Cursed (9 page)

“No more. My belly is about to pop.”

“You did well. I’m proud of you,” he said. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes, before I manage to cram something else down my throat. Thank God this festival is only once a year. If you keep feeding me like this every month, I’ll put on pounds so quick, your head will spin.”

“Then there’ll just be more of you to love.”

The words were out before he could think.

“W-what did you say?” she asked. She came to a halt in the grass halfway to the parking lot. Far enough from the festival grounds to give them the illusion of privacy in the twilight between day and night.

“I said I love you, Avalyn Rae Voiles.” The words he’d never been able to say in any other relationship had slipped out as smooth as butter.

“Colton.”

“You don’t have to say it back if you’re not ready. I wasn’t planning on saying it really–”

She placed her palm over his mouth to stop his rambling. “Shhh. I love you too.” She removed her hand.

“Y-You do?”

“I do.”

Unable to express himself with words, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her until she was breathless. She tasted like apples and cinnamons, and her body molded to his as she hooked her arms around his neck. The world around them faded. Lost in the feel of her tongue as it tangled around his own, his hands crept down to her luscious ass.

He squeezed it tight, eliciting a high-pitched squeal. Wolf whistles sounded in the distance, killing the moment. He pulled away.

“Home?” he mouthed.

“Home,” she whispered.

The minute they were settled in the truck, she was all over him. Her body pressed up against his side as she nibbled his earlobe. Her sharp teeth nipped as her tiny hands wandered from his chest down. She raked her finger nails against the denim on his inner thigh, and he shuddered. She was so close to where he wanted to feel her most, yet still too damn far. Her love bites moved from his earlobe down to his neck, where she focused on his pulse point. Her hand grazed the bulge in his pants, and he moaned, gritting his teeth as he focused on keeping the truck on the road. She continued to massage him, and his breath began to come in pants.

“If you keep this up, I won’t last long.”

“I think you can.” Her voice had dropped to a wicked purr. He knew that tone; it meant she had something up her sleeve.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

She eased down the zipper and reached inside his boxers to guide his hard cock out. She bent over his lap. She pushed the heavy weight of her hair to the side and flicked her tongue out to caress the head. He gripped the wheel harder, and the color drained from his knuckles. Colton counted to ten and took deep breaths as she continued to tease him with her talented tongue.

Flicks became licks, and then she engulfed him with her hot, wet mouth. He swore, and his body tensed as she took him deep into her throat again and again, pausing to run her tongue around his mushroom-shaped head. She wiggled the stiff tip of her tongue into his opening to scoop up his pre-cum while she hummed.
I’m going to shoot my load right here and now.
It was strength of will that kept him from covering her pretty face with the creamy white substance that was building up.

Avalyn sucked him back into her mouth and hummed some more, stroking him up and down as she bobbed her head, and he let loose. He cried out as he kept his gaze on the road and his hands steady, despite the shaking and twitching of his limbs.

She swallowed down all he had to offer, licking him clean before she tucked him away, zipped his pants, and sat up to cuddle into his side.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen you speechless.”

“Minx.”

“You love it.”

“I do.” He bent to plant a kiss on her forehead. The thought of losing her ruined the tender moment, and he knew they needed to talk about the curse. Right now would be the wrong time though. She’d doubt his sincerity about his decision to say I love you. But his time was growing short. Every day he remained quiet was another day he risked ruining the happiness he’d found. It was a catch twenty-two.

***

“Go back to sleep, baby. It’s my brother, Randy.”

“Mmh kay.”

She knew all about the nasty divorce Randy was going through. It wasn’t unusual for him to call when he needed moral support. He rolled from the bed, pulled on a pair of boxers, and took the now silent phone from the nightstand. He padded out of the room to the kitchen, where he popped open a water bottle and redialed his brother.

“Hey, bro, what’s going on?”

“That’s what I want to know!”

