T*Witches: Split Decision by H.B. Gilmour, Randi Reisfeld Read Free Book Online

hand on her already rancid T-shirt.
    The woman at the door winced. A nanosecond later her shocked expression changed to a welcoming smile. “How rude of me. I’m Moira McDonald,” she announced. “Cade’s out back, on the deck. He’s been quiet since he got back, but I have a feeling he’s been hoping you’d show up. Why don’t you come in and wash up first? I’ll lend you a top.”
    “That’d be great,” Alex said, hoping she sounded grateful. But as she followed Cade’s keeper up the stairs, she wondered uneasily if the top would be silk — or worse, pink?
    It turned out to be a skinny black tee, which she slipped into distractedly, because through the guest room window she spotted Cade. And Alex did what she’d told herself she wouldn’t. Like a burglar listening for the clicks of a combination lock, she closed her eyes and strained to catch his thoughts.
    In spite of the CD player on his lap and the headset parting his sleek black hair, the buff boy was stressing. About her! Even as she listened in she could feel her cheeks begin to burn.
Why’d she do that,
Cade was thinking.
She led me on, then freaked when I tried to kiss her. I just don’t get it. Unless … oh, man, maybe she was really sick — a manic-depressive or something — upbeat one minute, scared and suspicious the next? She might have needed help instead of someone booking on her. I could have stayed. But what if she meant to blow me off?
    Alex abandoned her spy post and hurried down to him.
    With the headset clamped in place, he hadn’t heard her coming out and turned, startled, when she tapped him on the shoulder. Relief and joy played across hishandsome face, followed by a quizzical look. “Insanity? That’s your defense?”
    Her fragile confidence crumbled until Cade pointed to the T-shirt she was wearing, the one Moira-with-the-pearls had given her. It said, INSANITY IS HEREDITARY. YOU GET IT FROM YOUR CHILDREN.
    Alex managed a nervous laugh. “Would temporary insanity work for you?” she asked hopefully.
    Cade’s laugh was as edgy as hers. And about as desperately hopeful. He moved over and made room for her on the slatted lounge. “Listen, Alex,” he began, when she sat beside him, “I probably shouldn’t have bolted like that —” He reached for her hand, which she gave awkwardly, and she listened, with mingled guilt and gratitude, as he told her, practically word for word, the thoughts she’d eavesdropped on.
    “I’m sorry I didn’t hang around to find out what was really going on,” he ended, looking at her questioningly. Expecting an explanation.
    Alex desperately wanted to tell him the truth. She could practically taste the words, hear them as they tumbled from her mouth. But she said nothing.
    “You got scared, was that it?” he prompted. “That’s why you pulled away and acted so weird?”
    “No, Cade. I wasn’t scared, not really. I just…” Alex paused and took a deep breath. Maybe one day she’d beable to be totally honest with him. But not today, not now. And yet she didn’t want lie to him, either.
    She could, and did, murmur, “It won’t happen again, I promise you.” And when she looked up at him, he leaned toward her.
    “So,” she continued very softly, her voice sticking in her throat, “if you’re willing to —”
    “Take it from where we left off?” He finished the thought and punctuated it with a long, gentle, soulful kiss. The one she’d been remembering.
    “I have a confession,” Cade whispered.
    “About why you really came back,” Alex asked, touching her lips, which still held the memory of his and felt as if they were softly vibrating, practically purring.
    “You read my mind.”
    “Nuh-uh, not this time,” she murmured forgetfully.
    He shot her a look, then smiled and explained. Months of convincing and compromising had gone into getting his dad to allow him to come back. Mr. Richman had already made plans for his son. He’d secured Cade a summer internship with