Page 19 of Hex and the Kitty

“Your magic is certainly... responsive,” he remarked, the laughter in his voice.

FIFTEEN

Molly laughed despite her embarrassment. “It’s usually more controlled. You bring out the worst in my kitchenware.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” His smile deepened, transforming his serious face into something almost boyish. “Better magical mishaps than actual fires.”

Their shared laughter eased the tension but didn’t erase it entirely. As they continued experimenting with the exotic ingredients, Molly found herself hyperaware of every movement he made—the concentrated furrow of his brow as he tasted something complex, the careful precision of his hands, the occasional flicker of gold in his eyes when something delighted him.

She wondered what it would be like to have those eyes watching her every day, to have those hands touch her with purpose rather than accident, to be the cause of that rare, transformative smile.

Stop it,she scolded herself.This is pretend. Strategy, not romance.

But her treacherous heart wasn’t listening.

“You said you never settled in one place,” she ventured after a comfortable silence had stretched between them. “Does Whispering Pines feel different?”

Warrick considered the question, rolling a drop of blue essence between his fingers before answering. “It might. The town has a... pull to it. A sense of potential I haven’t encountered often.”

“The ley lines under the town center amplify magical connections,” Molly explained, trying to sound scholarly rather than hopeful. “Some people believe they draw compatible souls together over time.”

“Is that why half the town seems determined to push us together?” Warrick asked, one eyebrow raised. “Magical compatibility?”

“The witches would say yes.” Molly’s cheeks warmed. “They take matchmaking as a personal mission.”

“And what would you say?” Warrick’s question was soft but direct.

Molly’s pulse quickened. “I’d say... I’m starting to appreciate their persistence.”

His eyes darkened to amber fire. “As am I.”

For a moment, Molly allowed herself to imagine this wasn’t pretend—that they were simply a witch and a shifter exploring the chemistry that had sparked between them from their first chaotic meeting.

Warrick leaned forward slightly. “Molly?—“

A sudden blue flash cut him off. The ward crystals near the windows flared with warning light outside the kitchen, their protective magic sensing something outside. Warrick was on his feet instantly, body coiled with tension as he scanned the bakery’s perimeter.

“Stay here,” he said, voice dropping to a low rumble as he moved toward the door.

Molly’s heart pounded against her ribs as she watched him transform—not physically, but in stance and presence. This was the predator beneath the man, alert and dangerous. She thought of Gus Niles’s hostile glare through the window days earlier, the darkness in his expression when he’d watched her and Warrick laughing together.

Outside, a light fixture rattled in the evening breeze. The ward crystals flickered once more, then dimmed completely.

Warrick’s shoulders remained tense as he surveyed the empty street. After a long moment, he returned to the table where Molly now stood.

“False alarm?” Molly asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Possibly,” he said, though his expression suggested he wasn’t entirely convinced. “The wind might have triggered something with latent magic. This town has layers of old spells everywhere.”

Molly nodded, but a chill lingered despite the bakery’s warmth. She’d lived in Whispering Pines long enough to trust her instincts, and something about the timing felt deliberate rather than coincidental.

Warrick seemed to read her thoughts. “The fire department has had some... incidents lately. Probably just pranks, but I’ve increased security measures.”

“Pranks?” Molly frowned. “What kind of incidents?”

“Nothing serious,” he said, a little too quickly. “Equipment malfunctions, mostly.”

His casual dismissal didn’t match the alertness in his posture or the way his eyes continued to flick toward the windows. Molly recognized the protective instinct—he was trying to spare her worry.

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