Broomstick Breakdown Read online

  “Come here often?” she asked when the waitress walked away. Her shouts of their order could easily be heard.

  “I’ve got a cabin in the woods not far from here. I’ve been hitting this place going in and out for the last seven years or so. The food is great.”

  This was an assessment she agreed with when it arrived and she took her first bite. Massive portions, dripping with greasy goodness. Sophia closed her eyes in bliss.

  She heard a chuckle, and she opened her eyes to see Aidan as he grinned at her. “It’s nice to see a woman who knows how to enjoy food.”

  Sophia shrugged. “I get grumpy when I’m hungry or if forced to eat salads.”

  “I’ll have to remember that,” he said, implying they would partake of more meals together in the future.

  Flustered and unsure of a reply, she stuffed a long french fry in her mouth, but the potato was too long and hung out of her mouth. Before she could suck it in, Aidan leaned across the table and bit it off, his lips brushing hers electrically. Sophia sucked in a surprised breath and began choking.

  Several whacks on her back later and to the sound of Aidan’s snickers, she managed through watering eyes to take a drink of water and calm her coughing fit. She glared at his smiling mien when he sat back across from her.

  “Looks like I’m going to have to teach you to share without trying to kill yourself,” he said with a low chuckle.

  “How about you leave the food in my mouth alone,” she replied tartly. Never mind her body had quite enjoyed the brief touch of his lips and was already thinking up scenarios where he ate whipped cream off of certain body parts. She stood abruptly.

  “I need to use the ladies room before we get back on the road.”

  Aidan stood as well. “I’ll go pay the bill.”

  “Here, let me give you some money.” Sophia stuck a hand in her purse to feel around for her wallet.

  He tilted her chin up. “My treat. I’ll meet you at the front door when you’re done.”

  Then he strutted off to stand in line at the register. Bemused, she walked across the room full of men, keeping her gaze down so as to not look anyone in the eye. A tinkling sound caught her attention, and she looked sideways to see the main door open and a burly fellow in a checkered shirt come in. She ducked her head back down, wishing having witchy powers would give her some courage. Her wish didn’t come true, and she ducked into the ladies room, which was of course empty. She quickly peed and was washing her hands when the door opened. Expecting to see a waitress, her eyes widened in shock when she saw a blur of red behind her. She would have screamed, but a rough, smelly hand clapped itself over her mouth while a thick arm wrapped around her middle.

  Caught like a rookie witch without use of her powers, she was still thankful she’d already emptied her bladder or else she would have pissed down her legs when a gravelly voice said, “Hello, pretty thing. You and me are gonna have some fun.”

  Chapter Three

  Aidan paid the bill for their meal still quite pleased with himself. The look on Sophia’s face when he’d bitten off her fry? Priceless. Of course, he hadn’t meant for her to choke, but, all in all, he enjoyed knowing he seemed to have the same stimulating effect on her as she did him.

  He walked to the main door to wait for her, but a nagging sense of something wrong made him do a U-turn and instead head toward the ladies washroom. The closer her got, the more his wolf paced agitatedly in his mind.

  Danger. Sophia needs us.

  Not questioning an instinct that rarely proved wrong, Aidan barreled into the women’s bathroom and stopped dead. The first thing he saw was Sophia’s terrified eyes just visible above the meaty hand that muffled her. The second thing he saw was the sneer on her attacker’s face, one he’d take pleasure in wiping off.

  “Get out of here, boy. This doesn’t concern you.”

  “I disagree. Unhand my woman now.” Aidan’s tone was low and deadly. He flexed his hands and barely managed to restrain his inner snarling beast. Seeing Sophia in danger and scared was doing crazy things to his usual iron control.

  “Or what?” The burly fellow laughed.

  Aidan didn’t reply. He showed him. In a lightning-quick motion, he stood in front of the asshole who dared to touch his woman and punched him hard in the face. As soon as the hands holding Sophia loosened, he grabbed her and tucked her behind him, then moved them backward to the door, his body in front of hers shielding it.

