Sensual Magic by Lauren Dane

He paused a moment. He couldn’t very well tell his brother Nell was a witch warrior of some type. “Not the kind of woman who appears to be given to shopping and manicures. She doesn’t even wear much makeup.”
    â€œSo what? You’ve known her a week, you said, and you broke your no-sex-at-work rule with her. She’s not your usual type, but damn it, have you considered the reason you prefer that other type is that those women you involve yourself with are shallow? You get to have sex, you don’t haveto love them, you give them shiny things and move on. Is this Nell a woman of substance and that’s what’s got you all knotted up?” Nash took a deep breath and William sat up to look at his brother better.
    â€œWilliam, you should be happy. Let go and let yourself enjoy this Nell. Stop questioning why you like a woman in a T-shirt and realize she’s got excellent taste in cars and apparently men. Is it so awful to think you might want to spend more than a few days with a woman?”
    â€œShe doesn’t live here anyway. I don’t even know if she’s still in town. Okay, that’s a lie. I got mad at her and kicked her out of the Liege even though I really didn’t have the authority. Anyway, she’s at Bellagio. I checked to see if she’s still there. Like I’ve done every day since our fight three days ago. I am so fucked.”
    Nash laughed. “My advice, since you asked, is to let go and see where this thing could lead. And we want to meet her, too. Not right away, so get that look off your face. But soon. Now, have you eaten today? I was making lunch. Come on back to the kitchen and we’ll keep talking.”
    * * *
    Nell stepped out of the cab at the hotel nearest Darkness and smoothed her very short skirt into place. As she walked, the click of her tall high-heeled boots sounded against the pavement.
    It wasn’t often she played the sex-kitten part, but it was fun to try on every now and then. She had to meet a contact in the club so she thought she’d tart it up a bit to blend in. It was Saturday night and Darkness would be filled with paranormals of all stripes out to have a good time.
    One of the doormen was waving her through when helooked up and then put a hand out to stop her. “A human called to you. Our spotter says he saw you come this way. You have to deal with it.”
    â€œCare to be specific? Where? I didn’t hear anything.” Damn and double damn. She’d have to go and make something up to smooth things over. If she ignored it and whoever it was came to investigate, they wouldn’t get in, but it would be trouble.
    â€œAcross the street. A male.”
    The Liege was across the street and there happened to be a male over there who knew her.
    She turned and carefully exited back to the street and saw William standing on an outdoor plaza on the retail level of the Liege.
    He saw her, too, and waved like he hadn’t chucked her ass onto the street and then hadn’t bothered to call to apologize in the five days since. Hmpf. She did know he’d called to see if they were still staying there, though. She’d gotten that little snippet from the concierge whose mind was very susceptible to magic.
    By the time she made it to him he’d procured a frosty glass of something and handed it to her when she approached. “It’s hot, so I thought you might appreciate something cold to drink. Would you like to go inside?”
    â€œWhy?”
    His smile slipped a few watts. “Why? You came over here.”
    â€œBecause you called my name.”
    He looked confused for a moment, the spell clouding his mind until he remembered calling for her. She was an idiot for reminding him. She needed to deal with this thing between them. Nell couldn’t afford to make these kinds of rookie mistakes.
    He took her arm and led her off to the side of the wide plaza, away from prying eyes and ears.