Witch Hearts (13 page)

“Being?” Ruby cocked an eyebrow at him.

“It’s safe to assume this guy knows a bit about you, right? Your schedule, any habits or favorite places. What if he knows more, like your particular skill? We need to leave town.”

“What, a little telepathy? That’s nothing,” Ruby said, waving her hand at his question. “It’s barely even a thing. I already decided on this matter and it’s a firm no. I am not leaving.”

“I bet it’s on his radar if he’s looking for control,” Cooper argued. “You can suggest ideas to people and they carry it out. It’s pretty damn close to his own goals, so it makes sense he’d target you to complete the collection.”

“Let me know when you’re attempting to make me feel better.”

“Dammit, Ruby!” He banged his fist on the table, rattling the salt and pepper shakers. “You’re not safe. Courtney carried potions on her, enforced her charm everyday, and still got taken. We have to keep you safe.”

“And I still have to
live
,” she reminded him. “We have to release Courtney’s ashes, I need to get back to work, hell, I need a gallon of milk from the store! You can’t boss me around and expect me to be happy about it.”

“I’m not trying to boss you around, but I’m worried.”

“Then let’s figure out a solution together.”

Silence fell between them as he considered the options. Ruby opened her mouth to argue some more and he held up a hand to calm her down.
 

“Okay, okay. I give up on asking you to get outta town.”

“Really?” Ruby heard her surprise, had expected a bigger fight about it, but he shrugged.

“You’re right - if he’d follow you to another town, you’re better off here where you know the area and have a support group. I hope you know I don’t plan to leave your side, though. It’s the only way I’ll stay sane.”

“You’ll have to leave me sometime.” The catch in her voice gave away her sadness at the idea.
 

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” The seriousness of his voice, the dark greens and golds of his eyes searing into hers as they shared a look, made Ruby forget to breathe.
 

When she spoke, her voice came out much throatier than she’d planned. “I suppose I can live with that.”
 

The corners of his soft lips curled upward and Ruby threw all caution to the wind. She was tired of being scared, needed to lose herself if only for a while.
 

“You want to go back to my place?”
 

He didn’t miss the hint in her question. “Definitely, but we have to make a quick stop first.”

She gave him a puzzled look. “Where?”

“The grocery store for your milk. Bottle of wine for me. And snacks ‘cause I sense a late night.”
 

He gave her a wicked grin as he got up from the booth.

After they got back in Ruby’s apartment, she reinforced the spell on her door. After a frozen pizza dinner, they sat on her couch together with the TV on in the background.
 

They’d talked openly for years and now was no different. Cooper had been the one bright spot in these last few awful days. They’d spent hours laughing over memories with Courtney, of his visits to their college where they partied hard the first night and spent the next night regretting it with a movie and pizza in pajamas. Then their talks had grown serious, with confessions of past relationships and old family stories. Ruby learned how lonely Cooper was after his parents died, while she admitted she missed her mother’s singing in the kitchen.
 

Tonight, however, Ruby could feel a difference in the air even though she couldn’t put her finger on it. She hugged her knees to her chest and eyed him. Neither of them wanted to discuss anything too serious, she could tell. Time for a distraction.
 

“Tell me more about your gift,” she suggested.
 

“Haven’t I told you a thousand times in the last ten years?” He smiled at her and relaxed, stretching out on the couch. “Sometimes my dreams show me the future. They aren’t extremely detailed; I get flashes of things and have to piece it together. Some are easier than others and of course, some are happier than others.”
 

Cooper looked down at his hands for a moment before coming back to the present. His voice turned teasing. “What about you? So far I’ve only seen your lights flicker. I thought you were supposed to get better with practice.”

“I don’t want to control electricity or weather. I need to be careful with it; the last time I lost control - about seven months ago, give or take - a storm blacked out the neighborhood for a night.”
 

Cooper nodded at her with a thoughtful look. “You don’t see any reason to push the boundaries?”

