CHAPTER FOUR

 

 

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Joel was still mad as he stalked down the road a few minutes later. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much that the witch had almost ended up as road kill, but it did.

He also had a strange sense of frustration inside of him or was it expectation, or maybe disbelief that she hadn’t lashed out at him with her magic or her words – he’d been kind of disappointed, but not when she’d turned on her heels and walked away.

Of course, his beast wasn’t happy. The wolf was still under Bree’s spell and wanted to sniff anyone of the female variety when they walked by, but he was getting a handle on that. Or was he?

Was that what was eating him up inside? Was that what was causing the strange sense of bubbles in his stomach – that he hadn’t done his duty and scented her to see if she was his mate?

That would have gone down a storm with the little minx; if he’d taken a good old whiff of her. He felt a rumble of laughter mix with those bubbles inside of him and chuckled to himself. He bet that she was a real firecracker if she let go of that broomstick she had shoved up her backside and let her hair down.

That thought intrigued him, and he found himself in two minds on whether to climb into his truck and head for pack land or to wait around a while and see if that little witch came back around. She’d been headed across the street to the bakery – so, he knew where to find her…

Joel’s wolf growled once more, and he found his feet had a mind of their own as they turned him around and carried him right back the way he’d come. Maybe one little sniff wouldn’t be so bad after all.

 

 

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Sandy tossed a nervous look around her as she waited for her order to boxed and bagged. She thought she’d get a sandwich to go with her baked goods – just to even up the food groups a little.

A witch couldn’t live on sugar and chocolate alone – unfortunately.

She knew she was in a shifter town because she’d run into Mr White Knight, the sexy wolfman that had saved her from her own stupidity. But in her defence; she was hungry, and hunger always fogged the brain and made people do stupid things. She guessed she was hungry most of the time.

Now she needed to get her food and be on her way. She couldn’t run the risk of being caught out by someone much worse than what she’d just run into. Although, that guy had been kind of … sweet, in a strange sort of way.

Imagine getting all riled up over the fact that she’d almost had an accident – her, a perfect stranger and a witch to boot. She knew how much shifters didn’t like witches so she couldn’t understand his way of thinking.

Still, they’d gone their separate ways, and she hadn’t unleashed her magic, either on purpose or accidentally, on him. That was a bonus, maybe.

He was a male chauvinistic, growly idiot, with the nicest eyes that she’s ever seen. They were kind and soulful, and she’d gotten caught up in them there for a moment.

That would be a whole load of trouble that she didn’t need to walk into. But, he did have the strongest arms and the sexiest … she practically kicked herself in the backside.

Oh no! There is no way that I’m spending my weekend thinking about Mr Tall, Dark, and Sexy while I’m stuck up a mountain! She told herself with a frown – a frown that turned into a scowl when that same wolfman stalked up to the window of the bakery and peered in at her.

Sandy couldn’t move, she’d forgotten to even breathe as she stared the man in the eye. He twisted his head on his neck just a tad, and his eyes narrowed just a little, just enough to keep her locked onto that gaze.

She didn’t know what it was, but there was just something about him that…

“Is that yours?” A woman’s voice pierced her mind and scuppered her thoughts, and she snapped out of it.

“No he’s bloody not,” she muttered without thinking, and the sound of laughter from behind her made her turn towards an amused, but a knowing look from the older woman behind the counter.

“He’s not on the menu.” The assistant said. “Which is a crying shame.”

“Not in my book it isn’t,” Sandy muttered and pulled herself away from the window, and the sexy view, to take the order that she’d been waiting for.

It didn’t go unnoticed to her that the other staff member and the few customers of the little shop were all females, and all smirking at her with knowing gazes. Sandy frowned again – it suddenly felt as if she was a science experiment.

“Where’s the harm?” A short, white-haired woman that looked like the sort of kindly Granny in an atypical kid’s movie; she even had her hair scooped up into a bun on the top of her head, and she chuckled like a schoolgirl on date night.

“You have to live a little,” the jolly looking woman behind the counter agreed.

“I live just fine without the likes of him,” Sandy said, and bit off the small chuckle of disbelief for her new besties that were offering her unsolicited dating advice.

Not that it would be dating. She knew only too well all about shifters and what they got up to, and she wasn’t that kind of a girl.

One night stands were a definite no-no. Fast and loose was someone else’s thing, and she always ran the risk of being a mate if she dallied where she shouldn’t. Oh, Goddess – a mate. How had that horrifying thought slipped her mind?

“Well, if I was fifty years younger I wouldn’t say no to a little rough and tumble with that big, strong, hunk of male specimen that looks as if he knows what to do and when to do it,” Granny said, and Sandy’s mouth opened in surprise, but nothing came out.

“At least your generation is lucky enough to have choices,” Granny said. “If I’d had choices back in my day I would have played fast and loss, and not so hard to get.”

“That’s …” Sandy considered her words and yet, she was still lost. “I’m sorry for your loss.”