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“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ve got things to do.”
    He took my hand back and led me to the sofa. I managed to avoid being pulled into his lap, but just barely. We sat so close our bodies touched. He draped an arm around me, drawing me even closer. He radiated warmth and comfort and I let myself enjoy it.
    “What do you need to do that’s so important?”
    “I have a job tomorrow. I need to get ready.”
    “What’s the job?” He smoothed a lock of my hair behind my ear. “Is it dangerous? Is it fun? Best of all, is it both?”
    I smiled before the scoldy schoolmarm voice in my brain could order me not to. “It’s a possible haunted house.”
    “Sounds like it could be both, then. Can I go with you?”
    “Absolutely not.”
    “What, is Daniel going with you?”
    “No, I’m going out there the first time during the day.”
    “Then let me go with you. Maybe I could help.”
    “Why are you so eager to go on a job with me?”
    “Why are you so suspicious?”
    “You really want me to answer that?”
    He laughed. “Okay, you win that round. Look, I just want to spend time with you. Is that so bad?”
    I didn’t have an answer for him because I didn’t know.
    I felt his eyes on me as I stared at the floor. After a moment he loosened his hold, not putting distance between us but still making me feel less crowded. “How about if I promise to behave? Would you at least go on a date with me?”
    “Do you know how to behave?”
    “Uh, you might have to remind me.” He gave a throaty chuckle. “Make some rules, maybe.”
    “An actual date? You mean like normal people do?” Again I wondered if he had some other motive. I didn’t want to believe there was, I wanted to believe he really was here for me. It just didn’t seem plausible.
    “Look, we didn’t meet under the best of circumstances, and we didn’t get to spend a lot of time together. That’s all I want, for us to spend time together.”
    Shifting to put a few inches between us, I gave him the raised eyebrow. “You know I don’t trust you when you sound all reasonable.”
    “What? Come on, I mean it.” He couldn’t maintain the expression of faux indignation. The smirk returned. “Okay, yeah, I want to get you into bed, like, now. But I still want us to spend time together.”
    I shook my head. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
    “I came back for you, Roxanne. I came back to be with you. Let me prove it to you.”
    The smirk was gone, and along with it all the playful teasing of earlier. Sincerity filled his eyes. I still didn’t believe him completely, but I believed him enough to relent. Besides, I enjoyed his company. Why pretend otherwise?
    “Okay. We can have dinner tonight. And you will be a perfect gentleman. That’s rule number one.”
    He leaned in, lips pressing against mine firmly. He didn’t try to take the kiss further, though. “Yes, ma’am.”

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Rozella’s grimoire had been tucked away in a safety deposit box until a few months ago. I retrieved it after certain things began to happen that suggested I might be leveling up in the magical abilities department. I’d been working with roots and herbs for years, making various types of charms and other things. There’s a big difference between combining energy with outside tools to cast spells and create a result, and using only the power of one’s magical will to affect things. Especially when those things had energy of their own, like ghosts and demonic entities. The grimoire was full of spells, rituals and recipes, but interspersed throughout were notes Rozella wrote giving her thoughts on different subjects. One of them was energy work.
    I thumbed through the book until finding the right page. After convincing Blake to leave and setting up a time for this dubious date, I had to placate Daniel for a while before the vampire finally got tired and went to bed. I had planned on leaving but changed my mind. Bringing a quilt and a