Page 28 of Magically Generated
Everett sighed in relief when Nora gingerly sat on the edge of his bed.He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her while he explained, but he knew she wouldn’t like that, so he didn’t.
God, if only he’d been more careful while looking for the condoms last night.But he’d been desperate to get inside her, and he hadn’t been thinking.
She crossed her arms over her chest.“This ought to be good.”
She seemed so far away.He’d thought they were getting closer, and now, it felt like that had all meant nothing.
“I can move snow without touching it,” he said.
She snorted again.“Then show me.”
“I can’t.Nobody else can watch while I do it, like there’s a protective shield around me.”
“How convenient.”
This was such a mess, but he pressed on.“It takes a lot out of me.I have to eat a ton beforehand.The night I collapsed in the hallway?I’d pushed myself too far.Hadn’t eaten enough, even though I’d consumed the better part of two pizzas.”
There was a flicker of something in her eyes, but then her face hardened.
If only he could turn back the clock and stuff those drawings in the drawer before she found them.Then maybe he could be holding her right now and pressing kisses to her neck.
Alas, that wasn’t the kind of magic he could do.He could only work with snow, not time.
“What’s next?”she asked.“You gonna claim you’re Santa Claus?”
“I’m not Santa Claus.”
“There we go.Finally, something true.”
This wasn’t Nora, not the Nora he knew.His Nora might be a little tough on the outside, but she was delighted by…
Wait.Why was he thinking of her ashis?
“I was a fool before,” she said.“I believed a man’s lies, but I won’t do that again.”
“It’s the truth, I swear.I didn’t tell you earlier because I’d never told anyone.I knew no one would believe me.”And clearly, he’d been right.
But why did this have to happen withNora?
She sighed.“Look.I don’t know what’s happening with you, but I can’t do this.I can’t get involved.I was only planning on spending a night or two with you anyway.Turn around while I get changed, and don’t stop me from leaving.”
He turned away from her, his shoulders slumped, and forced himself to keep breathing.It was a blow to know that even before the last five minutes, she’d never thought this could last.He’d wanted to walk around the city together in the winter and then the spring, her hand in his, and find new ways to make her smile.
Had she never thought of such things?Or perhaps she had, but it had distressed her because of whatever had happened in her past.
“You can look now,” she said.
She stood at the door to his bedroom.She was going to walk out and never talk to him again, aside from a perfunctory greeting, and he couldn’t stand it.He had to do something.Convince her that he wasn’t a liar, at the very least.He refused to be lumped in the same category as her ex, and he wanted—needed—her to believe that there was honesty in the world.
“What if I try to show you?”he asked.
Chapter 13
“Youjusttoldmethat was impossible.”Nora crossed her arms over her chest.
This guy really was a piece of work.And to think she’d started to trust him!She couldn’t believe she’d been so naïve.
“You can’t see me move the snow,” Everett said.“But maybe if you see how quickly I can make a snow sculpture appear, you’ll have to believe.”
