Page 12 of Wicked Witchmas: Elara & Tripp

“Yes, and I don’t understand why,” he agreed with a head shake. Drawing his legs up to hide his semi-erection from making out with Elara, he looped his arms, clasping his hands together. “Got any clues as to why your sister doesn’t believe she’s worthy of praise?”

“Plenty. None I’m willing to share with you.” Payton rose and sauntered around the room.

“How long have you been sitting there? Cloaked, if I’m not mistaken.”

And how the hell had she managed to avoid detection?Surely he wasn’t so distracted by Elara to leave himself vulnerable? Recalling their kiss and her swollen, glistening lips, he had to allow he might’ve been.

“Not long,” Payton admitted. “About the time she said she wasn’t an uptight virgin.”

She cast a significant glance at the box and smirked. The look was telling.

“Your sister’s a virgin?” He wanted to slam his head against the wall as penance for being stupid.

Payton rolled her eyes. “Dude. Isanyfemale a virgin over eighteen?”

“Don’t make it sound like she’s promiscuous,” he growled, irritated on Elara’s behalf. “She’s not.”

“Sorry.” Contrition was reflected on her lovely face. “I didn’t mean it that way. Just that I don’t know any person who hasn’t had a sexual encounter. Elara included.”

He nodded but found his irritation had increased instead of dying away. The idea of Elara with anyone but him was triggering.

“Right. Well, I’ll leave you to… uh, all this…” Tripp stood, barely catching himself from gesturing to the adult toys. Something like that would go over like a lead balloon, especially when he only meant for her to tag and ship them.

Her expression turned uncomfortable, and she opened her mouth twice before closing it again.

“What is it, Payton?”

“Could you, um, not let anyone know you’ve seen me?”

“Dailey doesn’t know you’re back?” he asked.

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way.” Her chin pointed skyward, and in her defiant gesture, he saw the resemblance to Elara. That, more than anything, had him agreeing.

As he turned to go, he remembered what he’d come for. Tripp scanned the rickety old shelves until his gaze touched on the magical objects that had called to him.

Those blasted boots!

They equaled catastrophe.

Reaching for them, he received the shock of his life.

Literal electrocution.

And the zap sent him flying backward, straight into Elara’s box of dildos.

They scattered, and everywhere one looked, there was a plethora of pleasure sticks.

Payton stared in horrified amusement. With her palms pressed to her mouth, she did her damnedest not to laugh.

“Did you do that?” he growled.

“What?”

“Charm that package.”

Her gaze followed his to the bane of his existence, and she shook her head, eyes wide with wonder.

With a savage curse, he rose and approached the box addressed to Elara, then swore again. Twice as long and three times as loud.

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