Enchantment (12 page)

“Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question.

Gray reached up and wrapped her arms around
his neck. Her heart thumped to life inside her chest. A man sang
flirtatiously from the speakers. Adrian pulled her against him. His
fingers slid around her waist and gripped her firmly. Gray was
aware of every finger he pressed against her, imprinting her skin
with his touch. They moved side to side slowly in the center of the
room.

Their eyes locked. Adrian watched Gray in an
amused, mistrustful sort of way. His hand slid down her thigh as
though testing her.

If he thought she’d stomp on his foot, he was
mistaken. Gray took far too much pleasure in his touch. Maybe she’d
feel differently when the spell ended, but right now his hands
belonged on her body.

Gray laid her head against Adrian’s shoulder
and sighed.

Adrian stilled.

Gray pulled away and studied his face.
“What?”

Adrian shook his head. “Nothing.”

Gray laughed. “You look as though you think
you’re dreaming.”

“Can you blame me?” Adrian lifted a brow.
“This isn’t real.”

A smile spread across Gray’s face. “Nor is it
a dream.”

“It’s a spell,” Adrian said, as though she
needed reminding.

Gray shook her head. “A love spell, yes, but
nothing more. I can still tell the truth.”

“And what is the truth?”

Gray placed a hand on his chest then looked
up slowly into his eyes. “The truth is you saved my life. I never
thanked you.”

Adrian grunted. “Well, at least I got that
much out of this spell—a little gratitude.”

“Oh, you got a lot more than that.” Gray
flushed the moment she finished speaking. She could feel him
studying her face even as she averted her eyes. Before Gray could
pull her hand away, Adrian pressed it firmly to his chest under his
own hand. His palm scorched her skin. Gray forced herself to meet
his stare.

“Is it true that I was your first?” Adrian
asked.

Gray met his stare. “Yes.”

“Was it okay?”

Laughter bubbled up Gray’s throat, but she
choked it back. Adrian looked so intense, so concerned, so . . .
endearing. He only relaxed when she broke into a grin even though
her words came out lame. “It was incredible.”

Adrian ran his fingers down the side of her
face. “So you won’t be mad at me once the spell is reversed?”

Gray leaned into him. He smelled good. “Maybe
this isn’t a spell. Maybe I had a change of heart.”

The warmth left Gray when Adrian took a step
back and shook his head. “Don’t do this to me, Gray.” His eyes held
her in place. “Don’t do it to yourself. You’re smarter than
that.”

Gray hugged her arms around her chest. If he
meant to infuriate her by insulting her intelligence it was
working. “I’ll do whatever I want. It’s called free will, Adrian.”
Even when he angered her she felt like touching him. Gray released
the hold he had around her torso and pushed Adrian onto the sofa.
He let her force him down. It made Gray smile. She had the power
over him, she reminded herself, not the other way around.

The guitar playing through the speakers felt
as though it had the power to pluck at Gray’s very heartstrings.
Maybe Barcelona and her music had put Gray under a spell. Or
perhaps it simply fanned the flames engulfing her heart.

Adrian crossed one leg over the other and
leaned back. “Why don’t I take you out?”

“I’m already right where I want to be.”

Amusement danced across Adrian’s eyes. “That
reminds me. Why did you leave your place of lodging?”

“What do you know of my place of
lodging?”

“I know that you’re no longer there.”

Gray shrugged. “I broke house rules.”

“House rules?”

“No magic.”

“No magic?” Adrian repeated, leaning
forward.

Gray sighed and took a seat beside him. “I
was enrolled in a program that prohibited the use of magic.”

Adrian snorted. “Who managed to convince you
to do that?”

“It was my choice.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Gray bristled. “What has magic ever done for
me?”

“Saved your ass.” Adrian nodded at her as he
spoke.

“Maybe my ass wouldn’t have needed saving if
magic hadn’t screwed it up in the first place.” Gray stood up. “I
thought we were going to spend a romantic evening together.”

