She wanted it to be real. She wanted him here with her with the sun on their bodies as they made love with no restraint or second-guessing.
“Amanda,” Jacob moaned her name. “Too good. It feels too good. I wish this wasn’t a dream. I want you so much.”
Yes, just a dream.
She licked and kissed her way back up his body while her hand still stroked his length. She concentrated on his throat, the underside of his stubbled chin, his lips that parted for her, his tongue sweeping against hers. She was so ready for him. She wanted him inside her so badly that she ached.
“My favorite dream ever,” she said out loud.
“Definitely,” he agreed.
He skimmed her bikini bottoms down her legs and then leaned over to kiss her flat stomach, parting her with his fingers so he could slide his tongue against her. She gasped and arched her back, fisting a hand into his black hair as he pleasured her with his mouth. She’d never had a dream that felt so real before.
Kissing a hot trail back to her mouth, he got to his feet and lifted her into his strong arms, a dark, frenzied look now on his face. “I need you.”
She just nodded. Yes. She needed him, too. More than he’d ever know.
He carried her back to her lounge chair, laying her gently down on her back. She looked up at him.
“This can’t be your favorite dream,” he said. “Because it’s my favorite dream.”
She groaned as he parted her legs and rubbed the tip of his shaft against her entrance. He was teasing her when all she wanted was to be filled.
“Don’t need protection in my dream,” he said with a crooked grin.
“My dream,” she said.
“Mine,” he corrected. “But let’s not argue. That’s what we do when we’re awake.”
She wanted him inside of her so badly that she couldn’t think straight, but despite the incredible pleasure she felt, she frowned. “You’re saying this is your dream?”
He nodded, and leaned forward to brush his mouth against hers. “I earned it after that scene at your house today. Your mother is fairly horrible. I don’t think she’ll ever accept me as her son-in-law.”
“This isn’t your dream. It’s my dream.”
He smiled. “Afraid not. I think I know when I’m dreaming. Now if you don’t mind, I’m trying to concentrate here. Wouldn’t want to wake up yet. You feel way too good.”
“This is my dream,” she said again. “It’s a good one, amazing in fact, but it’s still my dream.”
“Possession is nine-tenths of the law,” he whispered against her lips.
“What if…what if we’re both dreaming?” she asked, sliding her hands up to his broad shoulders. “What if this is just another manifestation of the curse?”
He frowned. “That’s impossible.”
“Is it?”
He leaned back to look at her and there was something in his green eyes that made her believe he didn’t think it was so impossible. That he was seeing that she wasn’t simply a naked figment of his imagination.
“I don’t want to wake up,” he said.
“Then kiss me,” she suggested, and he didn’t need to be told twice. He kissed her hard and deep and she tried desperately to hold on to the feeling of his body against hers, almost inside her—so close—touching, tasting the smooth, hot skin against hers. And in the next moment, all of those sensations vanished and there was no pool, no resort and no Jacob.
As she woke, she opened her eyes to find that she was staring at the ceiling, her body covered in perspiration, her bedsheet twisted around her. A dark, unfulfilled need gnawed away inside of her.
Her phone rang. She reached over to grab it and pressed it up against her ear.
“Yeah,” she managed.
“So was it?” Jacob asked quietly. “Or wasn’t it?”
She swallowed hard and licked her dry lips. “It was.”
There was a pause for so long that she thought he might have hung up on her. And then, “We have to find a way to break this curse.”
“I agree.”
“We’ll fix this. I promise.”
“Okay.”
“Goodnight, Amanda.”
“Goodnight, Jacob.”
She clicked the phone off, her body still aching for his touch.
She stared at the ceiling knowing there was no chance she was going to be able to get back to sleep again that night.
“I SEE,” Patrick said, leaning back in his wheelchair and tenting his fingers. “Yes, that is a problem, isn’t it?”
He glanced at his two favorite employees, who both looked beside themselves with stress over this situation, and he tried desperately not to laugh.
It wasn’t funny.
Well, maybe a little bit.
When he’d sent them out on the assignment together the other night he’d had no idea it would get so out of control. He’d woken up to the shrew of a client screaming at him from the other end of the phone on Saturday morning. So much for giving out his cell phone number to customers. He’d needed the weekend to relax before he dealt with the repercussions. After all, this was kind of his fault.
He hadn’t anticipated an enchanted clock, though. He’d just thought that spending some time together would make these two realize they didn’t hate each other and maybe there was something more between them that they’d want to explore.
So much for playing matchmaker.
“What do you suggest we do about this?” Amanda asked tightly.
It was so obvious that they’d had sex. They had yet to admit that to him, but he was no dummy. His psychic skills leaned toward Jacob’s—an empathic ability—although Patrick didn’t have to touch somebody to see the truth of what they felt. He just had to be in the same room with them.
At least somebody was getting some. He hadn’t had sex since before his accident. Well before. The doctors promised that his equipment would be back in working order eventually. But his sorry sex life didn’t have much to do with the current problem at hand.
