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magical ability. We said our goodbyes and I left, wishing I felt more confident, but right then all I could feel were bruises.

 
    Chapter 6
     
    Sitting in the parking lot of a fast food place, I made a few phone calls until I tracked down the person I wanted to consult. Lorraine Thibodaux was a witch and root worker who’d been forced from her native New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina. With her home in the Ninth Ward destroyed she had nothing to return to so she’d elected to stay in the city she’d evacuated to, Nashville. She now ran a small practice out of her apartment and what with both of us being practitioners, we knew each other and were on friendly terms. I set up an appointment with her the next morning, hoping she could help me out with supplies and ideas.
    After that I stared out the window for a while at nothing, sore and more than a little depressed. The best course of action would be to go home, soak my beat up body in a hot bath, and start going through both mine and Rozella’s spell books for anything that might help with Maple Hill.
    While we were at the ball game, Blake had put his number in my cellphone. We had no firm plans to see each other again but he’d made it clear he’d be calling. He’d also made it clear I was welcome to call him. I texted him instead, unsure of what I wanted. Of what I should allow myself to want, rather. Texting seemed safer than hearing his voice.
    Shortly after I sent the brief text, he called me.
    “You didn’t have to call back,” I answered. “You could have just sent a message.”
    Blake ignored that. “Are you okay? You sound rough.” He sounded genuinely concerned and that made me feel good.
    “I had a rough morning. Got beat up by a ghost.”
    “Are you hurt bad?” His voice went up an octave.
    “No, just sore. My pride hurts more than anything else.”
    “Why don’t you come over? You can tell me all about it and we can play doctor.”
    A giggle slipped out before I could stop it.
    “Come on,” he cajoled. “I’ll order some booze from room service. Get you drunk and naked. It’ll be fun.”
    “I thought you saved all that for the third date. That’s what you said last night.”
    “I said I save the kinky stuff for the third date. This would be strictly vanilla, PG-13, no bondage or spanking or incantations to make your orgasm last an hour.”
    This time I laughed outright. “You’re such a liar.”
    “O ye of little faith. You’ll see.” The flirtatious purr left his voice and he got serious. “Really, why don’t you come over? You can tell me about this case. I’ll even behave, if you want me to.”
    I tried to talk myself out of going, really, I did. Not even the trepidation caused by finding out what hotel he was in slowed me down though. To afford that place he had to be rolling in ill gotten gains, but right then I didn’t care.
    I entered his hotel room with hesitation, not because I didn’t want to be there but because I was nervous about being alone with him. Really alone. Memories of the last time that happened sent a warm flush through my body.
    Three feet away, Blake could feel it. His eyes smoldered with intent as he took a step closer. I edged away, pretending to look at the room. “Nice place. Free wi-fi?”
    He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay.”
    The quick kiss he dropped on my forehead suggested familiarity and a certain comfort level between us. I wasn’t sure if that was accurate. I wasn’t sure of anything.
    “Come here, let me show you something.”
    Taking my hand, he pulled me gently across the room. Running water sounded from behind a door, presumably the bathroom. He pushed the door open and led me inside.
    The large ornate tub was nearly full to bursting with suds. Pillar candles were arrayed around the room. He’d even placed a bath pillow on one side of the tub. “You think you’re going to get me in a bubble bath?” Impressed with his audacity, I had to grin.
    “You