Page 30 of A Witch-ish Guide to Protectors and Pendulums

“We have forever, Simone.”

“Okay… but I’m still not selling my home.”

“Did your dead guy live here?”

That was quite the brusque, uncalled-for way to ask if Jeffery and I lived together. “His name was Jeffery. And not that it’s your business, butno. We never lived together because he didn’t know about my condition. I planned to tell him after we’d married.”

“Condition? You’re a super, not arthritic. And itismy business because I’m not living in his house.”

I got it. He didn’t like that I’d been engaged before him. Tough turkey. He needed to get over it and stop being so hurtful. I loved Jeffery. Even if I was meant to be with Connor, I loved Jeffery. A tear fell from my eye, and I turned my head away to keep him from seeing it. “Well, it’s never been his house. It’smyhouse.”

“Good, baby,” he whispered softly. Good?Good? I prepared to let him have it, but Connor rolled into me, nuzzling my cheek with his nose and I lost all my aggression. “I’m sorry, Simone. I know you cared for him but it goes against every instinct I have in me to think about you being with another man. You’re mine.”

His nuzzling along with his sweet apology, something that I instinctually knew Connor never gave out before now, caught me so off guard that I freaking sighed.

Since when did I, Simone Lamia, sigh like some girly girl because a hot guy nuzzled my cheek? I mean, okay, I’d sighed a time or two with Jeffery, but that was years ago. His death forced a new Simone to emerge. A stronger, badass Simone. Strong, badass Simones didn’t sigh all girly-like.

“Then I’ll move in here. Not sleeping in a bed that you’re not in.”

“You’re not?” I whispered because he pressed his lips to my throat and I got lost in the feel of him.

“No.” He dragged his mouth up to my jaw.

And I was officially screwed.

“Now I’ve got plenty of time for sex,” he said through his kisses.

Then I was literally screwed.

The more time I spent with Connor, the harder I found it to be away from Connor. Maybe we needed to take a honeymoon.

While I sold crystals, Connor officially moved into my place. Or I guessed it was nowourplace. He wasn’t messing around. He closed his store while he lugged things over from his apartment, and texted me pics throughout the day of where he’d put his things. Secretly, it excited me to get those texts, to see him moving his things in with me as my mind and heart began to sync with this whole idea of being his mate. He said it. I’d never be alone again. The thought thrilled me now. Funny how fast that happened. When I arrived home, Mrs. Hildebrandt stood outside on my front lawn as if she’d been waiting for me to get here.

“Hey, Mrs. Hildebrandt, what are you doing out here?”

“There’s a man in your house. He moved boxes inside. Are you moving?”

“No, Mrs. Hildebrandt, that’s Connor. He’s living here now, too.”

“What about your fine young man, Jeffery? Is he okay with another man moving in?”

“Mrs. Hildebrandt, Jeffery is?—”

“Don’t tell me you broke up. He was such a nice young man. And handsome, too.”

She wasn’t wrong. Jeffery had been nice and incredibly handsome. Buthello!Mrs. Hildebrandt needed to open her eyes because Connor—he beat out the sun for hotness. It radiated off him in waves.

“It’s going to get dark soon, Mrs. Hildebrandt. Why don’t you head home? I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

She looked around as if just noticing where she was and turned to walk home. I waited to go inside until I saw Mrs. Hildebrandt step through her front door. Then I got to step through mine… right into a wall of wondrous smells.

“Connor?” I called out.

“In the kitchen,” he answered. I followed my nose to where I found him pulling a roasting pan out of the oven.

“You cooked?”

“Been single a long time, baby. I like to eat.”

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