Dreams of Seduction Read Online Free PDF Page A

was gone, he’d never hear the end of it.
    The phone rang just as he lifted a piece of toast to his mouth. Sighing, he dropped it back to the plate.
    He checked his watch as he reached for the cordless. It wasn’t time for his shift yet, but it still might be work.
    “Bearson.”
    “Good morning, sweetheart. How are you this morning?”
    He smiled. “Mom. I was just thinking about you.”
    “I know that. That’s why I’m calling.” She paused and Jed heard a male voice in the background.
    “Your father says to tell you he might need to hit you up for a loan to be able to afford to fly us home.” His mother’s tone was dry. He could easily imagine her glaring at her husband. For about five seconds. Then she’d laugh.
    He counted off the seconds and sure enough her laughter followed. “He’s just teasing. I haven’t spent that much. Hardly anything. I’ve been taking hundreds and hundreds of pictures.”
    “Thousands,” his father’s voice boomed in the background.
    Jed sipped his coffee as his parents bantered back and forth. Finally his mother returned her attention to him. “Enough about me and your father. How are you?” Her voice grew serious. “I couldn’t get you out of my mind all last night and this morning.”
    His mother was a little bit fey where her child was concerned. She’d always seemed to know when something was bothering him as a child. That hadn’t changed just because he was a grown man. He couldn’t be annoyed with her because she always meant well and didn’t meddle.
    “I’m fine.”
    There was silence on the line.
    Sighing, Jed ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s nothing, Mom. Really.” No way in hell was he telling his mother about last night’s spirit walk. That was strictly off-limits.
    “If you say so.”
    “I do.” What was between him and Maggie was private. If anything came of their relationship, he’d have plenty of time to introduce her to his folks. He checked his watch and swore under his breath. His breakfast was going to have to go in the garbage. He was going to be late if he didn’t get going. “Listen, I’ve got to go to work.”
    “Okay. You be careful.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “We’ll be home in ten days.”
    “See you then. You and Dad have fun.” He hung up and shoved his chair away from the table. He dumped his toast and transferred his coffee to a large plastic mug, making sure the lid was on tight. After checking to make certain the coffeepot was turned off, he grabbed his keys and jacket and headed out to his SUV.
    Jed was barely settled into the driver’s seat when a call came in. He took note of the address, answered the dispatcher and backed out of his driveway. He watched the roadside and houses as he headed into town. Most folks were still in bed, but a few were up and about.
    There was no trouble finding a parking spot downtown in front of A Touch of Magick. Even from his vehicle, he could see the graffiti sprayed across the storefront. “Damn,” he muttered as he climbed out.
    Deputy Ryland Stone was already there and came to meet him. “Morning, Jed.”
    “Morning, Ry. What have you got for me this morning?”
    “Graffiti.” He motioned to the paint splattered over the wall in front of them. Jed wondered what made folks do such a thing. If you wanted to paint, then paint. There was no need to deface other people’s property. That was vandalism, pure and simple.
    “Break and entry?”
    Ryland shook his head. “No.”
    “Good enough.” Jed went straight to work, leaving Ryland to deal with Rhiannon Sparks, the owner.
    He knew her by name and by reputation. His mother loved her shop and had tried to encourage Jed to ask her out. He’d told his mother he could find his own dates if and when he wanted them. She’d given in gracefully, resigned to the fact that her son was as hardheaded as his father.
    Not that Rhiannon wasn’t a good-looking woman. She was. It was simply that there wasn’t any spark between