Page 81 of Blue Moon Mistress

“Do they know how long ago you were bitten?”

He’s quiet for a long moment. “No. They’ve never asked for the specific date. It’s not a memory any of them want to relive. They know I don’t either.”

“You’re going to have to tell them, eventually.”

“How doyouknow?”

“I don’t… Not exactly anyway, but, you don’t look your age… there are other clues.”

“Care to take a guess?”

“Fourteen?”

“Fifteen.”

I nod against him. “It would have killed you before puberty. I imagine it was harder than the others’ too.”

I reach up and pull his face down to mine. “I’m sorry. But I’m happy you found them… and I’m happy I found all of you.”

Eleven

I pull up to the guys’house just before sunset, and Chase opens the door again, looking a little sheepish.

I know what he’s thinking about, but I kiss him and pretend I don’t. It was a question I shouldn’t have asked. And until he wants to bring it up again, I’m not going to make him.

“I have come bundled and ready to go.” I say, holding up my gloved hands when I see Joshua.

His smile is worth being a little overwarm inside the house.

“How did your spell go?” Johnny asks, pulling on his jacket.

“Good and bad.” I shrug. “There’s something going on with the Sheriff, but it’s not the enchantment I thought, so it’s not likely that he’s been bewitched and doing someone else’s bidding. It’s more likely that he’s just an ass.”

“He’s in law enforcement… being an ass is kind of a prerequisite, isn’t it?”

“Technically,” Johnny says, zipping himself up. “I’m in law enforcement.”

“And you are definitely an ass.” Chase dodges out of the way of a swipe.

I laugh with them, but Joshua isn’t laughing when I turn back to him. He studies me with a scrutiny…

“You should have worn pants.”

I look down to the heavy wool skirt that covers my legs and while I could just tell him… I gather the hem and lift the thick fabric up, showing them my boots, knee-high socks,andthick stockings. The red-wine cable knit disappears under the satin slip and I watch as all three of them let their gazes travel up me.

“Do I pass inspection?”

Chase groans and shifts his pants while Johnny murmurs something I don’t hear, because Joshua is shaking his head.

He stalks toward me, walking me back until my spine is against the wall. “More information is required.”

I swallow back a pert comment, because he sinks to his knees in front of me, and he drags a hand up the back of my leg. Rough skin catching on bits of wool as he goes.

When he reaches the edge of my slip, his other hand comes to my thigh, and—eyes on mine—he watches me as those fingers press upward, dragging that smooth fabric up until he finds the top of those stockings and the garter belt that holds them in place.

“This doesn’t look very warm,” he says, drawing a finger down the front of the black lace that covers me.

“I couldn’t find my bloomers.”

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