Witch Weigh (A Paranormal Romantic Comedy) (11 page)

Tessa didn’t doubt that their condemnation would be unanimous. She couldn’t bring herself to blame them either. Her fairy godfather, as tempting a target as he was, wasn’t the one ultimately responsible for her failure to secure the European Council seat. It was all on her. She’d been the one to fall victim to Liam Kennedy’s charm. She’d allowed herself to be distracted by the kindness in his eyes. She’d allowed her head to be turned by his gentle touch. His sex appeal had blinded her to what had really been going on. She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.

“Lesson learned, I was stupid,” she said aloud. She glanced over at Jinx who lay curled up in the seat beside her. She couldn’t tell if he was sleeping or just ignoring her, either way she was grateful for his company. “I’m sorry, Jinx.”

The dog opened his eyes for a brief second and then closed them again. Not asleep, then. Just mad. Still.

“You have every right to feel that way.” She reached over and scratched him behind the ears. “You’ve spent years being stuck as my familiar and I know it hasn’t been pleasant. I’ve been selfish. Impatient. Demanding. And you’ve been subjected to seeing me at my worst. I really hope you’ll forgive me one day.”

In answer, Jinx stretched out, which gave him room to wag his tail. She assumed this was the canine equivalent of purring.

Tessa smiled for the first time in days. There might just be something to the idea that a dog was a woman’s best friend.

She’d apparently won the forgiveness of her familiar. She could only hope the coven would be as gracious and forgiving as her dog had been.

***

Liam angled his car smack in the middle of the road and got out, slamming the door behind him. He leaned against the car to wait for Tessa. He’d spent a long, frustrating week back at headquarters, dealing with bureaucracy, an aching heart, and the cursed protection spell that Tessa had cast around her friend’s apartment. The strength of her spell left him with no doubt that her magic was back in full force.

She’d certainly cast a spell on him.

His heartbeat quickened when he heard the approach of her Mercedes. He waited as Tessa drew her car to a stop in front of him. Through the windshield he could see that her face looked like a thundercloud. Good. Angry he could handle. Her frozen expression the last time he’d seen her had broken his heart. His Tessa, the woman, the witch, he’d fallen in love with, was passionate and animated. Alive and energetic. Around her, sparks should fly. It certainly looked as if they were about to.

***

Tessa threw open her car door, hitched up her long black lace skirt and swung her legs out of the Mercedes. Gravel crunched under her boots as she made her way over to where Liam stood. Aside from the fact he’d thawed her heart just so he could break it, he’d also stolen her job right out from under her and now he thought he could block her return to her home? Like hell.

She stepped in front of him. “Europe’s that way.” She pointed toward the east. “Now get the hell out of my way.”

“I’ve missed you too, Tessa.”

To her absolute fury, his smile broke through her already shaky resolve to remain immune to his charm. She kept her features carefully schooled, she’d never give him the satisfaction of letting him see the effect he had on her.

“Looks like someone’s happy to see me.”

Tessa started to protest but stopped. Liam was looking at her car. She turned to look over her shoulder. Jinx was barking like mad, his two front paws up on the dashboard, his little tail wagging furiously. Feline or canine, it didn’t seem to matter, the beast was a traitor. She turned back to Liam.

“Wait here,” she instructed him. “I’m not finished with you.”

She ignored his barely concealed amusement as she marched back to her car. As much as she’d like to ignore Jinx she didn’t want him ripping up her dashboard in his desire to consort with the enemy. She opened the car door and bent down to block the dog’s escape.

“Hush, Jinx,” she scolded him. “You’re going to be silent or--”

But the rest of her threat died on her lips. The rotten minx wiggled past her and shot out of the car. Before she could grab his collar he raced over to the mustang and jumped up on Liam, his yips of joy left no doubt of his delight at being reunited with his favorite human. Tessa grabbed Jinx’s leash and slammed the door shut.

She watched as Liam bent down to greet Jinx but she turned away after a moment. Liam Kennedy, every handsome, sexy inch of him, was too easy on the eyes. And easy was not good, not safe. The ease with which she let him into her heart had gotten her into this mess in the first place.

Liam straightened and snapped his fingers. Jinx sat and looked up obediently, adoringly, at him. Liam smiled at her. “It feels good for the three of us to be together like this.”

