Page 48 of A Match Made in Coven
Lorcan nodded and tore his gaze away. Still, he drained his entire glass of champagne and grabbed another from a passing server.
They hovered nearby, trying to look inconspicuous as they waited for the councilman to abandon his empty glass. After what felt like an eternity, MacGregor finally set the flute down on a nearby table and turned to greet a new arrival.
Sarah Michelle sprang into action, darting forward as Lorcan moved to shield her from view. She slipped on a glove from her clutch and lifted the glass, securing it in an evidence bag. The smooth surface was cool against her fingers, even through the barrier of the glove. Satisfaction rushed through her at the thought that this glass could be the proof they needed to nail MacGregor.
“Got it.” She tucked the plastic bag into her magically enlarged clutch. “We can go now.”
But Lorcan caught her hand and tugged her closer. “Dance with me first.”
Sarah Michelle hesitated, her mind warring with her heart. They had accomplished what they came for; there was no reason to linger. And yet, as she met Lorcan’s gaze and found it alight with a playful challenge mixed with something sweeter, more vulnerable, she could not refuse.
Not when he looked at her as if she were the most precious thing in the universe. Magic thrummed through her, but she felt powerless.
She placed her hand in his, marveling at the warmth and strength of his grip. He led her onto the dance floor, pulling her close as the music swelled around them. They moved together as if they had been practicing for years, their bodies once again in sync. Sarah Michelle lost herself in the rhythm, in the feel of Lorcan’s arms around her, in the intensity of his gaze.
As they spun and swayed, the other couples faded into the background until it felt like they were the only two people not just on the dance floor but in the entire world. The music swirled around them like a spell, binding them together in a moment outside of time. Wrapped in that enchantment that had nothing to do with magic, a sudden, startling realization washed over Sarah Michelle.
She was in love with Lorcan Black.
The force of the emotion hit her like a physical blow, and she stumbled in his arms. But Lorcan was there to catch her, his embrace tightening around her as if he could sense the tumult in her heart. His heartbeat was steady against her own, a reassuring anchor amid her inner chaos.
The last notes of the song faded away, but neither of them made any move to step apart. Instead, Sarah Michelle rose on her toes and kissed him. Right there, in the middle of the crowded dance floor, with half of Salem’s magical community looking on in shock, she kissed Lorcan Black as if her life depended on it.
The rest of the world could go hang for all she cared.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Handcuffs and Heartstrings
LORCAN
Lorcan and Sarah Michelle burst through the grand doors of Town Hall and hurried down the stone steps, her fancy gown billowing behind them as they clutched each other’s hands. The brisk night air nipped at Lorcan’s cheeks as they reached the curb.
Sarah Michelle turned to him, eyes flashing with determination. “I’m going to head over to the station to drop off the glass. We need to get the councilman’s prints analyzed ASAP.”
“I’ll come with you,” Lorcan offered, not wanting to miss any developments. Not when they were so close to catching Elijah’s killer.
“You can’t. If my boss catches us working together again, he might ax me for real this time, not just take me off the case. I’m not even supposed to be investigating Elijah’s death anymore—officially, it’s Malatesta’s case now.”
Lorcan’s heart sank, but she was right. As much as he wanted to be there every step of the way, he had to let her do her job. “Alright, I’ll hang back.”
She nodded. “I’ll keep you in the loop. As soon as I know something, I’ll call you.” Sarah Michelle glanced around, then ducked into a nearby alley. A moment later, she emerged wearing her crisp black police uniform, the shimmery gown bundled under her arm. She wasn’t any less beautiful.
“I miss the peek of legs, but I gotta say, you make that uniform look good, Detective Callidora.”
She shot him a mock glare, but he caught the hint of a smirk on her full lips. “I’m really starting to think you have a thing for handcuffs.”
Then she stepped close, grabbed the lapels of his tux jacket, and planted a kiss on his mouth. Lorcan’s pulse kicked up a notch as he pulled her flush against him, savoring the smoky, earthy scent of her skin and the softness of her curves.
Too soon, she pulled back, leaving him dazed and aching for more. Lorcan watched her go, pride and longing battling in his chest. They were so close to getting justice for Elijah, but what would happen afterward?
With nothing to do now but wait and worry, Lorcan didn’t feel like going back home to his empty—now possibly haunted—mansion. He took a walk through the moonlit streets of Salem instead. The chilly temperatures helped clear his head as he wandered a few blocks, hands shoved in his pockets. All around him, the town was alive with Halloween festivities. Giggling children in colorful costumes raced by with their bounties of sweets, while adults in elaborate get-ups mingled and laughed. Jack-o’-lanterns grinned from every stoop, their flickering candles casting an enchanting glow. Fake cobwebs stretched across doorways, and rubber bats dangled from trees. Music and laughter spilled from crowded pubs and restaurants, the clinking of glasses and the hum of conversation a merry soundtrack.
But Lorcan didn’t register any of it. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Sarah Michelle and the tangled web of emotions she stirred in him. The feel of her body in his arms, the taste of her kisses on his lips, the fire in her eyes when she looked at him—it left him reeling in the best possible way.
And yet, even as his heart soared, it still ached for losing Elijah. His best friend, his brother in all but blood, taken in the prime of his life by some power-hungry bastard. Lorcan clenched his jaw, a fresh wave of grief and fury washing over him. They were so close to bringing Elijah’s killer to justice. He should be happy. He wasn’t. Lorcan had been driven by a single purpose since the death of his friend: catch his killer. But putting MacGregor behind bars wouldn’t bring Elijah back.
His phone rang, jolting him from his reverie. He fumbled it out of his pocket, his pulse picking up speed at the sight of Sarah Michelle’s name on the screen.
