Crescent Moon Desire (Passion & Magic #1) Read online

  Crescent Moon Desire

  A Paranormal MFM Romance (Passion & Magic Book 1)

  Amanda Bowen

  Kelli Callahan

  Copyright © 2018 Amanda Bowen & Kelli Callahan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. Thea

  2. Thea

  3. Thea

  4. Thea

  5. Mike

  6. Gunner

  7. Thea

  8. Thea

  9. Thea

  10. Mike

  11. Thea

  12. Gunner

  13. Thea

  14. Thea

  15. Thea

  Epilogue

  Thank You

  Thea

  Why didn’t my alarm go off?

  I woke up with an uneasy feeling and tried to blink the sleep out of my eyes. I couldn’t quite place it. It was like an odd feeling of panic that didn’t belong, especially considering that my dreams were quite pleasant and even now were trying to lure me back to shut my eyes. As I tried to make sense of the strange feeling, my alarm started to blare, forcing my eyes to open wide.

  Oh, there’s my alarm. Of course I had to wake up seconds before it actually went off.

  Things started to come back to me in scattered flashes as I rolled to the side of the bed and sat up. I was supposed to open my restaurant, the Crescent Moon Cafe, earlier than usual. I hadn’t missed my alarm. In fact a fast glance told me, I had already snoozed in twice before my eyes actually opened. I was late, even if it was still dark outside.

  Not an auspicious start, nope.

  I stumbled to the bathroom, expecting the uneasy feeling to fade once I realized it was because I had nearly overslept, but it stuck with me. I stared at myself in the mirror for a few seconds after turning on the shower. It would have to be a quick one since I was running behind, but I could save a few minutes by brushing my teeth under the water.

  Too bad there’s no spell to make you instantly showered and ready to face the world with pretty hair and great makeup.

  After I was showered and my hair was dry, I wrangled the long wavy strands into a semblance of a cute, but rather messy, bun. If I tried to braid it or just left it loose, I would regret it before the end of the day. My eyes were still struggling to close, reminding me that I didn’t go to bed nearly as early as I planned. Once the face in the mirror was acceptable, I took a moment to grab a granola bar from the kitchen to munch on while I drove, and quickly made sure I had everything I needed before locking the door.

  I was still running late, but I made a few minutes by keeping the pedal of my little white Chevy pickup truck close to the floorboard. It was a risk, but one I had to take. I hoped any cop that saw me zooming by would recognize the Cafe’s Crescent Moon logo on the side and remember that I normally give discounts to Maplebrook’s law enforcement, paramedics, and firefighters. I made it to the restaurant without incident, and pulled into my parking space.

  What a way to start my birthday.

  When I was younger, my birthday would have been special. Cake, presents, parties. Family. At twenty-three, it was just another day on the calendar. I stepped out of my truck and smiled when I saw the same saucy logo on the front of the cafe. It still brought a lopsided grin to my face whenever I paused to look at it.

  It was full of memories, like listening to my grandmother’s voice as she taught me all of the life lessons I needed to learn. Some of those lessons were really nothing more than weird Hollywood mashups about as spiritual as a Hallmark card, but they still meant a lot.

  I’m late, which means Callie should already be here.

  Callie Wayne was my assistant, and she was usually more punctual than I was. Her delay did give me a moment to grab a coffee from the shop at the middle of the strip mall where my restaurant was located and send some life coursing through my veins. I might have been late, but I couldn’t really start prepping for the day without an extra pair of hands.

  I paused to juggle everything in my arms to dig out my ring of keys and tried not to swear under my breath as swearing to me should be delicious and saved for when you really need it. A lot like that dark chocolate sea-salt and caramel candy bar that was stashed in the bottom drawer of my little desk inside the cafe’s cramped back room.

  Why why had I let habit run loose and drop them into my purse, again?

  I sighed just as it grew clear to me that I was going to have to set everything down to untwist the strap of the roomy purse I had slung over one shoulder. There was an uncharacteristic and suspicious sting behind my eyes as I took in a ragged breath. I leaned forward to rest my forehead on the doorframe. Did it really bother me that much that I was here on my birthday instead of out at the lake lounging on the beach all day?

  September wasn’t too late for a Summer tan, right?

  Apparently more than I was willing to admit, but I’d made a promise. It involved one of those bright eyed girls from the local college, she wanted me to help her find someone that while they might not be her True Love, would at least be heart compatible with her. True Love, really wasn’t that sort of a myth? I held my breath a second and snorted.

  A myth that caused a whole lot of trouble really.

  But that girl, Brenda Jefferson was in a word, adorable and after listening to some of her dating woes over a cup of house blended mocha latte? She’d nervously spilled what else she was hoping to purchase from the Crescent Moon - a love spell, something to help her wade through all the mixed signals she said she always seemed to get.

  Really, harmless and good energy sent out in the world. Wasn’t that worth it?

