Page 65 of Witch You Weren't Here

‘What objection could they have to it?’

‘None they can admit openly. Biddicote’s community is rare and, because of its respect for my family, the Council feel threatened by the sway we could hold if we chose to use it. They’re waiting for an excuse to take control from us, to get their hands on the magical artifacts, some of the grimoires we have, but they can’t just bulldoze their way in because the Ashworths own it. Or at least that’s the way my father has put it. He doesn’t trust them.’ He pinched the bridge of his nose, lines appearing in his forehead. ‘I sometimes wonder if we’d be better off opening some access up to them, because if we shared information, maybe it would benefit all of us … but I have to respect my father’s wishes on it.’

‘Until you’re the head of the family, I suppose.’

Now his hand covered his whole face. ‘I don’t want to even think about that.’ He was pulling away from her mentally, the stress making his body tense in the way she’d noticed crept up on him regularly. Before, she’d assumed it was just about getting back to Biddicote, because what else could be wrong in Harry Ashworth’s perfect life? It was amazing the lies you told yourself about someone when you were angry with them. Sure, there were a lot of benefits to being an influencer, and an Ashworth. But, also, a lot more complications than she’d ever guessed.

‘It’s too late to think about anything,’ she groaned, trying to lighten the mood. ‘I’m going to look like roadkill in the wedding photographs.’

‘Not possible,’ he said, dropping his hand and curling her in tighter to him, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. ‘But it could be worse. We could have ended up as roadkill.’

‘True.’ She turned her head, brushing her lips over the curve of his shoulder. It could have been a lot worse than ending up here, in his arms.

Chapter Sixteen

6.30 a.m.: sunday 31 october

Harwich, England

129 miles and 8 hours and 30 minutes until the wedding

Kay and Harry groaned simultaneously when his phone alarm went off a few hours later. Sadly, not because of shared pleasure this time.

‘Nooo,’ she mumbled, turning her face into Harry’s shoulder. His stubble prickled lightly against her scalp and her glasses bent in that strangely fluid way they had. Even if they weren’t going to break, they could still get dislodged, so she lifted her head and tried to push herself up onto one elbow, getting enough room to straighten them. Both she and Harry were in exactly the same positions they’d fallen asleep in. Or passed out in.

Harry looked even more edible than he had yesterday. Thoroughly messy bedhead and lips pink from kisses. He cracked one eye open, then blinked until the other was able to join in, bright blue spearing her, like she’d opened the curtains on a glorious summer morning.

‘Hi.’ His voice was all gravel, rasping over her nerve endings, sending goosebumps down her spine.

‘Hi.’

The morning after. Why did this never get any easier? It probably helped if you weren’t still naked and entwined. She wrapped a bit of blanket around her and moved back as far as she could without stealing all the covers from him.

‘We were going to talk,’ he said.

But then they’d had sex instead. Very sensible decision there.

His phone alarm bleeped incessantly as background music, a stark reminder that she was still running against a clock to get to Joe’s wedding. The sea seemed much calmer than the night before and, with any luck, the storm had passed from England and they wouldn’t have any more trouble getting home. Provided she wasn’t the bringer of all the bad weather.

Why did this all have to be happening at the same time? She felt like Leon’s car last night, spinning her wheels, desperately trying to get traction.

‘We still can,’ she said, attempting to put her metaphorical big-girl panties on, because she had no clue where her actual underwear was. She squeezed her eyes shut hard enough to make starbursts bloom in her vision and took a deep breath. ‘But the ferry will be docking soon, we need to get to the car.’

‘I know.’ She felt his stomach lift and fall, like he was taking a deep breath. ‘I’ll go grab my bag so we can get you something to wear. You just stay wrapped up warm. I’ll be ten minutes.’

‘Thanks,’ she said weakly and shoved her head into the pillow so she didn’t torture herself with the sight of him getting dressed. Not that it helped, she could still see flashbacks of his skin in her mind, freckles dipping into curves of muscle as they flexed over her. Her whole body flashed hot with the memory. Oh sweet, sweet, Goddess, it had been good. And she hadn’t got her mouth on nearly enough of him …

When she heard the door click shut, she crawled out of her cave and sent stern words to all her exhausted – and horny – limbs that they needed to move. Wrapping the blanket around her like a toga, she climbed down from the bunk and found Harry had gathered her clothes on the chair next to her tote, folding them neatly, before leaving. Her heart gave a little kick before she had several more stern words with herself – these ones about setting the bar so low for men to impress.

She riffled in her bag for her toothbrush, making use of the sink in the corner of the room, and was just about to drop the blanket and get reluctantly back into her dirty clothes when the door opened again.

‘That was quick.’ She clutched at the blanket around her and Harry paused, his eyes roving from her head to her bare toes. She was nothing but a lumpy swath of fabric but his look made her flush.

He cleared his throat and closed the door behind him again, bringing his bag in. He placed it next to hers on the chair and stripped off his coat and shirt from last night, grabbing the maroon jumper from Friday to swap into. For dirty laundry, it smelt annoyingly fresh. That was the reason her mouth was watering. Definitely that. Not the sight of his stomach muscles tightening as he pulled the jumper on.

‘You refreshed your clothes with magic already,’ she thought out loud.

‘It’s a habit. I do it whenever I pack. Really saves on the washing when you get home. I can do the same to yours.’ His eyes fell on the pile of clothes and Kay’s cheeks flamed at the sight of her limp knickers.

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