Page 12 of How to Seduce a Slender

“I—er, I don’t have any with me.” She winced.

“Oh, of course not, no,” he blabbered as he’d walked himself into a grave he’d dug himself.Right.“I meant that I could supply you with those materials here? As you can see, we’re grand lovers of art! You could paint to your heart’s content!”

“Really?” Her eyes sparkled.

“Of course,” he breathed, catching his hands out before him…gloveless.Whoops.It was easier to work without them on. They dampened his electro-kinetic powers. He sat back on his heels, returning his hands behind his back lest they possess themselves to make a bigger fool of the slender. “But, after your next meal, of course. The healer required I feed you three meals a day, plus let you get plenty of rest and water.”

Melody huffed, a pout returning to her face. “You know? I’m starting to feel like you’re trying to plump a girl up in order to sacrifice her! I never pegged you to be the kind of guy to make a lamb chop of a girl,Mr. Smith.”

Smith barked out with a laugh, unable to help himself. “I promise you are no sacrificial lamb,Ms. Deathless.”

“Uh-huh, sounds just like something awitchin the woodswouldsay! I see where this is goin’, Mr. Smith, and I’m not buyin’ it! You can forget about it, cause this Gretel ain’t gettin’ in the pot!” She waggled a finger in his face.

“Ms. Deathless,” he roared with laughter, his traitorous palm already floating near his face and inches from taking her hand in his.Gloveless.

When her face went pale once more, fully washed out of life, and her eyes fluttered closed. Smith lurched forward, catching her with one arm around her back. The other tangled with her hand. Warmth flooded his system like poison to his veins.Oh no.

Melody dug her fingers into him, one arm around his shoulders with a vice grip. The other hand tightened around his palm.No, no, let go! Let go!There was a tremble in her arms for a moment before the tension in her body eased. Melody’s eyes fluttered back open, and she took a ragged breath. “Oh… Oh, that’s not fair.”

“Melody, please,” he croaked, trying to pluck his hand from hers in a fit of panic.I’ve gone and done it now. I’ve accidentally electrocuted our ward. I’ve fried her to the core.

Melody flushed, pulling her hand back from his and bringing it to her chest. Smith didn’t even realize how dipped she was until he dragged both of them up straight. Melody licked her lips. “I’m sorry, that was—woooo, boy, that was scary for me too. I’m so sorry, Smith. I didn’t mean to catch you off guard like that.”

He was trapped; one arm still firmly wrapped around her with one of hers around him.And her claws were out.If he moved, they would shred through his clothes like wet tissue paper. Unlike the dress Agatha bestowed upon her, Smith’s clothesweren’tenchanted. Every time he tried, they ended up conflicting with his powers. Smith wasn’t trying to be randomly naked in the middle of the house again.

If she tore through his clothes, the likelihood of her touching his essence once more was higher.

“Are you alright?” he breathed, hoping to ease the tension in her clawed hand.

“I think so.” She furrowed her brow with a curious, “Huh.”

“What?” He pivoted his head like a parrot to catch her eye. Melody slowly followed his head back upright before she grinned.

“I think I remember something.” She was breathless and bouncing lightly in his hands before thinking better of it and going still. There was still a glassy look in her eyes, and her skin was still ghostly pale, but she was recovering from the sudden drain. “When you came to the diner that day…I saw you, outside the window. You were talking to someone. I put in your order before you came in, so it was ready when you sat down. So, I just brought it over to you… You know, I don’t remember what you said, but it made me laugh.”

Smith’s heart wildly beat against his chest as he nodded.Oh, that’s right.A strange tingling sensation ran up his body and left his stomach queasy. “I—well, my apologies, as out of context this may sound strange, but I called you a witch.”

“What? Me?” She laughed, unclenching her fingers around his shoulder, and returning her arm to her side. Smith slid his own arm from her back. He relished the goosebumps that ravaged her exposed collarbones and the tops of her breast as his fingertips caught just a sliver of skin on her arm.

“Yes, well, I came in, saw you coming over with my food to the table and I called you a clairvoyant witch. I asked how you knew what I wanted.” He tried not to sound breathless as he studied her face.

Melody snickered, shaking her head. Color was returning to her flesh already. “Smith, you order the same thing every day. We’ve gone over this a hundred times, as you’ve tried everything on that menu at least once and hated everything else. What else would you get?”

He chuckled softly. Her eyes flitted down to her hands and the skirt of her dress. Smith quickly dipped beside her to collect the journal that thudded to the ground. He did, however, return his gloves to his hands before giving it back to her.

“Well, let’s get you some food and more rest before that drain hits you again. Shall we?”

She nodded, stumbling forward. Smith was at her arm in a moment, covered and perfectly safe for her to touch once more.

But that memory…it came back to her… Had it been the moment? Had it been the Deja vu? Or had it been something else?

Chapter Five:

Melody

Whenshetouchedhishand, it zapped a memory to the forefront of her mind. Melody was sure of it. There was nothing she was so sure of more than the fact that when Smith took her by the hand, the vibrations of his magic ripped the memory from the empty oblivion of her mind. It was the only spot on the record that played, everything else still scratched.But it proved it could be repaired.

Except, it wasn’t the only thing his touch did. Not as Melody lay in the bed, watching the candle slowly burn down, still feeling the effects. It left her core clenched tight and her skin replenishing the goose bumps. Melody did her best to think of anything else. However, with every brush of the fabric against her skin, her thighs clenched tighter. Her nipples kissed the silky nightgown on her body and the stir between her legs returned.Please, no, don’t do this.

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