Facing Off with Alexi (Witch Field Prowlers Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Loose Id Titles by Selena Illyria

  Selena Illyria

  Witch Field Prowlers 2:

  FACING OFF WITH ALEXI

  Selena Illyria

  www.loose-id.com

  Witch Field Prowlers 2: Facing Off with Alexi

  Copyright © August 2015by Selena Illyria

  All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Loose Id LLC. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Image/art disclaimer: Licensed material is being used for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted in the licensed material is a model.

  eISBN 9781623009618

  Editor: Jana Armstrong

  Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde Media

  Published in the United States of America

  Loose Id LLC

  PO Box 170549

  San Francisco CA 94117-0549

  www.loose-id.com

  This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning

  This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. Loose Id LLC’s e-books are for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

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  Chapter One

  What the fuck did I get myself into?

  The thought prodded Alexi’s brain with its extra-sharp pitchfork while his best friend, Tianna, turned the wheel of his SUV. She navigated the winding road that led to Little Witch Fields, as residents called the small town outside the city proper, with ease, having taken this route for years since that first summer in college. Her neatly trimmed red nails glimmered in the light. Her long, elegant fingers clutched the steering wheel. His dick jerked, and sexual awareness swirled in his gut. He opened his mouth to ask her something, anything to distract him from just how tight his pants were, but nothing came out. His traitorous brain had decided entertaining ideas of what her soft, smooth hands could do to his body were far more important than getting through the drive in one piece.

  Why did I ask her to drive?

  Again no answer from his lust-swathed mind. He shifted in his seat. Each moment that passed caused his pants to grow tighter until he was sure the denim was strangling his cock.

  “So what do you think? You never told me if you liked my new haircut or not.” Tianna lifted a hand and ran it through her silky, chin-length locks. The highlighted strands slipped forward to caress her chin. He wanted to turn her head toward him, grab a hank of hair, and hold her still while he explored the lushness of her mouth, like he’d done on New Year’s Eve. A bolt of heat speared him through his midsection and filled his groin. His clothing trapped the warmth that needed to escape. Rather than ask for her to turn on the AC, he hit the button for the window. Cool air flooded the cabin, swirled around him, taking some of the edge off.

  “You don’t like it, do you?” She tucked a few strands behind the delicate shell of her ear, drawing his attention to the ruby studs he’d given her three Christmases ago. His heart contracted at seeing her wearing one of his gifts. He smiled, and for a moment, the lust stalled.

  “I do like it. It suits you,” he managed to get out despite how gravelly his voice sounded. He reached over and traced the curve of the cartilage, savoring the warmth and softness. She shivered under his touch and giggled.

  “Stop that. What are you doing?” She tilted her head away.

  “Sorry.” Just the velvety softness under his fingertips caused the craving for more to increase. “Anyway, yeah, I really like the cut, short and sexy and perfect for summer.”

  “Whew. My regular stylist was on maternity leave, and I had to find someone on short notice. Never been to her before, but she was here, so…” She slowed the car to a stop and wriggled around in her seat. “The woman was white. I didn’t know if she’d ever done black hair before. I was really scared she’d fuck it all up.” She gave a shaky laugh.

  He reached over and gave her forearm a squeeze. “She did a great job.”

  Tianna nodded. “Yeah, she did.” She glanced at him, a smile on her face. “She was awesome, really funny, put me at ease, and assured me I wasn’t the first black woman in her chair. Although she said it more sarcastically than that. We got along like a house on fire.”

  “Good. If Denise isn’t there for a while, will you use her replacement again?” Part of him hoped she’d say no.

  “Yeah, probably. I know what you’re doing. You just want me to drive all the way over here to get my hair done and see you more.” She nudged him with her elbow, laughter in her voice.

  “Well—” He wasn’t going to deny it. If he could just get up the nerve to explain his feelings to her.

  She shook her head. “A few hours at the salon and an overnight visit with you wouldn’t be so bad, but the commute is hell. You’ve been on the highway at rush hour.”

  “All the more reason to move back here,” he blurted out. He waited for her to push him off.

  “Alexi, this is a new job for me. I can’t just move back here because my best friend misses me. You do know we can text, call each other, and do video chats, right? You’re not dying without me.” She put on the turn signal and pulled into the parking lot of Gus’s Grab and Go. Although there were other small stores where they could get their food and personal needs, they preferred to make their first stop always Gus’s.

  “Mama Leslie’s afterward? I’m dying from some of her double-decker cheeseburgers, spicy curly fries, and her bourbon pecan pie, no wait, her French silk pie, wait…the white chocolate macadamia nut pie. Damn it.” Her enthusiasm warmed his soul and sent a ripple of happiness throughout his body but didn’t wash away the disappointment of having her so far away.

