his tone and knew that while he meant what he said, he wasn’t actually offended. “From your tone and words, you sound as if you’re asking me on a date.” What the hell am I doing?
“Now you’re catching on.” Jason winked and flashed his dazzling smile once more.
Shit . “All right, Mr. Hardy, you’ve got yourself a date.”
Chapter Three
Blood dripped into the charred stone bowl. “Block her sight, dark as night, separate must she be. Take this blood, and break this bond, never again the three.” A high-pitched screech filled the cave as drops of crimson dripped from his wrist and into the stone cauldron. He spat onto the sizzling potion, infuriated the time had come again for him to pretend to be something he wasn’t. Witch’s spells, though while they worked for him, always burnt his tongue.
Trin and Jason made their way into Milano North , exchanging small talk while they waited for a table. It was the only Italian restaurant in BlackBrook and was busy even on the coldest of nights.
“So, how long have you been working at the spa,” Jason asked as they finally slid into a booth at the back.
“About five years. I went straight to massage therapy school out of high school, and was hired at the Wellness Center upon my graduation.”
“That’s great. Not a lot of people know what they want to do right out of school,” Jason smiled.
“Didn’t you? I mean, have you not always been a cop?”
“Oh, no. I have. Straight to the academy, but in general, I think a lot of kids these days don’t have a clue where they see themselves in a month, let alone five to twenty years from now.”
“That’s so true. But I’ve always known I wanted to help people. I thought about becoming a doctor, but didn’t want to wait twelve or more years before I could feel like I was making a difference.” Trin shrugged. “A lot of people don’t get it, but massage can really help someone in a lot of ways.” Trin didn’t mention the magical touch she used during her sessions. She was a healer and skin-to-skin contact was one of the ways her magic worked.
Jason stared at Trin with a tilt to his head. “You’re interesting, Trin. I like you.”
“Such a bold statement for someone who’s just met me,” she teased.
“I may have just met you, but I feel like I’ve known you forever.” Jason winked as he reached across the table, taking her hand. A blue spark flared at the point of contact.
“Whoa. What was that?”
“My electric personality?” Trin giggled, amused at using his cousin’s earlier words, then stopped short. She had to stop flirting with him if Caris was who she thought she was.
Trin straightened, pulling back her hand. “Jason, look. You seem really nice, and I’m so very grateful for your help today and for dinner, but I don’t want to lead you on. I can’t follow this to any conclusion you might be expecting, and I think it’s best if I tell you that now.”
A slow smirk crept across Jason’s face. “Well, Ms. Hartwell, aren’t we full of ourselves? I simply stated that I found you interesting and that I liked you. That doesn’t mean I’m looking for a relationship.”
Trin was mortified. How could she have read things so inaccurately?
“I’m a man of few words, Trin, so I don’t like to mince them. I truly do feel as if I’ve known you forever, and I’d like to spend more time with you because I enjoy your company. If I start to feel anything more, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I’m sorry, Jason. I just...” Trin stuttered.
“Don’t apologize. Being single these days can be a difficult thing to navigate. That’s why I like you, though, you put me at ease and seem so...real.”
“Well, thank you. I do try to stay grounded and centered, though with this ridiculous display, I have failed miserably.” Trin laughed, feeling lighter again.
“No harm, no foul. Are you ready to order?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Trin and Jason gave the waitress their
“Now you’re catching on.” Jason winked and flashed his dazzling smile once more.
Shit . “All right, Mr. Hardy, you’ve got yourself a date.”
Chapter Three
Blood dripped into the charred stone bowl. “Block her sight, dark as night, separate must she be. Take this blood, and break this bond, never again the three.” A high-pitched screech filled the cave as drops of crimson dripped from his wrist and into the stone cauldron. He spat onto the sizzling potion, infuriated the time had come again for him to pretend to be something he wasn’t. Witch’s spells, though while they worked for him, always burnt his tongue.
Trin and Jason made their way into Milano North , exchanging small talk while they waited for a table. It was the only Italian restaurant in BlackBrook and was busy even on the coldest of nights.
“So, how long have you been working at the spa,” Jason asked as they finally slid into a booth at the back.
“About five years. I went straight to massage therapy school out of high school, and was hired at the Wellness Center upon my graduation.”
“That’s great. Not a lot of people know what they want to do right out of school,” Jason smiled.
“Didn’t you? I mean, have you not always been a cop?”
“Oh, no. I have. Straight to the academy, but in general, I think a lot of kids these days don’t have a clue where they see themselves in a month, let alone five to twenty years from now.”
“That’s so true. But I’ve always known I wanted to help people. I thought about becoming a doctor, but didn’t want to wait twelve or more years before I could feel like I was making a difference.” Trin shrugged. “A lot of people don’t get it, but massage can really help someone in a lot of ways.” Trin didn’t mention the magical touch she used during her sessions. She was a healer and skin-to-skin contact was one of the ways her magic worked.
Jason stared at Trin with a tilt to his head. “You’re interesting, Trin. I like you.”
“Such a bold statement for someone who’s just met me,” she teased.
“I may have just met you, but I feel like I’ve known you forever.” Jason winked as he reached across the table, taking her hand. A blue spark flared at the point of contact.
“Whoa. What was that?”
“My electric personality?” Trin giggled, amused at using his cousin’s earlier words, then stopped short. She had to stop flirting with him if Caris was who she thought she was.
Trin straightened, pulling back her hand. “Jason, look. You seem really nice, and I’m so very grateful for your help today and for dinner, but I don’t want to lead you on. I can’t follow this to any conclusion you might be expecting, and I think it’s best if I tell you that now.”
A slow smirk crept across Jason’s face. “Well, Ms. Hartwell, aren’t we full of ourselves? I simply stated that I found you interesting and that I liked you. That doesn’t mean I’m looking for a relationship.”
Trin was mortified. How could she have read things so inaccurately?
“I’m a man of few words, Trin, so I don’t like to mince them. I truly do feel as if I’ve known you forever, and I’d like to spend more time with you because I enjoy your company. If I start to feel anything more, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I’m sorry, Jason. I just...” Trin stuttered.
“Don’t apologize. Being single these days can be a difficult thing to navigate. That’s why I like you, though, you put me at ease and seem so...real.”
“Well, thank you. I do try to stay grounded and centered, though with this ridiculous display, I have failed miserably.” Trin laughed, feeling lighter again.
“No harm, no foul. Are you ready to order?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Trin and Jason gave the waitress their
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