“Randy, it’s…” he glanced at the clock on his microwave, “three in the morning. What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you dragging your feet on breaking the curse, because you’re distracted by a hot piece of ass.”

“Hey! Don’t talk about her like that.”

“This is bullshit, Colton, and you know it.”

“Look, it’s not that easy!”

“Why? Because you’re afraid you might lose her?”

Yes!
“Because it’s complicated.”

“So were my last two marriages. I’m not looking to go for number three!”

“I know you’re frustrated, Randy. You’ve had a hard time of things, especially lately.” Colton sighed and rubbed his grit-lined eyelids.

“Don’t give me that shrink shit, Colton! You’re being selfish, plain and simple.”

“What do you want me to do? Wake her up right now and ask her to remove the spell?”

“Yes! Either you do it, or I swear to God, I will! And I have a feeling I won’t be nearly as nice as you.”

“What good would that do, Randy? It has to be me.” His face grew heated as he balled his fist.

“So why aren’t you doing it then?”

“Fine. I’ll ask her, okay?”

“Don’t bother, Colton.” The sound of Avalyn’s anger-filled voice stopped him cold.

“I have to go.” He hung up the phone and spun around.

“I don’t know what you heard, Av, but it’s not what you think.”

“You weren’t just talking to your brother about breaking the curse the Voiles put on you?”

“Okay, that part is true, but–”

“Enough!”

The word echoed in the kitchen, and the loud boom of thunder that sounded made him jump. The wind began to pick up outside, rattling the shutters.

“You’re despicable! You could’ve just asked me to remove it, but instead, you chose to play games.”

“I wasn’t playing games, Avalyn. I meant everything I said.”

“Like I’d believe you now.”

“You’re overreacting.”

“Don’t you dare!”

Thunder boomed, and lighting flashed outside. The atmosphere became charged with energy, and the hair on his arms stood on end. Was she causing all of this?

“I’ll give you what you want, Colton Edgeworth, and then I want you to stay the hell away from me!”

“Avalyn.”

“No!”

Rain pounded on the roof as the sky imploded. She raised her hand in the air, and he held his breath, unsure of what she’d do next. He’d never seen a display of power like this from her. It was frightening.

“I, Avalyn Rae Voiles, do rescind the curse placed on the Edgeworth men. As I will it, so mote it be!” Her eyes seemed to burn with the intensity of her anger. “There!”

“Av—”

“I don’t want to hear a word you have to say, Colton. I wouldn’t even be talking to you if I had my car here. Just take me home and do not say a word. ‘Cause if you do, I swear on all I hold dear, I won’t be held responsible for what I do to you.”

He clamped his mouth shut, jogged upstairs to quickly redress in the clothes from the night before, and waited while she gathered her things. They headed to the truck, and he swore he could feel his heart break into a million tiny pieces. Perhaps this was the cosmic joke. The curse was removed at his expense. This was the price the eldest Edgeworth had to pay in order for the others to find happiness. The ride was silent and somber. It made him sick to his stomach.

Pellets of water continued to attack the car with a ferocity that bordered on violent. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into her driveway, and she opened the door and walked away without a word.

He watched her form disappear into the house and realized her it was distorted by more than just the rain. Salty droplets ran down his face, and his chest grew tight. If felt like his future had been ripped away from him in the blink of an eye .He eased his truck back out of the drive and drove through the downpour. Despite what Avalyn said, this wasn’t over by a long shot. Tonight though, he’d lick his wounds. Tomorrow he’d start planning how to get her back…after he murdered Randall.

I can’t believe I was so damn stupid!
Avalyn set the box of glass votives on the table. They clanked in protest. Her mother shot her a concerned glance, and she mouthed,
“sorry.”
She refused to talk about what had happened between her and Colton, but she wasn’t fooling anyone. They knew things had gone south, regardless of whether or not they knew the how and why.

