth be told, sexy, you can’t always have the glamorous things in life, even with all the magick and Hoodoo spells in the world. Sometimes there will be nights when tacos and beer will have to do.” He winked at me, and I felt my heart stop and then kick-start again.

Tacos and beer with him was perfect. My stomach flipped. For whatever reason, I knew right then that I could settle for this. I could stay in Soul Harbor with Kace and see where life took me.

This moment was my sign.

I slipped off the counter while he washed his hands at the sink. Taking another long swig of my beer, I placed it on the counter next to his and snaked my arms around his waist. My hands slid underneath the blue T-shirt he was wearing, eager to touch his skin. The sparks of warmth I absolutely loved from when we touched shot through my fingertips upon contact.

“Whoa, hey there,” he said in a low tone as he turned around to face me. His lips curved into a small smile just before they pressed to mine.

Kace’s hands came up to cup the sides of my face and the warmth from our mingling magick spread to meet his touch. I opened my mouth slightly wider in the hopes he would take the hint and deepen our kiss. He did, and he didn’t disappoint. His hands inched down my face, neck, and then he paused as his fingertips slid down to my collarbone. The sensation made me moan in his mouth.

My fingers slipped to the button of his low-hung jeans and began to toy with it. I had it undone a few seconds later. Kace’s hands skimmed along my sides until he reached the edge of my tank top. He gripped it and tugged it up and over my head. Our lips only parted so the fabric could move between them for the briefest of moments. I shuddered as his warm hand caressed my bare back.

Kace pulled away and glanced down at me. “Damn, no bra. How the hell did I miss that little tidbit until now?”

I smirked and pressed my lips back to his. “No idea.”

Kace shifted me. My back pressed against the countertop I’d been sitting on moments before. His hands slid to my bare waist and he hoisted me up. Nudging himself between my thighs, he began to trail soft kisses down the length of my throat. His hands gently pushed the skirt I was wearing higher up my thighs.

“Is there anything else I missed tonight?” he asked as his hand slipped between my parted legs.

“Nope,” I breathed.

“Damn, that would have been hot,” he said, his fingers making their way behind the fabric of my panties.

His lips found mine again, as ripples of pleasure ran through me from his touch, and I moaned into his mouth once more.