definitely smell the love potion now. The heady floral scent of rose and heartsease, plus the spice of yemonja root.
Eric seemed to take her at her word. He was definitely staring. "I'm sorry I acted like such a jerk before. With the snake, I mean. I really wasn't trying to feed you a line."
Alarm whispered through Thea. She didn't want to think about what had happened in the desert.
"Yes, okay, I know," she said. He was watching her so intently, his eyes such a deep green. "Well- you see, the reason I wanted to talk to you was . . . you know , there's the Homecoming dance this Saturday. So I thought we could maybe go together."
She remembered at the last instant that in human society boys frequently asked girls to dances. Maybe she'd been too direct.
But he looked-well, extremely pleased. "You're kidding! You're serious? You'd go with me?"
Thea just nodded.
"But that's terrific. I mean-thanks." He was as excited as a kid at Beltane. Then his face clouded over.
"I forgot, though. I promised Dr. Salinger-that's my boss at the pet hospital-that I'd spend the night there Saturday. Midnight to eight a.m. Somebody needs to watch the animals that stay overnight, and Dr. Salinger's going to a conference out of town."
"It doesn't matter," Thea said. "We'll just go to the dance before midnight." She was relieved. It meant less time play-acting in front of Blaise.
"It's a date, then." He still looked so happy. "And, Thea?" He said the name shyly, as if almost afraid to use it. "Maybe-maybe we could do something else sometime. I mean, we could go out, or you could come over to my house. . . ."
"Uh . . ." The yemonja smell was really making her dizzy. "Uh . . . well, this week-I'm trying to get adjusted to the new school and all. But maybe later."
"Okay. Later." His smile was unexpected, astonishing. It transformed his face, turning the sweet, serious shyness into charismatic radiance. "If there's any way I can help, just ask."
Why, he's handsome, Thea thought. She felt a sort of tug at her insides, like a bird being charmed out of a tree. She hadn't realized how attractive he was, or how the gray flecks in his eyes seemed to catch sunlight. . . .
Stop that! she told herself abruptly. This is business, and he's vermin. She felt a flush of shame at using the word, even in thought. But she had to do something. Without meaning to, she'd moved closer to him, so she was looking up into his face. Now they were only inches apart and she was feeling distinctly giddy.
"I have to go-wow. I'll see you later," she murmured, and made herself back up. "Later," he said. He was still glowing. Thea fled.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, she tried to ignore him. Avoided him in the halls, acting as busy as possible. He seemed to understand, and didn't chase her down. She just wished he wouldn't look so dreamy and happy all the time.
And then there was Blaise. Blaise already had a couple of husky football players who followed her everywhere, Buck and Duane-but neither of them was invited to the dance. Blaise had a unique method of choosing a partner. She told them all to go away.
"You don't want me," she said to a gorgeous Asian-American guy with one earring.
It was lunch break on Thursday, and the witches had a whole table to themselves: Vivienne and Selene with Blaise on one side; Dani with Thea on the other. The gorgeous guy had one knee on a chair and was looking very nervous.
"You can't afford me, Kevin. I'll ruin you. Better get out of here," Blaise said, all the while looking up with sleeping fire in her gray eyes.
Kevin shifted. "But I'm rich." He said it simply, without affectation.
"I'm not talking about money," Blaise said. She gave a deprecating smile. "And anyway, I don't think you're really interested."
"Are you kidding? I'm crazy about you. Every time I see you ... I don't know; it just makes me crazy."
He glanced at the other girls and Thea knew he was uncomfortable at having an audience. But not uncomfortable enough
Eric seemed to take her at her word. He was definitely staring. "I'm sorry I acted like such a jerk before. With the snake, I mean. I really wasn't trying to feed you a line."
Alarm whispered through Thea. She didn't want to think about what had happened in the desert.
"Yes, okay, I know," she said. He was watching her so intently, his eyes such a deep green. "Well- you see, the reason I wanted to talk to you was . . . you know , there's the Homecoming dance this Saturday. So I thought we could maybe go together."
She remembered at the last instant that in human society boys frequently asked girls to dances. Maybe she'd been too direct.
But he looked-well, extremely pleased. "You're kidding! You're serious? You'd go with me?"
Thea just nodded.
"But that's terrific. I mean-thanks." He was as excited as a kid at Beltane. Then his face clouded over.
"I forgot, though. I promised Dr. Salinger-that's my boss at the pet hospital-that I'd spend the night there Saturday. Midnight to eight a.m. Somebody needs to watch the animals that stay overnight, and Dr. Salinger's going to a conference out of town."
"It doesn't matter," Thea said. "We'll just go to the dance before midnight." She was relieved. It meant less time play-acting in front of Blaise.
"It's a date, then." He still looked so happy. "And, Thea?" He said the name shyly, as if almost afraid to use it. "Maybe-maybe we could do something else sometime. I mean, we could go out, or you could come over to my house. . . ."
"Uh . . ." The yemonja smell was really making her dizzy. "Uh . . . well, this week-I'm trying to get adjusted to the new school and all. But maybe later."
"Okay. Later." His smile was unexpected, astonishing. It transformed his face, turning the sweet, serious shyness into charismatic radiance. "If there's any way I can help, just ask."
Why, he's handsome, Thea thought. She felt a sort of tug at her insides, like a bird being charmed out of a tree. She hadn't realized how attractive he was, or how the gray flecks in his eyes seemed to catch sunlight. . . .
Stop that! she told herself abruptly. This is business, and he's vermin. She felt a flush of shame at using the word, even in thought. But she had to do something. Without meaning to, she'd moved closer to him, so she was looking up into his face. Now they were only inches apart and she was feeling distinctly giddy.
"I have to go-wow. I'll see you later," she murmured, and made herself back up. "Later," he said. He was still glowing. Thea fled.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, she tried to ignore him. Avoided him in the halls, acting as busy as possible. He seemed to understand, and didn't chase her down. She just wished he wouldn't look so dreamy and happy all the time.
And then there was Blaise. Blaise already had a couple of husky football players who followed her everywhere, Buck and Duane-but neither of them was invited to the dance. Blaise had a unique method of choosing a partner. She told them all to go away.
"You don't want me," she said to a gorgeous Asian-American guy with one earring.
It was lunch break on Thursday, and the witches had a whole table to themselves: Vivienne and Selene with Blaise on one side; Dani with Thea on the other. The gorgeous guy had one knee on a chair and was looking very nervous.
"You can't afford me, Kevin. I'll ruin you. Better get out of here," Blaise said, all the while looking up with sleeping fire in her gray eyes.
Kevin shifted. "But I'm rich." He said it simply, without affectation.
"I'm not talking about money," Blaise said. She gave a deprecating smile. "And anyway, I don't think you're really interested."
"Are you kidding? I'm crazy about you. Every time I see you ... I don't know; it just makes me crazy."
He glanced at the other girls and Thea knew he was uncomfortable at having an audience. But not uncomfortable enough
Similar Books
The Night Watch
Sarah Waters
Center Stage
Bernadette Marie
Behind the Yellow Tape: On the Road With Some of America's Hardest Working Crime Scene Investigators
Jarrett Hallcox, Amy Welch
Revenge
David Pilling
A Dose of Murder
Lori Avocato
Revenge of the Geek
Piper Banks
Natalie Acres
Sex Retreat [Cowboy Sex 6]
Saved by the SEAL
Diana Gardin
Longarm and "Kid" Bodie (9781101622001)
Tabor Evans