Page 11 of Boss Witch

“Sooner or later. I’m a bit of a nomad. But I’ve no immediate plans for departure.”

Clem admitted privately that her reaction to that intel could be fairly divided between worry and relief. “Thanks.” She ran her fingers over the tiny yellow horn. “I’ll treasure it.”

“Will you?”

Damn it, everything he said made her want to kiss him.

“Stop that,” she said.

“What?”

“Being disarmingly sincere. It doesn’t go with the rest of your package.”

“At least you’re thinking about my package.”

Constantly.

Closing her eyes, Clem counted to ten then headed out. “Get in the car before one of us gets arrested for indecent exposure.”

“And we’ve circled back to exhibitionism. I rather suspect we’ll set the curtains on fire the moment we’re afforded some privacy.”

“You might be right.” She followed her own advice and started the engine as Gavin folded into the other side. “I hope you had fun today.”

“I did. More than I might’ve reasonably expected.”

A bit unsettled by the earnestness of those words and the brilliant smile Gavin aimed in her direction, Clem turned up the music on the way back to St. Claire to discourage conversation. As she’d promised, his vintage Ducati was fine, and she pulled into the space next to it. If this situation were normal, she’d absolutely kiss him. This wastechnicallya first date, but not a first meeting, and while she usually paid attention to the norms, none of the regular rules applied here. Because ordinarily, she’d freakingneverask someone if they were DTF.

Am I supposed to get out of the car?

It seemed rude not to, so she hopped out. But then she realized they were outside the café in full view of everyone going about their business. While the square wasn’t bustling on the weekend, there were enough restaurants with folks walking around. She recognized Hazel Jeffords, walking her big ginger cat on a leash of all things, but their neighbor didn’t wave. Mrs. Carminian did, power walking with her reluctant husband; she also threw a wink in Clem’s direction, waggling her brows at Gavin.

Unfortunately, he noticed because he was always watching, even when it seemed like he wasn’t. He appeared to find the interchange amusing. “Was that tacit approval? I do think she was silently egging you on.”

What the hell.Now that they’d been spotted by Mrs. Carminian, gossip was assured, and she might as well live dangerously.The setting doesn’t matter. I’m doing this.

Stretching onto her toes, Clem grabbed Gavin’s shirtfront with both hands and went for the kiss.

***

Gavin didn’t have time for anything as sophisticated as a thought.

No, this moment demanded reaction instead, so he dragged Clem close without hesitation, dipping his head to meet her halfway. On some level, he’d been envisaging this kiss from their first meeting at the bar.Scorching. The top of his head tingled when her lips parted. She bit his lower lip gently, sinking her fingers into his hair and tangling them as if to hold him precisely where she wanted. When he deepened the kiss, tasting her, she made a sound into his mouth, a gasp or a sigh. He took it in, along with the darting tease of her tongue. His hands framed her hips, and he was already on fire, thinking only about how he could get closer—­

Then he registered the wolf whistles and people cheering.

Right, there are people watching. That must’ve been quite a show.

It was a wonder he hadn’t forgotten himself entirely and done even more. Heat washed over his entire face. Inwardly he felt singed like a charcoal briquet as his natural reticence kicked in. Gavin’s breath hitched, and for a moment, he looked everywhere except at Clem.

“I’ll…er, I’ll message you, shall I?”

Instead of a verbal response, he got a wave and a wink. Then she got into her car and drove away. Only after she’d gone did he realize he still didn’t know that much about her—­not her last name or what she did for a living. Gavin also sharpened to the awareness that he’d lost sight of the reason he’d charged into St. Claire in the first place.

The thought of rooting out the witch who had spiked on his magical radar held no satisfaction. That was all his father, Jason Rhys’s mission, and Gavin was sick of the obligation. He’d been reared on the move, never allowed to play or see his mum. When he called her, he got punished. Same with Nan. As a kid, he’d hoped someone would save him—­that Grandad might come back, or that his father would change.

But nothing ever did.

I could leave. But if he catches me…

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