Page 84 of Witch Please

Daringly, she stepped closer, and as she’d hoped, his grip on her biceps loosened, allowing her to settle against him. He still smelled faintly of sugar and cinnamon, remnants of his workday. Danica closed her eyes and breathed him in before remembering he’d asked for particular assurances.

“Look, my grandmother has certain expectations about my potential life partner. I think I already mentioned that my mother followed her heart and the family’s been at war ever since with me square in the middle.”

“Yeah, I know that much. And I guess the goal must be for you to marry money, judging by the car that jerk drove.”

She jumped on that assumption because it was the only thing that made sense. “I’m sorry. Gram only uses one metric for measuring worth. I shouldn’t have met Leech, even to placate her. I’m so sorry for hurting you. If you give me a second chance, I won’t let anyone come between us ever again. I want to be your permanent taste tester. I want random puns during the day and to talk to you late at night just before you fall asleep. I want—”

“You talk a good game,” he said softly. “But can you stay the course?”

“More words won’t convince you. Only actions can. Are you willing to let me make it up to you?”

Titus smiled slightly and lowered his head to kiss the tip of her nose. “Your actions are already on the job. Hell, you panicked, stalked my family on the internet, and got on a plane because you were afraid of losing me for good. That’s more than anyone has ever done to keep me around.” From his tone, it seemed like he’d been abandoned a lot, something she found incredibly hard to fathom.

“Their loss is my gain,” she said fiercely.

“You were right about one thing before. We weren’t exclusive, so I didn’t have the right to feel as hurt and betrayed as I did. But if we’re doing this, I’m all in, no living like we already have one foot out the door. You’re my girlfriend, I introduce you as such, with all the rights and privileges attached.”

Danica laughed quietly. “What would those be?”

“I get to do this.” He kissed her cheek. “And this.” Another kiss, edging closer to her lips. “And this, if I feel like it…”

She lost patience with the teasing and kissed him and, oh, that kiss. It was the heat of a desert night and the calls of lonesome birds that finally received a reply from potential mates, the twinkle of stars in a sky so black that it was like ice melting after a long winter. His mouth was silk and heat, and his beard rasped against her skin in a way that made her open her mouth on a moan.

“All in favor, motion carried,” she managed to say as he leaned his brow against hers.

“I’ll make your family like me. Right now, I’m nothing to brag about, still paying off loans, but the bakery is turning a profit. In a few years, the outlook will be brighter. There’s no money owed on the house, though I have to buy Maya out if I want to—”

“Hey.” She cut him off with a finger pressed to his mouth. “I don’t give a damn what you earn or owe. You asked how I can guarantee I won’t let Gram scramble my brain again. Well, I already told her off. I made it clear that she’ll have to fight my momandme if she tries to interfere again. For years, I refused to take sides in the family feud, but you’re worth throwing down for.”

“You fought with your grandmother? Over me.”

“I mean, not physically. It was a phone call.” Technically, it hadn’t been about Titus either, more about Danica having the right to choose her own path.

And I pick him.

Titus gave her the softest look, and she felt the warmth from head to toe. “I didn’t think you actually punched her.”

“Does this mean you forgive me? And we’re together.”

“It does.Inever wanted us to be over in the first place,” he pointed out.

“I’m sorry,” she said again.

“You don’t need to knee grovel or anything. I just… I can’t believe you came back. Once they leave me, nobody ever comes back.”

He’d hinted at a messy and tragic relationship history before, and he’d seemed weirdly convinced she was moving to Peru to raise alpacas the day they’d fought over her date with Richard Leitch, but she wasn’t in the mood to hear about his past. Danica snuggled deeper into his arms and let out a happy sigh when he rested his bearded chin against the top of her head.

She rubbed his back, taking pleasure in the flex of his muscles. “I should probably book a hotel room.”

“Oh no you don’t. If I have to stay here, so do you. You can meet Dad, Susan, and Lucy. It’ll be nice to introduce my girlfriend to the family. I’ve never done that before.”

“Never?”

“Well, Maya’s met a few, but nobody ever makes it past a couple of months.”

“I’ll be the first,” she declared.

“No time like the present.” He took her hand and tugged her toward the house.

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