  While keeping his eye on the soon-to-be very sorry jerk, Aidan gave her instructions. “Wait for me in the hall while I explain to this piece of shit why he’s never going to accost women again.” And assuage my bubbling rage over his nerve in touching what is mine.

  “But—”

  “Go. I’ll just be a minute.”

  The sound of the door swinging shut brought a feral grin to his face, a lethal one that made the miscreant back up with his hands out.

  “Sorry, man. It won’t happen again. I swear.” The man pled, but Aidan was deaf to his words. He kept seeing Sophia’s terrified face.

  “You’re damned right it won’t happen again.” Then he hit him—over and over again.

  * * * *

  Sophia stood shaking in the hall, listening to the meaty thuds coming from inside the women’s washroom. Her terror was slow in fading. Since she’d gotten her magic, she’d grown cocky and sure she could handle any situation. The attack proved she still had much to learn, such as making sure no one caught her by surprise again. If Aidan hadn’t charged in like some type of medieval hero, she dreaded to think what might have happened. She gave a grim smile at the continued violence she could still hear. Some women might have argued against the violent retribution she could hear coming through the flimsy door, but Sophia wasn’t one of them. The jerk deserved every smack Aidan gave him and then some.

  Now that she was safe, Sophia could remember with admiration the ways Aidan’s eyes flashed in fury and his possessive words my woman. If only she were his woman. She truly regretted having spelled him now, thus making any dalliance with him impossible. Such a shame because the man just keeps getting hotter and hotter.

  The washroom door swung open, and the object of her thoughts stepped out. He said not a word to her, just drew her into his arms for a hug.

  “I’m sorry that happened. I’ll do better protecting you from now on.”

  What? She wanted to ask him what he meant, but with an arm tucked tightly around her—which totally distracted her—he led them back out to the parking lot and into his truck. As he lifted her to place her in the cab, he snuck a quick kiss, a brief brush of lips that made all her nerve endings sizzle in pleasure.

  He clambered into the other side. She touched her tingling lips. “Why did you kiss me?”

  “Are you going to tell me you didn’t want me to?

  The problem was she did, and much more, but she was becoming more and more afraid that her spell of persuasion had gone awry. He seemed to be picking up on her feelings and fantasies and acting on them.

  “You mustn’t do it anymore. I can’t get involved with you.” She sensed he wanted to ask her why, but she forestalled his questions by turning to the side and pillowing her head against the window, pretending to go to sleep. Not likely given his proximity, but at least she didn’t have to lie to him about why he should stop kissing her when all she wanted was for him to do that and more. Much, much—nakedly—more.

  She gave up quickly on her sleep act, too wired to sit still. To her relief, he vocally engaged her in a variety of topics—none of them the kiss they’d shared. Aidan turned out to be knowledgeable and witty, and she found herself laughing often. The miles flew by, as did the hours. Their conversation dwindled, and she found herself nodding off and startling awake. As the first pink rays of dawn lightened the sky, she snapped up as the truck slowed down and pulled into a roadside motel.

  “What are you doing?” she asked as she straightened in her seat.

  “I’m tired. I need to sleep for a few hours. Don’t worry, we’ll be on the road again by early afternoon and get to the Covenhouse in plenty of time.”

  She debated ordering him to go on, but the yawn he cracked behind his hand decided for her. He was right, they’d made great time. Besides, a few hours’ straight sleep in a bed sounded great. She wanted to be at her best for tonight, her very first Halloween gathering as a real witch.

  Aidan made her wait in the truck as he went into the motel office to secure them some rooms. When he strode back out, she opened the truck door and looked down at the ground far below dubiously. She was still wondering if she’d break an ankle if she jumped when he took the choice from her. His big hands grabbed her around the waist and pulled her out of the cab. For a moment, he held her against the rigidness of his body, setting off a trembling heat that made her sway toward him.

  Maybe just one kiss…

  She’d almost closed her eyes and puckered up when he set her away from him. Sophia resisted the urge to stamp her foot. She knew she shouldn’t kiss him or even want to, but, dammit, her libido kept going into overdrive every time he was near and a part of her wondered what harm a kiss—or two—would do. And therein lay the danger. Could she stop at just one kiss? The answer didn’t please her. Or her body.