The bell above the door rang out, and she tensed as she peered toward the doorway. Relief flooded her when she spotted a blonde woman in her mid-forties. Colton had made a habit of showing up at random intervals, asking to speak to her. She’d turned him down every time and sent him on his way. She’d thought about conjuring a repellent spell that would bar him from entering, but that would be frowned upon and bring her more bad luck. Doing mean-spirited things came back to you at the least expected time.

You’d think after what he’d done, repelling would be kind, but magic didn’t take sides. It went by intentions, and keeping someone from entering your store when they didn’t intend to harm you wasn’t nice; even if it was the one thing that kept her from harming Colton Edgeworth. She didn’t need her magic for that. She’d use her bare hands. The morbid thought lightened her mood as she began to restock the candles.

“Avalyn, I need you to run to the back for me. We’re running low on singles and quarters.” Her mother’s voice made the medieval torture methods she’d been running an image of Colton through dissolve.

“Sure thing, Mom.”

One of the plusses about their Main Street location was how close everything was. The bank was just across the street. She straightened the pyramid she’d stacked, walked over to the register, and took the blue money bag from her mother. “I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time. You look like you could use the fresh air.”

If only that would help the way I feel.
The betrayal left her see-sawing between a combination of bitterness, anger, self-doubt, and confusion. Why would Viola steer her wrong? Had she wanted Colton to be the one so badly, she misjudged a dream for a vision? Avalyn had gone over the dream a dozen times and come up with the same answer: no. She would never have found the necklace without guidance. It didn’t make any sense. Maybe Viola wanted other to experience the same heartache and disappointment she had? The thought didn’t match up to the sweet woman who’d come to her.

A small part of her thought she might have been misunderstood, but pride kept her from humoring Colton, or taking another risk. She saw the pity-filled looks everyone in the town shot her, including her gran. Somehow, that made things even worse. Her gran was never one to bite her tongue when she thought you’d screwed up. A firm believer in tough love, she never hesitated to tell someone “I told you so.” Her silence now made Avalyn feel like a complete loser. Her heels clacked on the pavement as she made her way across the empty intersection and into First National. The line was long, but the tellers were moving people up to the counter and getting them on their way at a decent pace.

“Avalyn.”

The familiar voice made her want to revisit her lunch. She could ignore him, but she knew from experience he could care less if he caused a scene. He’d keep badgering her until she responded.

“Edgeworth.”

“Really?”

“What do you want?” The people around them were starting to stare, so she flashed her best “everything’s fine” smile.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, folks.

“I want a chance to explain.”

“I’m pretty sure your words said it all.”

“You misunderstood the conversation.”

“You got what you wanted, so why are you here?”

“Because you are what I want.”

“You sure have a funny way of showing it.”

She stepped forward in line as the line grew shorter. Their whispered words were being listened to, but that was a downfall of small town life.

“All I’m asking for is a chance to explain.”

“You lost your chance for anything with me.”

“You can’t believe that.”

She spun her head around to give him a piece of her mind, crowd be damned, and stopped short. His light eyes were filled with pain.
What right does he have to be in anguish? This entire thing is his damn fault!

She swallowed back her tirade and turned to face forward.

“Just give me this one chance, and I’ll leave you alone.”

She turned back. “I’m listening.”

“Meet me at the butterfly house, Saturday, at five o’clock. If you don’t like what I have to say or believe me after that…I’ll keep my distance.”

The teller at the end of the row waved her hand to signal Avalyn was next.

“I’ll consider it.”

She made her way to the counter and placed the blue money bag onto the gray slab between them.

“Hi, what can I do for you today, Ms. Voiles?”

“I just need some singles and quarters.”

The transaction was a blur as the conversation between her and Colton replayed itself in her mind. Had she made the best or the worst decision of her life?

***

Thanks to Randall and his inability to come clean earlier, he’d mucked things up badly. His brain went into autopilot as he deposited his check and made his way back to the office. He burst in and found Randy and Hunter sitting at their desks.