Believe: The Complete Channie Series (42 page)

It took Channie a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about. “No. I’m fine. I haven’t renewed the moon-curse since the night Elijah kissed me.” Who knew when she’d start having regular cycles again, probably not for a very long time.

Josh exhaled through pursed lips, which of course, made Channie want to kiss him. He grinned at her and said, “I guess now that my shield is gone...I’m no longer a sex-god.”

“You are to me.”

“That’s all I care about, but it’s weird, not having to worry about magic.”

Channie felt as if he’d punched her in the belly. She was thrilled to be free from the curse, and she wouldn’t go back to the way things were—even if she could—but without Chastity’s powerful magic, she felt as if a part of herself were missing. It was worse than when Momma and Daddy changed her name.

“Aw, Channie, I’m so sorry.” Josh tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then cupped her cheeks in his palms. “Maybe your aunt can figure out a way to give you back your powers.”

She knew the loss of her abilities was permanent, but she couldn’t bear to think about it, much less discuss it. “I’m just tired.”

“I’ll bet you’re hungry too. Go ahead and take your bath. I’ll go see if I can find a pizza joint that delivers to this flea-bag motel.”

The bath felt wonderful and gave Channie a chance to gain a little perspective. At least she was safe from the Veyjivicks’ trackers. Without magic, she was just another empty—unworthy of notice if not quite invisible...and she and Josh were together again. They could be a normal couple now and that was worth any sacrifice.

The aroma of basil, oregano and pepperoni found its way into the bathroom and made her mouth water. She was weak with hunger and had to sit on the edge of the tub to dry herself off. When the last of the water gurgled down the drain, she heard Josh’s voice on the other side of the bathroom door. Was the pizza delivery boy still here? She wrapped a towel around her body and pressed her ear against the door.

“… I know she’s pissed, and I’m sorry you’re having to deal with her, but after that first race, it’s not like I had a chance to win.”

Josh’s momma already thought Channie was interfering with his racing career, this wasn’t going to help matters. 

“… No, we’re cool. It was just a huge misunderstanding.”

Channie couldn’t help but wonder what reason Josh had given his parents for her sudden and dramatic departure.

“… She wants to see her aunt that lives out here before we head home. I’ll keep you posted ... Love you too, Dad. Bye. 

Josh knocked on the bathroom door and handed Channie a shirt through the crack. It was one of his racing jerseys. “I didn’t find any clean clothes in your backpack, I hope you don’t mind me looking, but I didn’t think you’d want to put your dirty clothes on after your bath.”

Channie’s eyes filled with tears as she pulled Josh’s shirt on over her head. His Olympic dreams were just as important to him as magic was to her. He’d sacrificed everything to come get her. She wrapped her wet hair in a towel and opened the door.

Josh took one look at her face and sprang to his feet. He grabbed her shoulders and bent down to peer into her eyes. “Channie? What’s wrong?”

“What will missing Grands do to your chances of getting to the Olympics?”

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “There’s always Rio in 2016.”

“If we leave right now, and go back to Tulsa—”

“If I would have won my first moto, we might be able to make it back in time for finals, but...I didn’t.”

“You didn’t win?” Josh always won.

“The competition is a lot tougher at Grands and I wasn’t exactly focused on the race.”

“Because of me?”

Josh let go of Channie and took a deep breath. When he exhaled, his whole body sagged. “Why did you leave me, Channie?”

Channie tried to touch his cheek. He flinched—a movement too subtle to be anything other than an involuntary reaction. But it revealed the depth of his pain. How would she feel if the situation were reversed? If Josh had misinterpreted an innocent act of compassion on her part and run away without giving her a chance to explain? She’d be hurt and angry too. All this pain, hers as well as his, could have been avoided if she’d just trusted him.

“Don’t you know me at all? I’d never cheat on you.”

Channie’s first instinct was to blame her behavior on Chastity’s influence or the Book’s curse, but she could have chosen to respond differently. Magic had the power to heal and curse. It could entice, seduce and influence, but it couldn’t force anyone to act against their will. It couldn’t take away free choice.

“When I saw you with your arms around Kassie, I let jealousy turn me into a crazy, psychotic bitch.” She lowered her gaze to the filthy carpet beneath her feet. “How can you ever forgive me?”

“That’s what you do when you love someone.” Josh wrapped his arms around Channie and kissed the top of her head, then chuckled and said, “Old habits die hard.”

“I don’t want that old habit to die. I like it when you kiss my head.”

“Mmm… me too, but I like this better.” He kissed her forehead, both cheeks and her nose.

Channie wove her fingers through his hair and pulled his face down to hers. Josh smiled against her lips and said, “I think you better go put your clothes back on.”

“But they’re dirty.”

“So are my thoughts.”

“When did you start believing sex was dirty?”

Josh rubbed the tip of his nose against Channie’s. “I don’t think sex is dirty. But, I know how you feel about it.”

Channie bit her lip and closed her eyes. Josh had given up everything for her, the least she could do was show him how grateful she was. She crawled into bed then held the covers aloft and patted the mattress. “Come here.”

Josh ran a hand through his hair. “I’d better not.”

