Page 6 of Love's a Witch
“No? Nothing? You’re just the strong and silent type, eh? I’m sure that works for you on most of the women around here, but that shite doesn’t fly with us. Whatever this is you’re doing, just stop. This is our grandmother’s house, and we have every right to visit her.”
“I know exactly who you are, Sloane.”
Why,why, did my name sound so good on this man’s lips? I wanted to arch my back like a cat and nuzzle in for a cuddle. This was ridiculous.
“Then you have me at a disadvantage. And you are?” A shiver ran across my skin as the wind gusted, snow melting against my cheeks.
“Knox Douglas.”
“Knox?” My mouth fell open. The last time I’d seen Knox Douglas, he’d been a scrawny private school boy, but even then, all the girls in town had crushed hard on him. It was unfair, really, the glow-up this man had enjoyed since I’d last seen him. The only thing about me that glowed was the sweat on my face after Lyra dragged me to the seventh circle of hell—her Pilates class—and I came out gasping for air and promising my firstborn if I never had to attend another session.
Before I could do much more than blink, he’d grabbed hold of the luggage once more. Blocking him, I rammed a hand into his stomach, pushing him back from the luggage.
“You’re one of those people nobody says no to, aren’t you?” I asked.
A bewildered look crossed Knox’s face as though he’d never really considered the option of someone refusing to do what he wanted before.
“Och, lass. I reckon not. I am the provost, after all.”
“Run unopposed, have you?” I gave him a sarcastic smile as I heaved the luggage from his hands and dragged it inside, where everyone hovered a few feet back and away from the snow that gusted through the open door.
“Aye, largely.” Knox filled our doorway.
“Shocking.” Men like him annoyed women like me. They didn’t annoy Lyra, as those two spoke the same language where doors opened unaided, presents showed up on doorsteps, and dinner bills were always miraculously paid. But for me? Life didn’t run so seamlessly.
“Well, if it isn’t wee Knox Douglas, all grown-up. It’s been ages since I’ve seen you.” Broca came as close to a sashay as she could with a walker, and Knox grinned at her.
It was the grin that did me in.
Coherent thoughts scattered from my brain.
“If it isn’t the notorious MacGregor witches back in Briarhaven. It’s good to see you, Broca, even if you’ve taken a bit of a tumble, it seems.”
“Och, it’s just a wee bruise. Nothing much to fuss over.” Broca flirted up at Knox, and I raised an eyebrow. A hip replacement was certainlynota wee bruise.
“If it’s good to see her, why are you trying to kick us out, then?”
Knox turned back to me, the smile sliding neatly off his face, and I silently applauded my ability to annoy even the most handsome of men.
“It’s good to see you all are doing well,” Knox amended. “But, since youaren’tgood for Briarhaven, I really must insist that you go.”
“Who says we’re not good for Briarhaven?” This from Nova, who, with her sullen glare and tattooed arms, looked every inch the badass she was. She could have followed it up withYou want a piece of me?and actually pulled it off.
I would have looked like a cranky librarian scolding someone for returning a book late.
“Yeah, what she said.”Yup, didn’t quite land that.
Knox’s gaze drifted back to me, my breath caught, and I found myself leaning, honestly leaning, forward, as though his very nearness somehow was pulling me into his gravitational force. Was this some kind of magickal charm he was using on me to sway me in his favor? If so, I was even more deeply annoyed because I didn’t take well to people using magick, or coercion of any sort, on me.
Knox turned and pointed out the front door, where snow swirled wildly behind him.
“Exhibit A.”
“Hardly unusual for Scotland,” Nova scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Or is a little snow enough to send you scurrying back to your drafty castle?”
“I don’t scurry, and my castle is cozy as can be on a snowy winter’s night.”
I’d forgotten he lived in the castle. Now I was even more annoyed.
