The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Doubter McDoubty Pants. She leaned back in her chair. “Thought of an insult you forgot to hurl at me?”
    Cole frowned. Which sadly, did nothing to make him ugly. “I didn’t hurl insults at you.”
    Pandora tipped her hand back and forth. “Let’s call that a draw.”
    He stopped in front of her desk. “I came to apologize, actually. I’m sorry about breakfast. That’s not how I planned for it to go.”
    “That’s good to hear. How did you plan for it to go?”
    His mouth crumpled into an uneven line before he answered. “I don’t know. But not like that.”
    “Do you plan everything?”
    “Yes. Don’t you?”
    “No. That’s not a very fun way to live your life.”
    He shifted uncomfortably and pushed his glasses back. Goddess, he was pretty.
    “Something else you wanted to say?” she asked.
    He took a deep breath. “I could use some help with Kaley.”
    Her brows popped up. “And you think I’m your best shot?”
    “She likes you a lot. She got really mad at me this morning.”
    “That makes two of us.” She nodded at the chairs across from her desk. “Sit down.”
    “Thanks.” He took a seat and crossed his long legs, one ankle on one knee. “I really am sorry about this morning.”
    “Only because Kaley got mad at you. Doesn’t change the way you feel, does it?”
    His mouth did the crumpling thing again. “No.”
    Pandora rolled her eyes. Normies . “What is it that you think I can do for Kaley?”
    “She thinks she’s a witch.”
    “Because she is.”
    Cole opened his mouth, then closed it again. Maybe he was figuring out something new to say. “I was thinking maybe you could…play along with that.”
    Pandora narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean, play along?”
    “She thinks she’s a witch, you claim to be one, so help her figure out how to be one, too. At least until this phase passes, because it will. When she was six, she wanted to own a zoo until she realized she’d have to have more animals than just cats and dogs. When she was seven, she wanted to compete in the Olympics until she found out jump rope isn’t an Olympic sport. Something will happen to make her realize this witch thing isn’t for her.”
    “I like Kaley.”
    He smiled, which was some kind of dark magic, because for a moment she forgot she didn’t like him. “She’s a great kid.”
    “But I don’t like you.” There. She’d said it.
    He shrugged. “Fair enough. I’m prepared to sweeten the deal.”
    She hadn’t been expecting that. She’d been ready to say she’d help for Kaley’s sake, but now she was curious. “How so?”
    He paused like his next words were going to be painful. “If you help Kaley, I’ll give you the house listing.”
    An electric charge zipped through her, but she maintained her composure even as her brain went crazy. The Pilcher Manor. Not only would it be a killer commission, but she could make sure it ended up with the right family. She picked up a pen and twirled it through her fingers. “So you’re basically paying me off.”
    He sighed. “Yes.”
    Something bold entered her bloodstream. “No.”
    “What?” He stared at her. “You don’t want it?”
    “I do, but I have no idea what sort of… work you’re going to do to it. Or what kind of shape it’s going to be in when you expect me to get top dollar for it.” If he didn’t believe in her, she damn well wasn’t going to let him think she believed in him.
    “I do excellent work.”
    She lifted one shoulder. “I’m sure you believe that.”
    His eyes tapered like he’d just figured out what she was up to. “What do you want?”
    “I want the listing, but since I know what buyers look for in this town, I also want equal say in how you renovate the house.”
    “Are you going to put up equal funds?”
    “Are you going to cut me in for a share of the sale?”
    He uncrossed his legs and recrossed them in the opposite direction. “You can help with decisions. I promise to run everything by you. But