Page 29 of A Touch Charmed

I went out to the living room while she got ready, and when she stepped out of the bedroom, my jaw hit the floor. She wore a short, royal blue sundress that skimmed her mid-thigh, with a tight bodice that had her generous cleavage spilling out of the cups. Thin straps clung to her creamy shoulders. I wanted to press my lips there and feel her shiver.

“On second thought, let’s skip the festival and spend the day in bed.” As far as lines went, I’d doled out worse. But I couldn’t be expected to be on my game when all the blood in my brain currently resided in my dick.

She laughed and patted my chest. “Sorry. You already got me all hopped-up on your ‘burn shit down’ speech. So now I’m looking forward to making people talk.”

“You know what would really make them talk?”

She raised an eyebrow. “We’re going to the festival.”

I groaned and followed her out the front door. She was right, of course, but damned if I wasn’t going to spend the entire day picturing her spread out on my sheets, with that dress crumpled up on my floor. How the hell was I supposed to work on keeping the side effects of her magic under control when I couldn’t even get myself in check?

“Let’s see how far I can carry you.” I put my hands on her hips and lifted her up. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”

“Is this your way of getting around me saying no to the bed?” Even as she gave me that impish grin, her nails dug into my shoulders and she slid her pussy against my cock.

“Shockingly, no.” She dragged herself against me again, and I gritted my teeth to stay focused. “Just trying to save us some time.”

I refused to take us through the woods. If the curse wanted to take a swing at us, it would have to do so out on the open road. I had a bike, but with my speed in play, I’d end up melting my tires in no time. So, it looked like I’d be walking.

I started my pace at a run, but it became instantly clear that this was no leisurely jog. By mile two my arms began to burn from carrying Thora. I had to stop and shift her to my back, though even that sapped more of my energy than I cared to admit.

Once again, I found the slowed-down motion of everything around me jarring. If the scenery had whipped by in a blur, my brain might’ve been able to register that I was moving fast, but it didn’t work that way. I felt every step I took as if it were normal speed. Thora froze against my back. When we arrived at the festival grounds, she opened her eyes. She must’ve blinked sometime between our last stop and now. That’s all the time that had passed for her. A blink. But for me, it had been over an hour.

I set her to her feet and she stumbled, as if she’d just gotten off a rocket and needed to find her balance again. “Wow. It’s so wild how I don’t even feel you move. We were way back there, and then”—she snapped her fingers—“we were here.”

“Yeah, it’s not like that for me at all.” I put my hands on the bottom of my spine and leaned back to crack it. “Ready to do this thing?”

Her eyes lit up at the sights and sounds of the festival she’d helped put together. She clasped her hands under her chin, wonder in her gaze. It made me want to show her everything, even though she probably knew the ins and outs of the setup better than me. The delight in her expression was infectious. I couldn’t help but laugh as she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the growing chaos.

Zodiac Cove put on a lot of festivals every year. We drew in the tourists every chance we got, in every way we could. But the Summer Solstice Festival was our crown jewel. Regular festivals got visitors from Boston or Salem who were just looking for something different to do, but this one week at the end of June brought in people from everywhere.

This year was set to be the biggest and best one yet and that was a hundred percent down to the work Thora had put in. She worried about finding another job, especially with her asshole father trying to block her way to keep her under his thumb, but this event alone would give her reputation all the boost she needed. No one could argue with these results.

A few locals gave us the side-eye as Thora dragged me through the crowds. They’d spread whatever they wanted to in their own groups, but the place was mostly packed with tourists, who didn’t give us a second look.

She pointed to one of the concession stands. “Can we get cotton candy?”

“You can have anything you want.” I meant that literally. Anything she wanted. Didn’t matter what it was, if I didn’t already have it, I’d find a way to get it.

We’d start with cotton candy.

Her eyes danced with mischief as I pulled a piece of fluffy pink candy from the bag and gestured for her to come and get it. Though I should’ve known better than to challenge her. I almost passed out when she licked the spun sugar off the ends of my fingers.

“Fuck.” I leaned closer, smiling at the goosebumps that dotted her soft skin. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, I whispered, “You know, this is a family event.”

“And I’m not the one sporting a massive hard-on.”

Thora, one. Finn, zero.

Next, she dragged me over to the games. Water gun races, balloon pops, and ball toss lined the midway, with the sweet scent of fried bread and candy apples wafting in the air.

At the ring toss, I lost a week’s pay to win her a two-foot bear with pink paws that probably cost five bucks in a store. But she looked at me like I’d just presented her with the Hope Diamond. If that was all it took to make her happy, I would’ve spent all night winning her every bear on the lot.

She didn’t want to stay there, though. There was still a lot to see.

Thora bought some incense from Audrey’s booth. Selene helped her, wearing a sleeveless velvet dress decorated with tiny silver stars and an honest-to-God witch’s hat. She really got into summer solstice week, making their booth one of the more popular stops for new age merchandise.

“Did Finn win you that bear?” Selene asked.

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