Page 27 of A Witch-ish Guide to Protectors and Pendulums

“Woman,” he grumbled, shaking his head as he wrapped me snuggly in his arms.

“You’re not going soft on me, are you?”

“Baby, you’re going to beg for me to go soft on you when I get you home.”

Yes, please.

Chapter

Eight

This whole work thing put a crimp in my ability to keep looking into Jeffery’s death and how Beetle was related. But at the same time, I loved my house and my jeep and didn’t want to lose them because I lacked the funds to continue payments. Payments only got made when I worked.

I owned a shop specializing in crystals and other valuable rocks, plus special plants: herbs, bark, roots and flowers for making teas, tinctures or potions. I employed a reiki specialist and a past life regressionist. Some people didn’t believe in such practices, but some people didn’t believe in supers, either, and I was living proof they existed.

Most people were surprised to find out that someone my age owned their own business. To my good fortune, as it turned out, supers liked to help other supers succeed in this world. We’d come a long way since the “Grab your torches and pitchforks” days, but that was only because we’d found ways to assimilate into the normal human world. Such as open businesses. And once humans began to open themselves up to the idea of alternative medicines and new age lifestyles, we got to come out from the dirty underground market completely. They mightnot have believed in supers, but they believed in the power of crystals.

Two counter girls worked the weekends for me. They got Monday and Tuesday off and I had to remind myself that my shop was worth getting up for as I reached over to shut off the alarm.

At the same time, Connor rolled over in his sleep, draping his arm across my belly. Now that we’d consummated the mating, he refused to leave my side or my bed. Well, his bed would’ve been preferred—by him. But I loved my home and my bed. Not that his was bad by any means. I simply liked mine better.

If I didn’t like the feel of him next to me so well, we’d have to have a serious talk about boundaries. Although I’d planned to cohabitate with Jeffery, I’d never actually lived with anyone since the days when I had a legal guardian, and I’d tried my hardest not to people in those homes. That tended to be my safest option when fireworks sparked from my fingertips every full moon.

What did he, Connor, expect from me? From this situation? Did he think we were just going to live together?Werewe going to live together?

Okay, being this close to Connor muddled my mind. It might’ve been a good thing that I had work to occupy my time. Gently, so as not to wake him, I lifted his arm, moving it back onto his side of the bed.

His side.

He already had a side?

We’d so naturally shuffled into our spots without even talking about it.

Whoa!I crawled out of bed and since I’d lost every stitch of clothing last night before we’d ever tumbled into that bed, I didn’t have anything to take off once I reached the shower.

He slept the whole time I showered, dressed, and walked out to the kitchen to toast myself a couple of Pop Tarts. I put a full pot of coffee on so that Connor could have a cup or two before leaving for work.

Then I headed for my shop.

I loved my shop. Located at the end of a strip mall, it appeared very unassuming from the outside. The inside smelled of sandalwood and lavender for a very calming vibe.

Regular old humans expected calming vibes. Supersneededit. People had no idea how draining it was to keep our powers hidden throughout the day because powers had minds of their own and wanted to be seen, to be acknowledged.

I felt very at home here and owning a shop allowed me to keep up with the latest super-related gossip from the ones who came in for my crystals or tea blends that they loved to use in casting spells or rituals.

At about 9:00a.m., Connor strode through the door looking his normal Connor irate. “You left without telling me.”

“I’m an adult. I’m allowed. But I left you a pot of coffee, so really, you should be in here thanking me. Plus, how do you keep finding me? I don’t remember telling you about my shop.”

“The bond. Your scent.”

“Uh, I showered this morning, buddy. I don’t have ascent.”

“Simone, this isn’t funny.”

“Connor, I wasn’t trying to be.”

“I told you to stay put unless I’m with you.”

---