The Parting Glass (Caitlin Ross Book 4) by Katherine Lampe Page B

it goes with the business of selling enlightenment.”
    “I expect so.”
    We reached the bend in the road where Spruce Street turned into Mountain View and took the pedestrian walkway to Fifth.
    “Where are we going?” Timber asked as we headed up to Pearl.
    I stopped and whirled on him, skirt swirling around my calves. “ I am going to Eben Fine Park to celebrate the Summer Solstice. Where you are going, I have no idea.”
    “May I come with you?”
    “I beg your pardon?” I stared at him in disbelief.
    His eyes twinkled, sapphires in starlight. “I thought I was speaking a language you understood. May I come with you, I said.”
    “I thought you were all hot to track down Stonefeather before his trail went cold again.”
    “Och, well.” He shrugged. “Perhaps a day off wilna hurt. Perhaps I need a holiday, too.”
    I couldn’t stop gaping at him. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Oh gods. Oh no. Timber MacDuff on Lithe. My heart started to pound and I swallowed convulsively. All at once, my camisole seemed much too tight.
    “Well? Please say I can come.”
    I wanted to choke at his choice of words. Instead, I gave a brief nod.
    “All right.” I turned back around so I wouldn’t have to look at him, and started walking again. “But stay out of the way and do what Sage tells you.”
    His boots hurried to catch up with me. “Sage will be there? I dinna think she likes me much.”
    “Why ever not?” I remembered the way Sage had looked at Timber. In my opinion, she liked him all too well.
    “Just a feeling.” He moved up to walk at my side.
    Well. She had warned me to be careful. Not that it was any of her business. Honestly. Sometimes Sage could be all too protective of me, like a mother hen with one chick. She wasn’t even much older than I was. And I’d been around the block a few times. I hailed from Detroit, for gods’ sake!
    I slid my eyes at my companion, allowing them to travel up his long legs and rest for a moment on his fine ass before continuing to the muscled chest under his tight t-shirt and his broad shoulders. My throat went dry. Maybe I did need protecting. But, dammit, it was Lithe! The sun pulsed in my blood, reminding me how long it had been since I had been with a man. With anyone at all. Lots of women would be happy to take advantage of the possibilities.
    But, as I had told Sage, I had never been one to indulge in casual encounters. Sex. Whatever. It never went well.
    In another few minutes, we picked up the creek path at Third and Canyon. A hundred yards took us into Eben Fine Park. I could hear the drums; Sage and her crew had already arrived and started warming up. Timber’s ears pricked at the sound, and his body quivered with eagerness.
    “Don’t count on being invited to participate,” I told him. “For all we’re in a public space here, this is private.”
    He cast a scathing glance my way. “I wouldna think of it. It’s not my style, and I know better than to mess with magics I know nothing about. Thrilling as it might be.”
    Thrilling, indeed. We hadn’t even started yet, and already the intricate polyrhythms threatened to carry me away.
    We found Sage and the drummers not far off, in a grassy space near the restrooms. Imperious in a white dress and pink head scarf, when she spotted us Sage waved an arm glittering with gold bangles at her crew. They broke off their warm up, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the ground settled more firmly under my feet.
    “Hey, Caitlin.” Sage looked Timber up and down and inclined her head infinitesimally. Her gold earrings jingled. “Big Man.”
    What’s he doing here? Her black eyes flashed at me.
    I gave a helpless shrug. He followed me. Sorry!
    Muttering low in her throat, Sage retrieved a bottle of rum from its resting place among the drums. The percussionists joined us, and we formed a loose circle. Sage stood on my left, Timber on my right.
    “We all know why we’re here.” Sage lifted the rum bottle and