Page 69 of Hooked on a Witch
“I’m so sorry.” She jumped up, grabbed a wad of paper towels, and rushed to sop up the mess. “I suck at this whole magic thing.”
“Leave it.” He knelt beside her and put his hand over hers. He pulled her to her feet and into his arms.
She turned her head up to his, expecting gentle reassurance. What she got was entirely different. His mouth came down on hers, his tongue sweeping away resistance. His arms crushed her against his tight body. When he lifted his head, her brain fluttered with lightheaded need to continue. She gazed into his eyes, drowning. His hands framed her face.
“What do you see when you look at me?” he asked.
Her breath caught in her lungs. After a slow release of air she moistened her lips.
“Tell me,” he coaxed. “Read my aura.”
She couldn’t look away. Colors swirled around him.
“Do you see disgust? Disappointment?” he coaxed.
She shook her head.
“Tell me out loud. What do you see?”
“There’s a lot to see. There’s desire.” That actually didn’t do justice to describe the intensity burning in the depths of his gaze and hovering in his aura. “Lust.”
He grinned. “That’s a given. Touching you makes me want you. What else? Is there anything negative here? Anything to indicate I think you’re something other than a remarkable witch?”
“No. But there’s a darkness to you.”
“That’s a part of who I am. I’m a hunter. A killer. I do it because I can and must. I’m not dangerous to you.” He traced one of her cheeks with a finger. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. It might be something you don’t like. Right now, keeping you safe means you learn to trust yourself and your abilities. Hesitation and doubt will get you killed.”
“How do I get that confidence?”
“How do you stop the water?”
“I don’t know. I just do it.”
“That’s it, then.” He stepped away to refill the cup and slung it at her.
She stopped it midair again.
“Change it to ice. Just do it. No thinking. Do it.”
She didn’t break her fix on his gaze and focused on the concept of ice. The water changed and hit the floor with a loud clunk. She grinned. “I made a mess again.”
“You did.” He grinned. “Now clean it up without touching it. Move it to the sink.”
“But—”
His face fell to a glower.
She imagined where she wanted the water. No hesitation. Just need to do what might make him smile again. The water moved off the floor to the sink.
“Good.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed one fingertip. Then he sucked it between his lips, flicking his tongue over her finger. Suggestive. Hot.
He cupped the back of her neck, trapping her for what she expected to be a kiss. But he held her that way, stroking her cheek with his thumb, his gaze searching hers as if all the answers to every problem both of them had to deal with lay inside her somewhere.
If only that was the truth.
“You’re going to be okay, Shannon.” He stared at her so intently with those eyes as turbulent as the ocean. She wanted to drown in them and forget everything else. Suddenly she became aware of her near nakedness so close to his chest. It’d be so easy for him to push up the shirt and have her on any surface in this kitchen.
Just when she thought she’d melt if this didn’t go somewhere, he leaned in. His lips slanted over hers. A breathless moan erupted from her. She clenched his arms. Such strong arms. His tongue took over her mouth until she had to pull away to breathe. He attacked her throat with his lips. His hot breath against her was the sexiest thing she’d ever experienced. His teeth caught her sensitized skin.
