Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2) - Juliette Cross Page 0,55

were a very dutiful son, I’ll bet.”

“Actually, I was.” Except for the blood-drinking I did behind her back.

The waiter came and dropped the check. I moved the conversation to their metaphysical shop and her role there to steer away from heavier topics while we waited for the waiter to bring my receipt. She rambled about her bookkeeping and inventory organization—yes, rambled, which was completely new for her in my presence. I realized that my shy girl only opened up like this for people she trusted. A fact that had warmth blooming in the center of my chest.

“Sounds as if you enjoy your work,” I said as we grabbed our grocery bags that we’d stored at the hostess counter then walked out of the restaurant toward her bicycle outside.

“I do. But I enjoy gardening most of all. Working in the greenhouse.”

“No customers or pesky sisters to bother you.”

She graced me with another of those brighter smiles she kept hidden and passed out like little gold coins. “Exactly. I like working alone.”

“I gathered that.”

We stopped beside her bicycle, and though I didn’t want to part ways, I also didn’t want her to know how desperate I was to spend the entire day in her company. One thing I’d come to understand about Isadora was that she was cautious. I needed another reason to spend time with her. Then it hit me.

“Ruben told me that Emma would likely need another treatment or two by you. I could give you a ride to the hospital whenever you need.”

She pulled her bike away from the wall, after unlocking her chain on the wheel, and stowed her bag of fruit in the basket. “I’m sure I can get Jules to take me,” she said, avoiding eye contact again.

I leaned my head down, trying to force her gaze up. “You mean, you don’t trust my driving? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No,” she said quickly. “It’s not that. I just.” She shrugged.

“You don’t enjoy my company?” I teased.

That pretty pink color flushed her cheeks again as she leveled me with those green eyes. “It’s not that either.”

“So you admit you do enjoy my company. Love it, in fact, right?”

She laughed. “You really are incorrigible.”

“So I’m told. Repeatedly. By a very pretty witch.”

Her eyes fell again as she straddled the bike. As if that didn’t put another painfully lovely image in my one-track mind. Enough. Time for me to go. I held out my hand to her.

“Thank you for having brunch with me, Isadora.”

She shook my hand, and I couldn’t help but hold it a moment longer than normal, brushing my thumb over her soft skin, her quick, thrumming pulse.

“I should be thanking you. I really enjoyed it.”

“My pleasure.” I released her hand and tucked both of mine in my pockets, forcing myself to take a step away. Still, I couldn’t help to add, “If you need anything at all. A ride to the hospital? A replacement for Big John? You can call me anytime.”

Her mouth fell open in surprise. I memorized that image before giving her a wink and sauntering back up the street to my car.

Chapter 14

~ISADORA~

I’d been laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling for I don’t know how long. I couldn’t get this morning’s brunch at Gris Gris out of my head. No. Not the food. The company. The man. The vampire. He’d invaded my headspace and wouldn’t leave, no matter how hard I tried to get rid of him.

I glanced over at my desk where Violet had set my DVD of Dilwala Deewana.

Sorry. Take that back. Where she’d propped it up with a hot pink sticky note she’d grabbed off my desk and written in her swirly script: This is NOT trash. Watch often. You’re welcome. -V

Unable to help myself, I closed my door and popped the DVD into the machine and turned on the TV on top of my dresser. Sitting back on my bed, I watched a little of the intro that was mostly about the beautiful heroine, then I fast-forwarded to Devraj. Before long, I was back at that point where I’d left off, where he took a moonlit dip. That’s when I realized my hand not holding the remote was ghosting across my belly in little circles.

Glancing at the door, I hopped up and locked it, then opened my nightstand. Yep, there was Big John, sitting proudly in my nest of BOBs. I went to grab him, but then stopped. Behind me, Devraj spoke with his hypnotic voice onscreen.