“So, there’s a witch involved,” he said. “The one who enchanted the clock in the first place.”
Jacob nodded and darted a sideways glance at Amanda. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest. “The former owner of the house, Carolyn—”
“Catherine Myles,” Amanda corrected. Jacob glared at her. “It was her aunt. And it was a wedding gift a hundred or so years ago. Her aunt apparently didn’t approve of her choice of a husband. I’m guessing that the aunt sensed he had murderous tendencies and she was trying to protect Catherine. But giving her a wedding gift like the grandfather clock doesn’t make any sense, considering what it does.”
“The clock’s magic caused Catherine and her servant Nathan to begin a physical relationship,” Patrick said. This was the second time they had gone through this part of the story.
“That’s right,” Amanda said. “And the false feelings that they developed made it look as if they were in love and her husband shot them both.”
“You think they were false feelings?” Jacob asked. “The way you described them to me made me think they really were in love. You were all about their star-crossed romantic lovefest when we were at the house.”
Amanda was quiet for a moment. “I did get the feeling that Nathan was in love with Catherine—he said as much. But the more I think about it the more I’m not so sure she felt the same in return. Maybe it was only lust for her.”
“Unfortunately I didn’t see or speak to the ghosts,” Jacob said. “Not my talent.”
“And when the clock struck midnight, what exactly happened?” Patrick asked carefully.
“Well,” Amanda said as she and Jacob exchanged a glance. “I can only compare it to a feeling of, uh…a sense of, um…how do I put this?”
“She tore my clothes off and had her way with me,” Jacob finished.
Amanda gasped. “That’s not how it was.”
“No?” He raised his eyebrows. “Then how was it?”
> She gritted her teeth and looked at Patrick. “We were compelled to do things we normally wouldn’t have done. And I’m very sorry that the client had to witness us in a very…um…unprofessional position.”
“Lots of unprofessional positions,” Jacob added. “My favorite was the one where you were on top of—”
“Shut up!” Amanda’s face was so red that she looked ready to pop.
Do not laugh, Patrick commanded himself. The woman might actually kill somebody.
“Come on,” Jacob persisted. “It was the best sex of your life, right?”
“Yes, it was,” she replied immediately, and then her face darkened a shade. “Please don’t do that anymore!”
Right, Jacob was able to get her to tell the truth. And in turn, she could read his mind. This was seriously messed up.
“I am not a relationship counselor,” Patrick said after a moment. “So your sex lives are none of my business. But enchanted objects and spirits who refuse to go onto the next world are. I’m going to look over your paperwork and photos and decide what to do next. I’m thinking an exorcism is definitely in order. As far as the clock, perhaps if it is dismantled and burned with some cleansing oil, that might take care of breaking your curse.”
Neither of them looked satisfied with that answer. Despite Jacob’s flippant manner, Patrick could see the tension in his expression.
“Fine,” Amanda said stiffly. “If you think that’s the best course of action, then that’s what we’ll do. I’ll wait for the exorcism orders. However, I’d like to do a bit more research first, if that’s okay.”
“Be my guest,” Patrick said. “One way or the other, we’ll work this out. After all, it doesn’t seem to be a dangerous curse, just an inconvenient one, right?”
He didn’t receive any reply to that statement.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Amanda said. “I have to get back to work.”
She left the office and Jacob watched her leave with a wistful look in his eyes. He made a move to follow her, but Patrick stopped him.
“Close the door, Jacob,” he said. “I’d like to speak with you privately.”
Jacob’s shoulders tensed, but he did what the boss told him to and turned around to face Patrick. “Yeah?”
“Is it just the curse or are you really in love with her?”
Jacob’s eyes bugged. “What?”
“Did I stutter?”
“No…it’s just that…I’m not…” He blinked hard, color slowly draining from his face. “I’m not in love with her. Lust, sure. But…but love?”
“Right. So you’re still in denial about it, are you?”
“I’m not in denial. I’m…” Jacob swallowed. “I…I just don’t know what’s real anymore. She’s the most stubborn and frustrating woman I’ve ever met, but all I want is to be with her. It’s driving me insane, actually.”
“It’ll get better.”
Jacob laughed at that. “Promise?”
“Actually, no. I was just trying to be helpful.”
“Great.”
“Maybe she’ll change her mind and stay in Mystic Ridge.”
Jacob shook his head. “She won’t. She’s leaving and nothing I can say will make a damn bit of difference. She’s focused on her new, normal life with her boyfriend.”
“Nothing you can say will make a difference? Have you said anything?”
“Some. I told her she was making a mistake by turning her back on her talents.”
“Did you tell her you’re in love with her?”
Jacob blanched again. “I thought I already told you—”
“That you’re not. Lust only, thanks to the spell. I almost forgot. Do you want my unsolicited advice?” Patrick didn’t wait for a reply. “If you discover it isn’t just lust, tell her how you feel. Tell her you don’t think it’s just the curse that makes you feel that way. Put the ball in her court. At least then, if she still chooses to leave, she’ll be making an informed decision.”
