Free Charmed in Vegas: Bad Potions by Michelle Fox Page A

trees? Out here?"
    "Yep. Been in my family for centuries.”
    "But where does the water come from?" She frowned. The desert didn't get enough rainfall to support anything green. How did Aidan's grove work?
    He waggled his fingers at her. "Magic. The land is connected to Fairy."
    “Ah. I see. So, we’ll be there soon?”
    “Another few minutes.” He swerved to avoid a pothole, the change in direction throwing her against him.
    “Why your grove? Why not a hotel?” she asked, pushing off his shoulder to get back to her side of the car.
    “No one can find it, but me and mine. The wards are the same wards that protect the queen,” he said, flashing her a grin. “You described Eric as such a powerful mage, I thought this might be safer.”
    “Oh.” She wondered if it would be possible for Aidan to ward her apartment with the same magic.
    "Eric won't be able to find you in the grove. And we don’t want to be distracted by worrying about you while Dougal serves as bait.”
    “You’ve thought of everything it seems.” She cast a wary look at Aidan.  If Eric can't find me, then neither can anyone else.
    “I am trained to guard and protect.”
    Or hide the bodies where no one can find them.
    Chapter Nine
    The house Aidan pulled up to was a small wood cabin nestled under the gentle arches of an oak grove. The trees loomed tall with broad trunks, their size showing their immense age. Marion stared up at them, her mouth an ‘O’ of awe as Aidan popped the trunk and grabbed their bags.
    Opening the front door, he said, “It’s a small floor plan. Here’s the living room.” Hands full, he nodded toward two oversized arm chairs, a leather sofa, and a brick fireplace. “Back here is the kitchen slash dining room.” He pointed through an archway where Marion caught a glimpse of dark granite kitchen counters and oak cupboards. “There should be food. I called the Brownies last night. They should’ve stocked the fridge and the pantry.”
    “You have Brownies?” Marion asked, curious. She’d never seen one before, but their housekeeping skills were legendary. The only thing was, they liked to be silent and invisible. You weren’t supposed to see them at all. If you did, they would leave.
    “Yes. My mother’s cousins.” Starting down a dark hallway opposite the kitchen, he said, “The bedrooms and bathroom are over here.” He opened a rough, handmade pine door and dropped her bag inside. “This will be your room.”
    Marion peered around Aidan to see a single bed with a plain blue comforter. A table, also made of pine, stood next to the bed and held a lamp and alarm clock.
    “I’ll be over here.” Aidan turned to open the door across the hall. She followed him into a much larger room with a much larger bed. Where her walls had been painted a rather bland beige, his were covered in a deep green. The comforter on his bed was black and dark cherry tables flanked each side. Wide windows ran along the exterior wall, giving an unobstructed view of the grove.
    “Nice.” She eyed the bed, which looked to be a king in size. “That’s an awfully big bed for one person.”
    He grinned at her. “Well, maybe I won’t be alone.”
    Marion swallowed and, remembering her plan to test Aidan’s identity, decided to take advantage of the sexual tension between them. “That could be arranged,” she said with a coy smile.
    She walked toward him, a wicked glint in her eye, and traced a finger down one cheek, across his chin, and up the other. Detecting no mole, she moved in closer and pressed her lips against his, cupping both his cheeks in her hands, searching with her thumbs. Still no mole.
    She didn’t have much time to consider her findings as Aidan pulled her tight against him, taking control of the kiss. He teased her mouth with his tongue until she thought she would melt. Any doubts she had about Aidan’s identity disappeared. Eric had never kissed her like this, never made her feel like her clothes were a