to avoid accidentally turning one of her students into a guppy while she got a hold of her new abilities.
Magic or no, Cass had errands to run. Her stomach jumped a little at the thought of the first item on her list. She pulled on a blue velvet jumper that brought out the glints in her straight black hair and darkened her eyes to violet, along with her favorite knee-high boots.
Maybe he’ll notice.
Cass dismissed the foolish thought, grabbed a jacket and scarf, and headed out the door. The house was calming down now, with only a few lingering cupboards banging in the kitchen. It was a beautiful fall day as Cass made the short walk down the street to the Owens’ house. Leaves carpeted the sidewalk in bright orange and red splotches, and her neighbors nodded a greeting as she passed. They were busy erecting a bandstand in the middle of the street for the annual Halloween block party that night. Cass usually hung back from the party, enjoying the music and festivities from afar.
Feeling a little breathless, Cass stepped up to Tom’s gate, where neighbors were lined up, waiting for a chance to make their selection from the pumpkin patch. There had been an Owens living on this property for the last hundred years, and when Tom had inherited the house from his parents, who moved to Florida, he’d kept up the family nursery business and the pumpkin patch, which both brought visitors from miles around. In one corner of the massive lot, next to the greenhouse, Tom’s special prize-winning patch was roped off from the rest, the beautiful gourds nurtured with passionate attention to detail. Cass shivered at the thought of Tom running his hands over the smooth orange surfaces with the tenderness of a lover.
“Cass!”
She pulled herself together as Tom stepped forward. He was tall and broad, and as always, Cass had to force herself not to take a step backward when he approached. Or a step closer. His beautiful green eyes were alive with warmth, his brown hair tousled by the chill bluster that swept along the block, skidding leaves down the street. Cass could feel the sparks running along her nerve endings and tried to ignore them. So what if the guy was warm and funny and intelligent, and filled out a pair of jeans in a way that was almost criminal? Relationships with mortals were a bad idea, and relationships with her own kind were always doomed from the start – warlocks apparently didn’t want a girlfriend who exhibited all the magical prowess of a turnip. It wouldn’t be an issue from now on, but the past snobbery left a bad taste in her mouth. And standing in front of her was everything she couldn’t have.
And he can have any woman he wants , she reminded herself. Why the gorgeous man didn’t have a girlfriend was a mystery. He was straight. He was available. Every unattached woman and bored housewife in the neighborhood went out of their way to try and snag his attention. Especially Viola Perkins, recently divorced for the third time and aggressive in a way Cass could never envision being herself. And she couldn’t keep his hands off of him.
That bitch. Cass couldn’t even bring herself to feel guilty for the observation.
Tom touched her arm in greeting.
“Hi.” She almost sounded normal, as though the innocent press of his hand to her skin didn’t make her meltingly hot.
“Did you come to pick out a pumpkin?” He grinned.
“I just wanted to make sure it was still okay to bring the kids by on Monday.”
“Of course. They can have as many as they want. I’ll save your class the good ones.” He winked at her, and she blushed.
“It’s so nice of you to do this every year.”
“Who am I to mess with tradition? My great-grandfather gave out pumpkins once upon a time. It makes the kids happy and it’s good for business.”
Cass took in the long line of contented customers, many of whom pocketed a business card for the nursery on their way out.
“I can see that.”
“Besides, the
Magic or no, Cass had errands to run. Her stomach jumped a little at the thought of the first item on her list. She pulled on a blue velvet jumper that brought out the glints in her straight black hair and darkened her eyes to violet, along with her favorite knee-high boots.
Maybe he’ll notice.
Cass dismissed the foolish thought, grabbed a jacket and scarf, and headed out the door. The house was calming down now, with only a few lingering cupboards banging in the kitchen. It was a beautiful fall day as Cass made the short walk down the street to the Owens’ house. Leaves carpeted the sidewalk in bright orange and red splotches, and her neighbors nodded a greeting as she passed. They were busy erecting a bandstand in the middle of the street for the annual Halloween block party that night. Cass usually hung back from the party, enjoying the music and festivities from afar.
Feeling a little breathless, Cass stepped up to Tom’s gate, where neighbors were lined up, waiting for a chance to make their selection from the pumpkin patch. There had been an Owens living on this property for the last hundred years, and when Tom had inherited the house from his parents, who moved to Florida, he’d kept up the family nursery business and the pumpkin patch, which both brought visitors from miles around. In one corner of the massive lot, next to the greenhouse, Tom’s special prize-winning patch was roped off from the rest, the beautiful gourds nurtured with passionate attention to detail. Cass shivered at the thought of Tom running his hands over the smooth orange surfaces with the tenderness of a lover.
“Cass!”
She pulled herself together as Tom stepped forward. He was tall and broad, and as always, Cass had to force herself not to take a step backward when he approached. Or a step closer. His beautiful green eyes were alive with warmth, his brown hair tousled by the chill bluster that swept along the block, skidding leaves down the street. Cass could feel the sparks running along her nerve endings and tried to ignore them. So what if the guy was warm and funny and intelligent, and filled out a pair of jeans in a way that was almost criminal? Relationships with mortals were a bad idea, and relationships with her own kind were always doomed from the start – warlocks apparently didn’t want a girlfriend who exhibited all the magical prowess of a turnip. It wouldn’t be an issue from now on, but the past snobbery left a bad taste in her mouth. And standing in front of her was everything she couldn’t have.
And he can have any woman he wants , she reminded herself. Why the gorgeous man didn’t have a girlfriend was a mystery. He was straight. He was available. Every unattached woman and bored housewife in the neighborhood went out of their way to try and snag his attention. Especially Viola Perkins, recently divorced for the third time and aggressive in a way Cass could never envision being herself. And she couldn’t keep his hands off of him.
That bitch. Cass couldn’t even bring herself to feel guilty for the observation.
Tom touched her arm in greeting.
“Hi.” She almost sounded normal, as though the innocent press of his hand to her skin didn’t make her meltingly hot.
“Did you come to pick out a pumpkin?” He grinned.
“I just wanted to make sure it was still okay to bring the kids by on Monday.”
“Of course. They can have as many as they want. I’ll save your class the good ones.” He winked at her, and she blushed.
“It’s so nice of you to do this every year.”
“Who am I to mess with tradition? My great-grandfather gave out pumpkins once upon a time. It makes the kids happy and it’s good for business.”
Cass took in the long line of contented customers, many of whom pocketed a business card for the nursery on their way out.
“I can see that.”
“Besides, the
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