Poppy and Damien stopped and looked over to see Josh. Poppy's lipstick was smeared around her mouth. The flush in her cheeks and the flush on her chest was evident. She looked well kissed. A wave of overwhelming desire to march over there and punch Damien St. fucking Cloud in the face overtook him, and he wanted to kiss Poppy in a way that she would never even think about kissing anyone else. Ever. But Josh had honed his skills in stuffing his emotions and putting a smile on his face for years, so he would not do that.
"Can I help you with something?" asked Damien.
Yeah, you can take your hands off my girl, douchebag. That is what Josh wanted to say. Instead, he said. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to take off. I just wanted to make sure Poppy had a way safely back to her car."
“I got her, my man," he said with an entitled smirk on his face.
"You sure?" Josh looked at Poppy. Say no, say you will come with me, say this is nothing and not what I think it is.
"Yeah, I'm good." That was all she said, still looking aroused and so kissable.
Josh nodded and turned and left. He booked it out of the bar and briskly made his way to his car cursing the day that douchebag came to town.
CHAPTER 7
Poppy
Poppy woke up the next morning grinning from ear to ear. Last night had been one of the best nights of her life. She had asked for a love spell and that love spell did not disappoint. Two days after performing the spell Damien St. Cloud came to town. He was meant for her, and after last night there was no doubt in her mind.
She had felt the chemistry between them since that first rehearsal, but last night after he took her out onto the patio and kissed her stupid there was no doubt in her mind where she belonged. She belonged right here in Damien St. Cloud's bed. He was staying at the inn on the edge of town and last night he took Poppy back to his room. Last night she made love to her soulmate for the first time.
The sounds of the water let Poppy know he was in the shower. She stretched and remembered the night. While the sex had not been as earth shattering as the kiss, it's okay. Lots of women don't climax with new lovers, right? It wasn’t the first time she didn’t quite get there with someone new. So, they had a few kinks to work out. Hannah and Graham definitely had some kinks when Graham first arrived, so it's totally normal. Last night they had come back after a few drinks at the bar and Damien was just a little drunk, that is why he finished and rolled off her and fell asleep. It happens. They would figure it out.
Poppy's alarm on her phone went off. She looked for it in a panic. Her alarm was set for her to give her enough time to get to the register when she was home and not when she was in an inn clear across town from her car, which she needed to drive home. She shot up and started pulling her clothes on. She gathered her things and looked around the room to see if there was anything else.
Slipping her shoes on she knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey, sorry to run, but I have to be at work in thirty minutes."
"What?" he yelled back over the water.
She opened the door and poked her head in. "I have to get to work." She wanted to ask him for a ride back to her car, but she didn't want to impose.
"Ok, see ya later."
That was it. Poppy waited for more, but that was it.
"Ok... I guess I’ll see you tonight."
"Yeah, I’ll see you then."
Poppy closed the door and took a breath. That isn't exactly soulmate behavior, but they would get there. She left her room and started down the hallway. If she could find a way to her car, she might be able to get to work on time.
As she pulled the front door of the inn open, she walked right into a big solid chest. She looked up. Josh. Perfect. He was always right where she needed him.
"Poppy, what are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
She did not want to answer that question. She was feeling a little confused and unsure and those are not emotions that sat well with Poppy.
"Hey, can you do me a favor? I need to get to my car so I can get to work. Can you drive me?"
"Sure," he said flatly.
"Thank you so much, you are a lifesaver."
"Don't mention it," he said. Poppy looked up at him. His normal Joshness was gone. He looked distant and upset. That is no way for Josh Turner to look. Josh Turner was a golden retriever personified. Looking at him like this felt like watching those videos online where the dogs look sad or are waiting for their owners and you just feel a visceral need to make things right.
"What's up? Are you okay?"
He shook his head like he was shaking something off. "Yeah, I'm fine. You just surprised me. Let's get you to your car."
They walked to the lot and Josh beeped his SUV and opened the door for Poppy. She climbed in and he shut the door behind her.
As he opened the door and sat down in the driver's seat she asked, "What are you doing at the inn this morning?" She immediately regretted the question because it was one she did not want to answer herself.
“I’m doing some work around the inn for my sister. I sanded the gazebo yesterday. I was coming back today to stain it."
He didn't ask why she was there again, and she gave a sigh of relief.
"I didn't know you did that kind of work. Don't let Sam know, he will rope you into working his grand ideas for the orchard update. He roped Graham in weeks after he arrived."
She waited for the easy banter that usually happened between them, but he sat there silently driving them back. So, she filled the silence, as she often did when there was any. "I knew you were a bartender. You bartend over in Glendale, right?"
He just nodded. Poppy would not be dissuaded though.
"I can't believe we open next Friday. Do you think we’ll be ready? It always seems like it's never going to come together, but then it always does. At least this time we have Damien's expertise. How lucky are we?"
Josh's knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. "Pretty lucky, I guess," he muttered.
They pulled up to the theater's parking lot and Poppy hopped out. "Thank you so much, I might make it back in time. Here's hoping my gran doesn't notice I'm in the same clothes as I was last night. I mean I am a grown woman, but she still treats me like I'm a teenager."
Crap. Poppy did not want him to ask about why she was there, but she pretty much said it herself right there didn't she.
Josh didn’t respond to that. "Have a good day, Poppy."
And that was it. She closed his door, and he pulled off. That was weird, she thought. She had grown so used to Josh Turner's smile and charming warmth being a constant in her life. When it was gone, she didn't like it.
Not one bit.
CHAPTER 8
Poppy
Poppy made it through her workday. Her gran either hadn’t noticed, but most likely was just ignoring the fact that she magically showed up at the register in the same clothes she left in yesterday. But Poppy just put her head down and made it through her shift, but her mind was everywhere.
She wanted to text Damien and tell him how amazing last night was, but she didn't actually get his phone number. While things were a bit strained this morning, and she was a bit put off by the way he was treating her, everything had been great at rehearsal and even at the bar. But once they got to the inn, it had just felt like a hook-up. It wasn’t the soul shaking love she was hoping for, but they could grow. She just needed to trust the process.