[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]is through.
Over the burning paper, herbs, and material, she tried to fo-
cus her will as she chanted a spell to release all the energy gath-
ered when she cast the first spell. Transforming power of flame,
change this relationship. We are now f-f-f-friends, not lovers. The
ties that bind are severed. I love you enough to let you go. Be at
peace and be free, my love.
Collapsing on the ground in a heap of grief, Morlana wept
as the moon continued its journey and stars twinkled in the night
sky.
Grant jumped out of bed before his alarm clock sounded. His
internal alarm was always set for four in the morning, anyway.
He only used the clock to make sure he didn t roll back over and
indulge himself by trying to recapture the dream he d been enjoy-
ing. Strangely, he couldn t remember any dreams this morning.
He d had such vivid ones for the two weeks he d been sleeping
here, but this morning, nothing.
Grabbing a pair of jeans, he pulled another of his t-shirts from
WHEN THE MOON IS NEW 139
the single drawer he d cleared out to use. It would be great to get
back to a place where he could always fold his clothes into a set of
drawers and hang his pants in a closet. He made a mental note to
call a friend on the West coast and ask about the storage unit he d
stuffed his things into before driving the motorcycle east.
After a quick shower and shave, he walked down the stairs
with his mind fixed firmly on a new recipe he wanted to try out on
the locals. He d found it in a tin in some old boxes from the base-
ment. The recipe was for light-as-air doughnuts and he wanted to
see if he could make them float.
Flipping the switches in the kitchen, the stainless steel gleamed
in the harsh fluorescent light. Baking was where he belonged and
when he found a place to settle maybe he would open up his own
shop. It had been his dream for so long.
Perhaps it was time he took the maybe to a definite. Something
about today felt different, like life had started over and he could
be and do anything he wished. On the tail end of that thought, the
phone rang and his entire world changed over the course of one
conversation.
Morlana woke up craving fresh doughnuts. Figures, she said
to the white cat relaxing on the pillow next to her head. Grant s
pillow. A stab of pain sliced through her again. Apparently she had
been mistaken when she thought she d cried herself out last night
and early this morning.
Foolishly she d called Grant at five a.m., wanting to hear his
voice one more time. And frankly, she was curious to see if the
banishing spell had worked its magic. It had, faster than she d
thought possible. He was distracted when he answered the phone
and it didn t get any better in the one-minute conversation she d
suffered through. He was aloof and finally it was too painful for
her to continue. Hanging up, she d cried for the second time.
She still had some tears left now it seemed and they leaked out
of her eyes onto the pillowcase. Wasn t the third time a charm?
Curled in on herself, she sobbed. Her heart ws broken, jag-
ged shards poked at her again and again as a steady stream of
memories ran through her mind. Grant laughing, joking, teasing
140 Misty Simon
her. Grant touching, pleasing, stroking her. Grant s blue eyes spar-
kling as he told her about a funny customer. Those same blue eyes
darkening to midnight in the throes of passion.
If only she hadn t cast the spell the first time. Maybe he would
have fallen for her anyway in the natural progression of things.
But she d wanted so badly to have someone to spend time with,
someone to share things with after being alone so long, she let her
common sense fly out the window. She d wanted a companion and
the lovemaking was a bonus, but now all of it was gone. Grant
would wonder what the hell he d been thinking getting involved
with her and she couldn t answer him.
Damn. She punched her pillow but still didn t feel any bet-
ter. Maybe she should go to town and torture herself some more
by getting those doughnuts. She could almost swear she smelled
them in the house.
Seconds after punching her pillow, she heard a muffled curse
come from the kitchen and she sat up in her bed. Heart pounding,
she listened for any other noises. Could an intruder have come
into her home?
No one ever came out this way, which made her lax about
locking the door. She might regret the laziness today. Another
curse came from the kitchen, this one a little more distinctive. The
voice was Grant s.
Getting out of bed as quietly and as quickly as possible, she
froze at the door of her bedroom. Pulling her robe tighter, she
listened intently to Grant muttering something about awakenings.
What the hell was going on?
She had two options. She could cower in the doorway, afraid
to witness his uninterested eyes, or she could barge out into the
kitchen and confront the man who had intruded into her home and
her heart.
Option one was safe. But between all the crying she d done
over the last half-day and the anger swelling in her chest over his
presence in her house when she was mourning the death of their
relationship, safe was not an option.
Who did he think he was, brushing her off this morning on
the phone and then coming to her house only hours later? She d
released him from the spell; he shouldn t be here at all.
WHEN THE MOON IS NEW 141
Bare feet didn t make for very loud stomping, but she gave it
her best try. When she reached the kitchen, Grant turned from the
small butcher block where fresh flowers stood in a crystal vase
she d never seen before. How dare he bring her flowers?
Good morning, Morlana, he said, his face grave but a twin-
kle in his blue eyes.
How rude of him to twinkle. But some of her anger melted
when she stared into those blues eyes and revisited all the memo-
ries she d sorted through last night. Something must have gone
wrong with the banishing spell.
Why are you here, Grant? she asked, curious now. She
tightened the belt at her waist and crossed her arms over her ample
chest.
Do I have to have a reason?
Yes, as a matter of fact, you do.
He paused for a minute, obviously taken aback at the tone of
her voice. He looked at her, some of the twinkle leaving his eyes.
She felt horrible for taking his good humor away, but the hurt
ran too deep to continue any small talk.
Okay. I thought I would surprise you with breakfast in bed.
I figured your door would be unlocked and I tried hard not to
wake you up before everything was ready. I closed the shop for
the morning to come over here.
Why? Her question was short, sharp even, and made his
eyes narrow a bit. Who cared anymore? she thought.
His back went rigid. I didn t realize I had to have a reason
to be here.
Why was he getting defensive when she was the one hurt-
ing?
It s not...I can t...you shouldn t be here.
Why not?
She didn t answer him immediately, instead she tried to re-
member what exactly she d done the night before. But I released
you. She said it almost absently. Could it be she d done the ban-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkajaszek.htw.pl
