Sinful Magic (Book 3 of the Ink series)

Chapter 18

There I was, choosing to turn over a new leaf for the day, trying to push away all the mistakes, the old boyfriend and the regrets in my life.

I went through a rack of clothes at the shore store. I figured shopping would take my mind away from everything I wanted to avoid.

I brought a black tank top to my chest and stared at myself in the mirror. It was fitting I decided, I threw it over my arm and moved on to the next rack of clothes.

I watched as two girls beside me giggled with each other as they picked out clothes. Their lives were simple, undemanding, and bland.

I took the shirt to the dressing room and disappeared behind the curtain. As I tried the shirt on I could hear them talking about me. I rolled my eyes at the obvious prejudice like usual from anyone in the town.

I tugged the shirt back over my head after a quick glimpse in the mirror. Shopping didn't sound great anymore.

"Nice top," someone said from behind me as I came out of the dressing room.

I turned around. It was K, the guy from the Greenhouse, or more like the asshole from the greenhouse.

He came closer. "So they do have clothes here that don't make me want to die on the inside."

I smirked. The girls that were once talking about me were staring him down. He slipped a hand into his expensive gray jeans.

"If you look long and hard you sometimes find something," I said. "Although I'm pretty sure those jeans didn't come from here."

K touched the belt buckle on his jeans. "Back home."

I nodded a little uncomfortable that he wasn't hurling insults at me. "Well, I got to go."

He turned around. "You're not going to say hello to Hutch?"

I searched the store. "I didn't know he was here with you."

"Why else would I be in this shithole?" K pointed toward the back of the store. "He would be upset knowing you snubbed him."

I eyed K. "Would he?"

He laughed at me. "I thought they said brunettes were smarter than blondes."

I relaxed once he acted like himself. He came closer. "Do these people always treat the better looking ones like this?" He shot a look in the girl's direction. They scattered.

"You do come in handy sometimes," I told K. "And yes, they always act that way."

"Why put up with it? All for the beaches?"

"I don't even like beaches. I ask myself the same thing every day." I said.

K took my top. "I'll take care of this. You should go say hello to Hutch before he gets grumpier than he already is."

I released my grip on the top. "What is it about him that has you coming all the way to California?" I hoped he wouldn't bite my head off for asking. I also wondered what he was about.

He took a good look at me. "Hutch says you're into magic, that some jerk off changed you into a satanic black magic worshiper. Is that true?"

My jaw dropped. "Not hardly, and that's rude. What else does he say about me?" I brought a hand to my hip.

"He doesn't have to say much. I can see he is making the worst mistake of his life and every other man's on earth." K was bored with everything going on.

I was confused. "What does that mean?"

"He's into you. And we all know when feelings get involved things turn to shit," he took me by the shoulders and turned me in the direction of Hutch. "Now let me pay for this and go talk to him."

I turned back around. "You never answered my question."

K sighed. "Because it was stupid."

I glared at him, and headed for Hutch.

I wove around the racks of men's clothes and snuck up behind him.

"Guess who?" I said wrapping my arms around him. I would have covered his eyes but he was too tall.

"Oh that's simple," Hutch said taking hold of my arms. He linked his fingers with mine.

"If it's so simple than say who it is," I teased.

"I can do one better," he said turning around. He pulled me in and planted his lips on mine. His hands caught the back of my head before I could pull away in shock.

"That was quite the greeting," I said, I touched my lips turned on by him. "What are you doing here?"

Hutch pointed at the racks of clothes. "Retail therapy, I thought this would clear my mind."

I raised an eyebrow. What did he have to worry about?

"Slade showing up yesterday put a bit of a damper on things." Hutch lifted a shirt from the display. "Every time I feel like we get a little bit closer he seems to come in and change all that."

I followed him to the next display. This wasn't like him. And I wasn't so sure about the sudden change in his demeanor. "I told Slade to leave. You know that, I told you all about it."

Hutch lifted his gaze from the shirt to me. "I'd hate to see him ruin more of your life."

"He won't. I can deal with Slade," I said.

"He doesn't deserve someone like you." Hutch's crooked grin appeared. "And you deserve much better."

"Like you right?" K said interrupting our conversation. He tossed the bag at me. "Men and their lines."

I watched Hutch, he wasn't amused. He scratched his head. "Come to lunch with me."

I smiled at his shy ways. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Because you're dying to get to know me better," Hutch waited for an answer.

"Fine," I said. "There are worse things I could be doing."