A Chalice of Wind by Cate Tiernan Read Free Book Online

needed nothing, had to go nowhere. I could sit there and feast my eyes on him till the end of time.
    I looked at him thoughtfully, running one finger around the edge of my glass. “No, I wouldn’t have to be drunk,” I agreed shakily. I leaned back against the side of the love seat and stretched my legs across his lap. My bare feet felt the warmth of his hard thigh through his black jeans, and I pressed them down experimentally. He had muscles.
    “Tell me about yourself,” I said, pushing my hair back. I played with the straw in my glass and smiled. “Where have you been all my life?”
    He smiled too, getting the corny reference. Despite everything, I remembered how Racey had felt about him, and I owed it to her—and to myself—to find out a little bit about him before, say, we got married.
    “Andre what?” I prompted, when he didn’t answer. “Are you still in school? Where do you live?”
    “Andre Martin,” he said, giving his last name the French pronunciation: Mar-taihn. I blinked. “I’m taking a year off, out of university, to work for my uncle’s law firm here. As a paralegal. I have my own apartment in the Quarter.” His warm hands slid under my jeans and massaged my calves. It made my brain feel like mush, or maybe that was because I had drained my large margarita. “Not far from here,” he volunteered, smiling wickedly. I put the glass down on the little table next to the love seat.
    “Andre Martin?” I said, making sure.
    “Yes.”
    I felt like I’d been looking at his face my whole life. “That’s so weird,” I said, feeling distinctly fuzzy-headed. “That’s my name too. Clio Martin. Isn’t that weird?”
    He looked amused, then considered it. “Martin is not so unusual a name,” he pointed out.
    “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I said. “It just seemed funny—having the same last name.” My head was suddenly very heavy; I dropped it back over the arm of the love seat. Involuntarily I moaned at the strength of Andre’s fingers rubbing my legs.
    He laughed, then swung my legs over the side again, which pulled me up next to him. He put his arms around me and kissed me.
    Things after that were a little blurry. I know he asked me to go home with him, and, miracle of miracles, I said no. I couldn’t make it too easy for him. I know we kissed and made out and held each other so tightly that at one point my top had his shirt’s button impressions on it, which struck us both as really funny.
    I know I wanted another margarita and instead received a 7-Up, which made me fall even more in love with him. I could trust him.
    And I know that by the time we finally said goodbye, he walked me to my car and made sure I was straight enough to drive, which I truly was—especially since I did a silent dissipation spell as soon as I was behind the wheel. Tonight’s alcohol would dampen my abilities tomorrow, but right now the magick sang through my veins. Losing every bit of the margarita’s effect was sad, but I also knew if I drove impaired and killed myself, my grandmother would pull me back from the dead so she could kill me all over again.
    I rolled down my window, the engine of my battered little Camry humming.
    “I had a good time tonight,” I said. Major understatement.
    He brushed his fingers along my cheek, rubbing his thumb over my birthmark. “So did I,” he said seriously, then leaned in the window and kissed me long and hard. “It’s okay if I call you?” I had given him my cell phone number.
    “Yes,” I said, surpassing the first understatement.
    “Drive carefully.” His look made me feel like we were already joined, one, forever.
    I nodded, put the car in gear, and pulled out. He was in my rearview mirror until I turned the corner.
    Seed of life, I nourish you
I give you room to grow
I give you friends to grow with
The sun and rain are all for you
Your leaves unfurl, your budding show
To all I am your gardensmith.
    I knew better than to roll my eyes or act