Free The Curse Keepers Collection by Denise Grover Swank

exuded now. It was easier to catch a fly with honey, and I was currently Collin’s fly.
    I stopped next to his table, trying to keep my face expressionless. If he was going to use his sexier-than-hell charm on me, I might as well make him sweat a bit. I put my hand on my hip and jutted it out while piercing him with my most withering gaze. Lesser men had tucked their tails and run, but Collin simply stared back, the corners of his mouth lifted in the barest hint of a smile. Damn him. “Can I get you something?”
    His eyes narrowed seductively, and his voice lowered. “You know what I want.”
    Holy shit. If I’d thought he meant what he insinuated, I might have had a mini orgasm on the spot. But last night Collin had made sure I understood what he was interested in, and it had nothing to do with the parts of me under my clothes that begged for attention.
    How in the hell was I going to survive five days with this guy? My only hope was to shut the spirit world gate as quickly as possible.
    Despite my discomfort, I held my ground, my gaze unwavering. “Since I didn’t take your order yesterday, I don’t remember what you wanted. Perhaps you could refresh my memory.”
    He turned away with a grin and looked out the window. “You’re not going to make this easy are you?”
    I didn’t answer.
    When he turned back, his cocky grin was gone. In its place was a look of contrition. “It’s obvious we’ve started out on the wrong foot.” He waited for me to jump in and say something, but I continued my death gaze. “ And I admit that I’m mostly to blame.”
    “ Mostly ?” My tone was dry and sarcastic, but I’d answered, and my reply eased the tension in his shoulders.
    He started to say something, then stopped. “Why don’t we forget our awful first impressions and start over.” He held out his right hand. “Collin Daily.”
    Was this some trick or did he really want to try to start fresh? Did it matter? We weren’t going to prom. We were going to try to wrangle a gate to the spirit world closed. I looked down at his outstretched hand. He held it at an angle but I could see the outline of a mark on his palm. A reminder that the last time we’d touched had nearly suffocated me. What would happen this time? I crossed my arms. “Ellie Lancaster.”
    He looked taken aback that I hadn’t accepted his hand. “You felt it too, when our hands touched yesterday? And the electrical current last night.”
    I was surprised he admitted to a reaction. Bad boys like him didn’t like to share their feelings.
    He smirked. “You don’t know what that was, do you?”
    I didn’t answer. He knew I didn’t, and the smug look on his face told me how aware of that fact he was.
    He leaned closer and his voice lowered. “That’s our power. The magic that runs through our blood.”
    “It’s real,” I whispered in awe, despite my plan to remain aloof. I didn’t know about the electrical shock part, but Daddy had always talked about the power in our blood. This must have been what he meant.
    “It’s very real.” Collin glanced around the half-full dining room. “I don’t think we should talk about this here.”
    I nodded. “Give me a second.”
    I left him at the table and found Marlena watching with a grin. “Hey, Marlena. Do you mind if I take off a bit early?” I tilted my head toward Collin.
    Excitement filled her eyes. “What happened to Dweeb?”
    I shook my head with a grimace. “History.”
    She waved to the back. “Good. You need a real man like that fine specimen over there. Don’t blow it.”
    I shot her an exasperated look. Why did she assume that I would blow it? But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t like this was the beginning of any kind of relationship. Collin and I would close the gate and then we were done.
    Grabbing my purse from my drawer, I headed back to the dining room and found Collin waiting for me by the door. Lila stood next to him.
    “How is it that I haven’t seen you around?” she