He pulled the covers up under her chin and kissed the tip of her nose, then laid down on top of the bedspread and reached across her to turn off the bedside lamp. A neon sign advertising pay-day loans across the street filled the room with a blue-tinged, twilight glow.

He spooned his body around hers for a moment then rolled onto his stomach.

“Josh? Why don’t you want to cuddle?”

“Because—as you are so fond of saying—it makes things too hard for me.”

“I’m not going to make things hard for you anymore. I’m...ready.”

Josh propped himself up on his elbows and cocked his head to the side, furrowing his brow. “What do you mean?”

Channie sat up and in one fluid movement, peeled Josh’s racing jersey off over her head. 

He sprang off the bed as if she’d cursed him. His wild-eyed gaze darted from her chest to her face, flicked downward once more then locked onto her eyes. His voice cracked when he said, “Wh-what are you doing?”

Channie grabbed a pillow and pressed it to her breast. “I wanted to make it up to you.”

Josh shoved his fingers in his hair and shook his head. “Like some kind of consolation prize? I don’t think so.”

“You don’t want me?”

“Of course I want you, but what you’re offering is a once-in-a-lifetime gift. And I won’t take it from you until you’re ready to accept the gift of my body as well. I want our first time to be as special and magical for you as it will be for me. And I can tell you right now, it’s not going to be in some flea-bag motel.”

Josh handed Channie his jersey then turned his back and sat on the edge of the bed while she put it back on.

She tucked the blankets around her waist and said, “You can turn around now. I’m covered.”

The springs creaked as Josh shifted his weight and dug something out of his wallet. He turned towards her, took her left hand in his and slipped her promise ring onto her finger. “When I gave this to you the first time, I made you a promise. Do you remember?”

He’d promised to do everything in his power to make her happy and said that no sacrifice was too great. He’d certainly proven it by giving up his Olympic dreams. “Yes, I remember.”

He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, “Will you give me a promise in return?”

“Anything.”

“Promise me …” Josh’s breath hitched. “Promise me that you’ll never leave me again.”

“I promise.”

Channie kept the blankets tucked around her, but lifted the bedspread. Josh slid in beside her then took her hand and held it against his chest over his heart. “I love you so much, Channie.”

She nudged him onto his back then pressed her cheek against the hollow of his shoulder. “I love you too.”

When
Channie woke up the next morning, Josh was gone. Panic seized her, stopping her heart with its icy grip, until she read his note…

Gone for food and supplies. Be right back.

Relief flooded her entire body, leaving her weak and dizzy. When she heard the metallic clink of a key in the lock, Channie jumped out of bed and ran to the door. She looked through the peep-hole at Josh’s distorted image and opened the door, grinning.

He dropped the bags he was carrying and wrapped his arms around her. She grabbed his head with both hands and crushed her mouth against his.

He kicked the door shut then groaned and said, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you better get dressed.”

“My clothes are dirty.” They were worse than dirty. They were contaminated by Harvey’s touch and the stench of his burning flesh, may he rot in hell.

“I bought you some more.” Josh’s grin drove the darkness out of Channie’s mind. He nodded towards the fancy department store bags on the floor.

Everything was too expensive—over a hundred dollars for a pair of jeans? Eighty dollars for a simple t-shirt? Good grief.

“Josh, this stuff is too—”

“Quit obsessing over the price tags and just say thanks.”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but—”

“You’re welcome.” Josh kissed her again then said, “I’m going to jump in the shower while you change, then we can get on the road to go see your aunt.”

Channie blushed when she pictured Josh buying the matching bra and panty sets. All three sets were see-through lace, one red, one black and one white. Not something she would have picked out for herself, but at least they weren’t those nasty thongs that were so popular at school.

She’d just gotten the underwear on when Josh knocked on the bathroom door. “You decent?”

“WAIT!” Josh saw her naked last night, but this was different. She grabbed a green, long-sleeved t-shirt and yanked in on over her head then wiggled into the over-priced jeans, bouncing in place as she forced the zipper closed.

“Okay, I’m dressed.”

Josh cracked the door open. He was wearing nothing but a towel and a grin. “Can you toss me that bag?”

Channie had to forcefully tear her gaze away from his bare torso to find the sack of clothes Josh was pointing at near the nightstand.

It only took him a few minutes to get dressed. He opened the door, rubbing his hair dry with a towel.

Channie’s hair was a disaster. She tried to comb it with her fingers but it was like trying to untangle a Brillo pad.

Josh said, “There’s a hair brush, some toothpaste and a couple of toothbrushes in one of the grocery sacks.”

“Thanks. But it’s going to take more than a hairbrush to fix this mess.” She pushed her hair off her face with both hands.

“Can I brush it for you?”

“Sure, if you want to.”

After they both brushed their teeth, Josh pulled the metal chair closer to the bed and sat down behind it, his knees on either side of the chair.

“Is there a certain way to do this?”

Channie held her hair up as she sat down, then let it fall over the back of the chair. “Start at the bottom, brush out the ends then work your way to the top.”

Josh was gentle, to the point of hesitancy. At this rate they’d be here all day.

“You can use a little more force, I have a hard head.”

He chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “You can say that again.” He paused, then resumed brushing her hair, even slower than before. “Why did you get in the car with that guy? Couldn’t you tell he was a mage?”