Мишель Роуэн - Hot Spell

And he could not get it up for anybody other than her.

He was in serious trouble.

CHAPTER 8

Jacob stayed at the bar for another half hour before he decided to call it a night. He wasn’t sure exactly what tomorrow would bring, but he knew he had to find an answer. He had to find a way to break the curse and the invisible ties that seemed to bind him to Amanda so tightly that he could barely look at another woman.

He emerged into the warm night air and began walking down the sidewalk. His house was less than a mile away and his chosen route there was through the populated area of the small town. Strip malls, restaurants and a multiplex theater.

He didn’t want to think about Amanda or what she was up to that night, but he couldn’t help it. He absently fished into his pocket and pulled out the digital camera, flicking it on and scrolling past the pictures he’d taken of the grandfather clock. There it was. That’s what he was looking for.

It was the shot he’d taken of Amanda in the hall outside the bedroom. She looked over her shoulder at him, her bright-blue eyes burning right into him from her beautiful face. There was a longing in those eyes. A deep, aching need that only he could fill.

Then again, he had had a lot to drink tonight. He was probably seeing things that weren’t there at all.

“What am I going to do about you?” he asked the picture very seriously.

When the picture didn’t respond, he grudgingly shut the camera off and stuffed it back into his pocket. He’d have to download the photos Monday morning at the office. He’d talk to Patrick. Maybe the boss would know what to do, because he sure as hell didn’t.

He kept walking, one foot in front of the other, until he passed a restaurant called Chez Nuit. Fancy, expensive French food with cream sauces and hard-to-pronounce names that didn’t appeal to him at all. Two people exited the restaurant as he strolled past and his chest tightened as he saw that one was Amanda.

He was about to avert his gaze and keep walking despite the sight of her acting like a lightning bolt straight to his heart and crotch, when she frowned, turned to the left and their eyes met. Hers widened slightly.

Coincidence? he wondered. Or was this chance meeting part of their shared curse? He hadn’t been going to take this way home but something had made him turn onto this street that had led him to her. An irresistible compulsion.

She looked incredible in a black dress that fitted her slim but curvy frame perfectly, low-cut enough to give the slightest glimpse of the deep valley between her mouthwateringly perfect breasts. She wore her long dark hair loose, draped over her left shoulder. He remembered what that hair felt like running through his fingers; brushing against his face, his lips, his chest. So incredibly soft and it smelled so, so good.

He frowned. Could she read his mind from this far away?

She didn’t immediately turn around and run away from him. That was a good start. Pushing aside any fears, he made a beeline directly toward her, his eyes never leaving hers for a second.

“Amanda,” he said, but couldn’t seem to summon a smile.

She looked nervous. “Jacob. Fancy seeing you here.”

“I was spending some quality time over at O’Grady’s.” He nodded in the direction of the bar.

Damn, she was so beautiful. He couldn’t stand it. Why couldn’t she be ugly? Maybe that would make this easier. Or, hell, maybe not. He wasn’t sure anymore.

She bit her lip and looked down at the ground.

Shit, she heard me , he thought, and then willed his inner voice to shut the hell up before he made any more of a damn fool out of himself.

“Jacob Caine, right?” the man standing next to her said. Jacob had only fuzzily registered that there was anyone else in the vicinity. “We met once before.”

Jacob felt the color drain from his face, and he tore his gaze away from Amanda to look at the dude in the suit that probably cost as much as he paid for a month’s rent. He was tall, not unattractive, and he held out his hand in greeting. Jacob eyed it warily before shaking it.

“David,” he replied, feeling bile rise in his throat. “Good to see you again.”

David K. Smith. Mr. Perfect Boyfriend at your service. The man responsible for whisking Amanda away to her so-called normal life in the big city where she could forget about ghosts, curses and Jacob.

“Amanda,” Jacob said. “We need to talk about, uh, the job last night.”

“You accompanied Amanda on her assignment last night?” David asked in a conversational tone.

Jacob raised an eyebrow. “I did.”

“Thank you for taking care of her and bringing her back in one piece.”

Jacob gritted his teeth together. He’d taken care of her, all right. “Believe me, it was my pleasure.”

He flicked a glance at Amanda to see if she appreciated his choice of words. She looked as if she wanted to shrivel up and disappear. Her gaze was wide and he could practically read her mind, even though that was her talent, not his.

Don’t say another word! is what her expression screamed at him.

“You had dinner at Chez Nuit?” Jacob asked.

“Yes,” Amanda replied tightly. “It’s one of our favorite restaurants.”

“We went on our very first date here,” David added, and curled an arm around Amanda’s waist. “Fond memories.”

Jacob smiled tightly. “I’m sure. The food here isn’t my style. Did you enjoy your dinner, Amanda?”

“Not really,” she said quickly and then her face crumpled and reddened a bit. “I—I mean, of course I did. I loved it.” Her eyes moved to David. “It was delicious, really.”

He chuckled inwardly. Can’t lie to me at the moment, LaGrange. Remember?

David looked slightly bemused. “If you say so.”

The adoring look on David’s face, despite his obvious confusion, was unnerving to say the least. In a way, Jacob wished David was an ogre rather than a nice guy—despite the middle initial—who genuinely liked her. “Listen, Amanda, I need to talk to you.”

“Can it wait?” she asked.

“Not for very long.”

“Is this work-related?” David asked.

“Of course,” Amanda said. “What else would it be?”

What else would it be? Jacob thought drolly. Other than the fact that we’ve had sex three times since the clock cursed us? The fact that you can read my mind right now? Wouldn’t want your darling boyfriend to know about that, would you? Might put a bit of a crimp in your master plan.

“Jacob is very dedicated to his job,” she added.

Plus the overwhelming need to kiss you right now. I’m not proud. Just putting it out there in case you want to ditch this guy tonight.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

He couldn’t help but grin.

Don’t worry, beautiful. I’m not going to out you. But we need to talk. I’m serious .

“When is good for you?” he asked out loud.

She crossed her arms. “Tomorrow morning. I’m available to discuss… business matters …between ten and ten-thirty.”

“Pencil me in.”

“I’ll do that.” She was biting her bottom lip again, obviously a nervous habit, and he found he couldn’t stop staring at that lush, sexy mouth of hers.

“Nice to see you again, Jacob,” David said.

“Yeah, you, too,” Jacob responded half-heartedly, trying to push away any dark thoughts about Amanda’s perfect boyfriend. None of this was David’s fault. It was nobody’s fault, actually.

He’d never understand, would he? Jacob pushed the thought in Amanda’s direction.

“No, he wouldn’t,” she said aloud, then cringed.