Page 150 of Castings & Curses

“Sorry, it slipped.” He covered her hand with his. “I’ve never called another girl that. Not sure where it came from.”

Heat pooled in her lower region. “Cool. I like it.”

They remained in the moist, warm bathroom for a moment, taking each other in until text messages blew up Sage’s phone from the bedroom.

“Give me a few and the bathroom’s all yours.” He picked up the T-shirt. “How’d you know Led Zeppelin’s my favorite band?”

“The only gray shirt in the lost and found. But now I know your favorite band.” Her phone kept dinging. “Crap, I gotta check my texts.”

Ricky wanted to know what warlock was protecting her after Aspen’s cryptic message to him last night. She texted:Don’t worry. I’m safe. In bedroom.

He texted:I know you’re in your bedroom. Who’s with you?

She responded:Tell you later. Dad!

She’d missed enough of the festival, and witches had been hunting her down last night. Most wanted to catch up on life, others wanted to discuss witchworld progression before the festival ended. Not ready to share Rafael with the world, she’d remained cryptic, stating she had a headache and needed to rest.

She texted Aunt Jessica:Be down soon. Feel fantastic.

“Trouble?” Rafael wrapped her in his arms from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “God, I feel like I’ve come home. You’re uber comfortable to be with. Sorry if that’s too much to hear. I just—”

Sage pivoted in his arms, rested two fingers over his lips. “It’s exactly what I want to hear.”

And he kissed her, his minty-fresh mouth hungry, his lips soft and firm at once. She twined her arms around his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers. His arms wrapped tight around her, a haven so unlike anything she’d ever experienced. She pressed so close to him, like two halves of a whole reunited after a long, difficult separation. The kiss deepened, and Sage was drowning in Rafael, until breathless and they separated.

“As much as I want to kiss you all day, I can’t shirk my duties any longer.” She punctuated her words with quick pecks on his mouth.

“I know.” He adjusted the crotch of his jeans. “This bonding thing better happen soon.”

“You’re cocky,” she teased.

He thrust back his head and groaned. “Don’t say ‘cock.’ You’re killing me. And damn straight I’m cocky. Can you say thiswasn’tfate? I was meant to come to your covenstead this Summer Solstice. You’re the reason I couldn’t leave when I ghosted you yesterday. Something,you, grounded me here.”

A knock banged the door and broke the spell. Before Sage answered it, she said, “The goddess works in mysterious and wondrous ways. Everything yesterday and this morning that drove us together happened for a reason. Right time, right place, the stars, moon, and sun aligned for this perfect moment in time.” She stroked his arm, loving the firmness and strength beneath her fingers. “Now I gotta go rule the rest of the day. Open the door and eat the breakfast waiting in the hallway. I need to shower and beautify myself.”

“I doubt you can improve upon this.” He wanded his hand the length of her body.

“Give me a half hour and you’ll change your tune.” She added an extra sway to her hips and sauntered into the steamy bathroom.

CHAPTER9

The phrase “love at first sight”sunk Rafael. He’d never believed in insta-love. Until he’d met Sage Wilde. He’d kissed her one last time in her bedroom until her lips were plum and plump. They’d decided to keep their night together under wraps.

Avoiding people, he escaped down the rear stairway of the crazy-huge Wilde mansion and thanked the kitchen staff for the best breakfast he’d ever eaten. Sage assured him the kitchen witches were discreet. Despite his stuffed stomach, he helped himself to another mug of gourmet coffee and lingered at a semi-hidden corner of the back patio, his shoulder propped against a pillar. A man could get accustomed to the plentiful food at the Wilde covenstead, the beautiful scenery, the total picture. And seeing Sage every day.

His gaze wandered to the people peppering the lawn and hiking the paths from the meadow, witch-house, and the mansion. A carnival atmosphere. Sage explained how the California covens rotated hosting the Summer Solstice festival every three years.

He peered beyond the yard into the woods at the line of cabins trailing to the meadow, and the other cabins stretching through the trees on the opposite side of the thicket. What did it mean to be a warlock, the western High Priestess’s right hand? Or to live on this kickass property? They had talked little about their future, but the excitement coursing through his blood had forever changed him. For once in his life, he belonged somewhere with people who understood him, with a gorgeous woman who’d become the brightest star in his world.

On the other side of the lawn, Zelda and her entourage gathered in a group. When her eagle eyes spied him, he nodded in greeting. Her expression remained intractable, her movements jerky. A step beyond her regular resting bitch face. She flicked her hand and several warlocks disbursed, including Sammy. Man, he needed to thank Sammy for helping to make yesterday the best day of his life once he’d swallowed his lame fears and hopped on board the witchworld train.

Sammy rushed toward him, a grimace turning his smile upside down. “Dude, thought you left.”

“Planned to. Decided to chill here instead.” He set his empty mug on a patio table. “What bug crawled up Zelda’s ass? By the looks of it, she’s prepping to go apeshit.”

Sammy shifted his weight, his gaze skittering away from Rafael’s face. “Beats me. Guess she slept in the wrong bed.”

Unease wound through Rafael’s full stomach. “I wanted to thank—” Before he finished his sentence, several pairs of feet scuffled behind him, and a full hood landed over Rafael’s head. “Hey! What the fuck?” Someone muffled his mouth, and he recognized a band of witch-air. They half carried and walked him to the side of the garage out of view of potential witnesses.

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