Page 76 of Oh No! There's an Incubus in my Hot Spring
His lips hover near mine and my heart thunders. I want to kiss him. I want to let myself fall into him and get lost in the affection he gives so freely. His eyes are locked on my mouth. A fang pokes into his dark lower lip and he licks over the spot. Every exhale of his pours more desire into me.
He blinks, his eyes darting back up to mine before he leans away. “What’s next, my witch?”
It’s Tuesday.
I have things to do.
It’s Tuesday and I’m a business owner and I have things to do.
And Apollo is not ever going to be more than a blip on my radar, no matter his promise. I can’t keep him from finding the one thing in his life he’s wanted more than anything else.
I can’t keep him.
I pull down a deep, steadying breath to clear my head. “Shower, coffee, breakfast, press release plans, then furnishing the last private bath. If there’s time, I’d love to talk about bringing in some plants to the lobby. I’m thinking about a living wall behind the reception stand, littered with colored, glowing crystals.”
“That soundsenchanting,” he says with a purr.
I blush. “That’s the hope.”
His thumb drags across my cheek. “Let’s make it a reality.”
twenty
Final Preparations
Irene declares she’s coming up to the springs with three weeks to go until launch. Despite her fear of the place, she knows I need her, even though I didn’t ask. Plus, the banners must be placedjust so,she says, or it’ll ruin everything.
Summer has breathed its last and autumn is finally upon us, so of course I’m in black leggings and an oversized green sweater with a silver snake coiled on the front. Apollo kisses my neck as I pull my hair up into a bun. The warmth of his lips makes me shiver, sending goosebumps pebbling across my arms. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.
“She’s here,” he says, squeezing my hips.
I smile at him in the mirror. “I should probably get a doorbell.”
I bound down the stairs and Apollo is waiting for me at the door in his human form. His light hair makes his blue eyesdeeper, like voids of lust. I look away from him in his stupid black turtleneck and dark jeans before I try to kiss him.
Irene pulls up in a blue Subaru hatchback—so Colorado. The hatch is popped and there are poles sticking out of the back with little red flags on them. She jumps out of the car with a big smile and comes toward the house.
I meet her in the gravel drive and give her a hug. “Thanks so much for coming up. I’m so nervous.”
She gives me one more squeeze. “Not to worry, hon, we’ve got this. Ohh…and who’s that?”
I pull back and look over my shoulder to see Apollo leaning in the doorway like some casual god, his light hair feathering in the breeze, his bare feet skirting close to the opening. Irene is already walking toward him.
“That’s…” I choke on his name. Apollo is special. It’smine. “That’s Paul. He’s been helping me with all the carpentry.”
Apollo smiles and reaches out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Irene grasps his hand with a giddy smile at me. “Helping you lay some wood, huh?”
“Wood flooring, yeah,” I shoot back, my burning cheeks definitely giving me away.
Apollo’s grin is brilliant as he looks at me. “We have a few more things in here to wrap up.”
“I bet you do,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
I smack her arm. “We’re setting up the lobby.”
“I’ll leave you to it and get to work on the signage,” she says, waving her fingers playfully at Apollo. “Nice to meet you, Paul.”
