for each other enveloped the room and as her world shattered into a blissful orgasm she heard him call out her name in ecstasy. She knew that no matter where she was, as long as she and Oliver were together, they’d always be home.
They’d spent the rest of the day in bed, neither one willing to leave it for long. They’d even eaten in bed. She watched as Oliver slept. She should be more tired than what she was and yet she felt as if she were going to bounce off the walls. She couldn’t stop worrying about what her father might try to do to Oliver. She knew he wouldn’t get far if he tried something but she really didn’t want Oliver transforming her father into a rat no matter how tempting the idea might be at the moment. She pulled on her jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket and quietly left the room. Finding her boots, she slipped those on as well, and not hearing him stir, she left the cottage.
She’d found Oliver’s keys and would drive his car back to Redgrave House where she’d finally make her peace with her father. Hopefully that would get him out of her hair and out of Oliver’s way.
Dallas spent the short ride with only her thoughts to keep her company. Oliver would have had music blaring through the car but tonight she wasn’t in the mood. As she pulled up to Redgrave House, she was amazed at the lively look it had to it. Her father had it lit up like a Christmas tree and white lights hung from the hawthorn and oak trees that surrounded the house. She slammed the car door shut and walked briskly up the lane. The cold edge in the air told her that it wouldn’t be long before the festive season was upon them all. Her mother had always decorated the house for Christmas right after Halloween, and for Halloween she’d decked the house in shades of autumn along with pumpkins and other magical decorations. Adding to the air of mystery, she’d lit the house with white lights. As Dallas climbed up the steps to the wraparound porch, she looked at her mother’s decorative broom that she always had sitting by the front door during the Halloween season.
Her heart thrilled as childhood memories flooded back to her. She used her key to open the front door and stepped inside. Sure enough, the house was bedecked with Halloween decorations. Candles and figurines of elves, witches and fairies adorned the front entryway. She could only imagine what the rest of the house sported. Her father had been a very busy bee, or more likely, he’d asked her brother to speed up things by using a bit of good old-fashioned magic. If he thought he was going to soften her heart toward him, he was mistaken. If he couldn’t accept Oliver, she had absolutely no words to say to him.
“Anya, is that you?” Her father’s voice carried to her from afar. By the sounds of it, he was in the kitchen.
“No,” she replied. “It’s just little old me.”
Dishes clattering filled the air and she heard him swear a blue streak. She stood in the kitchen doorway and watched with a bit of amusement as her father attempted to hide a rather lopsided double-layered cake he’d been icing. Her father was many things, but a proficient baker was not one of them, though he fancied he had a talent as his mother had been widely revered for her culinary prowess.
“I take it you’ve heard from Anya and she’s arriving shortly?” she asked, trying to keep all trace of emotion out of her voice.
“Aye,” he answered, wiping his hands on the frilly apron he wore.
She couldn’t smile. She couldn’t laugh. Her burly father was built like a tank and looked like a weathered football player. Seeing him dressed in a flowery, frilly apron was quite the sight, and yet he still looked manly.
“And Adrian?” she demanded.
“He’s out at the pub, playing pool and flirting with the local girls most likely.”
“Good luck with that. There aren’t too many local girls in his age range who aren’t already taken.”
“Well, he’s not gun-shy when it comes to flirting, no matter their relationship status.”
She groaned. She figured that. Adrian used to get in many scrapes by not following those simple rules. He’d be fine as long as he didn’t hit on another warlock’s girl, but if that happened, he might