A local band that covered current pop hits was set up before the front windows and the house was packed. At the moment, the lead singer belted out a cover of Meghan Trainors NO, which was an anthem to a woman not needing a man.
Singing the chorus, Untouchable, untouchable, Mireio danced by herself amid the crowd on the dance floor, arms thrust high and hips swaying her short red-and-blue-tartan skirt. Nothing felt better than a beer buzz and dancing. And she had new, red, five-inch heels to break in, so much dancing was required. Tossing her bright red corkscrew curls over a shoulder, she let out an exhilarated hoot.
Eryss, the brewerys principal owner, danced up to Mireio. She and her boyfriend, a former witch hunter who lived in Santa Cruz, California, split their time between cities during the year and soon shed be headed for the sunny West Coast. Her friends long skirts dusted the hardwood floor and she grasped Mireios hands and the twosome danced for a few seconds.
You look happy, Eryss said over the noise.
I am! Im always happy!
Its contagious! Then Eryss leaned in to speak close at Mireios ear. Did you notice the hunk at the bar who has been eyeing you up fiercely for the last ten minutes?
What? Mireio abruptly stopped dancing and glanced to the bar, which was fronted by rusted corrugated tin in keeping with their rustic theme. She scanned from the left end of the bar to the right, and there at the end a big, beefy man with a mustache and beard, and long brown hair tied behind his head, lifted his pint glass to tip toward her. Handsome. Huh. But. Didnt notice. Im in my zone, dont you know?
Yeah, I got that. I wish I could find the zone so easily nowadays. Whew! Eryss blew a strand of long hair from her face. She had a six-month-old at home who lately had been keeping her up nights because of teething. But dont be too untouchable tonight, okay? That man is sexy times two.
Dont tell me that, Eryss. Im not in the market for aOh, my goddess, hes coming over here.
Then Im going to leave you to him.
No! Eryss!
The man pushed by two people and deftly avoided a bull terrier sitting beside his owners table. (Yes, the brewery was dog friendly.) He was halfway across the room.
Please dont be a creeper. Please dont be a creeper. Mireio performed a hip swinging turn and he stood right before her. Oh!
Big brown eyes looked into her soul almost as deeply as if he could do a soul gaze. Of which, only witches were capable. And no one in town knew the owners of The Decadent Dames were witches. Well, mostly no one.
Oh, hey, she offered.
Eryss had been right in her assessment of the man. But more like sexy times infinity. His dark brown hair was tied behind his head and his beard was trimmed neatly to reveal a snow-white smile. Chocolate brown eyes? Dreamy. Dimples? Oh, mercy. And he smelled like a forest after the rain.
My names Lars. He leaned in to be heard over the music. I dont normally walk up to pretty girls and introduce myself. He looked aside briefly, then cast his eyes toward hers for only a few seconds. Nervous? But theres something about you. Do I know you?
Ive never seen you before. Unless you come to the brewery often. I work here, she said, unable to keep her hips from swaying to the beat. You like to dance?
The man shook his head. Im not a dancer. Was hoping you wouldnt mind a little conversation.
He seemed nice enough. And he hadnt tried any pickup lines on her yet, so that earned him points. But, as shed told Eryss, shed been in her zone. And some nights a girl just wanted to be with herself. Maybe she should reinforce her white light. She always warded with a white light against psychic invasionor energy vampiresbefore going out. It tended to wear down as the night went on.
Sorry. He shrugged and smirked, interrupting her thoughts. I think Im out of line here. You dont seem interested
No, wait!
Ah hell, she wasnt a mean girl, and the guy was cute. What could a little conversation hurt?
That table is empty. I need a break anyway. New shoes, dont you know. She didnt need the break, but again, the man was a tall order of nummy, so shed be a fool to send him off like a stuck-up witch.
He wandered over to the table and Mireio assessed him as he did. His jeans were snug and showed off incredibly muscled thighs and legs that stretched much longer than hers. Good thing she was wearing the heels. But she still came up a head or two shorter than him. He wore a soft blue-and-green flannel shirt opened to reveal a plain white T-shirt beneath. And that shirt stretched over abs and chest muscles that screamed this man works out. A lot. Add in the beard, mustache and well-groomed hair and he sported the whole lumbersexual vibe.