“I don’t see many instances where I’ll need to blackout the city. Maybe if there’s a drought I’ll see what I can do about some rain.”

“And the, what is it you call them, your mental suggestions?”

“I don’t like to use it. If anyone saw me staring a person down, it would look a little weird. Witches are usually immune thanks to their paranoia and using self-protection spells.” A little smile quirked on her face at him.

He seemed so surprised. “
Never
?”
 

 
“I don’t know, it always feels kind of…
wrong
to do that to people.”

“And you never used it on Michael?”

“He asked me not to, so I didn’t.” She shrugged and he looked at her both surprised and impressed.
 

“That’s good restraint. I’d have a hard time not telling him to jump out a window when he’s being a giant tool.”

Ruby smothered a laugh. “When I found out about Rebecca, that was the closest I’ve ever been to ruining myself. I seriously considered “suggesting” to her that she run into highway traffic.”

“You could’ve gotten sweet, sweet revenge.”

“But at what cost?”

His expression turned solemn. “Good point. You’re a better person than I, Ruby Jackson.”

“That’s not true. Courtney had a number of stories of me using it on guys in college for free drinks. Also, I can’t be sure of it, but I’m almost positive it’s how I got that lifeguard job the summer after sophomore year. I’m a terrible swimmer but I wanted the easy money and a tan.”

Cooper’s demeanor broke as he burst into laughter. “Like I said with the bartender the other night, I’m pretty sure you didn’t get that job because of your witchy talents. Twenty-year-old you in a bathing suit all day? Good god.”

She blushed. “Whatever, you get the idea.”

“Show me your best magic trick,” Cooper abruptly said. His face seemed boyish with curiosity.
 

Ruby laughed. “That would be my little suggestions, but you’ll be immune to those with your spells.”

“So you think,” he interjected. The corners of his mouth turned upward in a sly way. “Say, what sort of suggestions would you make me do?”

Her mind flashed to an inappropriate response and a blush spread over her cheeks. She couldn’t stop it and worse, Cooper had known her long enough to catch the little signals. His wicked grin appeared and Ruby’s stomach butterflies twirled in unison.
 

“I make a decent potion, but I might have another trick up my sleeve.”
 

Ruby ran to her bedroom and got a crystal from her magic set. She returned to the couch and held it in the palm of her hand. Concentrating on the lamps in the room, the lights slowly dimmed. The crystal in her hand glowed brighter, eventually becoming a handheld flashlight in a dark apartment.

“Excellent. You
would
be great to have in a blackout.”

She exhaled, released her hold on the electricity and the lights popped back on. “Told you. It’s harder than it looks. There are only a handful of spells in there for someone with my ability, so I have to learn as I go.”

“You’re better than most witches I’ve met.”

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.”
 

“No, quite the opposite, actually,” he said. “It’s a huge turn on.”

His grin got bigger when her blush deepened and she changed the subject. “Your turn. Show me some magic.”
 

He thought for a long moment, lips pressed together. A shadow of movement on his face gave way to a nod. “Yeah, okay.”
 

Coop scooted next to her, situated it so that they sat face to face, touching knees. He took one of her hands and cupped his free hand around the back of her neck. Inches from her face, he whispered, “Close your eyes.”

Ruby did so, tried to keep her breathing even. Her concentration might be shot with him this close to her. She’d never felt so aware of her own movements, her desire making every inch of her skin tingle. His warm hands on her, her eyes closed, the tension held steady as he remained where he sat. After three agonizing seconds, Ruby gave up. She leaned in, pressed her lips against his and melted. Cooper pulled her in and held her tight, deepening the kiss.
 

Then Ruby opened her eyes and found herself still inches away from Coop. His hands still on her neck and hand, he stared intently at her, as though nothing had happened. Then his right eyebrow raised up in a way that said he knew, but she didn’t follow. If they hadn’t kissed, had she hallucinated the whole thing?

“I just showed you one of my dreams through touch,” he said, not moving. Ruby forced her gaze away from his long eyelashes as she comprehended.
 

