**Hi all... thanks for giving me a chance. Reviews and comments are always welcome. Just so you're aware. there's not as much steam in this chapter. Still building the characters. Either way, hope you enjoy! ;)
*
"Rory, you here? I'm home!" Selena slammed the door shut and tossed her coat and purse on the couch. Where'd that girl go? Aurora should have been home from the library by now. As the youngest sister, she tended to get her way. Thank the goddess she didn't ask for much. She was the sweetest, and the best of them. It was Aurora who had suggested coming to Silver Lake, with its thick forests and wide fields far away from the city. And it was Aurora who had suggested that Lena open the store, using her knowledge of herbs and plants to earn their living. She had also been the one that suggested they stay put for the time being.
Stepping out of her heels, Selena thought once more about what her life would have been like if they had been normal. There would have been college classes and city life for the three of them. Traveling to foreign countries. Walks in the moonlight. Flirting with handsome sheriffs... She shook the thought from her mind. It wasn't meant to be. They've learned to get along fine with just the three of them.
Stepping to the phone, she checked to see if Rory had called yet. Aurora had planned on going to the library to see if there were some other plants and flowers in the area that would work better for the potion than what they'd been working with. After 10 years of being an herbal practitioner, they were no closer to finding a cure than they were when she had first started. She hadn't said anything to her sisters, but some days she didn't want a cure. She liked her wolf. She enjoyed the sense of constant companionship, and even though she didn't always agree with her wolf, she always liked its independent spirit.
Seeing the blinking light, she pushed the button to hear her messages. "Hey Lena. Rory here. I think I might have found a couple things, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. I'm gonna stay a little while longer, see if I can find some other books to compare these to. I'll call before I head home. Later!"
Moving towards the kitchen, she opened the fridge to see if what there was for dinner. Lena had only half an ear tuned towards the message, requesting a donation, when she heard the next message begin. With a start, she stood up too fast, banging her head on the shelf. Turning the air blue, she strode back to the answering machine and started the message from the beginning.
"Hello, Ms. Murray. This is Sheriff Quinn. Hope you don't mind that I'm calling you at home. But I had some questions, and was hoping that you'd help me out with them. I'll stop by a little later, say around 7:30 tonight. Thank you."
Selena stood there with her jaw opened. What a pompous ass! Didn't he even think about the possibility that she might have had plans for the night? Just because she hadn't had a date for several months now doesn't mean he should be so presumptuous. She looked at the clock to see how much time she had, and felt her jaw hit the floor for the second time in 5 minutes. No way. There is no way that it's already 7:00. That wasn't nearly enough time to get ready. She wanted to be in a dressed-to-kill outfit, looking like she's heading out when he was coming up. Oh well. She had enough weapons in her arsenal to come away looking like a champ, and him just looking. She ran up the stairs to her room to begin gathering all her weapons.
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Conor knocked on the door. He had a feeling that Selena Murray would not be happy that he had dropped by and was probably going to let him have it. But all day he had been hounded by thoughts of her. The color of her eyes. The swing of her hair. The curve of her neck. Hell, even the frosty attitude and the 180 flip had him salivating. He shoveled a hand through his hair. The background checked showed nothing that would explain the sudden cold shoulder. He didn't know why she didn't like him. But he couldn't resist a challenge, and Selena had that word written all over her luscious body. Then the door opened and even thoughts of her had flown out of his head.
"Hello Sheriff. Come on in." Lena had somehow looked even more graceful and beautiful than when he had first laid eyes on her. Her legs were stunning beneath her short black skirt, and appeared to have started at her ears. Those cute perky breasts of hers were showcased in a gorgeous red sweater. She had done something to her eyes to make them smoky and mysterious. But what had the drool pooling in his mouth were her luscious lips, painted bright red to match his sweater. Conor had to fist his hands from reaching out and hauling her up to him. He shook his head as he watched her walk back into her house. He followed close behind her, catching a whiff of the sensual scent that trailed in her wake. "First, I have a quick question."
Selena glanced over her shoulder as she led him to the kitchen. "And what would that question be?"
"Was it your intention to make me wanna beg?"
"Why, of course" she replied, with a soft smile.
"That's what I figured." He looked around the kitchen. Even with the night closing in, the room radiated warmth. The sunny yellow walls were highlighted by the bright white cabinets. Conor didn't cook much, but even he knew that the appliances were top-grade professional tools. All around were pots of fresh herbs and copper pans. "Do you do much cooking?"