“We’re not together,” Tessa snapped, trying to ignore the way Liam’s white t-shirt and faded jeans fit him like it was no one’s business. “I’m on my way home, and you’re obviously lost.”

“I’m lost without you, you’ve got that right.” He took a step toward her. She took a step backward.

She didn’t want him to touch her. She did want him to touch her. Heaven help her. “What do you want, Liam?”

“You.”

She’d walked right into that one. This conversation was quickly becoming verbal quick sand. She had to escape. “Not going to happen. Ever.”

“You’re not being fair, Tessa.”

The word fair shattered her tenuous self-restraint. Fair? He dared to speak to her of fairness? He who stole her job out from under her? She didn’t care about the damn job any longer. It meant nothing to her now, she’d figured that much out in Chicago. It was the thought of not seeing Liam, of not being with him, of not sharing her days with him…that was the loss that filled her with pain.

She brought her hands together and her fingers flew as she cast a spell. To her immense relief it worked. Liam’s mustang morphed into a rusted out, bulky three wheeled bicycle fit for an old woman on her way to the market.

“Enjoy your new ride,” she said, lunging after Jinx before he could dash off. She didn’t trust him to come when called, not when he had his precious Liam to run to. She snapped the leash onto the collar and strode to her car, dragging a reluctant Jinx along with her.

“Shit.”

The sound of Liam’s curse brought a smile to Tessa’s lips for the first time in days.

It served him right. Let him pedal furiously wherever he wanted to, she only wanted to go home.

She reached for the door handle but before she could open it, Liam’s hand closed over hers.

“You little witch.” He spun her around to face him. He moved in, pinning her body against the car. He sounded uncharacteristically out of patience. “Quit hiding behind your magic.”

“Don’t you dare--”

Liam didn’t allow her to finish her threat. He silenced her by taking her face in his hands and kissing her.

Tessa’s mind ordered her to struggle against his kiss but she couldn’t bring herself to obey such a rational thought. Liam’s touch was a form of magic she was powerless against. The strength in his body, the kindness in his eyes, the goodness in his heart, she’d wanted it all. And it hurt like hell to know she’d never have it.

Just when desire threatened her sanity, Liam released his hold on her. Tessa didn’t try to move, she needed the support of the Mercedes because her knees were too weak to hold her up.

“Now will you hear me out?” His voice was low, breathless.

“No.” She didn’t trust herself to say more. Her voice, just like her dog, was bound to betray her.

“You’re so damn stubborn.” He shook his head. “You don’t know what’s going on, why I did what I did or the way things have changed.”

He had nerve to talk to her about change. She’d gained one hundred pounds overnight and had to bust her backside to get most of it off. She’d lost her magic and had to struggle to learn how to cope the way mortals did, with mere words. She’d watched her black cat turn into a white bundle of fur and misplaced loyalty. She’d had enough change to last her several hundred years.

“What can I do to get through to you?” Liam demanded.

“Nothing.” Tessa put her hands on her hips so he couldn’t see them shake. She drew a deep breath and mustered every bit of defiance and disdain she could before she narrowed her eyes. “I want to be far away from you. For good.”

Silence stretched between them. Tessa knew Liam was waiting for her to take it back, to say she didn’t mean it, but she wouldn’t. She couldn’t open herself up to the possibility of being hurt again.

“It’s your decision, Tessa.” Liam reached out, lightly tracing her cheek bone with his thumb. “You want to be with me or you don’t. Which way is this going to go?”

Tessa shivered. Their chemistry was too much, too powerful. Too scary.

“I want you to leave me alone.”

A sudden flurry of gold glitter surrounded them both. She couldn’t see anything and the only sound she heard was Jinx’s plaintive whining. She closed her eyes until she sensed the swirl had settled down. Cautiously, she opened them and looked around. She was still in the middle of the road, but she was now alone with Jinx and her car.

Liam was gone. Really gone.

Chapter Fifteen

Once they arrived at her aunt’s home, Tessa held the car door open for Jinx. “Well, come on then, we can’t stay out here all day.” She waited while he jumped down and ran over to sniff the flower bed by the front steps.