  Ignorant of the frown she blasted at his wide back—for of course her arousal and hence all her inner turmoil were all his fault—he opened a motel room door and half-turned to gesture her in.

  Her brow creased. “We’re sharing a room?”

  “Last one left. We lucked out.”

  Sophia looked around at the vacant parking lot in front of the units and whirled back to eye him accusingly. He just smiled at her benignly.

  “Are you telling me the truth?”

  She could have sworn mirth twinkled in his eyes as he replied. “Of course I am sweetheart. Do you think I’d lie to you?”

  She knew she still had him under the sway of her magical spell of persuasion that in turn prevented his ability to lie, but when she swept into the room, she stopped dead.

  “There’s only one bed,” she exclaimed. A queen-sized bed, but still one bed only to share with six-foot something of male yumminess. Her pussy creamed in excitement. Down, kitty, remember the spell. I mustn’t take advantage of him. It wouldn’t be right.

  Apparently, the prospect of sharing the bed with her didn’t seem to interest him one bit. Never mind the kisses back at the restaurant, for without even a look at her, Aidan stripped out of his shirt and kicked off his boots before stretching his body out on the bed, his eyes immediately closing.

  Seeing the bare muscles of his chest exposed so temptingly, she fought an urge to take a flying leap on him just to grope him. No, she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted from her mental vow not to molest him. Deciding a shower was in order to cool her licentious thoughts and to give him time to fall asleep, she closeted herself in the small, but clean, bathroom.

  The hot shower did nothing for her raging libido, not when her thoughts kept straying to the fact a hunk of male perfection lay just a few feet away, half-naked. And once her shower was done, if she wanted any sleep, she’d have to crawl into bed with him and somehow not ravish him.

  Impossible given the state of arousal she currently found herself in.

  Sophia leaned against the cool tile wall and took matters into her own hands, literally. She ran her hands over her rounded body, the water making her skin slick. She cupped her heavy breasts, squeezing them, and while her touch felt nice, she couldn’t help but think it would feel a hundred times better if Aidan’s calloused hands were the ones fondling her. Her nipples hardened instantly at that thought, their pointed peaks perfect for a mouth to suck on.

  Sophia sighed and closed her eyes, allowing the fantasy of the stranger in the next room to take hold. She’d tease him, straddle his bare chest, and dangle her tits in his face, then smother him with them. His hand would find her cleft as his mouth pleasured her areolas, and he would let his fingers stroke her clit.

  Sophia’s hand slid between her thighs to work her sensitive nub, and her breathing came faster. Oh, yes.

  Aidan would be the impatient type, flipping her onto her back, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss as his cock found her sex and plunged in, stroking her deep and hard.

  Sophia mewled as her fingers penetrated her channel and worked in and out. Her whole body quivered with excitement and arousal, her pussy slick with her juices. She tilted her hips, trying to give herself deeper access with her fingers, her orgasm hanging just out of reach.

  She continued on in her fantasy of Aidan plowing her, his heavy body above hers pumping away. His hands would hold her legs up, allowing him to penetrate her deeply, his hard cock filling her up.

  That’s it, do me. Her visual fantasy made her pant, while her body thrummed in pleasure. Faster and faster, she pumped her fingers in and out of her channel. Still, her orgasm hung elusively out of reach.

  She mewled with frustration. Why can’t I come?

  * * * *

  Aidan feigned indifference when he noticed Sophia’s nervousness at the realization they’d not only be sharing a room, but a bed too. He’d lied to her. The motel had plenty of empty rooms. However, seducing the sexy witch would be a lot harder to accomplish if she were in another room, and he definitely wanted a taste of her. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t just thrown her onto the bed and had his way with her, although he’d almost swept her into his arms when he’d smelt her sweet arousal as he’d stripped off his shirt. Only one thing stopped him from a full-tilt seduction: her. He wanted her to come to him, and with good reason, for he’d come to an amazing realization during the drive—the little witch was his mate.

