Page 9 of Boss Witch

Then she smiled, and her expression nearly did him in. “In fact, I do.”

For the life of him, Gavin could only picture Clem on his lap, moving with growing urgency. Riding.Fuck. No. This is wrong. There are children about.

Somehow he countered the natural reaction to those mental images, but it was a near embarrassment. Hurriedly, he turned away, no longer following her without question. He got himself oriented and located the Jersey cows. They were, frankly, the least interesting part of this tour, and he’d seen plenty of them ambling about in less charming fields. Funny animals that often laid down right in the mud with their legs folded.

Eventually, he faced Clem, feeling a bit less ravenous, and managed to say, “Unless you fancy a stroll in the gardens, I think that’s everything, and I’m a bit peckish.”

She pushed away from the fence with a smile. “Lucky for you, I found a restaurant between here and St. Claire. I can’t wait to try it.”

“Looking forward to the next stage of this perfect date,” he said.

Walking back to the car, Gavin startled himself by looking at Clem’s hand. She moved with sure purpose, her arms relaxed at her side, and he was wondering if he could manage to hold it without feeling awkward. Probably not, and it wasn’t something he should want anyway. The fantasies about hard and dirty sex were bad enough, and they’d kept him sweaty since he met her. There was no way he ought to allow himself to have softer dreams, ones where he got to stick around for a change, instead of racing after the next alleged threat.

When he contemplated it, he found it ridiculous to be this age and have no control over his life whatsoever. He stifled a sigh.

“Not having fun?” she asked, popping the locks with the key fob.

Startled, he glanced up to find they’d somehow gotten all the way back to the car without him noticing. “Quite the opposite. You’ve the raised the bar to the point that I don’t know how I’ll cope with lesser experiences in the future.”

Clem laughed quietly. “You’re really into Nigerian dwarf goats, huh?”

And you, he thought but wouldn’t say.

They drove for twenty minutes or so, listening to music, and in all honesty, her ability to be quiet was a relief. His job left him unaccustomed to the normal chat other people found comforting, so it felt restful being with her as she navigated. The restaurant she’d picked turned out to be the most outlandish place imaginable, a renovated barn decorated with reclaimed Americana. Everything was rustic or red-­checkered, and he caught Clem watching him like a hawk, her amusement so strong that it was practically a third wheel.

With great trepidation, he perused the menu and found they had normal food listed, as well as some fascinating German specialties. Gavin had done some hunting in Austria, and he had a soft spot for a good schnitzel. So he ordered that while she went with the quintessential cheeseburger.

“What do you think?”

“I won’t know until I taste the food,” he said. “The decor is certainly…memorable.” There was even a clown going from table to table, making balloon animals for the children and taking Polaroids of couples and families who wanted them.

“That’s not what I’m asking.” The crispness of the question drew Gavin’s gaze back to Clem, and he found her leaning forward with a certain irresistible intensity.

“Then help me understand the question.” Delicate barbs of need sank into him—­to the point that he ached to touch her.

Chapter 3

Clem smiled, seeing the way his lips parted.

He thought she was about to ask something intimate. “About the Nigerian dwarf goats, of course. That’s what we were talking about in the car, remember?”

She sat back, stifling a laugh at his expression.

Let’s be honest. This is not a hardship, and the danger makes it hotter. Adds another level of excitement when life’s gotten so boring.By nature, she wasn’t a risk-­taker, so maybe that was why this game felt so heady. Flirting with the enemy, tempting him, pushing her luck, and seeing how far she could take this without getting caught. Hell, she’d flat out told him she was dangerous, and he fucking ate it up.

Maybe there’s something wrong with both of us.

“They’re adorable,” he declared. “I want twelve.”

“That might prove challenging on a motorcycle.”

Gavin sighed. “I know. I wish I could get a pet, but the traveling would be stressful.”

Not for a vivimancer, Clem thought. Talking to animals was one of the coolest aspects of Priya’s magic. She kept her expression neutral as she said, “My cousin’s allergic to cats, and I don’t get along with most dogs.”

“Like the horse when you were twelve?” Gavin asked.

Just then, their meals arrived, and the food lived up to the internet hype, which was part of why she’d chosen this place. She’d also thought Gavin might get a kick out of the kitsch. And he seemed to enjoy the schnitzel and German potato salad well enough. When she’d eaten most of her burger and some of her fries, she pushed her plate back.

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