Page 17 of Witch Please

“Here.” Danica split the orange into segments and passed him a few. Their fingers brushed, and the same sensation from the day before sizzled through her.

His eyes went hot as he slid the orange slice into his mouth, gazing at her with the sort of longing she’d only read about. Unable to help herself, Danica licked her lips, and Titus closed his eyes briefly, as if she presented too much temptation.

Hello, chemistry.

“Thanks.” Clearing his throat, he produced a Tupperware container and offered it to her. “The dessert I promised.”

Ridiculously excited, she removed the top and beheld the most beautiful apple tarts ever. The slices were folded into puff pastry to resemble a rose. The light dusting of glittering sugar gave them a magical glimmer, like something out of a fairy tale. She hesitated to devour such delicate beauty. Maybe it was ridiculous, but she snapped a picture with her phone, wanting to treasure this memory. In the end she couldn’t resist—and it was all buttery sweetness, brightened with the bite of the apple and an underlying fruity spice she couldn’t place.

Dammit. Now I want to kiss him even more.

“These are the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever received,” she said softly.

***

It’s too soon. It’sdefinitelytoo soon.

But watching Danica eat the tart he’d baked especially for her, savoring each tiny, delectable bite, Titus desperately wanted a taste as well, right from her soft mouth. Before he could stop this terrible decision, he was leaning in. And oh God, she came toward him as well, head angled, and her eyes were closing.

She’s so pretty.

From out of nowhere, a cat leaped between them, making a horrendous yowl. It was a huge ginger, bristling like mad, claws out, and Titus scrambled away. “What the hell? Where did you come from?”

Danica sneezed. “Go home, Goliath. Stop stalking me.”

“You know this cat?” It seemed like a weird thing for her to say to her own pet.

“Unfortunately, yes. He’s utterly obsessed with me, and I’m allergic.” As she spoke, the orange tabby crawled on her lap and glared at Titus with fierce green eyes, hissing when he reached out a hand to rub the cat’s head.

“Is he a stray?” Even as he asked that, he guessed not because the animal had glossy fur and was extremely clean and well fed. And on second look, he was also wearing a black collar with a tag on it. “Silly question, never mind.”

“He belongs to a lady who lives on my street.”

“And you said he’s stalking you?” That was weird and hilarious but entirely appropriate, considering his own levels of interest so early on. Titus already had something in common with this lovesick cat.

“I mean, what wouldyoucall it? He’s constantly running away from home. Goliath shows up on my porch like four times a week, and now he’s chased me all the way downtown. His house is almost a mile away!” She lifted the cat to stare into his eyes. “Stop it, okay? Hazel will be super worried about you, you jerk!”

Titus couldn’t help it. He cracked up over her calling the cat a jerk right to his face. Many catswerejerks, but he’d never witnessed a scene quite like this because the cat almost seemed to understand her. His head went down, and his tail curled in. The formerly aggro feline went boneless with disappointment, it seemed like.

Danica sneezed again, wedging the cat beneath her arm as she delved for her phone. “Hazel, it’s me.”

He couldn’t hear what the other woman said in reply, but it sounded cranky.

“Yes, he’s with me. I’m outside the courthouse eating on the bench beneath the elm tree. You have half an hour to get here. So help me, if he follows me to work—” Another pause. “I’m telling you, weneverfeed him!” She hung up and squinched her eyes shut as if she might be counting; then she flailed her free hand. “I’ve only used a pay phone once, but I was arguing with my mother, and it wassosatisfying to bang that receiver down. How am I supposed to angrily end a cell call? And oh my God, I hate that Hazel doesn’t know how to text. Voice calls are the worst.”

“Especially with Hazel,” he said, feeling like he’d stumbled into a mystic portal where everything was weirder and more interesting and infinitely better.

“You have no idea,” she muttered. “Would you feed me another tart? Ideservean extra dessert for cat sitting. Hazel will scold me for luring Goliath, which I assuredly did not, and then Clem will yell at me for getting back late from lunch.” Her sad eyes testified to how vastly unfair all of this was.

And though he’d never been one for PDAs, he got a tart out of the box and held it to her lips, letting her nibble away at it. Honest to God, he could just about feel the echo of it on his skin, right on his shoulder, then tingles on his neck, as if she were using her lips and teeth on him instead. An old line from a movie popped into his head:What sorcery is this?

He watched her eat like it was his reason to live, and when she licked the last crumbs from her lips, he stifled a groan. It was past time for him to go, but he didn’t want to leave her until the cat situation was resolved. Making a snap decision, he texted Maya.

I need half an hour more. You and Stan can handle things?

Right away, she sent back,It’s fine. But are you okay?

A reasonable question, since he rarely took long lunches. He preferred heading up the next day’s prep work since Stan wasn’t a certified baker and might make mistakes that could impact the quality of their products.Fine, just an unexpected errand. Tell Stan to wait for me on prep. I’ll be there ASAP.

---