Adrian stretched his arms and rested them
across the top of the couch. His expression was crude. Suddenly
Adrian got on his feet. She backed up as he walked toward her until
he had her trapped against the far wall. “This is me, Gray. You
can’t expect the Avenger to change just because you have. Do you
really think I want to sit here and talk about your feelings?” His
eyes raked over her body. Gray shivered involuntarily. Adrian
leaned into her. The scent of him was tantalizing, but his
expression was cruel. “I’d sooner rip those clothes off your body
and get you back in my bed.”

Gray leaned into the wall to keep from
collapsing. Her legs felt wobbly beneath her. When she found her
voice she said, “You’re just trying to scare me off.”

“Is it working?”

Gray fought to calm her breathing then stared
Adrian in the eye. It was difficult to see beyond his hostile look,
but when she pushed past it she saw something else.

Gray shook her head side to side slowly.

“Damn it, Gray!” Adrian pushed himself away
from the wall and moved to the middle of the living room.

“Adrian . . .”

He covered his eyes as though it hurt to look
at her. “Just go.”

Gray took a step toward him. “I thought you
wanted me.”

Adrian removed his hand from his face and
laughed, a bitter sound with no mirth to it. “If I could seduce
you, I would. Don’t doubt it for a second. But this . . .” Adrian
waved his hand over her and sneered. “Someone has seduced you on my
behalf. The trouble is they made it too easy.” He looked her up and
down. “You’re too easy. Where is the challenge in that?”

Tears gathered in Gray’s eyes. She let them
pool over her irises. She wanted Adrian to see them. She wanted to
know if he had any heart at all. For a moment it seemed he did. She
thought she saw a flicker of pain cross his face, but it turned
into a tight frown.

“Ain’t love grand?” Adrian said with bitter
emotion.

Gray fought the urge to shout and stomp her
way out, slamming the door behind her. The poor jaded fool. He
could fight her all he wanted, but that didn’t make him any less of
a coward.

Gray lifted her chin. “Fine.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. “Fine what?”

“You can take me out.” When he just stared at
her, Gray said, “A moment ago you offered to take me out.”

Oh, yes, it was a fine treat to see Adrian
staring at her speechless. His plan to send her running hadn’t
quite worked, had it? What would happen if she did flee? Ten to one
he’d drown his sorrows in more of that club poison then end up
banging someone who really didn’t give a rat’s ass about him. It
was time Gray reminded Adrian who he was dealing with.

Gray grabbed her purse. “All I had for dinner
was a can of soup and piece of bread. I’m starving.” When Gray got
to the door she looked over her shoulder at Adrian. “Coming?”

She knew he would.

“Where do you want to go?” he asked when
they’d entered the hallway.

“I know a good pizzeria.”

“You want to go to a pizzeria in Spain?”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “You and my nan would get on
splendidly.”

At least he relaxed a little. He kept his
distance, though, which Gray didn’t like. Once they were on the
street, she reached for his hand. Adrian’s head turned abruptly in
her direction and Gray was afraid he’d pull away, but a second
later he gripped her fingers back.

Gray looked away before he could see how much
that made her smile. It struck her how different she felt walking
hand in hand with Adrian compared to Carlo. Those whirlwind couple
weeks with the Spanish boy seemed like a silly adolescent crush in
comparison.

“Witches and warlocks go well together,” she
observed.

Adrian chuckled. “Better than witches and
vampires or warlocks and werewolves?”

Gray rolled her eyes. “Better than witches
and normal mortals. Boys are overrated.”

“Are you referring to your Spaniard?”

“Carlo,” Gray said. “I thought I liked him,
but I can’t remember why.”

“No doubt you’ll remember once this is over,”
Adrian said grudgingly.

Gray pressed against his shoulder as they
passed a group. She didn’t move away—even when there was room on
the sidewalk. Gray didn’t want this to be over. That was the
spell’s doing, she had to remind herself for the hundredth time.
She wasn’t in control of her emotions, and it seemed she wasn’t
even in control of her thoughts.

What she did remember was the disappointment
Carlo had caused her.

“He was just a distraction.”

Adrian pulled away from her, loosening his
hold on her hand. “From Raj.”