  Should be easy, right? I mean there was a reason she’d come here for that and we did a brisk bit of trade especially this time of year. Most of that was flirting with ‘magic’ even if they didn’t believe, because against the odds, our products delivered results. Even if they weren’t technically on the menu.

  Just as I was about to start setting things down on the sidewalk however, I heard the thump of boots as their owner made sure he was loud enough I wouldn’t be startled. While I tried to help myself I just couldn’t seem to stop the impulse and turned my head to steal a glance.

  Of course, the last person on earth I wanted to see me while I was on the verge of tears.

  The owner of GB’s Tattoo and Piercing Studio, the tattoo shop that occupied the storefront at the opposite end of the strip of shops my cafe was adjacent to. It was just so unfair that he could look this good. Even when I was relatively sure he’d literally just rolled out of bed.

  Oh God especially then.

  I couldn’t help it, Gunner Blankenship was worth staring at. Tall, built from his time in the military. That bike he rode? Just added to that almost wild air. If I remembered right he’d been a gunner when he served too which made me giggle a bit. Mostly because there were whispers that Callie and I overheard from some of those college girls that it was really a nickname that could be applied more to a certain part of him. I felt warmth wash over me, and just knew my cheeks were flaming red.

  I muttered under my breath as he came closer and shook his head a bit to get his hair out of his face. I felt myself draw my lower lip between my teeth to nibble before I released it on a sigh. He was nice to me, but there was just something about him that screamed that he was trouble, too much for a woman like me. I realized a split-secon
d later that I’d let my thoughts run away with me as I had to blink at him. He repeated the question he’d obviously just asked me.

  Focus, Thea, focus.

  “Hey Thea, you okay?” He ran one of his big hands through his hair and I swore there was some real concern in his eyes. Then that sharp gaze of his went over me in a way that I could almost physically feel, before he gently started taking some of the bags out of my hands.

  “Oh. Oh I’m okay I’m just still waking up I guess and you don’t need to do that. It’s, I’m fine, it’s just my birthday you see and,” my words slowed down before I took a breath and shook my head. “Sorry. Thank you, I just forgot to leave my keys out of my purse after I got coffee.”

  I really, really hoped that my smile didn’t look as plastic as it felt while I finally got those keys into my hand and opened up the door. When I went to take my bags back Gunner shook his head and indicated he’d bring them in for me. Of course made me even more flustered because I got a good whiff of his cologne as we went through the door.

  If sex appeal and hot man were a cologne, that’d be it. Mercy.

  I couldn’t tell you what it was about it, the scent was light, woodsy, but underneath it was something almost spicy. My wayward thoughts made me believe it had to be his skin that smelled that delectable. I pretended pretty good that my mouth hadn’t started watering in response because yum.

  I fanned my face on the sly as I turned to set the things I still had in my hands down and moved. There was confidence in my step when I slipped behind the counter to get our signature coffee started, even if I was faking a little. There was a sort of simplicity I appreciated in grinding the beans, measuring the grinds into the filter and pouring in the water and I had a more real smile on my lips this time when I turned back to thank Gunner again.

  The squeak that escaped my lips when I saw him leaned casually on the other side of the counter right in front of me made him chuckle. I almost got lost in his voice again when he reached over the counter and swiped a loose strand of hair away from my possibly on fire cheek. “Birthday, huh? Well you stop on by later and I’ll get you set up with something, on the house. A little tattoo, maybe a piercing. Birthday girl’s choice.”

  Usually I’d have stammered something, an excuse most likely. Then there was that pesky sort of sting in my eyes again as it hit me this was the first birthday present I’d gotten this year so I just nodded, whispering another thank you. He seemed to perk up as if I’d said it boldly instead of just barely.

  His grin did funny things to my insides so it was almost a relief when the coffee beeped to tell me it was finished. Seeing Gunner get excited like that over something that seemed so small to me was more than a little heady because it was about me, sort of, right?

  Mmm and something about him just really made me want it to be all about me. Those deep eyes, that beard too maybe. Something.

  “Maybe a little leaf, or a crescent moon, you know.” I waved my hand around at the shop and my heart did a strange little jump when Gunner grinned at me.

  “Your choice Thea, it’s going to be on you forever.” He drew that last bit out a little more than necessary and I felt that jump again but then of course he made it worse when he winked and laughed.

  I had to admit, the prospect of him touching me and putting art on my body didn’t scare me one bit. The opposite, really even though I tended to avoid things like needles wherever I could. I mean who didn’t? I moved then to grab my bags and excuse myself, the sooner I got that potion done so it could chill in the fridge the better.

  Then maybe I could daydream a little about what tattoo I might want, and talk myself up enough that I wouldn’t chicken out. I heard a bell out in the front area and glanced at my watch before moving to filter a few ingredients into a cast iron pan, the hiss of the gas burner and click as it lit both familiar and comforting.

  That has to be Callie, and just in time.

