Part 22 (1/2)

”Good point.” Mike laughed a little awkwardly and rose. ”I should get back. Please, both of you, stop by anytime. And if I can help in any way-clearing up any local hogwash or the like!-please don't hesitate to come by. I'm more than happy to help if I can.”

Finn's brow was seared by a deep furrow as he stared at Megan. ”Did we need help clearing up any local hogwash?”

”I did,” she snapped, and rose as well. For a moment, she was almost afraid to tell Mike good-bye with a kiss on the cheek.

But Finn was being a total a.s.s, and he'd surely realize it.

”Mike, we'll see you soon,” she said firmly.

Finn rose as well. ”Good afternoon,” he managed to murmur. Mike had a hand out. Finn pretended not to see it.

”Have a great night then,” Mike said, and offering a smile to Megan that a.s.sured her everything was all right, he made his way through the tables and exited.

Megan sank back into her chair and stared furiously at her husband. ”What the h.e.l.l was that all about?”

”You tell me,” he said coolly.

”What are you talking about?”

”What did you do, come running to your old friend for help? 'My husband has become a monster! What do I do? I have nightmares, and he's in them all!' ”

For a moment she was so startled that she didn't reply. Then she leaned toward him, heedless of the darkness in his eyes. ”You are truly being a jerk, and surely, you must see that yourself!”

He stared back at her. There was still a fury so intense in his features that she again felt a second's fear that he would leap; there was also something disturbingly seductive about the hot tension that radiated from him.

She was losing her sanity, that was for sure. Maybe he was right-they should screw everything else and leave.

But...

What if nothing changed? What if the problems were between them, and had nothing to do with time and place, or even All Hallow's Eve?Finn leaned back suddenly. He lowered his head, and looked at her again. ”You know what?” he said softly, a husky sound that was as much caress as apology, ”You're right. And I'm sorry. I was acting like a jealous jacka.s.s. It's just that I woke up, and you were gone.” He hesitated, his jaw twisting. ”After last night. When you said that you'd leave me before you'd leave Salem.”

”I didn't mean that the way it came out, Finn,” she said earnestly. ”I just thought that if... if I were going to have these nightmares and wake up screaming... and I wasn't with you, well, then, no one could accuse you of doing anything.”

”Megan, they can accuse away.” He hesitated, features still tense, pained. ”Megan, I'm still one insecure a.s.shole. And I don't think I could bear it if you left me again.”

A slow smile curved into her lips. A damp hint threatened behind her lids. He was her life, everything she wanted in life.

But she didn't intend to burst into tears in the coffee shop, or even get more carried away with letting him see just how completely she was in love with everything about him, how desperately she needed and wanted him, always, in her life.

”How on earth could you ever be insecure?” she asked lightly, leaning back some and studying him as if she did so objectively.

”You walk into a room, and all eyes turn on you. Women drool in your wake, you know,” she finished, and she was only halfway teasing.

His fingers brushed over hers. ”Because there's only one woman I want drooling in my wake.”

There was still that something about him... he just had it all. The size, the smile, the eyes... the way he moved. Even the music. She wondered if she'd be this desperately attracted to him all her life.

”You could have denied women drool in your wake, you know.”

”Well, I would have, but I've been taught that perception is nine-tenths of the law. Therefore, if that's your perception... h.e.l.l, I wouldn't want to change it.”

”Um, I see,” she murmured, then frowned, realizing that his arms were still taut, and held close to his body. And beneath one of them, something was sticking out. ”Hey, what are you holding?”

”What?”

”What do you have clutched to your chest?”

He frowned, then seemed to realized that he was holding a book. ”s.h.i.+t!” he muttered.

”What?”

”I just stole a book. From your cousin's shop,” he said sheepishly.

”You stole a book from Morwenna?” she inquired skeptically.

”By accident. Hey, I forgot to tell you-we were written up, nationally, yesterday. Remember the reporter who came to the jazz club? Seems she wrote more-a little Halloween entertainment-across-the-country article, and we-and Salem, of course-were the main focus.”

”What does that have to do with the book?”

”Well, that's what's weird-and why I walked out with the book by accident. It's by the same woman.” He handed Megan the book, backside up, and tapped on the author photo. ”See?”

Megan, looking at him, halfway grinning, slowly arched a brow. ”This woman gave us great national exposure, and so you stole her book?””I took it by accident, I told you. Sara was there-making me feel all creepy-and I kind of hurried out.”

”Ah. Sara was making you feel creepy? Strange. I get the feeling Sara would like to make you feel something else.”

”Hey-who is being jealous now?”

She wanted to smile. She couldn't. ”Me. But oddly enough... I think I'm right. I didn't say that you would respond, only that I think Sara... is just strange. It's as if she can't keep away from you.”

”It's my charm.”

”Of course.”

”I can eat garlic, or wear a cross, to keep her away from me.”

”I don't think that crosses do anything against h.o.r.n.y Wiccans.”

He laughed, leaning back, threading his fingers lightly through her hair. ”Probably not. Can I suffice it to say that I really, truly, find her creepy?”

”That will do pretty well. But it's strange, isn't it? Mike's girl acted that way about you, too. That Gayle Sawyer. She stared at you as if you were Michelangelo's David.”

He leaned close to her. ”Maybe we're not that different.”

”Hm. I forgot to check out just how well hung that statue was.”

”Megan, I promise you, I'd sure as h.e.l.l never let Sara get that close. You've just become too accustomed to my aura of raw s.e.xuality.”

A s.h.i.+ver seized her suddenly. No, that's certainly not it at all, she thought, but had no intention of bringing up the strange volatility of their nights. Not now.