How many times had she gone in and out of Aunt Trudy’s front door without ever noticing the flowers? It pained her to think of how many beautiful days she’d neglected to take a moment and savor the warmth of the sun on her face. Had Aunt Trudy always loved gardening? Tessa had no idea. And that was sad.

“Don’t dig, Jinx.” Tessa fumbled in her pocket for the tiny bag of dog treats she had taken to carrying around. Precious Pup Pops they were called, or something like that. Oh, how life had changed in a mere month. Four short weeks ago she’d been callous and careless with other people’s feelings. She’d had a cat and never suspected she’d ever own a dog. And she hadn’t ever been in love.

“Come,” she called to her familiar. Once he did she held up the treat. “Sit.” She reached down and gave him the promised Pup Pop. “Good boy. Now, don’t embarrass me in there. Come on, it’s time to face the music.”

The trip down the hallway felt longer than Tessa remembered. She couldn’t remember ever approaching a council meeting with such apprehension. Or nervousness. Anger, frustration and impatience, yes. Apprehension? Never.

She took a deep breath before she pushed open the doors. Silence rapidly replaced the din of chatter. Every witch present turned to face Tessa. To her utter amazement, an overwhelming sense of relief flooded through her. It felt right to be back. To be home.

“Welcome, my dear.” Aunt Trudy gathered Tessa into her arms and hugged her for a long moment. “I’m happy you’re with us again.”

Tessa was reluctant to let her aunt go. “I’m happy to be back.” She waved to the assembled coven members. “Hello, everyone.”

“Have a seat, Contessa.” Amelia Fairweather pointed to Tessa’s empty seat at the oak table. “You have much to tell us.”

Tessa sank into her chair, scooped up the dog and settled him on her lap. “You all remember Jinx.”

Just as she had predicted, the transformation of her black cat into a frisky white Westie evoked mixed emotions. She listened quietly as each of the twelve women in turn shared their thoughts on Jinx’s canine form.

“Disgraceful,” Clarissa Goodbody weighed in. “Really, Tessa, what were you thinking? How many witches do you know who have a dog for a familiar? Hmm? Name one.”

“It certainly wasn’t anything I planned, Clarissa.” Tessa kept one hand on Jinx’s back, in part to restrain him if necessary. His ever so slight growl was inaudible to the others, or so she hoped. “It seemed the only compassionate choice to make. Jinx seemed much happier as a dog, and I wanted to respect who and what he is.”

“Well, I’m proud of you, Contessa,” Amelia Fairweather piped up. “You’re a good girl to respect his wishes.”

To her great surprise, it didn’t bother her to be called a good girl. Why it ever had, she couldn’t fathom. Amelia always meant well.

Aunt Trudy smiled fondly. “We’re all so proud of you, my dear, and not just for letting Jinx be who he is meant to be either. You worked incredibly hard while you were gone. We were watching you know, cheering you on. We even purchased one of those elliptical machines.”

Tessa smiled. “Really? I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be,” another witch piped up. “We haven’t used it yet. We’ve got a few robes hanging on it at the moment.”

“Once you make it a habit you’ll enjoy it,” Tessa assured the group. “Or at least feel really good after your workout is over.”

“Tell us about your friends,” Evelyne Allswell said. “And don’t look surprised, we know all about them. Start with that Marcus fellow. He was easy on the eyes but half the time I didn’t know what he was talking about.”

Tessa launched into a description of the people she’d met. She told them about Marcus, Claudia and Bethany. She avoided mentioning Liam or Europe. They’d ask soon enough but she didn’t have the heart to bring it up.

When she was finished, her fellow coven members peppered her with more questions, which she was happy to answer.

“You look wonderful,” her Aunt Trudy finally said. “I think the little bit of weight you’ve still got on suits you. Now, to celebrate your return we chipped in and bought you a gift.”

“You didn’t have to,” Tessa protested.

“Wanted to,” Clarissa said. She fingered a quick spell and a set of matching luggage appeared in the middle of the table.

Tessa’s first instinct was to admire the fine Italian leather. She’d never owned anything so lovely. Or so useless. She wasn’t going anywhere and it was time she told them so.

“There’s something we need to talk about.” Tessa cleared her throat. She hadn’t realized how difficult this was going to be. “No one’s asked me about the council position in Europe yet.”