Bewitching You (24 page)

“Can I help you?” Gray straightened his back and shoulders. It wasn’t often he met a man his own size.

“Penny Jones home?” He had a slight accent Gray couldn’t quite describe. Measured and lifted toward the end, maybe? A thick beard covered half of his rugged face. And his shifty blue eyes shot Gray an inquisitive look.

Penny Jones must be Sofia’s Nana. “No, I’m afraid she’s not. Can I help you with something?”

“Well, who are you?” The man had no manners.

“Grayson Phillips. I’m a friend of Penny’s granddaughter.” Gray stuck his hand out, but the man ignored it.

“Sofia? She here?”

He knew Sofia? “What’s your name?” Dickhead? Gray hadn’t come across many Amish, usually only passing them up on the road. They kept to themselves for the most part and Gray had liked it that way.

The door opened and Sofia lurched out. “Elijah?” she asked, eyes wide. She’d changed into dry clothes, jeans and a V-neck top that showed way too much skin.

Elijah
? The first kiss guy?

The man removed his hat and put it to his chest. Gray noticed his shifty gaze do a onceover…of
his
woman. Weren’t these people supposed to be humble? Righteous?

Apparently not this guy.

“Little Sofia. Can’t imagine what you’ve been up to all these years.”

Gray wanted to knock the teeth out of his smile.

“Not much. You got married.” Sofia reached up and felt the man’s beard. “To Johanna?”

Gray did remember that little fact—single Amish men were clean-shaven and married men grew out their beards, but why did she have to touch him?

A low chuckle wheezed from his hairy mouth. “No. I married Joe’s Lizzie. Remember her? She prided herself on those peanut butter cookies. Always brought them out to the lake over yonder and teased the boys with ’em.”

“Right.” Sofia pushed a damp lock of hair behind her ear and gave Gray a lightning fast glance. “Do you want to come in? I can put some coffee on.”

Please, for the love of electricity, say no
.

“Well, suppose I can visit for a spell. Until the rain lets up some.” He jerked his head to the horse and buggy. “Picked some tomatoes for your grandma. Saw her at the market the other day and mentioned she was wantin’ some fresh tomatoes.”

Damn it
.

“Oh, that sounds yummy. Go grab them and bring them in. I’ll start the coffee.”

They each parted ways, leaving Gray standing on the porch like an ass. A neglected ass. He stalked inside to where Sofia was pouring water into a teakettle.

“What’s going on, Sofia?” he whispered into her ear, after bracing his hands on her waist.

“I’m making coffee. What do you think?”

“Why are you mad at me?”

“I’m not,” she mumbled, and set the kettle on the burner.

“Kiss me, then.” Gray leaned in, but missed her lips as she wiggled away from him.

“You’re all wet. Why don’t you towel-dry upstairs?”

He backed off, but decided against leaving Sofia alone with Dickhead. He sat at the table and watched as the guy strolled into the kitchen with a basket full of tomatoes.

Sofia took them from him with a smile. Cute and innocent. Gray adjusted himself in his wet jeans. He’d taken that innocence from her last night
and
this morning, and he’d be doing it again if it weren’t for the intrusion.

Dickhead sat opposite Gray at the table, boring a hole into Sofia’s ass with those shifty eyes. Nothing was innocent about this religious man.

“Where’s your wife?” Gray asked.

“At home with the children.”

Sofia brought over two coffee cups and thumped one down in front of Gray, set the other gently in front of Dickhead. His gaze searched her breasts now. Why didn’t she notice and slap him upside the head? She poured coffee into each cup and sat down at the third chair, facing the window.

“Where is Penny today?”

“She’s helping as a midwife for the, um, the Zook family over in Allen County. Connie Zook, I guess, is having a difficult pregnancy.”

“Zook? I don’t think I’m familiar. Did Penny leave in a hurry?”

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“She’s very friendly with my Lizzie. I’m surprised she hasn’t mentioned it.”

“Oh. That is surprising.” Sofia strummed her fingers on the table. Her gaze roamed everywhere but to Gray.

Elijah took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “You two a couple?”

“Yes,” Gray said loudly, his answer almost covering Sofia’s “No.”

No, huh?

Elijah raised his eyebrows and set his coffee down. “Well, I better be headin’ off now. Tell Penny I stopped by.” He tipped his hat back on and swaggered to the door.

Sofia walked with him. Gray followed.

“Oh, and let Penny know that salve she made for Lizzie’s cut worked. Healed real quick.”

“I will.” Sofia gave Gray another flash of a glance. “Wait, Elijah. Are you going by Tom’s Auto Shop, by any chance?”

“S’pose I could. Why? Havin’ vehicle troubles?”

“Yes. My car isn’t starting, and my friend here, his car is stranded down the road. He needs a tow truck.”

Gray’s chest pounded. His pulse beat against his temples. She was trying to get rid of him. But of course she was. According to her they weren’t a couple.

To hell if they weren’t.

“Down this road?” Elijah asked. “Didn’t see any cars coming up. Sure it’s still there?”

“No,” Gray spoke up. “It’s been a couple days. Might’ve been towed away by now.”

“Too bad.” Elijah made a tsking sound with his cheek. “Want a ride out to Tom’s anyway? They’ve got a phone over there.”

