Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(55)

“Thought you'd never ask.” He pushed back his chair and took the empty plate to the sink. As his arm brushed hers, a small shock of electricity surged her skin. “First, we need to protect your house. Then we need to have a long talk about your husband.” Toby grazed her again, setting off another shock, but he gave nothing away that he’d noticed. “And, Jacqueline, whatever my demeanor may be, just remember that I'm on your side.”



****



Women. He never could figure them out. Toby sighed and pulled off his T-shirt. Tossing it onto the bathroom floor, he stepped into the hot shower. It had taken a few hours, but the spells he’d put in place would protect the perimeter of Jacqueline's home. He should have put a stronger one in place than the one he'd hastily conjured the night before. It wasn't strong enough to keep a Spark wizard out. But she should be safe now until he had a chance to sort out what was going on.

But damn, the woman was a pain in the ass. Always asking questions. Always making conversation. Always in the way. Always tossing her hair, swishing her hips, or bending over to pick stuff up. It was enough to drive anyone to madness.


How had her husband stood her? Eric Huston must have been a saint. Or at least patient.

Toby frowned as he thought about the deceased cop-wizard. He hadn't known Eric well, but he'd known about his presence in Galesburg Falls. After all, wizards weren't that common. Two in one town were practically unheard of. Technically, Toby had been there first, but he'd never been one to snipe over territory. Besides, the Huston branch of wizards was the peaceful, watcher types.

Guardians.

Was that why Eric Huston had married Jacqueline? To guard her? Surely, it wasn't coincidence that a wizard had married a woman of banshee heritage. The question was… what had he been planning?

Murder seemed unlikely. He could have done that without marrying Jacqueline. Turning her into a half banshee hadn't been part of his plan either. In fact, that had appeared to be an accident as a result of Eric trying to protect her. Then what? Was it possible that he truly hadn't known what he was marrying?

Nope. Toby just couldn't buy that. There was always a method to a supernatural's madness. Always.

As he scrubbed soap everywhere, thoughts of Jacqueline popped into his mind that were not related to her husband. Seeing her cozied up to the imposter in the kitchen had affected him more than he would have imagined. In the stranger's arms, something about her appeared different. She'd been… turned on, aroused maybe. And by the person she thought was him.

The steam in the shower grew hotter, billowing up into white puffs in the air. He indulged himself in a small spell that made the mist take the form of a woman. Using magic, he sculpted a water image of Jacqueline, pleased as it smiled at him. He could feel a familiar tightening in his groin as he regarded at her.

Desire could be such a bitch. He leaned against the tile, a shaky hand reaching for the woman he couldn’t have. Not the fake or real version. His chest tightened, breath constricting.

“Toby?” Jacqueline's voice resonated through the bathroom door and caused the misty figure to dissolve into soapy bubbles. “Do you need a towel?”

A towel? What he needed, she couldn't give him. At least, Toby didn't think so. Still, he couldn't help but replay the image of her in the imposter's arms. She hadn't seemed too unhappy.

“I'm fine, Jacqueline. I'll be out in a minute,” he called over the sound of the shower and tore his hand through his hair.

Get your head back in the game, Toby. She could never be interested in you.

Drying himself off, Toby studied his reflection in the mirror. Built solidly thanks to the gym giving his body tone. The mark of the Brotherhood was the only ink that marred his skin. He didn't mind it. While he may not have had much to do with the Brotherhood, he would never be ashamed of his heritage.

The mark. Of course! The imposter couldn’t fool Jacqueline again because he couldn’t duplicate his mark. Slipping on his pants, he called for her.

“What's up?” she asked, coming to the open bathroom door. She blushed at his shirtless chest and spun around. “Oh, sorry. Thought you were dressed.”

“No, wait.” He grasped her hand and tugged her closer. “See this mark on my arm?” He pointed to the tiny black bird that he’d had branded on his skin so long ago. “That's the symbol that represents my family. No one can imitate it. Not even a shape-shifter. If you're ever unsure about whether or not you're talking to me, look for that mark.”

She nodded and hurried away, big brown eyes looking everywhere but at him. Toby couldn't help but grin. Damn, she was cute so long as she wasn't in his way.



****



Jacqueline folded her arms. “Okay, tell me everything.”

Toby rolled his eyes, but she let it slid. They were back in the kitchen, seated across from each other. Between them sat a number of items: the blue divinity crystals and a gray box that had belonged to Eric.

Toby picked up the crystals, motioning for her hands. She sighed, relinquishing her tight hold, and he positioned one in each of Jacqueline's hands. “Have you ever seen these around your house before?”

“I don't think so.” Jacqueline thought for a moment.

“Anything similar?”

“Now that you mention it. Yeah, actually I have seen something similar. My husband liked to collect rocks. I think he has a collection of crystals somewhere.”