Page 21 of Cursed Love
“I—” Brandy coughed and continued. “I’m not too tired.” The words came out seductive rather than how she’d intended. Her lady bits screamed she would never be too tired for Ryan.
His eyes darkened at her words and held hers a moment longer than deemed acceptable. “You seemed to do well with tossing the banana earlier, so I’m going to get one,” he said and walked to where she kept the fruit.
Strange butterflies, which she did not remember experiencing when she and Greg started dating, took flight in her stomach. Brandy worked on calming her jitters as he moved around her kitchen. When he returned, he moved the pizza box to the side and placed the banana in the middle of the table.
“Okay, this is not heavy but it’s not light. I want you to focus on placing it in my hand,” Ryan told her and put his hand out, palm up.
Pushing aside all thoughts of her family, tubars, werewolves, and her attraction to Ryan, she focused on the fruit. The banana shuddered and dropped. Next, she watched it teeter toward its side. Each time, it shook but it wouldn’t move like she wanted.
“Breathe,” Ryan whispered when her frustration became too much. “You control your powers, not your emotions,” he reminded her.
Brandy nodded as she rubbed her hands against her thighs and inhaled deeply, filling her lungs to capacity, then released it. The banana teetered over once and then twice, finishing on the same side it started on.
“Good. Keep at it,” Ryan said, cheering her on.
She was not sure how long he stood there with his hand out, whispering his encouragement. Her brow was damp with sweat, as was the skin between her shoulders. The tension in her body reminded her of a workout, so she was sure she would feel sore tomorrow.
Releasing the pressure building in her body, she sagged forward. She wiped the sweat at her temples and sighed. Brandy refused to quit, and with one quick glance at Ryan, she knew he would not let her walk away either.
“Okay, I got this,” she whispered to herself and cracked her neck. Scooting her butt to the edge of the seat, she placed her elbows on her knees.
The image of the banana rising into the air and peeling itself popped into her mind. She watched it shake and take a few tumbles before it finally levitated off the table.
She heard Ryan mumble something, but she refused to break her concentration. Her fingers wiggled, willing the fruit to raise higher while she remembered seeing it peel. Brandy superimposed her vision over the reality and smiled with satisfaction when the two images became one.
He chuckled as he reached out for the banana. “Nice touch. We’ll ignore that you were supposed to put it in my hand.”
Her eyes snapped toward his. “Seriously?”
The banana slipped from its peel and smooshed into his face. “Ugh!” he called from under the attack. “What the hell did I say?”
“You’re such a man,” she muttered, silently pleased with herself for maintaining her control over the banana.
Pushing to his feet, he ran a finger along the mess and scooped it into his mouth. Ignoring him and riding her high at what she had accomplished, she grabbed a pencil from her side table. She concentrated on it, hoping to get a better handle on her powers. She was determined to not let this get the best of her.
As time passed, she realized envisioning what she wanted to do made it happen. This only led her to think back to Ryan and the pretty lady in the café. She wouldn’t admit it to him, but she had been jealous. There was something about Ryan touching the brunette to help her up that had caused her to react.
Brandy brought the pencil back to the table and yawned. Lifting her wrist, she peeked at the time. “Shit,” she whispered around another yawn.
Ryan glanced at his own. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how late it’d become.”
“Neither did I. I have to open tomorrow,” she told him and pushed to her feet.
When she swayed, his hand shot out to steady her. “Whoa, you okay?”
“Yeah, just exhausted.”
His warm fingers wrapped around her upper arm and squeezed ever so slightly. His thumb caressed the skin. If she hadn’t been so aware of Ryan’s touch, she wouldn’t have noticed the change in pressure.
“Tomorrow’s going to feel like a hangover,” Ryan warned her, his eyes all the while focused on her lips. “Drink some tea before bed. It should help you feel better in the morning.”
Her breath stuttered, and she fought the urge to lick her suddenly dry lips. “Thanks again, Rye.”
After a moment, he released his hold on her and stepped toward the door but stopped a foot from it. “The spell will keep tubars away. Call me if you need anything.”
“How can I call you?” she asked as he opened the door. “I don’t have your number.”
His gaze flicked from behind her to her lips. “Good night, Brandy.” He winked, but before she could say another word, he disappeared.
