Page 3 of Charmed and Dangerous

Phoebe turned, a small smile on her face. “I know that, Maeve. You just need to find your courage. I’m confident that you will. You just need some time.” She brought over two cups of tea, handing one to Maeve. “Here you go, just the way you like it.”

Maeve took a sip of the hot liquid. She gasped and shuddered. “It’s a little bitter. Did you put any honey in it?”

“I did, but this is a new batch of chamomile. Maybe it’s too strong. Let me get you some more honey, dear.” Phoebe liberally added more honey, and Maeve sipped it again.

“Better. Thank you.” She wasn’t really a fan of chamomile. Her father used to make it for her all the time to keep her calm and out of his way while he worked. But she didn’t want to disappoint Phoebe, especially not the way Phoebe was studying her so carefully.

Once they finished it, Phoebe seemed disappointed. She slid off the stool. “Feel better? Good. I’ll leave you to it then. Let me know how that new chamomile works. It’s a special new leaf.”

Maeve barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She hated being their guinea pig. “I will. Thank you for the tea.”

“My pleasure, dear.”

Saul Grimsbane stalkeddown the sidewalk and into the Honey Buns Bakery that his family has owned since his great-grandmother opened it. Ever since then, members of the Grimsbane clan worked the bakery in some form or another since before they could walk. Now, he and his sister, Sacha, managed it for the next generation.

As he walked through the doorway, a whirlwind slammed into his knees, almost taking him out. He staggered againstthe door, keeping his feet, but only because he was built like a redwood, according to his momma. She also said he was as stubborn as one but, since he had never argued with one, he couldn’t dispute that.

He plucked the small bear from the floor by the fur at the back of his neck and held him up to eye level, giving a low growl, while the cub swatted at him with little claws. “I thought we said no cub form in the bakery, Brady.”

The cub mewled and shifted in a shower of light. Saul caught the naked little boy neatly. “Being naked isn’t much of an improvement.”

“Brady! There you are.” An exasperated voice called out from behind the counter. “I swear. I turn my back for one minute and there he goes, shifting and tackling customers. I think we’ll have to ship him off to the Alaskan branch of the family for the next ten years or so.”

Brady’s eyes grew wide as he stared at his mother. “No, momma. I be good.”

Sacha stood by the bakery counter, her hands planted firmly on her hips, her gently rounded belly sticking out just a bit, as she glared at her cub. “I don’t think you know the meaning of the word.”

Brady wiggled out of his uncle’s arms and dropped to the floor. He raced to his mother as fast as his three-year-old legs could carry him. “I do too. I be good, momma.”

She exchanged amused glances with Saul. “Fine. In the back. There’s a honey bun and a glass of milk on the counter for you. Get dressed first!” She called after the fast moving naked little boy.

Saul shook his head as he headed behind the counter and reached for his apron. “And you wanted to procreate a second time. Wasn’t once enough?”

“Wait until you meet your mate. Then you’ll know. Where have you been?” She leveled a hard stare at her brother then sighed. “You went to yell at the Duprees again, didn’t you?”

“They’re a menace to everyone,” he stated as he started to rearrange the pastry display to his liking and for better viewing.

She folded her arms on top of her belly. “Did you yell at Maeve again?”

“I didn’t yell. I merely stated my position. If I was a bit stern, that was only understandable. They almost blew up the block!” He finished on a yell. When Sacha continued to stare at him reprovingly, he sighed. “She’s so scared of everything. How does she survive?”

“I highly doubt everyone yells at her like you do. I find her to be a funny and nice person.”

“When you buy the burn salve for the bakery? Yes, I know about that.” He glared at her.

She shrugged. “It’s the best salve and you need it because you always forget to use the mitts. Maeve’s a very talented witch, as are the Duprees.” She leaned against the counter and studied him. “You’ve been awfully irritated by Maeve for a while. Could there be another reason?”

“She smells like prey. My bear wants to chase her,” he muttered.

She chuckled. “I don’t think that’s the reason your bear wants to chase her, brother. Try again.”

He straightened. “Speak plainly. I don’t have time for your minotaur...” he glanced in the back room and changed his word choice, “…crap.”

She smiled like a mountain lion in the cream. “I think she’s your mate.”

He choked. “A mouse like Maeve? My bear would eat her alive.”

“Exactly my point, Saul. Your bear wants her, but he needs her to stand up for herself before she can play on the level with your bear, so he pushes her, hoping she’ll play with him.”

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