Page 17 of Witch Moon

He kissed her for a long, long time. He picked her up off her feet again, and she wrapped her legs around him, hooked her ankles at his back. He cupped her head in one hand and her bottom in the other, and he fed from her lips like a man starving to death. And finally, he lifted his head just a little, and breathlessly, he said. "I don't know what this is...."

"I don't either," she whispered.

"God, I want you. It doesn't make sense. It's too fast, too damn sudden, but...."

"I know. I know, Jonathon. It's the same for me."

He kissed her again. Felt his own arousal pressed tight between her legs and cursed the clothes they were wearing as he moved against her there.

She broke the kiss this time. Panting, breathless, her eyes heavy and passion-glazed, she whispered, "There are things you don't know about me, Jonathon. Things I have to tell you, before-"

The bleating sound of his telephone ringing cut her off. He stared into her eyes for a moment longer, while it rang again. He was out of breath, and his heart was thundering against her.

She untwined from him, put her feet on the ground, averted her eyes, and said, "You'd better get it."

Nodding, never taking his eyes off her, he pulled the cell phone from his pocket, flipped it open, and brought it to his ear.

"Daddy?"

It was Rowan. And the ragged sound of her voice jerked him roughly back into his right mind again. He blinked away the haze of passion or whatever the hell had been fogging his brain. "Rowan? Honey, what is it? What's wrong?"

Mirabella's face changed too, as she searched his with worry in her eyes.

"Oh. Dad, it's awful. I mean, I'm fine, but Shauna...."

"Shauna Gordon?" he asked.

"It's awful, Dad. Just come home. Come home right now. Please?"

"I'm on my way." He wasn't even fully aware of gripping Mirabella's hand and pulling her along beside him until they were both in the car. He didn't think it had ever once occurred to her not to come along.

"What is it?" Bella asked. "Is she okay?"

"I think so. She said it wasn't her. It's something about her best friend."

"Yes, Shauna, I heard that much. She didn't say what?"

"No. Thank God we're so close."

Mirabella had been lostin his kiss, his touch, his very presence. But Rowan's phone call snapped her out of that in a hurry, and it was only moments before Jonathon was skidding to a stop in his own driveway.

It wasn't far from where her own house was, physically. Socially it was a world away. On his street, people lived in huge houses with paved driveways and swimming pools. The Hawthorne house was set apart from the others, around a curve in the narrow lane, and up a slight hill. It was bigger, fancier. Big brick fireplace chimney creeping up one side and floor to ceiling windows angling up all the way into the peak at the front. Cedar and glass. Welcoming rather than pretentious.

Jonathon cut the engine, and Mirabella drew a deep breath before getting out, wondering what was coming next. There was a distinct feeling of taking her life into her hands happening here. Not by rushing to Rowan's rescue at Jonathon's side. She couldn't help doing that. She wouldn't be who she was if she did any differently.

It was the dream. The warning. Someone was trying hard to warn her and Rowan. Mirabella wished to the heavens she knew why.

Jonathon opened the front door and clasped her hand again as he hurried into the house, through a foyer and living room that would have impressed anyone, into the smaller dining room beyond. That was where he stopped and just stood in the doorway, looking at his daughter.

Rowan was sitting on the floor, legs curled in front of her, phone to her ear, tear tracks streaking her pretty face. She looked up, met her father's eyes, and said, "My dad's here, Shauna. I'll call you back, okay? Will you be all right? Okay. No, really, only a few minutes. Promise. Bye." Rowan's lower lip trembled as she got to her feet. She dropped the cordless phone onto the table and met her father halfway across the room.

Jonathon folded her into his arms. "It's okay, baby. Whatever it is, it's all right. What happened to Shauna? Hmm?"

She shook her head against his chest. "Not Shauna, her boyfriend. He...God, I don't know if I can even say it. He hanged himself."

"Oh my God." Jonathon clutched her closer, his hand in her hair. "Honey, I'm so sorry. Was...was he a friend of yours, too?"

She gently extricated herself from her father's arms. "I knew him. We weren't close or anything, but...poor Shauna. She's so crushed over this. And I don't know what to say to her or how to make it better." She turned her gaze to Mirabella's then, sniffing and swiping at her eyes. "I'm so glad you're here."

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