Page 99 of Charmed, I'm Sure
“The last time I had you like this, you were screaming like a town crazy person in the middle of a hurricane looking for your cat. I can’t believe you don’t remember.”
Oh, I remembered. I remembered appreciating his ass before remembering I was mad at him. I remembered hating how attractive he was when I was supposed to despise him.
And yet, here we were. Somehow, in the short time we’d been reacquainted, my tune had changed.
Taylor was kind. He was generous.
And he was mine.
Mine? What kind of fantasy novel bullshit was that thought?
“Trust me, I remember,” I said. “Kind of hard to forget you falling off my counter and into my baking supplies.”
Taylor froze in the doorway to the hall, and I couldn’t help but laugh—until he slowly slid me down his body, my feet finding the floor.
“You’re going to pay for that, cher.”
“Taylor…”
He stepped back, dropping his hands. The look on his face was menacing in the best, most delicious way. He looked like he wanted to devour me, and the heat pooling in my belly told me I wouldn’t stop him.
“You’ve got a two-second head start, sunshine. Don’t waste it. Because when I catch you…” His slow, predatory smile was all the incentive I needed to bolt down the hall and straight into his bedroom.
Sure, it was a little on the nose. But the sooner he caught me, the sooner I got to have him.
26
Truth hurts, witchling.
Magnolia
Thelateafternoonsunpainted the Spanish moss draping from the old oak trees in a warm, peachy glow as Taylor drove me back to Bellevue Manor. I stared out the window, unable to suppress the smile on my lips even if I tried. All things considered, the day had been blissfully perfect. Yes, I had inadvertently given him a glimpse into a world he didn’t know actually existed, but he had taken it in stride—a lot better than I had expected, if I was being honest. It was, for lack of a better word, magical—more than I could have ever hoped for. Now, I just had to hope Aunt Evie and my sisters understood.
My smile faltered for only a second, but it was long enough for Taylor to notice. He always noticed.
His hand tightened around mine where they were interlaced over the center console, then he brought my knuckles to his lips, drawing my attention to him.
“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked, his eyes flicking to mine before returning to the road ahead.
“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing, really.”
“Cher, I thought we agreed you wouldn’t hide from me anymore.”
Blowing out a raspberry, I met his gaze as he rolled to a stop at the lone traffic light in town. “I have to tell my aunt and sisters, and if I’m being one-hundred percent transparent, I’m scared shitless. I have noidea how they’re going to react.” The words tumbled out at the speed of a freight train. I sucked in a ragged breath and blew it back out.
“You don’t think they’ll be happy for us?” he asked tentatively, worry lacing his voice.
Oh, sweet baby cheeses, this beautiful, beautiful man. “Honey, I’m never going to hear the end of it when I tell them we’re officially dating.”
“Honey?”
“No? You don’t like it?”
“Sunshine, you could call me Mary Poppins and I’d come running, as long as you call me yours.”
“Did you leave any cheese for the rest of us after that line?” I teased with a chuckle.
Taylor’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning mock-serious, which only made my chuckle spiral into full-blown laughter. He was adorable when he pretended to be mad.
