Page 235 of Castings & Curses

Sure, I did that all the time.

Riigghhht.

“Um. What?”

“Here, Let me help,” he grumbled, tying the string at my back, and closing the hospital gown before allowing me to sit up. My panty-clad butt was still in his lap, but that seemed as far as Arlo Glenn was willing to let me go.

“Where’s Mabe?”

“She’d gone too long without feeding, I’m afraid, and made a bit of a mess. She’s in the shower.”

I heard it then, the sound of water coming from behind a door off to the left of the strange little room. I tucked my hair behind my ears, trying not to think of the disastrous state of my curly locks. Okay, so Mabe was in the shower, I was in Arlo’s lap, and the three of us were in some strange dungeon room.

“She was trying to explain something to me,” I began, and Arlo cocked his head to the side.

“You really care, don’t you? About everyone, regardless of what they’ve done or how they’ve acted in the past,” he said, like it was a fact he’d read somewhere.

“Of course, I care. Mabe is a person, a witch, like me. Just because we grew up differently does not make her any more or less important than I am,” I said without preamble.

“You know, I’ve never met anyone like you, Jade Montrose,” he said, brushing his fingers down the side of my face.

I froze, unsure what I should do. If he was dating Mabe, this was highly inappropriate.

If he wasn’t, then what was he doing in her private room?

And why was he feeding her?

And why was she drinking blood?

So many unanswered questions, but just then I couldn’t lend a voice to any of them. All I could feel was his warmth seeping into my skin. All I could see were his green eyes, blazing like emeralds in the dimly lit room.

At that moment, I wanted him to kiss me.

He was so close I could count his thick eyelashes if I tried.

Was there ever a boy with better features than Arlo Glenn?

How could he be blond and have such thick black lashes?

He was gorgeous.

Sexy.

Hot.

Like totally out of my league cute.

Even so, I really did not want to move off him. I should. I really, really should. But I didn’t want to.

“You know, at first it was just your looks, but now it’s this incredible honesty about you drawing me in. It’s so damn attractive, Jade, I can hardly resist you.”

“Me?” I squeaked.

That was a first.

When had a boy, any boy, ever had a difficult time resisting my chubby butt?

“Yeah, you. You’ve got these incredible eyes the color of warm honey. Wild, curly hair I’m dying to get my hands on, and this body, fuck, Jade, your body is so damn perfect. Not to mention the fact you smell like apple pie, and that is my absolute favorite dessert.”

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