Page 84 of Untraced Magic
His cologne hit me before I heard him knock on my bedroom door, his spicy notes washing my senses. “Hey,” I said, glancing over.
I couldn’t hold back my smile at the sight of him. A heavy jacket and jeans, socks on his feet, having left his shoes at the door.
“Hey, yourself.” He pulled me into his arms for a kiss, and I felt itall.
A desperation that hadn’t been there before. He pulled away, his hands cupping my face, and a torrent of emotion drained from him.
Tyler murmured, “You need to know I won’t let this happen. I won’t allow you to be taken to Port Fallere. You belong here with us.” He paused, his forehead resting on mine. “With me.”
I nodded, emotion twisting my heart and spilling down my face, freefalling with no parachute.
My breath scattered in my throat.
He scooped me into his embrace, burying his face in my neck and I did the same.
His breath ghosted my skin, the comfort and warmth I needed. “Nothing will tear us apart. I promise. Believe me when I say I would rather stare death in the face than never have you by my side again.”
I blinked away more tears.
“Say the words, Morgan,” he urged. “I need to hear them.”
An unsteady breath shuddered from me. “I believe you.”
His warmth palmed my shoulders. “Good.” Then he planted his lips on mine.
A promise in his breath. Reassurance in his taste.
Tyler stared down at me, pulling an emotional storm from my eyes. He wiped it away with his thumbs. “Are you ready to go?” he murmured.
I nodded. “Just let me grab my jacket.”
He waited as I pulled it on, slipping my feet into my shoes. Grabbing my beanie, I tugged it over my ears, splaying my hair around my neck to protect me from the cold.
“Let’s go,” I said, pulling the door shut behind us.
Our hands naturally gravitated together, and I eyed him sideways.
“Care to indulge me on where we’re going?” I snuffled.
A low laugh came from him. “That would spoil the surprise…”
I didn’t like surprises. Notknowingwas a feeling that had never sat right with me.
“Come on, not even a hint?” I needed a distraction. Anything to stop thinking about the what ifs currently circling my mind. My magic, the coven issue, and the goddamn dance.
He lowered his head to my ear. “I will divulge the where, but not what,” he whispered.
“Okay,” I said with a stiff laugh. “Where is this mysterious night taking us?”
Tyler straightened again. “Cutters Cliffs.”
I scrunched up my nose. “Where’sthat?”
He grinned mischievously. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
I rolled my eyes with a laugh as he took us down to the exposed end of the beach, where waves battered the sides of the cliffs extending high above us.
“Tyler?” I stopped in my tracks, not understanding where we would go from here.