  “We’ll just get the usual order, and if we need to, we’ll go back.” Alexi knew that even if they’d gotten enough food for an entire week, they’d still go back to Mama L’s every day.

  Tianna pulled into a spot in front of the store and shut off the engine. For a moment they just sat there. Tianna dropped her head back and closed her eyes, a smile played on her lips. “I have to admit being here with you does feel good. Hell, being in LWF is great.”

  “LWF, Ti? Too tired or lazy to just say Little Witch Fields?” He couldn’t resist teasing her. It kept him from leaning over the gear shift and tracing the edge of her jaw with his
lips before moving lower to her neck. In more private, sexy circumstances, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but his newly discovered romantic love for Tianna made him skittish. Besides that, she wanted a friendly vacation with him.

  Tianna yawned. “A bit. The big city has this nonstop energy, but here, you can unwind. Just seeing so many trees and all that greenery relaxes me. We’re going to be among nature, Kurraine!” She opened her eyes and gazed at him, the hazel depths sparkled with happiness.

  “You say that now.” He unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over and undid hers. “As soon as you see an insect or a bug, boom, screaming, demanding bug spray and flamethrowers, and telling me how they’re disease-ridden creatures that need to be exterminated. You do realize we need some of those bugs to, like, live and keep the planet healthy?”

  She snorted. “So you say.” She shrugged out of the strap and opened the door. “But if a scientist came out and said we don’t really need mosquitoes and black flies, well, death to them. Death!”

  He followed her lead. Neither one of them bothered locking the car. The police station sat across the street. Anyone who would steal Alexi’s car was just asking for trouble. He could see Deputy Hodgeson coming out of the double doors. Alexi gave him a wave, but the officer didn’t see him. He kept right on going straight into the bike rack. Alexi glanced at what Hodgeson had been staring at only to stop in his tracks too. Tianna was bent over, rounded ass perfectly outlined by her tight jeans, tying her shoe.

  Yeah, keep staring. You haven’t got a chance in hell… The thought came out of nowhere. He couldn’t quash it if he tried. Lately, he’d found that his desire to declare his emotions for her had increased. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that so many of his teammates on the Witch Field Prowlers had found significant others and were in serious relationships, whereas he and Tianna had kept things in the best-friend category—well except for New Year’s, but neither of them had really wanted to talk about it after it had happened, and he didn’t know what to say to her now.

  “What? Was my underwear showing?” Tianna straightened up and tugged on her waistband.

  “Uh.” Heat flushed his face. “No. Just…um…Hodgeson was staring at your ass.” He decided it would be best to blame the other guy rather than admit to ogling her himself. “Anyway, come on. Let’s get some grub.”

  To distract both of them, he wrapped an arm around her waist—his hand settled on her hip—and guided her to the wide-open entrance of the store. They stepped up onto the worn pine veranda. It felt right being this close, holding her like she was his.

  Ancient weather-beaten soda and ice machines with faded paint and pictures hummed next to a worn rocking chair where Gus’s golden retriever, Miner, lay. The dog opened one eye and lifted his head and let out a soft whoof but didn’t rise to greet them.

  Tianna drifted out of Alexi’s embrace, grabbed his hand, and guided him over to the dog. She crouched down and began to scratch behind Miner’s ears while Alexi petted him from the base of his spine to the tip of his tail. Miner let out a whine and a small huff as his tail thudded against the floor, bringing up mini dust clouds. Alexi coughed but didn’t move away. Instead, he just turned his head to draw in some clean air.

  “Awww, miss us, Miner, huh? I knew we’d be seeing you, so I brought you a treat.” Ti reached into her purse and produced a small turkey sausage patty.

  “Hey! That was part of my breakfast,” Alexi protested. He’d wondered why he’d had to go without his usual starter meal in order to get them on the road so early. Now he knew why. She’d been hoarding food for the dog.

  “Don’t be selfish! See that, Miner. Alexi can be so narrow-minded. Didn’t even think about you, but I did, didn’t I?” She grinned, unwrapped the meat treat, and set it in front of the dog, who gobbled it up in the time it took to blink. He licked Tianna’s hand and moved on to her face. She didn’t even complain about her makeup getting ruined.

  Lucky bastard. If Alexi’d kissed her with that much enthusiasm in public, she’d nudge him away. Alexi wanted something more substantial.

  “Always putty in your hands, Tianna, my dear,” Gus’s wind-roughened voice called out. Years of being on a fishing rig and shouting to be heard above the waves and wind had hoarsened his voice to a medium rasp.

  Tianna rose with grace and turned to greet their friend. “Well, like his owner, he’s a total ladies’ man. Who can resist either one of you?” She gave the older man with the salt-and-pepper hair a bear hug to which he responded by lifting her off her feet. She squealed and giggled.

