handsome as he, but I was stuck with him for the entire week. I’d cater to his ego and play nice for now, but I’d probably need to put my foot down after today.
If I wanted to keep this guy from playing with my heart strings, I was going to have to find a way to avoid him after this lunch date. Set that inflamed ego of his down a peg or two. Sharing a room together made that task feel as impossible as climbing Mount Everest. I hoped I was up to the challenge.
Within minutes of taking off, I noticed Miguel checking the rear view mirror. In heavy traffic this would have been normal, but the roads remained fairly uncluttered. After about the fifth time he did this, I decided to take a look in my side mirror to see what had him behaving so paranoid.
I noticed a large, black SUV trailing behind us, but that was it. Nothing strange about that.
“Mr. Galvez, why do you keep checking your mirror?”
He gave me a questioning look. “Am I? I guess one can never be too careful when it comes to American drivers.”
“Are you saying people in the United States can’t drive?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, and the name is Miguel.” He flashed me his brilliantly white teeth and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from returning his smile with one that was sure to look insanely goofy. I was a melted puddle of Jell-O around this guy.
“Do you know much about Galveston Island, Analise?”
“Not a thing.” I sneaked a look in my side mirror again and noticed the SUV still following close behind. So what? We were driving on an island. Whomever was seated in the SUV probably needed some food as badly as I did.
“Then allow me to be your tour guide for the week. After we finish lunch we can go see some of the sites on The Strand.”
“The Strand?”
“A historical district. A popular tourist attraction.”
I hesitated, knowing that more time with Miguel equaled a higher probability of dealing with a summoning in his presence. Of course, we were nowhere near the hotel, so the chances of it happening while we went sightseeing might be less than what I feared.
I also considered the danger I might be placing myself in by spending my time with a warlock, regardless of whether or not he knew what he was.
Decisions, decisions.
“I suppose that would be okay.”
“You suppose?” He lightly trailed his index finger along my arm. “"I suppose we could always do something else. Perhaps we could return to our suite and get to know one another better there.”
“The Strand sounds great,” I choked out.
I could see Miguel smirking out of the corner of my eye. “Excellent. It’s a date.”
A date? This was now a date?
Heaven help me.
* * *
“So tell me what exactly brought you here to Galveston,” Miguel said.
I couldn’t help but feel as if all eyes rested upon myself and my lunch date as we sat at a white square table overlooking the waterfront. The restaurant he’d brought me to boasted of incredible beach views and scintillating Mardi Gras music. I’d rather Miguel had taken me to a less romantic location. My hormones didn’t need this kind of encouragement.
“I write a small column for The Gazette in New York City.” I congratulated myself on my brief answer. The less information I gave up the better.
“And what is this column about?”
“Let’s talk about you.” My attempt at redirecting the conversation wasn’t subtle, but something told me subtlety wasn’t going to work with this guy. “What kind of business has you visiting a bed and breakfast inn?”
He remained silent for a moment, giving me a speculative look, but eventually relented and gave in to the swift change in subject.
“I am an antiques dealer of the colonial variety, especially anything that can be found during the revolutionary war era.”
My interest piqued, I tried picturing this runway model haggling over antique furniture and family keepsakes.
“That’s an unusual profession
If I wanted to keep this guy from playing with my heart strings, I was going to have to find a way to avoid him after this lunch date. Set that inflamed ego of his down a peg or two. Sharing a room together made that task feel as impossible as climbing Mount Everest. I hoped I was up to the challenge.
Within minutes of taking off, I noticed Miguel checking the rear view mirror. In heavy traffic this would have been normal, but the roads remained fairly uncluttered. After about the fifth time he did this, I decided to take a look in my side mirror to see what had him behaving so paranoid.
I noticed a large, black SUV trailing behind us, but that was it. Nothing strange about that.
“Mr. Galvez, why do you keep checking your mirror?”
He gave me a questioning look. “Am I? I guess one can never be too careful when it comes to American drivers.”
“Are you saying people in the United States can’t drive?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, and the name is Miguel.” He flashed me his brilliantly white teeth and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from returning his smile with one that was sure to look insanely goofy. I was a melted puddle of Jell-O around this guy.
“Do you know much about Galveston Island, Analise?”
“Not a thing.” I sneaked a look in my side mirror again and noticed the SUV still following close behind. So what? We were driving on an island. Whomever was seated in the SUV probably needed some food as badly as I did.
“Then allow me to be your tour guide for the week. After we finish lunch we can go see some of the sites on The Strand.”
“The Strand?”
“A historical district. A popular tourist attraction.”
I hesitated, knowing that more time with Miguel equaled a higher probability of dealing with a summoning in his presence. Of course, we were nowhere near the hotel, so the chances of it happening while we went sightseeing might be less than what I feared.
I also considered the danger I might be placing myself in by spending my time with a warlock, regardless of whether or not he knew what he was.
Decisions, decisions.
“I suppose that would be okay.”
“You suppose?” He lightly trailed his index finger along my arm. “"I suppose we could always do something else. Perhaps we could return to our suite and get to know one another better there.”
“The Strand sounds great,” I choked out.
I could see Miguel smirking out of the corner of my eye. “Excellent. It’s a date.”
A date? This was now a date?
Heaven help me.
* * *
“So tell me what exactly brought you here to Galveston,” Miguel said.
I couldn’t help but feel as if all eyes rested upon myself and my lunch date as we sat at a white square table overlooking the waterfront. The restaurant he’d brought me to boasted of incredible beach views and scintillating Mardi Gras music. I’d rather Miguel had taken me to a less romantic location. My hormones didn’t need this kind of encouragement.
“I write a small column for The Gazette in New York City.” I congratulated myself on my brief answer. The less information I gave up the better.
“And what is this column about?”
“Let’s talk about you.” My attempt at redirecting the conversation wasn’t subtle, but something told me subtlety wasn’t going to work with this guy. “What kind of business has you visiting a bed and breakfast inn?”
He remained silent for a moment, giving me a speculative look, but eventually relented and gave in to the swift change in subject.
“I am an antiques dealer of the colonial variety, especially anything that can be found during the revolutionary war era.”
My interest piqued, I tried picturing this runway model haggling over antique furniture and family keepsakes.
“That’s an unusual profession
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