Excerpt from Eyes of the Cowan

“Cowan. Cow Ann.” He poured the contents of the pot into something else, staring intently at his work for a moment. “They certainly needed the eyes of a cowan on things. We forget non-believers don’t see things like we do.”

See things? Like men who glowed golden even inside houses, like Blaze did now? Even the stupid log in front of her glowed slightly. Her hands shook and the little rose in her hand ended up glued sideways on the log. Valda shuddered and changed the subject. “Hey, aren’t I supposed to be interviewing you, Mr. Famous Author?”

“Anytime you’re ready.” He laughed and shoved something that sounded like plastic to the side. "These will take awhile to harden.”

Spike had reappeared, in that silent way cats had, and was now yowling and begging. She snorted as he stretched himself to his fullest length to reach the top of the counter, pawing at something.

Blaze shooed him away. “No, I am not giving you LSD for cats. Go chase a mouse or eat your cat food.”

“LSD for cats?” she repeated. “Chocolate? What are you making anyway?” It smelled like a confectionary in the kitchen with the bread and chocolate smells.

“Come see, if you like.”

Curiosity got the best of her. It always did. That was what made her a journalist instead of some comfortable wage slave in a cubicle. She sighed, and got up to wander behind the island.

Penises. Chocolate penises, all lined up in neat little molds on the counter. Some were life-sized and some were no bigger than her thumb. The larger versions were three dimensional, and the smaller were flat on one side. The surprise made her lifelong curse activate. She tripped on the rug in front of the sink, and went sprawling. Naturally, because Murphy hated her, she fell sideways and slapped her hand into a mold of the largest penis collection as she attempted to catch herself.

On her way to the floor, everything slowed, like some sort of hokey scene out of movie. She saw the first splash of chocolate catch a flabbergasted Blaze right in the face and chest.

Her impact at his feet might have been funny to anyone else, and probably twice as hilarious when the rest of the mold teetered off the counter to dump the remainder on her until it rattled on the tiles beside her. Upside down, of course. Her glasses skittered across the floor and disappeared from view.

Silence was not golden, not when you wallowed in humiliation with your eyes shut. She broke it with the only thing left to her --humor. She didn’t bother opening her eyes. “Did I mention my middle name is Grace?” It wasn’t really, but he didn’t need to know that. She waited, praying for laughter.

Her prayer was answered. His chuckle started low, and began to crescendo like music. She cracked an eye. Blaze, his handsome face a startling mask of chocolate, like the Phantom of the Opera in a negative print, was guffawing so hard he had to hold his side. “And how was charm school, Grace?”

Perversely, Valda got annoyed. “It’s not that funny!”

The big buffoon collapsed down on the floor beside her. In between chuckles and wiping his eyes, he managed to say, “You’re priceless, pretty owl.” He suppressed his laughter and wiped a tear from his un-chocolate-covered eye. “Valda Anastasia Lyman, no one has ever reacted quite that way to my cooking.”

Shock made her roll over and sit up in the confined space between the cabinets. “How did you know my full name?” He gave her That Look again. That superior, slightly smug, I’m-a-witch look. They were almost nose-to-nose. The wish to slap the smugness and humor off his face warred with the need to do something shocking. Shocking won.

She would never know the reason why she did it. Impulse took over and she licked the chocolate off his neck. The rich flavor slid over her tongue. “Your cooking is excellent, by the way.”

She sat back, her face dripping with warm chocolate, intending to get a laugh then quietly exit to die of mortification in her room. Maybe hara-kiri was in order.

Those dark sapphire eyes of his matched his name. Strong hands clamped over her arms and yanked her until their noses touched. Then his head tilted to the side and he nibbled the chocolate off the side of her chin. “It tastes much better this way,” he murmured.

The heated ball of lust she’d managed to control up to now flared. Valda couldn’t stop the moan that pushed its way past her lips.

Blaze was nibbling his way down to her neck. “No objections?” He waited a moment. “Good.” He pulled her into his lap without removing his lips from her neck. “I’ve wanted to do this since I laid eyes on you.” He looked down at the cat, busily licking some of the spill off the floor. “Beat it, Spike.”