Page 20 of Undo Me

Isabel?

Was it this house, the treasure Ben and Michelle were always speaking of that made him think of that name? That put those images in his head during that kiss? Or was Bethany a witch who dabbled in illusions, drove him to madness with a touch and enchanted him with her sharp tongue?

Rousseau took a warning step closer and he sighed.

“You may be the only one glad to see me, Allegra. Now let me go, cher, or I might not make it to your wedding intact.”

If she could work up the courage to leave her bedroom, she could head for the airport and put Isabel and Bone Daddy behind her forever. She was sure Michelle would understand.

How could she have behaved that way? And with the infamous gigolo of the voodoo pantheon, no less. She was humiliated, but she knew that if Allegra hadn’t come in when she did, Bethany would have taken that ride without a second’s hesitation. She would have done anything, as long as he kept touching her. Kissing her.

It was even better than it had been in her dreams, because it was Bethany kissing him, not the shy, submissive Isabel he’d felt the need to insulate and protect. With Bethany, he’d been the one begging for more.

She wasn’t this sexual. Sure, she was no simpering virgin, but that was only because the idea of waiting for someone who may or may not show up made her queasy, and she didn’t want to deal with the stigma. The experience she had was minimal, but she hadn’t realized how lackluster it had been until a few minutes ago in that bedroom.

Before today, she’d never been able to wrap her head around why people spent so much time thinking about it or trying to have it. As far as she’d been concerned, her imagination and her toys were more reliable than flesh and boner. Life was simpler without lust clouding the issue. Neat and tidy, with ninety-nine percent less heartache.

But with BD, something deep inside of her came rushing to the surface. She needed. She hungered. She couldn’t think straight, let alone control herself. What he brought out in her was volatile and unexpected. In the space of an hour she’d hit him, insulted him, then jumped him like a horny nympho.

He took it well enough.

Her lips curved, recalling the expression on his face when she’d thrown him off the bed. He wasn’t used to rejection, and why would he be? Gorgeous, cocky and unfairly charismatic, but it was what was beneath it all that drew her to him. Something she couldn’t explain.

She had questions. Why would he pretend he hadn’t invaded her dreams in the guise of Isabel’s lover, Marcel? She was obsessed with the letters, the romance of it, so it made sense that it would be in her mind.

But why would Bone Daddy?

BD. He’d told her to call him BD.

“Can I come in?” Michelle slipped into her bedroom and closed the door behind her, her green eyes darkening with worry when she noticed the open suitcase on the bed. “I heard what happened. Are you okay?”

“Sure. Couldn’t be better. Why do you ask?” Bethany joked, scooting back against the pillows to make room for her friend.

Michelle sat beside her, looking down at her hands as if they were the most fascinating things she’d ever seen. “I shouldn’t have left you alone with him,” she started.

“Michelle—”

“It’s not anything to be ashamed of or embarrassed about, Bethany. He has a way of making people do the strangest things. He’s done it to all of us. It’s a gift, the way Ben can feel things and I can see them.”

“Voodoo pheromones?” she quipped.

“Basically, yes.” Michelle turned toward her and put a hand on her knee. “My old roommate Stacy could tell you stories, but the point I’m trying to make is that there’s nothing to feel bad about. And you don’t have to leave. We’ll just make sure he keeps his distance from now on.”

She instantly rejected that idea, but kept her silence, knowing that Michelle was feeling guilty enough for what she thought she’d allowed to happen. Bethany leaned her head against the wall, her lips quirking. “That pep talk would make me feel tons better if I hadn’t attacked him after he told me he had none of his regular abilities today.”

The expression on Michelle’s face was priceless. “You attacked him? And he actually said that to you? No powers at all? Mama thought that might be the case but I wasn’t sure.”

“Not a one. What happened was all on me.” Bethany closed her eyes on a groan. “I couldn’t help it. He looked so upset that I’d tossed him on his butt, that his smooth talk wasn’t working on me. Call it reverse psychology, but I found myself wanting to kiss him.”

“I thought you said he was too pretty.”

Bethany opened her eyes in time to catch Michelle’s teasing smile. She still seemed worried though. “Get it out, Michelle. I know you’re dying to.”

She shook her head. “I’m not. Not really. I mean, we’ve told you about him. Even though he looks human now, he is anything but. When I told Mama how we found him, she shared something that only a few select priests and priestesses know. On All Saints’ Day, some Loa are allowed to walk as mortals in the human world. Their own bodies, with all the vulnerabilities and weaknesses that entails.”

She’d read something about that once. How certain times of year, when the veil between one side and the other thinned, spirits were known to walk among the living. “Just today then?”

Michelle dipped her head, her expression somber. “Sunrise to sunrise. Tomorrow morning, he’ll be a Loa again. Invisible to all, unless he’s called to perform.”

---