Red House Read Online Free Page B

for a doozy,” I muttered to myself. The thought of kitten-killing angry spirits filled me with nothing but dread. I’d have to figure out a way to talk to the girl too, preferably without outing her.
    I left the cafe, heading to the courtyard and the parking lot beyond. I stopped just outside the door to exchange my glasses for prescription sunglasses, needing them in the bright glare of the summer sun. After just a few steps I came to a halt again.
    Blake Harvill stood at the far end of the courtyard.

 
    Chapter 3
     
    Blake stood watching me. I let myself drink in the sight of him. Blue jeans and a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows. Thick black hair slightly longer than the last time I’d seen him, a lock falling across his forehead. Heavy eyebrows framing sinfully delicious dark chocolate eyes, full lips perpetually on the verge of a sexy smirk.
    Unable to help it, I took off my glasses and allowed myself a good look at his aura. Expecting to see the same shining black starfield full of supernovas, I was unprepared for the deep twilight blue with tendrils of dark magenta and laced with hints of silver. I’d only seen his aura look like that once before–when we made love.
    Frozen, I didn’t realize he was walking toward me until he was halfway across the courtyard. I didn’t know what to do. Should I turn my back to him and walk away? We’d spent one night together four months ago, then he disappeared and I hadn’t heard from him since. As far as I was concerned I owed him nothing. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear his excuses, either. He was a dangerous man who liked to play with dark magic. Being sexy as hell didn’t give him a free pass for all his shady doings, or for never calling me. Walking away was definitely the thing to do.
    So why didn’t I? Well, I never had sense enough to get in out of the rain, either.
    Then he was standing in front of me, hands on my waist, pulling me to him. His mouth on mine, heedless of being in public, or that I might smack him, or anything. The bright sunlight dimmed. The sound of people chattering as they walked through the courtyard melted to a soft murmur. Thoughts of a new case and old troubles faded to nothing. I ran my hands up his chest, pushing against the hard muscle. He held me tighter, exactly what I wanted.
    He broke the kiss, and the world returned. A mommy steered her brood away from us, one hand over the eyes of the youngest. Embarrassment set my cheeks on fire.
    Blake smirked. “Hey, sweetness. Miss me?”
    I gaped. “Don’t call me sweetness.”
    “What do you want me to call you?”
    “I didn’t miss you, either. What makes you think I missed you?”
    “You mean you never thought about me?” His smirk took on a naughty flavor. “Never dreamed about me?”
    “Ha!” I stepped around him, not wanting him to see my expression. “Like I would dream about you.” I dug through my purse for car keys as I walked to the parking lot.
    Blake followed. “Come on, Roxie. I know you’re glad to see me.”
    I stopped to glare at him. “I am indifferent to see you. I couldn’t care less, in fact.”
    “That’s not what your lips were saying a moment ago. Or your tongue.”
    Damn. This was not going how I’d imagined. When I’d fantasized about seeing Blake again, it always started out with him begging forgiveness for taking off, then telling me how he’d spent every moment since thinking only of me. There would be flowers, perhaps twee love songs, followed by the soul-shaking sex I’d been dreaming about for the last four months. First the hot kiss, then the cold water of how much he infuriated me, was confusing.
    “Blake, where you have you been the last four months? What have you been up to?”
    He stepped closer, his warm energy washing over me. “No good, sweetness. But that shouldn’t surprise you.”
    One of his rare genuine smiles lit his face. He took my hand, rubbing his thumb across my knuckles.