13. Rowan
13
ROWAN
I t wasn’t until he finished the large plate of barbeque and swallowed his first bite of banana pudding that Leith finally took a deep, cleansing breath, shedding the dark aura that shrouded him since their visit to DownHome.
“Feel better now?” she asked, shooting a glance his way as she stuffed a forkful of tender brisket into her mouth. She took a moment to appreciate how the flavorful meat practically melted on her tongue.
As always, the best barbeque joints were the tiny roadside shacks with handmade signs and a cloud of fragrant smoke surrounding them. She’d learned of this place while delivering a piece of her artwork to an old family compound near the top of a mountain. Thank all that was good for gossipy ole grandpas and their in-depth knowledge of every hill and dale of the place they called home.
“Not quite yet,” he said. He took another deep breath and rolled his shoulders. “There are a few loose ends to tie up before I can claim that.” He blinked at his clean plate. “But this certainly helped. You helped. Thank you.”
Her cheeks flushed as she waved off his thanks. “Well, you did promise me food.”
A thick eyebrow rose. “I was thinking more along the lines of fine dining, candlelight, and a bottle of bubbly.”
“Ooh, sounds romantic.” She eyed the wooden picnic tables by the gravel parking lot and the line of people waiting to place their orders at the counter, the entire area bathed in the pinks and reds of the setting sun. “Now, I do enjoy a chi-chi dinner at a fancy restaurant as much as the next girl but, honestly, this is much more my speed.”
He scraped his bowl of pudding clean and licked the remains off his spoon, his eyes never leaving hers. “Delicious.”
Her blush deepened, the slow curl of heat in her belly warming her all over. She cleared her throat. “So, you want to tell me what happened back there? You flipped from confident lawyer to intimidating demon in a heartbeat. I could feel the heat radiating off you.” And she had to admit, it was devastatingly sexy.
“I apologize for that.” He shifted on the wooden bench sanded smooth by hundreds of backsides before his. “Did I scare you?”
She snorted. “I’m not afraid of you, Leith, if that’s what you’re asking. In fact, I enjoyed the show. The creeping shadows were a nice touch. Sure spooked those guards and that snotty little boy at the reception desk.”
His tension dissipated. “Good.”
She couldn’t resist teasing him, especially after that unexpected display of power. “I mean, how could I possibly be afraid? You’re a marshmallow.”
“Only for you,” he growled.
She bit back a smile, that delicious growl of his stroking over her sensitive bits. Absently humming along to the catchy tune playing over speakers one of the cooks set up to keep them company while working the smokers, she wiped her fingers and wadded up the napkin, stacking their plates onto the red plastic tray. Leith scooped up the tray and bussed their table. A family with a pile of excited kids immediately claimed it.
“So…?” she prodded, unlocking the car and getting in. She waited until he closed his door. “What got you so worked up? I mean, the vibe of the place alone made me grind my teeth, but you sensed something that made you change up our plan.” After the show of power Leith put on, she was only slightly disappointed she didn’t get to play investigator and find incriminating evidence to blow DownHome’s whole shady operation apart.
“The lobby reeked of demon.” His growl deepened dangerously. The man was pissed.
Her body hummed in response. Damn, what was it about the bad boys that made her hormones sit up and take notice? Although, technically, Leith fell more into the “crusty on the outside, squishy and sweet in the middle” category, rather than an actual bad boy. And she liked him even better for it.
“It did? I didn’t smell anything unusual.” She wrinkled her nose. “The place smelled like lemons and eucalyptus to me, like a really high-end candle. And I didn’t see any demons there. No one even had a glamour that I noticed.”
“The perfume of brimstone permeating that place is one only other demons can smell. It’s a challenge, like a dog marking his neighborhood.” His hands clenched on his knees before he forced them open, stretching his fingers to relax the muscles. “That bastard is challenging me for my territory.”
“He can do that?” Huh. Learn something new every day. “And we’re assuming it’s Seymour Myles who’s the demon issuing the challenge, right? I mean, we didn’t meet him but, since he’s the big boss of that company, I’m guessing it’s him.”
Leith hummed in agreement. “I don’t recognize his name, but seems he’s smart enough to use an alias and get himself established before making his presence known.”
“Ah. That’s a super-secret squirrel spy move right there,” she said, turning the key. The engine made a grinding wheeze, but didn’t turn over. She tried again, the SUV making an even more sickening sound. “Crap.”
Leith’s brows drew together. “Pop the hood.”
With the hood raised, they stood with their hands on their hips, admiring the enigmatic tangle of hoses, pipes, and filters in front of them. “You know anything about cars?” she asked hopefully.
“Not a damned thing.”
She snorted. “You said ‘pop the hood’ with such authority. Gave me hope.” She pulled out her phone and placed a call, leaning a hip against the front bumper.
“I mean, isn’t that what you’re supposed to do when your engine makes weird noises?”
With a growl of her own, she tucked her phone back in her pocket. “It’s going to take forever for Triple A to get here and, considering the time, I doubt there’s even a station open that can help us, even if we can get a tow there tonight.” She sighed. “I guess we’d better find a place to crash.”
By that point, they’d attracted the attention of nearby patrons. An older white lady with a silky green scarf artfully knotted around her neck said, “Oh, honey, hate to be the bearer of bad news, but everything local’s all booked up.” At Rowan’s questioning look, she shrugged and said, “It’s the Apple Festival.”
A barrel-shaped Black man in oil-stained overalls waiting for his order nodded sagely. “Apple Festival. Been happening for, oh, nearly thirty years now. Folks come piling in from all over. Places are booked months in advance.”
She exchanged looks with Leith. “So, there’s nothing? Nothing at all?” They could make do with just one bed if they had to. Her body flushed at the thought.
Mr. Overalls tipped his chin at the lady in the green scarf. “Catherine here is head of the festival committee, so she’d know.”
By then, Catherine had her hands full with a box filled with her orders. “We keep track of that kind of stuff,” she said, bobbling the box and steadying it with a khaki-covered knee. “Especially since locals rent out rooms for some extra cash. Helps the whole town if we track what’s available.”
Leith hustled over and took the box from her. He helped her to her car, earning a smile and a pat on the cheek for his efforts before she drove off with a honk and a wave.
“Well, shoot,” Rowan said, her shoulders slumping. “I guess we can sleep in the car.” It wouldn’t be comfortable, but it was doable. At least Leith would be with her. Her brain helpfully supplied a vision of them snuggling close in the back of her SUV. She clenched her thighs.
Mr. Overalls came over to peer at the engine, giving it a poke. Pulling a blue handkerchief from his back pocket, he twisted a few engine components and hummed. “Bright side, I can have one of my guys tow you over to my garage tonight so your vehicle won’t sit here, clogging up Sammy’s lot.”
Rowan brightened. “That’d be amazing. Can you get it fixed tonight?” she asked, hoping for something quick and dirty, just to get them home. She’d worry about the rest of it later.
“No can do.” He unhooked the hood and dropped it down, securing it. “Anniversary tonight. Annie would have my head.”
“We understand. It’s never a smart idea to upset your wife, especially on your anniversary. Hi. I’m Leith and this lovely lady is Rowan.” Leith held out a hand.
“Truer words,” the man said with a deep laugh that rumbled across the parking lot. “Mathan Gray.” He shook their hands. “Hey, is that a tent I see there in the back?”
Rowan nodded.
He scratched his thick beard and gave them a considering look. “It’s not much but, if you’re game, I’ve got a chunk of land behind the garage. Runs right up against the national park. There’s a great spot near the creek the grandkids love to camp at. You’re welcome to stay there, rather than trying to make do in that SUV of yours.”