  “Hey now, I don’t get that kind of greeting when I come here all by myself.” Alexi pretended to be upset but couldn’t stifle the shot of envy he felt. Gus flirted with all the women, young and old, who came through his store, but he seemed to be sweeter on Tianna than anyone else.

  Gus gave Alexi a wink over Tianna’s shoulder before setting her on the ground. “Gotta get my kicks somewhere, and when a voluptuous woman offers me a hug, who am I to not show my appreciation.” He grinned, showing off his chipped front teeth.

  Tianna turned around and poked Alexi in the chest. “Don’t get jealous. I’m spending an entire week with you at horror-movie cabin. Maybe I should stay here. At least the company here, Gus, will slay my bug pests for me and give me all the creamy crack cookie butter I can get my hands on.”

  Gus grinned at him and traced a bottle shape in the air with his hands followed by another wink. “Don’t you worry, my sweet. Ol’ Gus will defend you from those bloodsuckers and provide you with a king’s ransom worth of cookie butter spread.”

  “Careful. I’ll make you sleep out on the screened-in porch if you keep this up, and devour your precious cookie butter,” Alexi warned. He let the words sink before he followed her to the entrance. Alexi would never do that, but just the threat alone should keep her in line.

  “Ha! If Tianna honored me with being my woman, I wouldn’t let her out of bed, much less put her on a screened-in porch. But then I know how to treat a lady! Go on with you. Your favorites are stocked, and don’t forget to stop by on your way out of town. Miner missed you last year.” Gus took his place in the rocking chair and picked up a piece of wood and his jackknife. It looked like he’d starting carving what would become a hawk in full flight—wings spread wide, looking majestic as it rode the currents.

  “We will.” Alexi went after Tianna into the store, trying not to pull a Hodgeson and stare at her ass as he went. He grabbed a basket and went to the snacks aisles, focused on stocking up. His stomach grumbled.

  “I’m hungry since someone decided a dog deserved my breakfast more than I did, so after this, Mama L’s.”

  Tianna headed for the other side of the store, which contained the freezers. “Yeah, I’m pretty hungry myself. All I had was a granola bar.”

  He frowned. “Honey, you need more than a granola bar for breakfast. What the hell is that personal trainer of yours telling you?” It didn’t sit well with him that she was forgoing necessary food just to look a certain way. “I prefer you curvy.” He uttered the last bit without hesitation.

  “Nope. Just wanted to get on the road before morning rush hour, so I grabbed what I could. What time is it?” she called back.

  He noticed that she didn’t defend her new personal trainer.

  “Close to eleven thirty. Mama L should still be serving breakfast. Make sure you get the homemade local peanut butter brownie ice cream.” If he was going to dive off the eating healthy bandwagon for a week, might as well go all the way.

  “Ugh, I want some of her garlic hash browns, spicy bacon, and pancakes or French toast. Crap, both?” He heard the fridge door open and close with a thunk.

  He glanced around. They were the only customers shopping that morning. “I want some sausages.”

  “That’s all? Jeez, dude. I’ll buy a subscription for you to sausage-of-the-month club if they mean that much to you.”

  He couldn’t resist wading in. “Just sausage? All I’m sayi
ng is you’re buying since you value a dog’s appetite more than mine.” He waited for her to protest.

  “Ha! You just want to take advantage of my new income”—she snorted—“but I’ll pay if it means that much to you.”

  “Thanks, punkin,” he teased as he grabbed some of his favorite cheese puff snacks, her potato chips, some whole-wheat pretzels with sea salt, and a pack of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies he knew Ti couldn’t resist. Once he was done, he headed into the coffee and tea aisle. Neither one of them would be fully functional without a few cups of java and tea. He grabbed several packages and even added some of her favorite imported hot chocolate to his choices. Might as well go all the way. He spotted the cookie butter spread and put four jars into his basket. If he’d passed those up, there would be hell to pay. He doubted she’d be happy with four, but his cabinets didn’t open to an extra dimension where he could store stuff.

  After picking up some soup and items to use for cooking for the nights when they didn’t go out, he met her in the center of the store and compared their picks. “I did good, right?” He riffled through his basket.

  “Oh my God! They have the Irish cream hot chocolate still in stock? Go back and get more! Never mind. I’ll get it.” She rushed past him. He followed, amused at her excitement.

  “You’re going to have to leave some for others.” He doubted she’d take his advice.

  She snorted. “You snooze, you lose.” She got to the aisle, found the hot chocolate, and grabbed package after package until there was a blank spot where the bright green boxes used to be. He didn’t point out that she’d passed up the cookie butter right across from it.

  “Rude,” he teased.

  “Smart,” she retorted as they headed up to the front to pay.

  “Did you get the—” He prayed she hadn’t forgotten the ice cream, Popsicles, hot dogs, and ground beef along with the cheese. Last time she’d forgotten the buns, and they’d had to eat without them. It had been an awkward experience to say the least.