“You dreamt we kissed?”
 

“You’re not surprised I can show you a dream?” he asked. “I definitely thought that would be the bigger question here.”

“Oh, that part’s cool and all,” she hastily replied.
 

The damage done, that old smile crossed his face, his tone coy. “Do you want to kiss me?”
 

“No,” her answer came without thinking, “I want you to kiss me.”

Without hesitation, Cooper leaned in, pressing his lips to hers and Ruby, for lack of any other words, saw fireworks. His warm hands brushed through her hair, pulled her into him. His facial stubble scratched her skin as his lips burned a trail down her throat and back to her mouth.
 

A groan left him as he pulled away. “This isn’t how…I only want to protect you. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened. I can’t lose you, too.”

She ignored him, leaned in to kiss him and he pulled back further. She pursed her lips. “You can’t keep watch on me forever. You’re not responsible for me - I’m not your sister.”
 

“Oh, believe me,” he whispered back, his low tone sending shivers up Ruby’s spine, “I’ve always known that, now more than ever.”
 

His green eyes drank in every inch of her face and the fire in Ruby’s belly took over. She’d waited long enough; the words spilled from her lips before she could stop herself.
 

“Are you sure you want this?” she asked, a bit breathless.

“Ruby, I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.”
 

His hands were on her face as he kissed her, then quickly moved down her body. A little sigh escaped her. He responded by picking her up and carrying her straight to the bedroom.

Ruby squinted one eye open to check the time: 9:08 a.m. The bookshop opened at ten, so if she moved fast, she could try to go back in today. She had to return to real life sooner or later, killer or no killer. Unless he offered to pay her bills in addition to taking her heart, she needed to get back to work.

Even after she showered and made coffee, Cooper hadn’t moved from her bed. She took a second to admire his naked upper body, resisting a peek underneath the sheets to see the bottom half. Instead, she left a note on his phone, kissed his cheek in case he was semi-conscious, and headed off to the shop.
 

Ten minutes later, she parked in a lot behind the store buildings and walked around to unlock the front door. Miranda had beaten her to it, however, so Ruby swung open the door and headed in. Book Nook was empty, but she heard someone moving things around in the back room. She moved to the sound, skirted her way around shelves and displays. Inhaling the scent of used and new books, relief flooded through her at being back in safe, familiar territory.
 

“Hello?” she called.
 

“You’re back!” Miranda’s voice floated back to her. She popped out to the front to greet Ruby, gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You doing okay, honey?”

Ruby couldn’t remember the last time she was so happy to see her employer. Miranda Pruitt, owner of Book Nook, was a bright, cheerful person who never hesitated to speak her mind. An open and proud bisexual, Miranda was used to fighting the mainstream current; she and Ruby had clicked from the moment they met. Four years older than Ruby, Miranda lived with her girlfriend in a nearby neighborhood. Miranda wasn’t a witch, but she had a lovely open mind and often asked questions to broaden her knowledge.
 

Ruby took a step back to check out Miranda’s current look. Short and tiny (and her own boss), Miranda favored graphic tees with skinny jeans and Chuck Taylors. She wore a silver ring in her left eyebrow and kept her dark hair cropped in a cute pixie cut, but liked to keep it fun by streaking it with colors not often found in nature. This month’s selection was still a neon pink.

“I haven’t changed it from October’s breast cancer awareness phase yet,” Miranda said with a shrug. “I’m thinking orange for the fall.”
 

Ruby grinned, hugged her again in sheer happiness to see her. Miranda gladly returned it before pulling away to take another long look at Ruby, her eyebrows furrowing together. Then she froze, a wide grin spreading slowly across her face.

“You! You had sex!”

“What? No, I didn’t.” Ruby averted her eyes, couldn’t hide the blush that rose to her cheeks.

“Don’t lie to me, you totally did!” Miranda’s eyes got wide as she put two and two together. “And with Cooper! No. Way. Girl, you need to tell me everything, ‘cause I bet that was smokin’.”