Jacob was quiet for a long moment. “I don’t think it’s just lust.”
The corner of Patrick’s mouth twitched with amusement. “No shit.”
“But what if we break the curse and I stop feeling this way about her?”
“Do you think you will?”
Another pause. “No.”
“Then go talk to her. Her going-away party’s tomorrow night. It’s not like you have a lot of time to make this work.”
“I’m going to look like a damn fool.”
“That’s very possible.” Patrick shrugged.
“I think I hate you.”
Patrick smirked at him. “You’re fired.”
Jacob grinned and let out a long shaky sigh. “You know, I had a chance to hook up with a random babe last night and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t get excited. I thought for a moment that it was another side effect of the curse, but now I’m thinking that I’m just not attracted to anyone else.”
“Maybe you’re in more trouble than I originally thought.”
“Comforting. Thanks.” He looked over his shoulder at the closed door. “Can I go now?”
“Be my guest.”
Jacob moved toward the door and opened it up.
“One more thing, Jacob,” Patrick said. Jacob turned to look at him. “I hope it all works out.”
“Me, too.” With that, Jacob left his office.
Patrick wished he had the ability to see into the future. It would be very handy right now.
10
AMANDA could barely concentrate on the computer screen in front of her. She was finding nothing helpful in her research and it was driving her crazy. She knew not everything under the sun was documented and neatly organized, but it would be nice if it was.
There was a knock at her door and she tensed, thinking it was Jacob. After their sexy shared dream last night, it was safer if she didn’t see him alone. She was embarrassed at how easily she’d accepted the opportunity to do things to and with Jacob that she resisted in her waking hours. He’d seen how much she wanted him, despite her many protests. And he’d just made her admit that sex with him had been the best of her life.
Well, it had been. But that didn’t make it okay.
Destroying the clock had been a solution she’d already thought of but she’d hoped that Patrick, with his ultimate knowledge of the supernatural world, would have a better and quicker solution.
Her original decision to simply ignore the curse until she moved away wasn’t feasible anymore. If they could find each other in their dreams, then no distance would make a difference. She felt bound to Jacob, body and soul, at the moment, unable to think about anyone else or even concentrate on the last two days of her job at PARA.
She rubbed her temples. “Come in,” she said when the knocking persisted despite her best attempts to ignore it.
The door opened and in walked her best friend Vicky, who held two cups of coffee in her hands, one of which she gave to Amanda. Vicky was a few inches taller than Amanda, very attractive, with medium-length dark-blond hair, and she liked to dress in low-cut tops and short skirts. Usually her clothes were some shade of purple. Today was no exception. She was also clairvoyant, although it took her a little bit more effort to see ghosts than it did Amanda.
“Good morning,” she said with a smile.
Amanda smiled back and took a sip of the strong brew. “’Morning.”
“You forgot the good.”
“No, I didn’t.”
Vicky laughed at that. “How’s it going?”
“Fine,” Amanda lied.
Vicky studied her for a moment. “Well?”
“Well what?”
“Are you going to share or do I have to beat it out of you?”
Amanda blinked with confusion. “I don’t think I know what you’re talking about.”
“Rumor has it that you were sent out on assignment with Jacob on Friday night. Late Friday night.” She waggled her eyebrows. “How’d that go?”
Amanda
blanched. “It went…fine. Just fine. No problems.”
Did the whole office know about the assignment? Would they find out what had happened between her and Jacob? After all, everyone in the office had psychic abilities to one degree or another.
She forced herself to remain calm. The compulsion to tell the truth and read the other’s mind was only a manifestation of the curse. She reminded herself that abilities like that were not normal so she didn’t have to worry that her secret would get out. Some empaths might be able to sense something was going on, but when wasn’t there sexual tension in an office atmosphere between male and female coworkers?
“He is so delicious,” Vicky said dreamily. “If Jacob Caine was lunchmeat I would eat him every single day of the week and never get sick of the taste.”
Amanda twisted a nervous finger through her hair. “Lovely analogy.”
“Thanks, I thought so.” Vicky grinned. “You’re kind of moody today, aren’t you?”
Amanda laughed out loud at that. “I’m moody every day. You, of all people, should know that.”
“Good point. I hope you’re ready for your big party tomorrow night.”
“Who’s invited?”
“Just twenty or thirty of your closest friends. All really drunk and disorderly.”
“So, same as usual, then.” Amanda couldn’t help but smile at the mental image. Damn. She would miss everybody. She could barely believe that she was finally leaving.
“Will Jacob be coming?” Vicky asked.
“Not sure.”
“I hope he will.”
Amanda cringed at that. She’d almost forgotten about Vicky and Jacob’s date last month. The reminder of Jacob’s sexual prowess did not make her feel better.
In fact, it made something akin to jealousy twist in her gut.
Why would she feel jealous of any woman that Jacob had been with before her? He was an admitted womanizer. Hot men with commitment issues usually were. It shouldn’t bother her at all. Yet it did. It bothered her a lot.