Page 100 of Boss Witch

That hadn’t been a choice so much as necessity, and now that Clem had gotten in touch, he had no doubts about where he was headed. Once again, he was riding across the country, straight to her, but this time, he didn’t get hopped up on 5-­hour Energy first. Instead, he took the journey slowly, in gentle increments to make it easier on Benson, who kept up a running commentary throughout the trip.Are you going to stand outside her house with a boom box?For some reason, the mouse was obsessed with old romantic movies. When they eventually arrived a few days later, both he and Benson were in good health.

The little town hadn’t changed much, only a few new shops he noticed as he rode through. Eventually he’d figure out where to stay, renting a flat permanently, as the council had helped him sort out his permanent residency in America. But everything hinged on how Clem reacted to seeing him again. Gavin could’ve responded to her message, but he preferred checking the look on her face first. The surprise should show him everything he needed to know.

It was late enough that she’d be off work, might be at home if she didn’t have other plans. If she was dating someone, she surely wouldn’t have sent that message. He’d been too busy working for the council to think about that, even if she wasn’t firmly emplaced in his heart. He’d spent far too many lonely nights in a strange bed, reliving their sparse, shared memories. But if he hadn’t lost his sense of nuance, her email was certainly a “hit me up” sort of thing.

He parked the Duc in her drive and strode up the front walk to the porch then rapped firmly on the door. Within a moment or so, Clem answered. It was February, so he got to admire her winter fashion. He’d only seen her in summer clothes before, but she was beautiful in gray leggings and an oversize sweater as well. There was no snow on the ground, but the earth was damp and brown, several shades lighter than the huge eyes currently staring at him in disbelief. And then she smiled.

“You cut your hair,” Clem said.

“Several times.” His tone was solemn, hiding much of his joy and how much he wanted to sweep her into his arms. “You said you missed me. I’m here, so you can stop. If you’d like.”

“Like what?”

“For me to stay? To stop missing me.”

“Are you suggesting we pick up where we left off?” Clem stepped back while asking the question, making space for him to come in.

Now that he was fully aware of himself as a witch, he felt the warm slide of her wards as he moved past them. They felt like a welcoming hug, assuring him that people of good heart would always be safe here.

“I would rather have a clean slate,” he confessed. “But it seems silly to pretend we have no history. I can’t introduce myself as if we’ve never met.”

She led the way into the kitchen, prepping a cup of tea that would warm his insides the way the sight of her soothed a part of him that had been aching and raw for over a year. After a few minutes of puttering, she sat across the table from him and peered at him over the rim of a steaming cup.

“Ethel said it’s up to me to forgive you. Or not. For the things you did before we met.”

That was the rub, wasn’t it? Even if he’d done his best to make it right, the harm still happened. He didn’t know if he deserved another chance with Clem, but he wanted one. So Gavin sipped his tea and waited for Clem’s judgment with more fear than he’d felt submitting himself to the council.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“You’re a witch. For a while you were a bad one. Now the council says you’ve paid your dues. That’s enough for me, English. I want you in my life. Since you’re here, I’m guessing you want that too.”

“I missed you so,” he whispered.

Still here, Benson reminded him.

Right.

He cupped his hand, and the mouse popped out of his pocket, hopping onto his palm. “Can we make the little fellow more comfortable while we…talk?”

In short order, Clem offered a cardboard box and placed a slice of cucumber and a blueberry at one end. Gavin shredded up some tissues for nesting, and Benson scampered into the temporary accommodations with apparent alacrity. He would devour the treats and then doze like a tiny Roman emperor.

“Will this do?” Clem asked.

“Perfectly. He loves blueberries, and he knows not to cause problems in human homes.”

She caught his gaze, and the look went through him in a slash of desire. They’d only had a few sips of their drink, but now that Benson was settled, Gavin rounded the table in a fever. She stood to meet him, and his mouth was on hers with the hottest demand. Clem tasted of sweetness and tea, and he swung her into his arms. Since she laughed and curled her arms around his neck, he raced for the stairs with only that as encouragement.

“You’re taking me to bed?”

“I’ve been living for the memory of our last night together for over a year. I can wait if you prefer, but—­”

“We’ve always been backward, so let’s keep going. Sex first, relationship talk after.”

Relationship talk. That’s fucking marvelous.

Nothing about her room had changed. He gazed fondly at her pineapple comforter. “You always smell like pineapple, and you even favor them in your decor. Why is that?”

Clem blinked, seeming startled. “It wasn’t conscious. I just like the way the lotion smells, and I thought the comforter was cute. But if I do some self-­analysis, I was super into SpongeBob as a little kid. Who—­”

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