Page 90 of Witch Please

It never even occurs to him that Maya and I might mind too. And the way he puts it—like this is a gift we’ve been given, one we don’t appreciate.

Briefly, Titus considered bringing up his feelings, but all the other times he’d tried, it had always ended in a fight. Honesty didn’t solve everything. Sometimes it just made everyone involved feel shitty.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” he said.

“Anyway, I wanted to thank you. If you need money for Lucy’s expenses…”

Is he seriously offering child support right now?

“Forget it, Dad. Maya and I can look after our little sister.”

The old man froze briefly and then swiped his hand across his eyes. “Damn. I didn’t expect to get so girlie so fast. Maybe I have couvade syndrome, you ever heard of that?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

“It’s where an expectant father gets symptoms from his pregnant wife. Look it up—it’s an actual thing. Point is, it means a lot to Susan and me—and Lucy too, I’m sure—that you’ve warmed up to her. She’s a lonely kid.” Dad sighed. “Never invites anyone to the house, seems like most of her friends are on the internet. Susan’s been worried for a while.”

“We’ll do what we can to help her make friends in St. Claire,” Titus promised.

“By the way, I like your girlfriend. Seems like a sweet person. I wasn’t sure when she showed up so late without calling, but I like that she loves you enough to travel halfway across the country to apologize. You don’t find devotion like that every day.”

Titus swallowed hard. “No, you really don’t.”

Chapter 27

Knowing it was risky, Danica still performed the spell.

She didn’t have all the accoutrements, but for a gifted witch, such issues were a challenge, not a deal breaker. True magical soundproofing was impossible, but she could send a suggestion that others should forget what they heard. Because who was she fooling? There was no way she’d last another night with Titus, curled up in platonic cuddles. The night before had been snuggly and gorgeous and also sheer torture because she’d wanted to strip off his clothes and lick him all over. Titus was seriously deluded if he didn’t understand how hot he was.

There was no way she’d ping on Gavin Rhys’s radar all the way in Arizona, though there was a small possibility that another hunter might notice something since the house wasn’t warded. That said, they were leaving tomorrow, so there likely wouldn’t be time for anyone to get here. Anyway, what were the odds? She’d lived for thirty years without attracting undue attention, going about her witchy business.

At any rate, anything that went down in this bedroom tonight wouldn’t get talked about; she’d made sure of that. When Titus returned from chatting with his dad, she had the lights off and was under the covers, completely naked, although he wouldn’t discover that until he joined her. He came in quietly, tiptoeing, like he suspected she might already be asleep. The day hadn’t beenthatexhausting.

Danica peeked at Titus as he stripped down to boxer briefs and put on a worn white T-shirt. As he slid beneath the covers, she rolled to face him, and he put an arm around her, freezing when he touched bare skin.

His voice sounded hoarse. “You’re…not wearing anything.”

She smiled in the dark. “You should be a detective, cracking cases left and right.”

“I don’t want to discourage you from being comfortable, but this could prove…difficult,” he said hoarsely.

“Are you sure? Because I feel like sex with you is the easiest choice in the world.”

Titus sucked in a shaky breath. “I thought we agreed to wait until we got home.”

“Yeah, but I changed my mind. Waiting is terrible. Instant gratification is the wave of the future. And I can be quiet, I swear. Nobody will suspect a thing.”

Thanks to my diversion spell, everyone will pay attention to something—anything—else.

“Danica…”

She kissed his neck, and a shiver worked through him. “If you don’t want to, I’ll put on my pajamas. I’m not trying to pressure you or make you feel uncomfortable.”

“That’s not the issue here. I feel…guilty. And a little…”

“What?” she breathed.

“Bad. As in wicked.”

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