  Thea

  Most of the distillations and so on I’d done the night before, this was just the last couple of steps and I had to keep an eye on it, even though I could hear Gunner talking to someone not Callie. I really ought to wait for her, but I also needed this ready for pick up.

  A bit of ‘customer panic’ started to creep up from my belly when the door dinged again before I heard a warmer laugh than Gunner’s followed by a tortured groan and then I shook my head and sighed. That must be Michael Blankenship, or Mike as he preferred to be called.

  He was Gunner’s fraternal twin brother and worked for him at the tattoo studio. They were like night and day, Gunner so expressive and Mike so secretive. Gunner had that yummy beard, Mike kept his face clean shaven and it made him look a little younger, even though I knew better. My brows drew down as I gently whisked the warming up potion, the click of the whisk against the pan helping me keep count of how much longer I’d need to heat it.

  I didn’t worry about what they might be doing up there, they were trusted regulars. A couple of times they’d even come in almost like coincidence when we’d had a few problems in the past. Besides, Mike was most likely hungover, again, and he swore up and down that my raisin and cinnamon swirl muffins were the only thing he could keep down after a rough night.

  Which I guess was a pretty big compliment when I thought about it, and I liked him well enough. Maybe not in the same way that I liked Gunner, who could make the hairs on my arms stand up and get things tingly that had no business being… “Ack!”

  The exclamation was as awkward as anything as I’d almost let the potion boil daydreaming about how Gunner looked, more like he loped than walked and how sexy it -

  Sexy, are you nuts? Put it away, down girl!

  Anxiously I took the pan off the stove, turned off the burner and inhaled a little with my mouth open. I let out a sigh of relief because if it was ruined it would have smelled burned. This was just a warm mellow herbal wave and that was just right. Careful not to spill a drop I poured it into a container and let it cool a bit before popping a lid on it and heading back towards the front.

  * * *

  Gunner

  I couldn’t help myself as Thea almost skittishly excused herself to take her bags to the back. I hooked my boots on the bottom rung of the stool I was perched on and pushed upward, leaning a bit on the countertop to watch her walk away. Damn, she was a sight with just the right amount of curves, just the way I liked them.

  She had tits big enough to fill my hands, and I got big hands, that ass, peach shaped and enough to both make me want to take a bite. Run my hand over it before I swatted her a good one for wearing clothes that didn’t show it off better. I don’t know what it was about Theadora Holmes that had me so interested that I was turning down offers left and right.

  She’s special, any guy would be lucky to have her. To taste that sweet honey I just know she’s got.

  I felt a wry smirk come to my lips because I knew that some of those offers were just people wanting a discount on a tattoo. Problem for them was, I knew the worth of my work, had had that drilled into me since I was a kid. Figure out what you do well and then figure out how to make somebody pay for it. If somebody sells you short, take care of it so nobody else does. My old man might not have been the most nurturing son of a bitch on the planet but I can’t say that his version of common sense hasn’t served me well over the years.

  I eased down on the stool as my assistant at the shop and the second best artist we had walked in. My twin was brighter than he acted, and could whip up a tattoo on the fly with a speed that I might have secretly envied just a little. He had steady hands and very few complaints about his art, and he had a wicked sense of humor if you could get him to open up to you.

  Problem was, he didn’t open up to many people so the ones he did, really should count themselves special. My eyes narrowed a bit as I remembered something he’d said about Thea the other day. That sour expression vanished as he elbowed me in the ribs to get me to move enough that he could get a muffin off of the discount t
ray and toss a five dollar bill into the open drawer of the empty cash register.

  He sighed and sat down to lay his head on the counter for a minute, his prize clutched safely in his hands. He squinted against the overhead lights and muttered. “Isn’t the coffee ready yet?” in such a plaintive voice that I almost, almost felt sorry for him.

  Thea’s assistant came in just as Thea came out of the back and put something in the refrigerator. Something in how she looked at Mike made me feel a tiny hint of something I didn’t want to put a name to. Besides, I knew that he liked her too much to just sleep with her and he wasn’t the type that wanted a relationship. Too many false starts or lies, and him too trusting, and it sucked.

  A guy like him deserved somebody good. Maybe not Thea good, but good. She disappeared into the back again as Callie waved at us and breezed behind the counter. Tossing her coat on a chair she got the register ready before she sized us up.

  Her voice was cheery and she was friendly, which had taken us awhile to get here. Mike and Tex chasing off a couple irritated drunks giving her static though had gone a long way toward building up that good will.

  Wonder why Tex hasn’t asked her out, since he never shuts up about her.

  I blinked as I realized she’d asked if we wanted coffee, and cleared my throat before I nodded because I was already thinking about Thea in some jeans. Again. Callie bustled behind the counter, plucking up a couple to-go cups before she paused and got a third.

  I watched her add the sugar Mike liked and then she frowned when the creamer dispenser failed to work. “Crap. Of course it’s empty… just a sec Gun...er. Gunner… you know what I mean.”