Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist (Maple Hollow #1)

There were two cans in the recycling bin. I picked them both up and passed one to Jordyn, who followed me out the back door.

“Sorry I got you roped into work while you’re not actually at work,” I told her. “I promise to never let Willow plan a date for us again.”

Jordyn chuckled. “Your sister knows about us then?”

I fought the smile pulling my lips up at the way she said “us.” As if after one date, we were already a couple. As if there were an “us” after a single kiss.

God, I loved women.

In two more dates, I would be ready to adopt a cat with her.

Instead of professing my love or proposing, I just answered, “She knows.”

We wandered down the alley toward the recycling bin at the end of the narrow lane.

Jordyn meandered behind me. “So,” she started, “as much fun as lugging empty milk cartons is, I actually came to ask you something.”

I perked up at that, little butterflies dancing low in my belly. “Yeah?”

“Um, I’d like to take you up on your offer to help with the investigation? Maybe you’d like to come over tonight and help Iris and me with the scrying?”

I turned to face her. “Scrying?”

“We are going to do a spell, then peer into a silver bowl of water. It’s an ancient practice to open our minds and eyes to elements that we may not normally see or feel.” She waved her hand as if that statement were boring. “Anyway, we could use some caffeine and sugary treats if you want to come hang out?”

I practically choked on my inhale. “While you do mystical spells to see the past?”

“You know, normal hangout things,” she added sarcastically.

My heart did a little flip. “Hell yeah. Count me in.”

She had to trust me to invite me to something so personal, right? And if she trusted me, maybe that meant she liked me just as much as I liked her.

I lifted the recycling bin lid so she could toss her can in. It landed with a clink, and I added mine to the pile.

“Is this your way of saying you wanted to see me before our date on Saturday?” I asked.

Saturday felt like an eternity instead of just two days away, and I had been racking my brain for ways to see her before then.

“Maybe it is,” she admitted. The giddy gay cheerleader in my chest was doing cartwheels as Jordyn’s cheeks dimpled. “In the least clingy, super-casual way possible, I wanted to see you sooner.”

A strand of hair fell across her brow, and before she could reach up to tuck it behind her ear like she usually did, I lifted my hand and swept it back myself. Her breath caught, her big eyes searching mine.

“Fuck it,” she whispered and shot forward, wrapping one hand around my neck and pulling my face down to meet hers.

Our mouths collided, tongues clashing as I tasted her sweet lips. My hands immediately wrapped around her lean body, pulling her against me and spinning her around to lean against the brick wall until I had her caged in. Fuck, I wanted her so badly, and the way she devoured my mouth made me think she felt exactly the same. Her hips ground into me as my hands roved her curves. So much for slow, sweet kisses. No, I wanted her stripped naked, my skin against her skin, pulling those breathy, little moans from her lips.

I heard a low whistle from behind me, and we pulled apart to see the police chief standing at the end of the alley, his bushy eyebrow arched. The hairs on the back of my neck rose with the sudden urge to shield Jordyn from the asshole ogling us.

“What do you want, Dougall?” Jordyn called to him, her voice laced with venom.

His shoulders shook with a laugh. “Maybe take the love fest inside there, Jordyn? There are families roaming the streets.”

“Why don’t you go hump a fire hydrant or something?” Jordyn seethed.

Dougall merely laughed. “As soon as you stop humping your girlfriend in view of the town square, okay, Sabrina?”

Heat crept up from below the collar of my shirt.