Page 65 of The Most Wanted Witch

He reached down, dipping into the waistline of my pants, skimming over my wetness. He froze, and I arched into his hand. Instead of starting back up, he pulled back his hand.

“What are you doing?” I sounded flustered by any measure.

“Sorry to interrupt. Heard about your visit to the hill,” an older female said.

Hawk tugged down my shirt and then rolled off me.

The older female, Bautere’s leader, was standing there.

“You shouldn’t be out in this weather,” Bautere said, walking in from the other room.

“I’m not out anymore. I’m here, and I had to come.” She waved a paw at him and then turned to us. “I need to know what’s going on. I need to know what is being done. You’ve got some bad sorts around and still no answers?”

“We’re trying,” Hawk said.

I was glad he took the lead, as I was still trying to gather myself.

She stamped her cane. “It’s not enough. You need to get this handled, or all of our existences are at stake.”

“We’re aware of that,” Hawk said, keeping his calm.

She turned to Bautere. “I need some of that hot bark brew you make. That’ll warm my old bones as I get all of the details.” She waved him back with an imperial flick of her hand.

She settled in and didn’t look like she’d be leaving anytime soon.

27

Hawk and I walked back into the office the next morning. Musso, Zab, and Bibbi all looked up, scanned us, and nodded.

“Glad you’re not dead,” Bibbi said.

“You were with Hawk. I told her you were fine,” Zab said.

Gillian ran out of the back room, past me and right to Hawk. “Where have you been? When you didn’t come get me at the shop last night, I was worried sick that something happened.” Her hands fluttered to her chest.

I drifted away from the little scene, not that Gillian noticed. After all, it wasn’t me that had made her run across the room. Hawk walked into the back room with her nipping at his heels.

“What happened to you guys?” Bibbi asked.

“We got stuck in the storm. Had to stay at Bautere’s place.” I kept it short and simple, but my cheeks still burned, as if somehow they’d know something.

“Oh, well, that’s interesting.” She was getting a sly look about her.

“It really wasn’t.” It might’ve been, but that had crashed and burned, and I was glad for it.

I didn’t look toward the back room. I didn’t want to know what was happening there. I’d gotten very close to opening up, giving everything to a man who’d tossed me aside more than once. And why? Because it would’ve felt nice? Maybe better than nice. Maybeamazing.

But that didn’t matter. Right now, he was talking to Gillian in the other room, calming her worries. Anyamazingfeelings from last night would’ve been washed away with acid and a steel brush. Instead, my head was on straight as I made my way to my desk, checking over anything pressing. Nope, nothing painful about this.

The cocoa wasn’t tempting me as I made tea.

Hawk walked in the back room. He’d been in the office more often than normal today, which made it a little harder to act like nothing had happened between us, but damned if I wouldn’t.

He walked over and reached for a cup and then the kettle, saying nothing. No one would know, as I stood inches from him, that we’d had our bodies plastered together less than a day ago.

I stood silently, refusing to give up ground, even if that ground was in the back room. I wasn’t talking, either. I wasn’t sure whose choice that was, his or mine, but I’d taken part ownership at this point.

He stood beside me, drinking his tea instead of leaving, both of us silent. If someone walked in and looked at us, we would’ve screamed “awkward moment.” Luckily, no one did. Or maybe not so lucky. It seemed people were beginning to give us a wide berth when we were together, except for Gillian. She homed in like a heat-seeking missile when Hawk and I neared each other.

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