Page 15 of Hexes and Exes

Caroline grabs a platter with samples of at least ten different hors d'oeuvres. There are three of each. Caroline plucks one off the tray and holds it up. “This one is the most traditional, a gougères with smoked salmon, caviar, and prosciutto.” She pops it into her mouth. I guess the third one was for her. Ava and I take our samples. Ava takes a bite, but I shove the whole thing in my mouth.

Ava hums and then finishes off her pastry. She sucks on the tip of one finger and then another. Time slows as her tongue darts out and she licks the corner of her mouth.

“That was amazing, right?” Ava looks up at me with wide eyes and a soft smile. Her eyes sparkle and she looks so happy. It’s as if she’s lit up from within. Over a fucking bite of food.

“Why is it so hot in here?” I loosen my tie and remove my suit coat, tossing it on a stool.

“You’re in a kitchen, genius.” Caroline glares at me, her mouth curving up as her gaze drifts to Ava. “Try this one next. It’s my favorite. It’s a spicy lamb meatball with a savory herb dip.”

Ava excitedly picks up the meatball with a toothpick, dips it in the sauce and groans so loud when she takes a bite that it sidelines me. My entire body wakes up, the numbness of the potion wearing off and the brightness of the kitchen hitting me with full force.

She turns her honeyed gaze in my direction. Her eyes widen slightly before she coughs. What’s her problem? “Aren’t you going to try it?” she chokes out, and then clears her throat as she looks away.

Without thought, I grab the meatball and shove it in my mouth.

Caroline makes an unhappy sound. “Did you even chew it?”

“Yes. What else is there?”

Ava elbows my side, and once again, I’m adrift. What the fuck is happening? All I can do is stare down at this mousy woman. Except that’s not exactly right. With her hair down and the smile on her face, she’s radiant. Her laugh is loud but so contagious it makes me want to join in and I never feel like doing anything joyful.

Caroline slowly takes us through an entire tasting menu. With each bite of food Ava takes, I become more and more tense.She keeps making these noises. The sheer fucking enjoyment she gets out of eating food is insane. And she keeps licking things. Her fingers, her lips, a spoon. Fuck.

She eats some concoction on a small triangle of toast. I have no clue what it is because I’m not paying attention to Caroline. The moan that comes out of Ava shoots straight to my dick.

“Can you stop?”

Ava and Caroline both turn to look at me. Ava with surprise on her face, and Caroline with a sneer.

“Stop eating?” Ava sets down the rest of her toast. Caroline makes a snarling noise.

“Stop making that noise. That little sexual sound every time you eat something.”

Ava’s face turns beet red, and she wipes at her mouth. “I didn’t realize…”

“Nonsense.” Caroline shoots me a dirty look. “It’s the highest compliment. This one just doesn’t know how to enjoy anything.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to argue with her, but she’s probably right. I need to get out of here before I sweep all the food off the table, throw Ava on top of it, and fucking taste her. I don’t even care who’s in the kitchen to watch.

“We’re done. Pick whatever you like. I have other things to do today.” Without a backward glance, I storm out of the kitchen and try to erase the sounds of Ava moaning from my memory.

8

BRAM

After a day of tasting foods, gathering and confirming all the coven members’ addresses, Ava looks at her watch with a frown.

“I need to get over to the office before my boss leaves.”

“He can’t handle not seeing you every day.” I stand and stretch. We've been hunched over computers for half the day. Ava’s eyes drift down my body. I almost miss it, but she doesn’t look away fast enough.

“Not exactly. More like I need him to see my face so he doesn’t forget about me.”

“That easily replaced?” I mean it as a joke, but Ava’s face shudders.

“Pretty much the story of my life.” She packs up her bag and shrugs into her coat. I move behind her to help her fix the hood.

“It was caught,” I murmur, frozen in place with the back of my fingers touching her neck. She smells like sugared lemons, sweet and tart. Kind of like her personality. I linger there, unable to make myself move.

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