Jack chuckled while he lifted the roll of fencing into the cart, his muscles bulging as he did so. Too bad she didn’t like humans with all he had to offer. Good looking, great body, dickhead personality. Two out of three usually wasn’t bad, but he had been a Grade A dick.
“So, what’ve you been up to since school?” he asked.
Oh, she was sure he thought she was a complete loser who hadn’t amounted to anything except working at the bar Ridge owned. She almost wanted to tell him she’d already achieved her degree online but decided he didn’t need to know anything about her. Let him look down on her, like he’d always done. She’d graduated early from high school, taking extra college courses while idiots like him were going to prom and getting laid in the backseat of their cars. At twenty-one, she’d already had two bachelor’s degrees. At twenty-three her master’s degree was complete. She had more knowledge in her pinky than he did in his entire body. While she’d been staring at him, she realized she’d not answered him.
“Ah, this and that. You?” She really didn’t give two fucks what he’d been up to, but polite society and shit had her asking.
“I joined the Army. I’m on leave right at the moment.” He flexed his arms as he spoke.
Torrance wanted to stick her finger in her mouth and make a gagging sound like she’d have done back in junior high. However, she was a grown woman. Instead she nodded. “I bet your parents are happy to have you home?”
Whatever she said must’ve angered him. The scent that wafted from him went from male interest to angry human in an instant. “It’s just my mom and I. My dad was killed when we were in junior high.”
Chapter Two
She took a step back from Jack as he moved forward, her cat clawed at her insides, hating the male invading their space. Jack was over six-feet-tall with at least a hundred pounds of muscle more than her. In her human form, he could possibly cause her a little harm, but she’d be damned if she allowed him the chance, neither she nor her panther were scared of the asshole.
“I’m sorry, Jack.” She didn’t know what else to say. Hell, her own parents were killed when she’d been a cub. Did she walk around like a little bitch crying anytime someone asked about them? No. She just shrugged and went on about her day. “Listen, thanks for letting me have your cart. I need to be getting back home before Ridge gets up.” Usually when she used her brother’s name, townsfolk tended to give her a wide berth. Well the humans did, the shifters gave respect. She tried moving the flatbed around Jack, coming to a stop as he put his foot on the end, halting her. Again, she fought her panther back, her animal and the witch inside her started making plans. Already she saw a list of words. Spells she realized as did her cat. Torrance breathed slowly, hoping to calm both her primal beings down enough she wouldn’t be turning Jack into a frog or dinner.
“I didn’t mean to scare you off,” he said in a husky voice.
If she’d been human, she’d have believed him. But scents don’t lie. Jack was angry. No, Jack was pissed, and for whatever reason, he was directing that anger at her. Why she didn’t know, and she didn’t give a shit. “You didn’t scare me, Jack. I just got a lot to get done before Ridge gets up. No use wasting daylight.” She didn’t say with the likes of you, but it was implied. If he didn’t take the hint, that was on him. “See ya, Jack. Hope you have a nice visit.” Or not.
“Hope I see you around, Torr.”
She looked at his foot on the cart, then at him. “Gonna need you to move.”
Jack moved back a step. “Ah, my bad. Hey, you busy tonight?”
No way was she going to give him any type of hope they could do anything other than this little chit chat they had. “As a matter of fact, I am. I’ll be busy for the next three thousand five hundred twenty days, give or take a hundred.” At his scowl, she pressed the cart forward, laughing inside because she knew he was trying to figure out how long that was. Sure, she could have just said ten years, but spouting off random numbers that weren’t truly random fucked with people. She liked messing with those who thought they were better than she was. People like Jacky back there. Stupid fucking dick. In high school, he’d have stuck his five-inch cock into any available hole. From what she’d heard, he was not a grower but that could’ve been a rumor.
“You alright, Torrance?” Howard asked.
She nodded, waving toward the cart. “Can you ring me up for this?”
“You got everything else you need?” he asked, pulling the tag off.
Even if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be going to the back of the store where Jackoff was. Nope, she’d make do with whatever she had at home. Again, words began scrolling in her mind. Not words, but a spell that would help her conjure up what she needed. Fine time to show up witchy.
“Here you go, you probably need some of this too.” Howard lay a spool of wire on the counter. “On the house.” He looked toward the back with an uneasy grimace. “I’ll put this on Ridge’s account. You go on and get out of here. Day is a wasting away.” His smile seemed forced.
“Thanks, Howard. Let your wife know I got some great lotion for arthritis. I’ll drop it by the next time I’m in town.” Torrance patted the old man’s hand. It was real sweet of him to be worried about her. She let a little soothing magic flow from her to him, hoping it would
