Page 11 of Wicked William

“Why not?”

“I just met Max and Cherry today. I don’t want to crash their wedding.”

“Max told me to bring you.”

“You don’t already have a date?” I push him toward the cutting board and bread while I ladle soup. “She won’t be happy to share you.”

“I never bring women to weddings,” he says, sawing into the bread. “It gives them ideas.”

I suppose that could be true. “But you’ll bring me?”

“Do you want to go?”

I pause, stirring the soup in the pot. I really do want to go. I can’t put my finger on why, but I feel drawn to it. “Yes,” I finally say. “I would like to go.”

William gives me a long look, his smirk gone. “Then I’ll take you.”

“I hope I don’t get ideas. Gosh, what if I catch the bouquet?”

“Cherry and Dillon already worked out a side deal to make sure Cressida catches it. She’s having Dillon’s baby, but has been stalling him on wedding plans.”

We sit at the table he made and dig into dinner. Judging by the way he’s shoveling food in, I think he likes it. “Cherry’s pregnant too,” I tell him.

He pauses the spoon halfway to his mouth. “She is? Max never said anything.”

“She doesn’t know.”

“Vision?” he asks and I nod. William puts the spoon all the way down. “Are you going to tell her?”

I shake my head. “Cressida mentioned that Cherry’s already had her bachelorette party, or I might have, just so she wouldn’t drink a lot of booze. But it’s not my place to tell her. Do you want more soup?”

“No, I’m just mopping the bowl with this bread now. Why did you tell me about your vision about me but not Cherry about hers?”

“Your life is in danger. Don’t roll your eyes.”

We clean the kitchen together, though technically it’s my job. I turn on some music. He turns it down. When I do a little shimmy as I wipe down the counters, William surprises me by taking my hand and twirling me around the kitchen like we’ve been dancing together for years.

Then he turns me in his arms, my back to his front. His hands on my hips, he moves with me, swaying us to the music. I can feel his breath on my neck as we move together in a slow dance, our bodies so close that I can feel the heat radiating from him.

I arch into him as his lips brush against the back of my neck and then trail down to the curve of my shoulder.

He spins me around until I’m facing him again and takes both of my hands in his, pulling me in close. His eyes are dark and intense as he looks down at me. Electricity arcs between us, and my heart starts to race as he takes my hands and moves them up around his neck, pressing his body against mine.

He dips me back, and I laugh in delight.

“You have an amazing laugh.” William’s eyes lock onto mine as he slowly pulls me back up, his hand trailing down my arm until our fingers interlock. He pulls me in close, his breath hot against my ear. “It makes it hard to remember all the reasons not to kiss you.”

My hand reaches up to touch his cheek, his stubble rough against my fingertips. “Then why don’t you?” I ask, my voice low and husky.

“You’re too young. You work for me. You’re a witch, and I’m a mere mortal.”

“Maybe I’ll just put a spell on you then.”

“I think you already have.”

I chuckle, feeling a sense of satisfaction as I gaze at him. “Is that so?”

He nods, his eyes never leaving mine. “Ever since you arrived, I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”

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