She could dig it.
She stepped onto the lower rung on the stool to boost herself up to the high table. Hey, she was five-two on a good day. Here at the back of the taproom they were set off from the dancers but it was still loud.
Lilacs, he said.
What?
You smell like lilacs. His dimpled smile was accompanied by a shy dip of his head.
She didnt wear perfume, save for essential oils once in a while, so if he smelled lilacs, then... Oh. I was in the garden this afternoon. That must be what you smell on me. The lilacs are blooming. I love spring. Everything is so lush.
He nodded. A familiar scent. I like it.
Youre a big one, she said absently. Then she realized what an idiot shed sounded like. Uh, I mean... Oh, witchs warts. I need another beer.
Ill get you one.
No, I got it. With a wave, she caught Erysss attention behind the bar and made the pouring signal for another beer. I work here. Not right now. But I own the place along with my friends. They know the fill-me-up signal.
You ladies make excellent beer.
Thank you. I brewed that oatmeal stout youre drinking.
Its nice and creamy.
Im the head brewer, she said over the rising noise as the band kicked into a rousing 80s tune that everyone started to pound their fists to and bounce up and down.
You say its newer? Yes, I like it. He tilted back the drink and offered her a cheers with his half-empty glass.
She was never going to have a conversation with him surrounded by this noise. And she did want to get to know him better. Because why not? He was sexy and nonthreatening. And she wasnt against having a conversation with a handsome man.
So, Lars, eh?
Yes. Officially Larson Gunderson.
Thats a fine Scandinavian name, if Ive ever heard one. Im Mireio Malory.
Muriel.
No, Mir-ee-O.
Oh. Its loud in here with the band singing. My hearing is usually...much better. He winced then, as if thinking of something hed forgotten. He shook the sudden lost moment away and offered her a smile that flashed his pearly whites from beneath his trimmed mustache.
Muriel will do. She thrust up her hand for him to shake.
His hand clasped hers gently, wrapping with ease about it and up to her wrist. And then he held her more firmly, and the heat of their connection gave her a shiver. One of those really good, how-could-a-girl-get-so-lucky kind of shivers that she felt from head to nipples to toesand everywhere in between.
And yet... She sensed something in his handshake. Something not quite human. It was the same feeling she got whenever the Saint-Pierre brothers stopped into the brewery. Those four ranged from werewolves, to a vampire and also a faery.
With a gasp, Mireio pulled her hand from his. He didnt notice her surprise, thank goodness. She was a water witch and spent a lot of time in nature working with streams, ponds, lakes and otherwise. She also communicated with the animals, and could always sense when one was near.
And Larson Gunderson gave off a distinctive animal vibe. Could he be? Oh, mercy, he wasnt. Please, do not let him be the one who...
Mireio swallowed. If the lilac scent was familiar to himwitchs warts. He was the one.
Eryss suddenly popped up beside the table and handed her another pint of blueberry cream ale. She winked and sailed off before Mireio could grab her as an anchor. Something to hold her down so she didnt float too near the curious man whoThis couldnt be an accidental meeting. But did that mean hed followed her here?
She tilted back a swallow, then set the pint down on a coaster that featured their logo, a sexy witch casting a spell over a foamy brew. So, Lars, uh...what can you tell me about yourself? I mean, I dont want this to sound like fifty questions.
Fifty? You have that many questions for me in such a short time? Im impressed. He pushed his glass aside and leaned his elbows on the table. She wanted to touch him once more. Just to be sure that what shed felt was real. I live out past Oak Grove. I come to town once a week for groceries and a pint. Just remembered this place was here so thought Id stop in. Im definitely coming back.
And what is it you do, exactly? Because if he didnt have a real job, shed get suspicious. And fast.
I...well, you could sort of call it security. On a private compound.
Ah-huh.
That was vague. And she was getting more nervous about the guy by the second. But really, if he was the one, would he know things about her? Things she didnt want him to know.
Im also remodeling the cabin I live in. I like making things with my hands. He splayed them both on the table to reveal long, calloused fingers.
