made her, though, she needed to remind herself he was under a spell, meaning he was off limits no matter how much her body craved him.
Big trucks with long trailers filled the parking lot. When she entered the restaurant, Sophia became keenly aware of the fact she was the only female client amidst a roomful of men-and more than one turned around for a peek at her. Sophia tucked in closer to Aidan, who released her hand and, as if sensing her trepidation, slung an arm around her waist as he guided her to a table against a wall.
Sophia slid into one chair while Aidan sat down across from her absently, too busy frowning at the room in general. She wondered why. “Is there something wrong?”
He turned to face her, his brow furrowed and his mouth set. “I don’t like the way they looked at you.”
Sophia almost gaped at him. He sounded so…
Speaking of whom, a frizzy haired blonde with a pencil stuck in a hairdo that had never graced the cover of any magazine slapped two menus down.
“Evening, Aidan. What can I get you and your lady?”
Sophia guessed she shouldn’t be surprised the waitress knew Aidan. He apparently knew the place, and, honestly, who could forget him.
“We’ll have two of your burger specials, Lena. The usual toppings for mine with a coffee. And the lady will take hers…” He eyed her questioningly.
“Fully loaded with water, please.”
Screw calories, she’d given up counting a long time ago. Some women just weren’t meant to be skinny. And she did so enjoy her food.
“Come here often?” she asked when the waitress walked away. Her shouts of their order could easily be heard.
“I’ve got a cabin in the woods not far from here. I’ve been hitting this place going in and out for the last seven years or so. The food is great.”
This was an assessment she agreed with when it arrived and she took her first bite. Massive portions, dripping with greasy goodness. Sophia closed her eyes in bliss.
She heard a chuckle, and she opened her eyes to see Aidan as he grinned at her. “It’s nice to see a woman who knows how to enjoy food.”
Sophia shrugged. “I get grumpy when I’m hungry or if forced to eat salads.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” he said, implying they would partake of more meals together in the future.
Flustered and unsure of a reply, she stuffed a long french fry in her mouth, but the potato was too long and hung out of her mouth. Before she could suck it in, Aidan leaned across the table and bit it off, his lips brushing hers electrically. Sophia sucked in a surprised breath and began choking.
Several whacks on her back later and to the sound of Aidan’s snickers, she managed through watering eyes to take a drink of water and calm her coughing fit. She glared at his smiling mien when he sat back across from her.
“Looks like I’m going to have to teach you to share without trying to kill yourself,” he said with a low chuckle.
“How about you leave the food in my mouth alone,” she replied tartly. Never mind her body had quite enjoyed the brief touch of his lips and was already thinking up scenarios where he ate whipped cream off of certain body parts. She stood abruptly.
“I need to use the ladies room before we get back on the road.”
Aidan stood as well. “I’ll go pay the bill.”
“Here, let me give you some money.” Sophia stuck a hand in her purse to feel around for her wallet.
He tilted her chin up. “My treat. I’ll meet you at the front door when you’re done.”
Then he strutted off to stand in line at the register. Bemused, she walked across the room full of men, keeping her gaze down so as to not look anyone in the eye. A tinkling sound caught her attention, and she looked sideways to see the main door open and a burly fellow in a checkered shirt come in. She ducked her head back down, wishing having witchy powers would give her some courage. Her wish didn’t come true, and she ducked into the ladies room, which was of course empty. She quickly peed and was washing her hands when the door opened. Expecting to see a waitress, her eyes widened in shock when she saw a blur of red behind her. She would have screamed, but a rough, smelly hand clapped itself over her mouth while a thick arm wrapped around her middle.
Caught like a rookie witch without use of her powers, she was still thankful she’d already emptied her bladder or else she would have pissed down her legs when a gravelly voice said, “Hello, pretty thing. You and me are gonna have some fun.”
Chapter Three
Aidan paid the bill for their meal still quite pleased with himself. The look on Sophia’s face when he’d bitten off her fry? Priceless. Of course, he hadn’t meant for her to choke, but, all in all, he enjoyed knowing he seemed to have the same stimulating effect on her as she did him.
He walked to the main door to wait for her, but a nagging sense of something wrong made him do a
Not questioning an instinct that rarely proved wrong, Aidan barreled into the women’s bathroom and stopped dead. The first thing he saw was Sophia’s terrified eyes just visible above the meaty hand that muffled her. The second thing he saw was the sneer on her attacker’s face, one he’d take pleasure in wiping off.
“Get out of here, boy. This doesn’t concern you.”
“I disagree. Unhand my woman now.” Aidan’s tone was low and deadly. He flexed his hands and barely managed to restrain his inner snarling beast. Seeing Sophia in danger and scared was doing crazy things to his usual iron control.
“Or what?” The burly fellow laughed.
Aidan didn’t reply. He showed him. In a lightning-quick motion, he stood in front of the asshole who dared to touch his woman and punched him hard in the face. As soon as the hands holding Sophia loosened, he grabbed her and tucked her behind him, then moved them backward to the door, his body in front of hers shielding it.
While keeping his eye on the soon-to-be very sorry jerk, Aidan gave her instructions. “Wait for me in the hall while I
“But-”
“Go. I’ll just be a minute.”
The sound of the door swinging shut brought a feral grin to his face, a lethal one that made the miscreant back up with his hands out.
“Sorry, man. It won’t happen again. I swear.” The man pled, but Aidan was deaf to his words. He kept seeing Sophia’s terrified face.
“You’re damned right it won’t happen again.” Then he hit him-over and over again.
Sophia stood shaking in the hall, listening to the meaty thuds coming from inside the women’s washroom. Her terror was slow in fading. Since she’d gotten her magic, she’d grown cocky and sure she could handle any situation. The attack proved she still had much to learn, such as making sure no one caught her by surprise again. If Aidan hadn’t charged in like some type of medieval hero, she dreaded to think what might have happened. She gave a grim smile at the continued violence she could still hear. Some women might have argued against the violent retribution she could hear coming through the flimsy door, but Sophia wasn’t one of them. The jerk deserved every
