Page 146 of Castings & Curses

The fiery boulder burst into fragments that shot through his bloodstream and straight to his throbbing dick. “So the Council could stick you with someone like Joshua?” he stuttered to diffuse his internal situation and grinned. She playfully slapped his arm. “Couldn’t resist. I heard the story.”

She buried her face on his shoulder. “Oh my goddess. I never meant the entire world to hear. I should’ve known better telling my bigmouth sister. Can we talk about anything else? Tell me who you are.” She eased off the bench and stretched out on the path without a care in the world.

He lay down beside her and extended his arm to give her a pillow. “Rest your head on my arm.” She did, snuggling close until their heads touched and her hand alighted on his thigh, practically singeing a hole through his jeans. He’d never met a woman who held such fire in her touch. Guess she truly was a witch and knew how to use her charms. Hell, they worked on him.

“What do you want to know?” he asked so gruff he thought he’d give away the lust barreling through him, if she hadn’t already figured it out by the visible bulge. He had gone a year without the closeness of a woman, not wanting to risk involving another person in his tangled life. Even his prior occasional hit and runs wanted more from him than he could give.

“What’s your favorite color?” Sage danced her fingers on the sleeve of his T-shirt.

“Gray.”

“Wow. I’ve met no one who loved gray. Why?”

“Reminds me of old black-and-white photography. A neutral color, containing many shades that convey a depth, subtlety, and nuance.” He shrugged, sending a ripple of movement through his body. “A versatile color with a wide range of emotions and impressions.” He twisted a lock of her hair around his fingers and sniffed, savoring the faint fruity fragrance. “Goes with a lot of other colors too.”

She shifted, and their gazes met and held. “Black is just black and white is just white. Gray’s the middle where black and white meet, which colors your world.”

He took her hand in his and settled their twined fingers on his thigh. “Right now, my favorite color is gold.” He fingered strands of her silky hair.

She pinched the hem of his plain charcoal-gray T-shirt. A finger skimmed over his skin, and he quivered. “What do you do for a living? Where do you live? Oh, and are you single?” She whispered the last word as though she feared the answer.

An arrow pierced his heart. “I wouldn’t be lying here, touching you if I wasn’t single.” Sparkles appeared in the air, glittering jewels in the sky. “If I bond a fire witch, can I do that?”

A hearty chuckle gushed from her. “That’s a sample of what you’ll be able to do. I’ll show you more later.”

“Will there be a later?” He held his breath.

She leaned across him, her breasts mashing against his chest. Butterflies exploded in his rib cage as he pulled her closer, her softness pressing down the length of his body. The gentle touch of her hands on his face encouraged him, and he met her lips with his own. Her warm lips were inviting, and he deepened the kiss, falling under her spell. Time froze as they explored each other's mouths, and the world faded as they lost themselves in the moment. A first kiss that hinted at a future. Passion loaded the intense kiss, leaving him euphoric and wanting more, so much more. Air in short supply, they parted, foreheads touching. No matter how it all ended, he etched this moment forever in his memories.

“There will definitely be a later.” Sage rolled off him, her head resting on his arm again. This time, she snuggled closer and twined her leg around his.

The night’s first stars dotted the indigo canvas above. Starlight dappled the tops of the towering trees, glimmering like the fairy lights decorating the covenstead, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. He rested his cheek on top of her head. Lust beat at the doors of his sanity, and he hauled his thoughts back to the mundane. “I live in Santa Cruz in a shared house with two roommates. It’s the only way we can afford it. I work for a security company, designing and installing security systems.”

“Security? Hmmm. Now that my new role is official, a good security team sounds stellar.”

“Damn straight. You have enough haters. You need to secure your property and house. I can set you up.”

She rolled on her side and traced designs on his chest with her finger. “Well, we do have witch-style security.”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.” He paused, coughed to the side. “So about—”

“Don’t say her name.” Groaning, she stretched her hand flat over his heart.

“What will happen if she or someone else claims me in the lottery?”

Sage lifted to scrutinize his face. “I’m claiming you. If you want, that is. You’ll be the most powerful warlock in the West.”

“Hell yes, I want you to. Zelda can go choke on her Botox.” He waved his arm over their bodies. “After this, I can’t deny there’s a connection between us. More than magic. Or am I wrong?”

“You’re not wrong.” Sage dropped half on top of him again. “Goddess, Rafael. I’ve never met another warlock, or man, like you.”

He clutched her tight and kissed the top of her head. “Ditto. I mean witch and woman.”

She planted a kiss on his chest, her lips searing through his T-shirt. “Glad we’re on the same page.” Another kiss, so close to his heart, it skipped a beat. “Where are your parents? Why don’t you know you’re a warlock?”

“Grew up in the system.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. You have witch blood in your family history somewhere. Well, at least you know now.”

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