The Witch Is Back by H. P. Mallory Read Free Book Online Page B

chance to respond because the cat suddenly completely lost her mind and leapt away from him, arching her back, every hair on her body standing on end. Her ears drew back, and a low gurgling sound erupted from within her, becoming an all-out hiss after a few seconds. With her claws extended, she took a few steps toward him, only to lash out and hiss again.
    “Plum!” I yelled, gently nudging her away from slashing Sinjin’s slacks with my foot.
    “It appears your cat does not approve of me,” he said with a smile, narrowing his eyes at her.
    Plum continued to hiss at him, her ears flat on top of her head. I picked her up and took her to the back door, where I deposited her at the top of the stairs, outside. “Go find something to do, rude cat,” I scolded, giving her a little shove with my toe.
    Heading back into the kitchen, I noticed that the front door was still open and Sinjin hadn’t yet stepped inside. “Come in,” I said. “Make yourself comfortable.”
    He nodded and flashed me a handsome smile beforestepping inside my house. I found myself watching him as he inspected my humble abode, no doubt taking in the Pottery Barn furnishings and the earth tones of the walls that, when paired with the warm oak floors, gave the whole place a comfy sort of coziness.
    “Very impressive,” he said finally.
    “Well, it isn’t much, but it’s mine,” I answered with a smile before remembering the spaghetti sauce, which was now boiling. “Oh, shoot!”
    Sinjin chuckled and turned to watch me run full-bore for the kitchen. “Have you burned our supper?”
    I grasped the spoon and thrust it into the pot, stirring like I’ve never stirred before, only then realizing that I should probably just turn down the burner. “Well, if I have, it would be your fault,” I said with a smile.
    “My fault?”
    I shrugged. “Yeah, because of you, I wasn’t paying attention.”
    Sinjin smiled as if he was absolutely unconcerned about the spaghetti. He strode into the kitchen, his steps purposeful. He’d apparently seen enough of my house.
    “Have you missed me?” he asked with a boyish grin.
    Before I could respond, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, burying his face into the nape of my neck. I felt myself recoil from the coldness of his embrace, but a few seconds later the feeling of iciness disappeared; suddenly he was just a man and I was just a woman. The thought made me shiver.
    “Mmm,” Sinjin moaned as he inhaled the scent of my hair. “I have missed you, my little poppet.”
    I closed my eyes and forced myself to go with the moment, to try to accept the fact that Sinjin wanted me as much as I wanted him. “I’ve missed you too,” I whispered.
    And that must have been enough for him because he whirled me around to face him, and there wassomething in his eyes—something dark and passionate. I wasn’t sure why, but the urgency of his expression frightened me.
    “Let me kiss you,” he breathed.
    “Sinjin,” I started, doubt creeping into my voice as my body went stiff. I couldn’t drop my defenses long enough to let him in. I just wasn’t totally comfortable around him. And that was when it was plainly obvious to me that, for whatever reason, this was not going to work.
    Well, it had been fun while it lasted. I pulled away from him and wrapped my arms around myself.
    “What is the matter?”
    I couldn’t hold his gaze—his eyes were too demanding and their intensity seemed to strip me, piece by piece, until I felt as if I were standing naked at the moment of judgment. “I just … I just …” I couldn’t even get the words out.
    “You just what?”
    “I just don’t understand how this can work,” I managed finally.
    “How what can work?”
    I sighed, not anxious to say the words. It was so … humiliating. “You and me, us, this.”
    “What is there to work or not to work?”
    Why were men such simple creatures? Why did they only deal in black and white when, for me, there were about