Page 27 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

"Oh yeah? Do they use real people in their simulations?"

"Of course. The two participants, but that's not what I'm talking about. You would be a perfect avatar for Aladdin's Jasmine." He chuckled. "You even have the same name." He reached for her hand. "But if they ever make an Aladdin Perfect Match adventure, I would love for you to partner with me as yourself, no avatar needed."

She grinned. "Let me guess. You'd be Aladdin."

He arched a brow. "Would you prefer Jafar?"

Jasmine laughed. "No, not Jafar, but I kind of had a thing for the genie."

19

JASMINE

Edgar's eyebrows shot up. "The blue balloon-like cartoon genie? No way."

Jasmine shrugged. "He made me laugh, and he had really big biceps. Aladdin looked like a sixteen-year-old boy."

"So? How old were you when you first saw the movie?"

"The first time, I was a little girl, and I was so excited that I was named after the main character and also looked a little bit like her. Then I watched it a couple of times as a teenager, and I didn't really click with Aladdin. As an adult, I kept dreaming about finding the magic lamp and having the genie at my command."

Ed shook his head. "Do I want to know what you wanted to ask the genie for?"

Jasmine leaned forward. "I'll make you a deal. You'll tell me your preferred version of the story, and if I like it, I'll tell you mine."

He made a face. "That's not fair. I asked first."

Jasmine affected nonchalance. "Take it or leave it. That's my final offer."

He huffed out a breath. "You are a tough negotiator."

"So I've been told." She cut off another piece of meat and lifted it to her mouth.

"By whom?"

Jasmine paused with the fork suspended in midair. "Stop stalling. I won't tell you anything until you enchant me with your story first."

At this point, she was more curious about that than what Edgar could tell her about Perfect Match. Besides, if everything went well, he was going to spend the night with her, and she could ask him more questions over breakfast.

Her core twitched pleasantly at the thought.

Edgar was a delicious morsel of maleness, with clear blue eyes, a chiseled jaw, and a sensuous mouth that promised sinful kisses in all kinds of places.

Edgar smiled, the mischief and mirth in his eyes making him look even more handsome. "Princess Jasmine…"—he spread his hands theatrically—"is the most beautiful and desirable woman in all of Agrabah. Her sultry eyes and luscious curves have men falling at her feet, but she's bored with all the stuffy princes and dignitaries vying for her hand. She craves adventure and a man whose hands are callused from hard work and not smooth like a baby's ass."

Jasmine laughed. "Let me see your hands."

He shook his head. "This is my fantasy, not my reality. I don't have any calluses. I'm a pilot, not a woodcutter."

Jasmine smirked. "Oh, so you are Aladdin, the dashing street rat who's going to sweep me off my feet and show me the world?"

"Exactly." Edgar winked. "I'm the charming rogue who catches your eye in the marketplace. There's an instant spark between us, an undeniable chemistry that makes the air crackle with tension."

"Ooh, I like it."

Jasmine felt a thrill run down her spine and heat pooling low in her belly. Edgar was a good storyteller, but his story would have probably been less effective if Jasmine hadn't been reading a steamy book only moments earlier. She was still primed.

"Wait, the good bits are yet to come." He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "When we meet in the market, I promise to visit you at the palace. You tell me not to come because it's dangerous. You reveal that you are extremely well guarded, and you are worried that I will get caught and executed on the spot. You can't stand the thought of losing me when you have only just found me."

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