Page 31 of Pushing Daisy
Sloan casts a look at Daisy before saying, “Hi. I’m Sloan. We’re here for the hayride. I believe someone at The Dandelion has arranged our attendance.”
“Ah, yes. So you must be Daisy then?” Barker asks as he looks back at her.
“Ye...” She swallows. “Yes.”
Holy shit, that was intense.
“Wonderful. The hayride is down the path. There should be another ride leaving in about…” He looks at his watch. “Five minutes.”
“Thank you,” Sloan responds before grasping Daisy’s arm and tugging her in the direction he pointed. “You alright there?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you alright?” Sloan repeats.
“Oh. Yeah. Did he shock you when you shook hands?” Daisy asks, looking behind her and catching Barker winking at her.
“No. Did he shock you?”
She turns back around to pay attention to the trail they are walking on. Goddess knows all she needs right now is to trip over a stray branch and face plant into a pile of horse shit. “Yeah. It was probably nothing.” Looking down at her hand, she sees the faint glow of her violet magic. Did her magic just act out and try to keep him away? Is that something it can do?
“Come on. We’re going to miss the next ride.”
Daisy nods to herself and picks up the pace, matching Sloan’s. They make it to the hayride in time and manage to take the final seats available for this round. They take the only two open seats near the back of the trailer, sitting on top of two small haybales acting as seats. Surrounded by families with young children excited to ride around a farm, the tractor at the front pulls away, and their hayride begins.
Fiddling with the silver ring on her thumb, she feels her magic calling out, seeking an outlet. Not now, she tells it. She continues to feel the electric current building under her skin, coursing through her veins, reaching for the surface, seeking release. NOT. NOW.
“Are you okay?” Sloan asks.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You look like you’re about to heave all over little Clementine next to you.”
Daisy wipes the sweat building up on her brow and looks at the redheaded child next to her. “I think I might. My magic is pushing for release, and I’m not sure I can control it.”
Sloan’s eyes widen in fear. “Here. Take my hand.”
“What? Why?”
Sloan angles her body toward Daisy, making their knees touch and placing a foot between hers. “I can act as a conduit or a vessel for your excess magic. It will help release the pressure as you channel it into me.”
Sweat builds on Daisy’s brow again. She wipes it away with the sleeve of her sweater and runs her clammy hands on her thighs. “Okay.”
Sloan picks up her hands and wraps them within hers. “Close your eyes.”
“Are you going to throw me off the trailer?” Daisy asks jokingly.
“Maybe. But wouldn’t you rather not see it coming?”
Daisy side-eyes her and catches the small smirk. She does as instructed and closes her eyes. “Now what?”
“Take a breath. As you release the breath, slowly push your power toward me. You’ll feel the current shift away from you and toward me. That’s what we want.”
“Okay.” Daisy breathes deeply and holds it for a second to steady herself. She feels the rush of her power within, the heady buzz aching for an outlet. As she breathes out, she pictures Sloan in her mind and pushes her power toward her, toward their contact points.
“That’s it,” Sloan says, sounding almost intoxicated. “Keep it slow and steady.”
As she continues pushing her magic toward her, Daisy feels the shift, and the pressure within her releases. No longer on the verge of bursting, Daisy opens her eyes and sees Sloan merely inches from her. Sloan’s chocolate eyes are nearly glowing with power, and it does something to Daisy, knowing that that light there is literally because of her.
