staring and grinned.
“Food, woman,” he growled and she, who would have hated such machismo any other time in her life, laughed and headed for the kitchen. The hound loped along behind her.
She thawed him a steak then dug around in her freezer and found a couple more, which she thawed for Beck and herself. If things went on like this, she’d definitely have to go grocery shopping or create her own stash of steaks. Though they didn’t taste as good as those she got from her grocer. She put the steaks under the broiler and whipped up eggs with cheese and sliced some tomatoes.
“Umm, smells good,” Beck said, entering the kitchen and sniffing appreciatively.
“Just in time,” she replied, pouring the coffee. “I’ve made you a meal fit for a king.”
“He seems to think so, too.” Beck nodded at the hound who was contentedly gnawing on his new bone. “What are you going to do with him?”
“Take him to the pound.” Phil sat and began cutting her steak. “What good is he to me?”
“Is that all that counts?” Beck asked, knife and fork suspended while he looked at her.
Phil put down her utensils and met his gaze. “Why do I get the feeling you’re testing me this morning?”
He had the grace to drop his gaze and fork another piece of steak into his mouth. “Just trying to get the measure of the woman,” he muttered as he chewed.
“I thought you’d already done that,” she observed, feeling a hollow place in the vicinity of her heart.
He seemed to realize he’d hurt her. He put down his fork and focused his attention on her.
“You’re a complex person…witch…whatever you are, Phil, and I’m afraid that I’m…” He hesitated, damn him.
She wanted him to say it. She wasn’t hesitating in her own emotions.
“I love you, too.” She said the words she’d been afraid to say the night before.
He reached for her hand and squeezed it. His smile was luminous. She had a feeling her own expression was the same.
“Are you afraid to be in love with a witch?”
“Whatever you are, I’m not afraid,” he said softly. “I just wasn’t sure how you stood on things.”
“By this time, I thought I’d made that perfectly clear,” she answered. “You are sure a hard sell, but I forgive you. The question is what are we going to do about our feelings? After all, I’m a witch and not every man could handle being married to one.”
“Married!” He looked as if she’d slapped him.
She nodded her head slowly.
“If you think I’m going to continue giving you fantastic sex and steaks without a commitment on your part, you are sadly mistaken. I’ll need some kind of commitment.”
“Phil, I’m a man suspected of murder.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he rushed on. “Even if you believe in me, no one else does.”
“They will when we find out who really killed your wife.”
“What if that doesn’t happen? Be practical, Phil.”
“I’m not a practical witch,” she said softly. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t drag home dogs that I’m afraid of.”
“You’re not afraid of dogs,” Beck said. “You’re afraid they’ll make you love them and they’ll leave you.”
“Noodle pot, as my aunt used to say. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That hound over there is totally devoted to you. You saved him from a cruel master and you’ve treated him with dignity, the same way you have me. When do you want to get married?”
“Immediately,” she cried.
“Whoa, it will take a few days to get the license, unless you have special powers that can get it waived.”
“I’ll try,” she said enthusiastically.
His sparkling gaze met hers. “Let’s take the time like others do. You can get a wedding ready, and I can talk to Emily and her grandmother and prepare them.”
“You’re right, of course. Emily must be told. I hope she’ll want me as her new mother.”
“She loves you. You’re all she talks about.”
“I’ll do my best to be a good
“Food, woman,” he growled and she, who would have hated such machismo any other time in her life, laughed and headed for the kitchen. The hound loped along behind her.
She thawed him a steak then dug around in her freezer and found a couple more, which she thawed for Beck and herself. If things went on like this, she’d definitely have to go grocery shopping or create her own stash of steaks. Though they didn’t taste as good as those she got from her grocer. She put the steaks under the broiler and whipped up eggs with cheese and sliced some tomatoes.
“Umm, smells good,” Beck said, entering the kitchen and sniffing appreciatively.
“Just in time,” she replied, pouring the coffee. “I’ve made you a meal fit for a king.”
“He seems to think so, too.” Beck nodded at the hound who was contentedly gnawing on his new bone. “What are you going to do with him?”
“Take him to the pound.” Phil sat and began cutting her steak. “What good is he to me?”
“Is that all that counts?” Beck asked, knife and fork suspended while he looked at her.
Phil put down her utensils and met his gaze. “Why do I get the feeling you’re testing me this morning?”
He had the grace to drop his gaze and fork another piece of steak into his mouth. “Just trying to get the measure of the woman,” he muttered as he chewed.
“I thought you’d already done that,” she observed, feeling a hollow place in the vicinity of her heart.
He seemed to realize he’d hurt her. He put down his fork and focused his attention on her.
“You’re a complex person…witch…whatever you are, Phil, and I’m afraid that I’m…” He hesitated, damn him.
She wanted him to say it. She wasn’t hesitating in her own emotions.
“I love you, too.” She said the words she’d been afraid to say the night before.
He reached for her hand and squeezed it. His smile was luminous. She had a feeling her own expression was the same.
“Are you afraid to be in love with a witch?”
“Whatever you are, I’m not afraid,” he said softly. “I just wasn’t sure how you stood on things.”
“By this time, I thought I’d made that perfectly clear,” she answered. “You are sure a hard sell, but I forgive you. The question is what are we going to do about our feelings? After all, I’m a witch and not every man could handle being married to one.”
“Married!” He looked as if she’d slapped him.
She nodded her head slowly.
“If you think I’m going to continue giving you fantastic sex and steaks without a commitment on your part, you are sadly mistaken. I’ll need some kind of commitment.”
“Phil, I’m a man suspected of murder.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he rushed on. “Even if you believe in me, no one else does.”
“They will when we find out who really killed your wife.”
“What if that doesn’t happen? Be practical, Phil.”
“I’m not a practical witch,” she said softly. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t drag home dogs that I’m afraid of.”
“You’re not afraid of dogs,” Beck said. “You’re afraid they’ll make you love them and they’ll leave you.”
“Noodle pot, as my aunt used to say. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That hound over there is totally devoted to you. You saved him from a cruel master and you’ve treated him with dignity, the same way you have me. When do you want to get married?”
“Immediately,” she cried.
“Whoa, it will take a few days to get the license, unless you have special powers that can get it waived.”
“I’ll try,” she said enthusiastically.
His sparkling gaze met hers. “Let’s take the time like others do. You can get a wedding ready, and I can talk to Emily and her grandmother and prepare them.”
“You’re right, of course. Emily must be told. I hope she’ll want me as her new mother.”
“She loves you. You’re all she talks about.”
“I’ll do my best to be a good
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