hope you’ll leave the undressing to me.” She grinned. “I’m quite capable of getting you naked.”
“You certainly are.” Not only was she good at getting him naked, she excelled at keeping him that way. They’d made love twice again this morning before reluctantly getting out of bed. He’d have preferred to spend the entire day naked with Alice, but he had work to do. He still hadn’t found an artifact the warlock would accept in trade for the trowel, and no amount of money would change the man’s mind.
She set her mug on the table and sashayed toward him, sinking into his lap and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “I had a wonderful time last night.”
He slid his hands up and down her back. “As did I.”
She kissed him softly, brushing her tongue to his before nipping his bottom lip between her teeth. “I hope we can do it again soon. And again.” She kissed his cheek. “And again.”
Heat expanded in his chest, warming him down to his toes. “We do have a date planned for this evening.”
“Heck yeah, we do.” She bit her bottom lip, a question forming in her eyes. “Do you think it’s too early to call Griffin? I have a committee meeting later this morning, and I’d love to have some good news for them.”
Glancing at the clock, he nodded. “It’s after eight. His assistant will be at the office.”
“Would you mind?”
He could swallow his pride. For Alice, he could do anything. “I believe your clothes are dry. Why don’t you go get dressed, and I’ll see what I can do?”
Her smile brightened her eyes, melting his heart. “Thank you.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek before sliding from his lap and padding toward the laundry room.
Donovan retrieved his phone from the bedroom and settled into a cigar chair in the study before opening his contacts and scrolling through to his brother’s office.
Marty scurried into the room and perched on the arm of the chair. “Are you really going to do this?”
“I have no choice. Alice needs my assistance.”
“Think about it first, boss. You’re going to admit to your brother that you need magical help.”
He paused, his thumb hovering above the call button. “It’s Griffin. He’ll be discreet.” Griffin was the only one who treated Donovan with an ounce of respect.
“Really? You trust him not to mention it to Matthias? Because Matthias would poison the creek to spite you if he found out about this place.”
Did he trust Griffin? Absolutely not. Donovan didn’t trust anyone; he’d been burned too many times. He rubbed the scar on his chest. “Griffin hasn’t spoken to Matthias in ten years. It will be fine.”
Marty nodded. “Sure it will. You oughta tell Alice who you are and that you don’t have any powers while you’re at it. I mean, if you’re going to destroy your reputation, you might as well go all in.”
Donovan clenched his teeth. “I will tell her everything when the time is right.”
He dialed the number, and Karen, Griffin’s assistant, answered the phone.
“Good morning, Karen, it’s Donovan Drake.”
“Hello, Mr. Drake. How can I help you?” A lower-level witch with one human parent, Karen had always been kind to him.
“I need to get in touch with Griffin. It’s a matter of utmost importance.”
“He’s on a charity mission in South America at the moment. I can take a message and pass it along the next time he checks in.”
Donovan sighed. “Can you send a messenger? It’s a life or death situation.”
When his brother escaped on these humanitarian missions, he assimilated into the culture of the tribe he was helping, leaving his phone and any way to contact him behind.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know his location.”
“Please tell him to call me the moment you hear from him. I cannot express how important this matter is.”
The clicking of a keyboard sounded through the receiver. “It will be the first message I relay.”
“And, Karen, it’s a delicate matter. Matthias is not to know of my request.”
“Understood.”
Alice padded into the room and sank onto the arm of the chair opposite from Marty as Donovan hung up the phone. “Any luck?”
“He’s inaccessible, but his assistant will give him the message the next time he checks in.”
Her shoulders slumped, the disappointment in her eyes tearing at his heart. “That’s a bummer. I was hoping you’d be our ringer.”
He rested a hand on her thigh. “All isn’t lost yet. He’ll return my call.”
“Hopefully before it’s too late.” She stroked her fingers down Marty’s side, and