Oh, those were some fine hands that could certainly cover a lot of area on her if she was in the market for such handling. Which she was not. Was she? Mercy. Maybe giving up on men to focus on a spell she was too freaked about to give more than a few moments consideration to daily was too extreme?
Could be. But even more so? Talking to a man who may have very likely seen her naked a few nights ago was even more extreme. She couldnt deal with this. Not right now.
Do you want more stout? she asked and nodded toward his nearly empty pint.
Probably. He tilted back the rest of the drink.
Head to the bar. She reached over and touched the back of his hand. There was that sensation again. Hiding a cringe, she nodded toward the bar. Eryss will give you a refill. On the house.
Thanks. Ill be right back.
Ill be here!
No, she would not be here.
Mireio grabbed her little black purse, shaped like a fish, swung it over a shoulder, and beelined it for the door behind the band, well out of view of the bar, and the mysteriously delicious Lars Gundersons eyesight.
Shed had three drinks, so she wouldnt drive home. If she were lucky, she might catch a bus this late.
Chapter 2
When he returned to the now empty table, Lars saw the sassy little skirt slip out the door. The woman with the bright red curls and sexy, deep cleavage had dashed out of the brewery.
He gaped. Really? Had he made that terrible of a first impression? Shed kind of seemed into him. Had touched his hand. Had even fluttered her thick lashes at him as shed smiled a sweet pixie smile. And he hadnt gotten to ask her the burning question. The one hed been wondering about since the scent of lilacs had led him here.
Devastated that the woman had taken off, Lars sulked. He should chalk it up as another rejection. And yet a deep, visceral part of him would not allow him to mark this off as defeat. He had to know if she was the one.
So, leaving his beer on the table, he pushed through the dancing people and slunk around the electric guitarist and pushed open the door. He could hear her high heels clicking on the concrete, though he couldnt see her. But he smelled lilacs...that way.
Turning left, he passed three storefronts, then swung another left and there she stood, near the bus stop, stepping nervously from foot to foot. He heard her mutter softly, Oh, shit.
That utterance stabbed Lars right in the heart. Never had a woman rejected him so soundly as to run off. So he stopped about twenty feet away from her and put up his hands placatingly.
Should he really do this? Was he that desperate for more cruel treatment? She seemed almost afraid of him. Threatened? He didnt want her to feel that way. That wasnt his style.
But the heady scent of lilacs wouldnt allow him to turn away.
So what to do?
The woman wore a short skirt that looked like one of those tartans the Highlanders wore, along with a blousy red top that emphasized her ample cleavage. Sky-high heels matched the blouse color. And white ankle socks with a delicate ruffle kept drawing his eye down there. She was short, a good head shorter than him, even in the heels, but the shoes did make her legs look long and slender.
You keep staring at my legs like that, Im going to have to slap you, she said.
Sorry.
She offered him a smile and a shift of her hips. I dont do things like slap men.
He took that as a sign it was okay to approach. But only a few steps. Couldnt help but stare. Youve amazing gams. I, uh...did you have a previous engagement you forgot to tell me about?
She rubbed a palm up one of her arms. A black fish swung near her waist. What was that? A purse?
Sorry. I suddenly got a weird vibe about you. No offense.
Really? Because if you think Im weird I do take offense from that.
No, I dont think youre weird weird. Justhey, weird is good, right?
Still offended here.
Her wince was accompanied by a shrug. Im usually much better at explaining myself. I think youre a... She bit her lower lip. Her lips were so red and plump. Kissable. Yet juxtaposed with her appeal was also her strange fear of him. What had he said to her to make her flee?
Im a what? Lars prompted.
Im not sure how to say it. You said the lilac scent was familiar to you.
It had been in his nose since three nights ago when hed been out of his head and had woken in the morning knowing hed shifted again without volition. It had been happening with a disturbing frequency lately. And each time he risked being seen by more than a few humans.
Yet, he also sensed this woman wasnt necessarily human.
I did, and do, smell lilacs, he said. Theres only wildflowers growing out where I live. I keep bees. They make me happy. Ramble much? Just out with it, you idiot! So anyway, the lilac scent stood out to me the moment I entered the brewery. Let me see if I can approach what I think were both trying to avoid. Okay? He took a step toward her.