Gray studied Adrian’s clenched jaw. “Raj,”
she repeated, as though trying to place the name. “I have no
feelings for him. It’s true,” she added when Adrian shot her a look
of disbelief. “Raj and Lee are together. They make a good
couple.”

“I’d pay to hear you repeat those words once
you’re off this spell.”

Gray shrugged. “Spell or not, I’ve moved on.”
She turned her head to get a better look at him. “You should give
it a try.”

Adrian pulled his fingers out of Gray’s hand
and grabbed her by the shoulders. “
You
are under a spell,”
he said roughly. “I’m not.” And then he released her and began
walking quickly away.

Gray was right—this was a curse. Nothing Adrian said
or did worked to scare Gray off. Shaking himself free of her did no
good. She quickly matched his pace and informed him they needed to
cross left not right to get to the pizzeria.

Try moving on
. Adrian could never move
on from Gray.

There was no one like her . . . well,
obviously. But he’d never known a young woman half as brave or
interesting. Adrian had always considered himself special for
having survived a body transfer. Then he’d met Graylee Perez, who
had
died
and been dead months before inhabiting another
body. It was unheard of.

Gray was a magical anomaly—one Adrian wanted
for himself. Or at least that’s how it had started. She wasn’t
particularly his type. Adrian liked women who were soft, shy even.
At least he had a long time ago. But again, that was a different
life and a different person. Adrian was too cynical for nice girls
now.

Gray was just what he needed: jaded, bitter,
reckless.

And now she had no one. Not Raj, nor her
mother.

Part of him longed to see how far he could
push the spell. He had already pushed it pretty damn far. Too
far.

Another part of Adrian wanted nothing to do
with Gray. Technically she wasn’t a glamor, but she might as well
have been. The real Gray wouldn’t hurry to catch up with him on the
street and loop her arm around his.

The warm air against her skin produced a
sweet scent. Her hair had the smell of the tropics in it while her
arms hinted at something floral. Adrian breathed her in.

There was something possessive about the way
she squeezed his arm and to Adrian’s surprise, he found he liked
it.

He was just beginning to allow himself to
smile when he noticed an old woman walking slowly toward them. She
looked from Gray to Adrian and flashed him a knowing smile. There
were other couples who passed her from ahead, but the woman kept
staring at Adrian and Gray.

Adrian narrowed his eyes.

He saw her slow as they neared. Adrian pulled
Gray closer, as though the woman might rip her from him upon
passing.

The woman said something and Gray smiled.

“What did she say?” Adrian demanded the
moment they’d passed.

Gray blushed. “It’s nothing.”

“Tell me.”

Gray slowed her steps and smiled. “Here we
are,” she announced, pulling Adrian’s arm gently toward an open
door.

Once they were seated, Adrian looked over the
menu. He’d seen enough of them that certain words were beginning to
look familiar.

“Just tell me what you want, and I’ll order
for us,” Gray said.

Adrian flipped the menu over. “Do you want
anything to drink?” He looked up when Gray didn’t answer and found
her staring at him with a smile that turned into a laugh.

“I’m already drunk on you.”

Adrian grinned. “You’re much more pleasant to
be around when you’re under a spell.”

“And you’re much more gentlemanly when . . .”
Gray twisted her lips and looked beyond his shoulder. “When . . . I
don’t know.” She shrugged.

“When you’re not being a complete nuisance?”
Adrian suggested.

Gray laughed lightly. She brushed her hair
over one shoulder and looked at Adrian, eyes shining. “Remember the
last time we went out to dinner?”

Adrian stared back in confusion for a moment.
Then he remembered. “That night did not end well.”

Not well at all. Adrian had offered Gray his
help avenging herself against a warlock named Nolan, and she’d
repaid him by turning around and placing him under a confusion
spell, shoving a needle in his arm, and hitting him over the head
with a frying pan.

Adrian took a good long look at Gray. He
really ought to re-evaluate his choice in women.

“But we had fun, too,” Gray said quickly.
“Before the other stuff.”

Adrian raised a hand at a passing waiter.
“I’ll have a beer—something Spanish if you’ve got it.”

“
Si,
señor
.”
The waiter looked at Gray. “
S
eñorita
?
”