To Wrangle A Witch (Southern Sanctuary Book 3) by Jane Cousins Page B

bedroom brush her hair and change
into something more flattering than her lollipop pyjamas?  Probably.
    “Have
you looked outside today?”  She gestured towards the courtyard.
    “So?” 
    Serena
rolled her eyes, men could be so dense. “Slow moving low pressure, high
humidity, incessant rainfall, soaked earth.”
    “Are
you saying you’re being affected by the weather?  But it rained yesterday
and the day before.”
    Serena
shrugged.  “Some rain is good… a lot of rain, not so much.  The earth
can only drink in a certain volume then you have run off.  Local flora and
fauna begin to be adversely affected.”
    “And
you feel all that?”
    “Sort
of.”   Serena shrugged.  “Normally I’d go for a run, increase my
adrenalin levels to fight off the blues so to speak.  But I haven’t
exercised in six months, I’d be lucky if I made it half a block.  So I
decided to curl up and wait for it to stop raining.”
    “But
you feel better now?”
    “Sure.” 
The word sounded weak even to her own ears.
    “Right.” 
Locke got up.  “Time to instigate phase two of my evil plan to bring
sunshine into your cloudy day.   Tomato or pumpkin soup?”
    “What?”
    “You
heard me, tomato or pumpkin?”
    “But
it’s hot outside.”
    “And
you’re wearing flannel pyjamas. It’s definitely a day for indulging.”
    “Pumpkin.” 
She requested finally.
    “Good.” 
I’ll be back in a bit.  How do you feel about Gene Kelly?  I’m
thinking nothing could be more apropos than Singing in the Rain for an
afternoon matinee.”
    Serena
watched him disappear in the direction of the kitchen.  Stupid know it all
idiot.  How dare he act all concerned and sweet when she needed him to be
all corporate lawyer cool and standoffish, much easier to keep her hands to herself
that way.  If he kept this up she’d be throwing herself at him in no time,
chewing the buttons off his waistcoat with her teeth.  Mother Earth give
her strength.

 
     
    Chapter
Eleven 
     
    The
afternoon spent together had been fun.   They’d watched two more musicals before Locke was interrupted by the
persistent ringing of his cell phone.  Whilst he’d disappeared back to his
office Serena had seized the opportunity to run to her room for a shower and to
change into something more appropriate than flannel sleepwear.  Surveying
the contents of the bag she’d had Nate pack for her she decided on an old
favourite, a dark purple summer dress with bright red flowers ringing the
hem. 
    She’d
foregone the urge to do anything else other than run a brush through her hair,
leaving it unbound and adding nothing more than a slick of lip gloss.
 What would be the point except for vanity’s sake?  She’d
inadvertently eavesdropped on Locke and Nell’s goodbye conversation the other
night.  Nell admitting to him that she couldn’t sleep alone.  Locke
assuring her oh so sweetly that it would all be over soon. 
    Yeah,
as soon as he could off load his unwanted house guest he and Nell could resume
their perfect lives.  And Nell was so nice and obviously the perfect
companion for Locke.  Okay so she hadn’t sensed any full blown knee
melting heat between the two but there was definitely a comfortable familiarity
that spoke of friendship and affection.  
    Earth,
Serena knew if she’d met Nell under any other circumstances they’d end up being
good friends.  And didn’t that make her feel a hundred times
guiltier.  She’d danced skyclad in front of him for Star’s sake. 
Thrice!  Teased him.  Flirted with him.  Earth, and what about
all the inappropriate naughty thoughts she’d indulged in, all starring Locke
Valhalla.  Well they had to end now. 
    She
would not be a home wrecker.  She would not hurt the lovely Nell. 
She would not indulge in a selfish hot brief affair with Locke Valhalla to
scratch an itch for an entirely inappropriate tightly buttoned up lawyer
man.  She swore by the Earth and the Moon that she’d