Page 44 of Hooked on a Witch
“I won’t let them hurt you,” she said.
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” He chuckled and tilted her chin to meet his gaze. The confidence in his eyes melted into something more intense. “Darlin’, you concerned about me?”
She nodded, mesmerized by his penetrating blue eyes. No man had ever looked at her like this. Hot. Sexual. As if he couldn’t wait to lick her from head to toe. Okay, that might be her imagination reading into his look.
“I’m not worried.” His tone warmed her with assurance he could handle himself and he’d keep her safe. She’d never been a girl who thought she’d like being treated as a protected woman. Until right now. Well, until Merck.
She wished he’d crush his lips to hers again in a hard kiss. Something in his eyes said he wouldn’t go there. One glance at their rapidly approaching company reminded her why.
A wicked smile curved his lips. “You want me.”
She cleared her throat. “Iwantyou to help me find the Trident.”
He whispered into her ear, “I’ll help you, if you admit since our first kiss you imagined us together so many times that the images of us haunt you at night and sour the touch of any other man.”
How’d he know? Sounded like he spoke from personal experience. To think he might’ve dreamed of her, might’ve even wanted her for years, made the girly girl who’d been in love with him for all of high school rear her giggly self. It wanted to wrap her arms around him, lean in, and let him possess her.
He warned, “If you don’t answer, I’m walking in five seconds because a shitfest train is storming our way.”
She released a shaky breath. “This, whatever it is, drives me nuts. It’s driven me crazy for years. Is that enough for you?”
“That works.” He turned to face their audience.
“Shannon Elaine Randolph. What the hell are you doing withhim?” her father blasted at her. He’d lost more weight since the last time she’d seen him, making his tall frame thinner but no less intimidating. More gray highlighted the dark strands around his face. Grief wasn’t a good companion. Her heart ached for him.
Merck’s hand around her waist clenched tight. He’d turned glacial with his eyes fixated on her father.
She said, “He’s here to help.”
“He’ll never be able tohelpyou.” Her father glared hostility at Merck, the two of them in some sort of silent pissing match.
“Why the hell are you back?” Eli’s gaze narrowed dangerously onto Merck.
Her father’s mouth settled into a severe line. “Jason Merck. I thought I made myself clear with regard to you and my daughter years ago. You stay on your side of the creek. We stay on ours. Step away from her.”
Seeing her father this worked up broke her heart. Even though bristling like a cornered hedgehog he appeared fragile to her. Perhaps only she could see the signs of him crumbling on the inside. Outwardly, he still appeared to be the warrior he’d always been. Even so, he didn’t get to bark at Merck. He wasn’t the enemy.
“Brian Randolph. It’s been a while, sir.” Merck’s jaw clenched. His entire body was ramrod stiff against her. The arm around her tightened. She’d bruise where his fingers curled into her waist, but he probably didn’t even realize he was doing it. Merck’s aura swirled with dark colors. Protective. Possessive. Dangerous.
Her turn to protect him. “Back off and leave him alone.”
The six druids halted several feet away from them.
She demanded of her father, “What exactly did you say to himyears ago? When did this discussion happen?”
“Get away from him.” Her father took another step toward them. She knew his tactics well. He planned a stealth approach and grab.
She turned to Merck. “What did he say to you and when?”
“That night when I helped you back across the creek, I followed you. Thought I’d ask you out.”
Shock exploded inside her chest. It hurt so much she could barely move air. A decade ago she’d been a naïve girl believing she’d found Prince Charming after one kiss. Dead wrong assumption. Merck’s kiss had been no more than a tease, as if he’d been testing how much power he could wield over her with his magic sexual mojo before dumping her like a hot potato. He’d escorted her across the creek and never sought her out again.
Now to find out it might not be true? He’d come after her? He’d considered making them into something real? Their kiss hadn’t been fleeting to him—a forgettable, one-off kiss with a desperate girl.
Barely able to speak, she rasped out to Merck, “What did Dad say to you?”
“He told me you never wanted to see me again. That your whole family didn’t want to see me and to stay on my side of the creek.” Her father was notorious for blowing his top over boys who got near her. He’d probably gone off the deep end with a whole lot of expletives.