  Upon first meeting her, he’d found himself instantly attracted and in lust. Not an unusual reaction. He had a healthy sex drive and she was definitely hot, but the more time he spent in her proximity, the more overwhelming became the urge to touch her, taste her, mark her.

  His wolf, not usually interested in the other sex beyond fucking, kept shaking his shaggy head inside of Aidan’s mind. Agitated and excited, he finally made the thoughts in his bestial mind known to Aidan. Claim her, mark her, make her ours.

  The revelation stunned him, and he was thankful she’d been snoozing when it hit and the truck swerved on the road.

  He couldn’t believe it. Apparently, the information his father had handed down about mates had been true. Not that his father and mother were true mates, but they’d both heard the stories. When you met the one, a shifter instantly knew. Not that it happened to everyone. True mates weren’t common, the theory being with thousands of wolf shifters scattered around the world, what were the chances a wolf’s mate lived within the pack or even nearby? Some actually left the pack, questing for years in the hopes of finding the one who would complete them. A few even succeeded, more just ended up settling for an attractive bitch and popping out a few pups if they were lucky.

  However, the knowledge that Sophia was meant to be his mate came with a slew of problems—the first and foremost being the fact she wasn’t a werewolf and the pack really frowned on interspecies marriage. Banishment was a distinct possibility if he followed this through. Then, even if they overlooked the fact they came from different genomes, he also had to keep in mind just because he was ready based on a mystical reaction to commit forever didn’t mean she felt the same. Heck, would the true mate bond, a magic of sorts, affect a non-wolf? And lastly, she still didn’t have a clue as to his origins, and while she might not be a regular human, she might balk at having a husband who turned furry on full moons and, well, basically whenever he felt like it.

  Itemizing the reasons a mating wouldn’t work, though, forced him to think of reasons why it might. Such as the clear evidence she desired him, her lust readily evident in her scent. He desired her as well, his arousal almost constant since the moment of their meeting. Apart from wanting to plow her, he also found her intriguing, cute, intelligent, and just about perfect so far. How did she view him, though? Despite her sexual interest in him as a man, he also couldn’t miss her trepidation. How should he approach the matter? Hi, just so you know, I’m a werewolf and you’re my true mate. Let’s fuck so I can bite you and make you mine forever. Hmm, the direct approach probably wouldn’t work. He didn’t want to scare her off, not that she’d ever be able to escape him. Now that he had her scent, he could track her to the ends of the Earth. However, how did one explain to a woman he’d just met that they were destined to live happily ever after? Oh, and how did she feel about having puppies?

  The sound of the shower made his thoughts turn as he imagined her curvy body under the spray, naked. His erection sprang back to life, throbbingly so. Damn, he’d have to do something about this mate thing soon. His control was wearing thin already and he’d only met her last night. The easy solution? Fuck her. The problem? Could he keep enough control during the act to not mark her? Unlike others of his brethren, he wouldn’t force his bite on her. He’d give her the choice when the time was right and let fate decide. Surely they wouldn’t have chosen her if she wasn’t destined to feel the same way? However, it wouldn’t hurt if he played a little dirty in his quest to have her see him as more than just a ride to a witches’ convention.

  He unbuttoned the top of his jeans to give his cock a bit of room to breathe. Once again, though, his mischievous side, which was determined to move things along, had him shucking his pants completely so he wore only his black briefs. Unlike his brothers, he couldn’t go commando. The zipper scared him.

  Lying back on the bed, he placed his hands behind his head and waited for her to finish her shower. A moment later, he sat bolt upright in bed.

  No, she can’t be. She is! His witch was pleasuring herself in the shower—without him. It was only through a great exertion of self-control that he kept himself from barreling through the flimsy bathroom door to take what was his. The only thing that stopped him was the frustration that radiated from her over her mounting need. Apparently, his little witch needed more than the stimulation of her fingers, and he couldn’t wait for her to come to that conclusion and get her ass into the bed so he could pleasure her—and himself.