Romance Rules for Werewolves (Charming Cove, #3)(62)

I groaned and stared at the ceiling.

There was no way that had been a good idea. If I wasn’t obsessed with him before, I certainly would be now. It was too soon after Tommy, and I couldn’t trust myself to put my own interests first. I had to find myself, damn it.

There was a fire under my butt as I climbed out of bed and dressed. As expected, I found Rafe in the breakfast room, sitting at one of the six small tables. No one else was in the room, thank fates.

He looked up at me, his expression guarded. It caught me slightly by surprise, but I barreled forward.

“Last night—”

“Was amazing,” he said. “But a mistake.”

“Yes. Exactly.” I sat across from him, trying to keep the blush from my cheeks. “I can’t be involved with anyone right now, so let's pretend it never happened.”

“Agreed.” His tone was stiff, and I couldn’t read it, but I shouldn’t even be trying. Attempting to get a better understanding of his feelings and motivations was exactly the opposite of the easy, lighthearted friendship we were supposed to have.

Fortunately, the B&B host came out of the kitchen at that moment, two large plates in her hands.

“I ordered for you,” Rafe said. “I figured you’d want to get out of here quickly.”

“You were right, thanks.”

“Two full breakfasts,” the host said as she set the plates on the table in front of us. We thanked her, and she headed back to the kitchen.

I looked down at my plate. Eggs, sausage, bacon, tomatoes, toast, and a little square of something I couldn’t identify.

Rafe saw me looking at it and said, “Laverbread. Not bread, but a seaweed cake. A Welsh delicacy.”

As if we’d called her name, Poa appeared on the floor next to me. I looked down at her. “Really?”

Of course. Her nose twitched. I’ll have the sausage, please, and the laverbread.

“You’re familiar with it?”

I’m a world traveler, unlike some people. She gave me a look that made it clear I was the subject of her disdain.

I rolled my eyes but put the sausage and laverbread on the tiny plate that sat to my right, then lowered it to the ground for her. “You’re lucky it’s a big breakfast.”

No, you’re lucky.

I laughed, unable to help myself.

We ate in silence, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t awkward. Every time I looked at Rafe, I thought of last night. It had been incredible. So incredible that it proved it was a bad idea to get too close.

By the time we were finished, I was ready to get the heck out of there. I needed some space to breathe and a distraction so I wouldn’t think about the night before. We collected our bags and said goodbye to the innkeeper, then piled into Rafe’s car. Poa insisted on sitting on my lap, and she dug her claws in every time he took a turn.

We reached the coven headquarters right before our meeting was meant to start, and I gasped with delight. Unlike the Aurora Coven, which kept their headquarters on Charming Cove’s busiest street, the Ceridwen Coven was situated deep in the woods. The small stone cottage sat in a clearing in a tangle of rosebushes. A pretty creek burbled by to the right, and a fawn leapt over it.

“How beautiful,” I said as I climbed out of the car.

Rafe followed. “I want to be skeptical, but this place feels fine.”

“Skeptical?”

“It’s too perfect.”

A dog waddled around the side of the house toward the front yard. He was the sort of creature that was so ugly he was cute, with a lolling tongue, heavy jowls, and a tuft of fur on his head that looked like a toupee. As soon as he saw us, he stopped and farted. Quite loudly.

I laughed. “See? Not too perfect.”

A reluctant chuckled escaped Rafe.

I headed toward the main door, raising my hand to knock. It opened before I could make contact, and a witch with brilliant red curls grinned at me. “Isobel?”

“Yes.” I was pretty sure I recognized her voice from the phone. “Laurie?”

“The one and only. Come in, we’ll have tea in the back garden. Verona and Marvela are waiting. They’re two of the other coven members.”

We followed her into the house. The dog toddled in behind us and clambered up onto the couch by the fire. Laurie led us through to the back garden, where a long wooden table had been set up under a huge oak. Fairy lights glittered around the oak’s branches, and flowers were piled in the middle of the table, growing from an inset trough. What a clever idea.

Two witches sat at the end of the table, a tea service between them.

“Have a seat.” Laurie gestured for us to sit in the chairs that had been decorated with colorful floral cushions, and we joined the other witches.

Laurie poured the tea while Verona and Marvela handled introductions. When everyone was acquainted and had tea in front of them, Laurie leaned toward us. “Now, tell us why you wanted to see us. And you would like to visit the stone circle as well, I presume.”

“Yes. We’re here because of a curse.” I gestured to Rafe. “Perhaps it’s better that he explain.”

He drew in a deep breath, obviously wishing he were anywhere else. I gave him a nudge, and he gave me a glare. I just grinned.

“A little over a decade ago, I was cursed.” He told them everything he knew about the witch who had cursed him, which wasn’t much, sadly. But recognition flashed in Marvela’s eyes.