Under Her Spell by Isabella Ashe Read Free Book Online

of the store.
    A middle-aged woman in a Hawaiian shirt bought two bottles and waved a newspaper clipping in Bryony's face. "I read about you in the Los Angeles Times ," she said. "I'm visiting my sister in Oakland and thought I'd drop by." She winked and added, "One of these is for my husband. I'm trying put the spark back in our marriage. If it doesn't work, guess I'll have to use the second bottle on someone else."
    Half a dozen other customers mentioned that they'd seen an Associated Press story on her love potion, in at least three different newspapers. All in all, business was brisk. By closing time, Bryony was exhausted. Her feet hurt, and she couldn't wait to get home. She apologetically shooed the last of her customers out the door, restocked the shelves, and locked up.
    The sun was slanting over the sea as she hurried up the winding steps to the house. Once inside, she gratefully shed her shoes and coat at the door and made for her room, anticipating a long soak in the tub and a quick nap before dinner.
    "What's your hurry?" a male voice drawled in her ear.
    Bryony started at the sound. She whirled to find Zach slouching on the brocade living room couch, his fingers laced behind his head. He was casually dressed in faded blue jeans, scuffed hiking boots, and a T-shirt that revealed his sinewy arms and defined his well-muscled chest. His hair, still wet from the shower, gleamed black as midnight.
    "What are you doing here?" she asked.
    He grinned."You invited me to move in, remember?"
    "To be precise, Vivien invited you," Bryony said. "I guess I didn't expect you to take her up on it so quickly. You startled me."
    "Sorry," he said, in a tone that suggested he wasn't sorry at all. "Vivien let me in, but she had an emergency at work. A toddler with a high fever. She said I should make myself comfortable."
    "Looks like you have," Bryony said, eyeing the way he was sitting. Her scrutiny didn't seem to unnerve him in the least. If anything, he slouched more arrogantly than before.
    "She also said you'd entertain me tonight," Zach said. "All part of the deal."
    "And did Vivien have any suggestions on how I'm to do that?" Bryony asked.
    "No, but I have a few ideas," Zach said. He let his eyes drift up the length of her body, from the slim skirt that suggested the shape of her legs to the creamy silk blouse that curved over her gently rounded breasts and moved with her every breath. Bryony suddenly felt naked before him. She crossed her arms against the sensation, then noticed with dismay that Zach knew exactly what her gesture meant.
    To distract him, she blurted out the first thing that came into her head. "A walk on the beach," she said. "It's a beautiful evening, don't you think, and it won't get dark for another half hour. It's my favorite time of day for beach combing, since most of  the tourists have gone home already. There's usually a glorious sunset, too." She cut herself off when she realized she was babbling.
    "I'm convinced," Zach said.
    "Fine. Then let's go."
    He raised his eyebrows. "Don't you want to -- ah, slip into something more comfortable?"
    Bryony glanced down at her skirt and leather flats. "Yes, of course."
    "Why don't you do that, then, while I fix you some dinner." He saw the flash of surprise on her face and laughed. "You did just get home from work, so I assume you're hungry. And yes, I can cook. Do you like omelets?"
    "Very much," Bryony said. "Thank you."
    Zach waved his hand dismissively. "Go, then. I'll expect you down in ten minutes."
    It was more like fifteen minutes before Bryony tripped down the stairs again. She'd spent the extra five trying to decide what to wear. It was ridiculous -- she wasn't usually one to agonize about clothes. Usually, for a walk on the beach, she would have slipped into a pair of paint-spattered sweatpants and one of the faded sweatshirt left over from her college days.
    Tonight was different. She tried on a pair of jeans and two pairs of shorts before settling on