Sofia graced him another glimpse, her eyes unreadable. “Why don’t you go?”

He shook his head. He wasn’t going anywhere without her. “Thanks anyway.”

~ * ~

Penny’s head throbbed as she lay on Sofia’s bed. A streetlight beamed through the sheer curtains. But it wasn’t the electricity that pained her this time. She grasped the magnets together in her palm and squeezed.

Sofia resisted. For whatever reason, her granddaughter fought the spell. Was it doubt and distrust that plagued the young woman’s heart?

Penny clasped the magnets to her breast. If she could give Sofia her strength, she would. There wasn’t much to give. The spell was more powerful than any she’d ever conjured. She only hoped Grayson could handle the intensity. The emotions he must be feeling. The magnet that represented him sucked in all the energy while Sofia’s struggled to reject it.

“Love him and he’ll love you back,” Penny whispered.

A painful spasm erupted at her temple, and nausea swamped her. This was an awful episode, possibly the worst yet. She leaned over and vomited into the pail she’d set by the bed just in case, then wiped her mouth with a tissue and carefully lay back down.

“Mom?” Laura stuck her head through the door. Her curly blonde locks fell off her shoulders. “Do you need anything?” she asked softly.

Such a sweet girl.

The pain was too overwhelming to answer. It was best to rest as still as possible.

Laura sat down on the bed and took Penny’s hand. “Mom, should I take you to the hospital? I’m worried.”

Penny closed her eyes. The throbbing was relentless.

Her daughter’s mind spun into panicky overdrive, but Penny was too weak to block it out. Too weak to make everything better.

Through the pounding at her temples she heard Laura pick up the telephone.

“Herbert, hello. Yes, this is Laura. Laura Good... Can you come over?”

Penny wasn’t sure if it was thoughts or speech. Her mind was blurring. Nothing was clear.

“I need your help. There’s something wrong with my mother.”

Chapter Fourteen

Sofia shut the door behind Elijah. The room was silent except for the pattering rain on the wood-paneled house, the ticking of the grandfather clock, and Gray’s unavoidable presence behind her.

“Why didn’t you go?” she asked, still holding onto the door handle. “You had the perfect opportunity.”

He didn’t answer, forcing Sofia to face him. His damp white t-shirt clung to his every muscle, and his chest rose up and down with each steadied breath. His eyes were darker than ever with dusk settling upon the house.

Her attraction to him was undeniable. Her love for him was heart-and-soul-consuming, to say the least. But at what cost?

“What do you want from me?” she asked. “Sex? For as long as this
thing
will last?” She mimicked the words he’d said while they were on the lake. Eye-opening words that made her question every second she’d spent with him. “Maybe I failed to mention this before but I’m not—”

“Do you feel this?” He gestured between them. “Or is it only in my head?”

She didn’t respond, afraid she understood exactly what he spoke of. The bond that drew them together. The one she’d been fighting off and on for the past couple of days. It grew stronger with every passing moment.

“I need you, Sofia. I
can’t
leave here.”

She fisted her clammy hands. “Of course you can leave. Whenever you want. In fact, why don’t you leave now?” She attempted to turn the doorknob, but it wouldn’t budge, ice-cold under her fingertips.

What was going on?

Swiftly, he was on her, backing her against the door. His thigh pressed between her legs, and his hands braced against the door on either side of her head. “You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

Sofia gulped and felt his mouth against hers. She parted her lips for him, and he pulled her bottom lip through his teeth, teasingly. A battle roared inside her. He couldn’t simply take control of her. She wouldn’t allow it.

“Back up,” she said with force, surprising herself.

“You’re kidding.” His husky voice rumbled against her lips.

“No. Back up.”

He did. Slowly.

“It’s not only in your head,” she admitted. “I feel this too.” She repeated the same gesture he’d made moments ago.

He let out a breath, sounding much like relief. “Then let’s go upstairs and quench it. Let’s make love until we’re both satisfied.”

“That’s just it, Gray. What if I don’t want it to go away? What if it hurts me that you
do
want it to go away?”

“Not go away. Just tame it. I
ache
for you, Sofia, ever since the first time I walked in this door. Being with you, getting to know you, has stirred something in me. And it’s not letting up.”

Where was a white flag when she needed one?

Focus
. She’d give him what he wanted, but she’d do it her way. Besides, she wanted him too. The inner depths of her yearned for him. His kiss, his touch, his rough voice when he whispered in her ear.

He followed as she walked into the kitchen, watching her with those sensual, predator eyes, waiting for her next move. She leaned against the butcher block and bumped her butt against the edge a few times. Pretty sturdy. This could work.

“Take off your clothes,” she said. “They’re dripping all over the floor.”

His lips turned up into a slight grin. “Yes, ma’am.”

The man wasn’t an imbecile, obviously. He yanked his t-shirt over his head and flung it at her. She spoke too soon. Biting back a smartass remark, Sofia laid the damp shirt across the back of a chair, then turned to close the window curtains.

Gray nudged up beside her, throwing his jeans over another chair. Which meant...?

She sneaked a peek from the corner of her eye.

Oh yeah, he was naked and his manly component was wide awake, standing at attention.