Page 32 of Air Of Mystery (Witches On The Hill #4)

We waved to Kenna and Tyler as they backed out of the space and headed for the opposite side of the mansion to go and park. I didn’t take a single step before Charlie was taking the makeup case from me.

“Go on up,” he said. “I’ve got this.”

With a nod I started up the stairs, but halfway up I stopped and waited until he was one step below me. Then I leaned in and gave him a kiss while his hands were full. I lingered over it and was pleased to note his reaction to the kiss.

“I’ve missed you,” I said.

He smiled. “We’ve been together almost every night for the past few weeks.”

“No,” I said and ran my left hand through his hair. “I miss you. I miss us, and I miss making love.”

He sighed, turning his face to follow my hand as it stroked through his hair. “I wanted to give you time to heal.”

“And you did.” Touched at his thoughtfulness, and encouraged by his reaction to my touch, I cupped the back of his head and pulled his mouth up to mine. “I’m perfectly fine now.”

“You were covered in bruises.”

“Well, they’re pretty much gone now. Wanna see?”

“Yes, I do. But you are still in a cast,” he pointed out.

I slid my hand down slowly over his chest, pausing at the waist of his jeans. “You think a cast on my arm would stop me, sailor?” To prove my point, I let my hand wander lower.

He groaned at that. “No, I don’t think it would even slow you down. However, if you don’t stop petting me, I’m liable to chuck this stuff over the side and take you right here on the steps where anyone could see us.”

His words made me shiver. “Sounds tempting.” I nipped at his lower lip, and he went completely still. “I suppose we should go inside instead where we can have some privacy.”

“Skye, you’re killing me,” he said in a low rumbling voice. “Don’t tease.”

“Oh, I’m not,” I whispered. Letting go of him, I went straight up the steps into the carriage house.

I thought that we would go directly to his bed after that.

But instead, Charlie hung my garment bag up for me, rolled my suitcase out of the way, and acted the perfect gentleman.

He also offered me a drink before he checked his watch.

“We’ve got less than twenty minutes before we’re supposed to meet your family in the garden for the rehearsal. ”

“Well damn.” I blew out a breath in frustration. “There goes all my hopes of being quickly ravished across the kitchen table.”

His eyes darkened.

“Let me be clear,” I said. “It’s been weeks, Charlie, and I want you. Badly.”

“I need you too, and for the record I don’t want quick.” He stepped closer. “I plan to take my time and enjoy it. Enjoy you.” He ran one finger over my bottom lip. “And Skye...you’ll be shouting down the walls by the time I’m finished with you.”

“Now who’s teasing?” I asked in a shaking voice.

“I’m not teasing,” he said. “I’m basically putting you on notice. Tonight. All night. You’re mine.”

“Wow,” was about all I could manage.

With effort, I tried to put aside my raging hormones. A part of me knew he was right about the rehearsal. We did need to be there, and not arriving late looking like we just went after each other. I would never embarrass my sister like that.

When he offered me his arm, I literally sighed over his gallantry. I looped my good arm through his and we went back out and down the steps. Charlie and I began to walk across the gardens and up the hill to the spot where the lawn began to meld into the trees of the woods.

The weather appeared to be cooperating for the wedding weekend.

It was mild, in the 60s, partly cloudy, and the leaves in the woods were brilliant in shades of butterscotch yellow and gold.

The guest chairs were already in neat rows for the following day’s ceremony and I saw Gabriella speaking to Nicole as an arbor was moved into position.

Behind them the three Marquette children were chasing each other around the chairs.

“Hi, Skye!” Danielle Marquette spotted me and ran over.

“Hi, Danielle!” I said a second before she threw her arms around my waist for a hug.

“How’s your arm? Maman said you broke it and got a cast. Can I see it?”

Obligingly, I held out my arm.

“Wow!” Danielle seemed impressed. “How much longer do you have to wear it?’

“A few more weeks,” I said.

“Hi Skye!” Archer and Celeste arrived. I got hugs from both of them and allowed the twins to inspect my cast as well.

“Are you feeling better now?” Celeste looked up at me and her big green eyes were sad.

“Oh, sweetie.” I ran my hand through her dark blonde hair. “I’m fine. Don’t you worry.”

Archer tapped his fingers against my cast. “Charlie told us he was going to stay with you at night at your house for a while, so he could keep his eye on you.”

“Skye tends to get herself into trouble,” he told the kids. “Somebody has to make sure she behaves.”

The kids thought that was hilarious and with the sound of their giggles floating on the air, the five of us walked up the slope to join the rest of the gang for the rehearsal.

A short time later I sat in one of the rows and watched as the officiant walked Brynn and Austin through the ceremony. A light breeze blew a few leaves out of a nearby maple, and I shifted my head toward the east to savor its breath across my face.

“East wind,” I said to myself. “For beginnings.”

“What was that?” Charlie asked.

Instead of explaining, I said, “This will be absolutely beautiful tomorrow evening for the ceremony.”

“Absolutely beautiful,” he agreed. But his eyes weren’t looking over the ceremony space. Instead, they were practically devouring me. “You look beautiful today,” he said.

“You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He leaned closer and spoke softly in my ear. “I love the dress, but I’m dying to know…what’s under it?”

“Hardly anything,” I whispered back. “I’ll show you after the dinner when we’re back at your place.”

“Jesus,” he groaned, and I fought back a very inappropriate smile.

Somehow, we managed to get through the rehearsal and the family dinner afterward.

Mostly because by unspoken agreement we kept our hands to ourselves.

I’d been doing a pretty good job of restraining myself until I glanced over from talking to Brynn and Austin and discovered that Charlie was sitting at a table and talking to Philippe and Gabriella. Celeste was asleep on his lap.

The child was completely zonked out, sleeping away in his arms. Her head was leaning against his chest, and her little hands were tucked around Charlie’s arms, as if to pull him in closer while she slept.

Seeing him like that destroyed me. I already knew he was great with kids, but now, I was given a peek into what he would be like as a father.

Perhaps it was hormones, maybe I was swept up in the romance of my sister’s wedding, but at that moment, all I could think was how I would give anything to be his baby mama and love him for the rest of my life...

My heart slammed against my ribs. I love him, I realized.

I was completely and utterly in love with that man.

Shaken at the realization of the depth of my feelings for him, I took a hasty sip of wine and tried to settle down.

Finally, the party wound down. After telling everyone goodnight, Charlie and I began to make our way out a side door that led into the gardens. There was a nip in the breeze that made me shiver and press my side more firmly against his.

We walked together through the dark garden with only the illumination from the solar lights along the pathways to guide us. Above us in the sky, clouds were gathering and obscuring the face of the waxing moon, casting us even deeper into the shadows.

A new breeze came from the south, whispering to me of passion. To our left, the gardens beckoned and with the southern wind at my back, I impulsively tugged on his hand and led him farther into the gardens.

I knew there was a spot way in the back where a fountain splashed and brick walls created a small, private nook. There in the deep shade, purple nightshade bloomed. That’s where I wanted to take him. To show him how much I loved him, and to give him a bit of romance and some magick.

Once we got there, I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him, letting all of my desire and my newly discovered emotions pour into the kiss.

I backed him up as I kissed him, until his shoulders met that brick wall. Dropping my mouth to his chest, I began to unbutton his shirt. From there I kissed his chest and worked my way down. “Charlie,” I told him between kisses. “I’m done waiting. You’re mine.”

His breathing became rough, but he wrapped his fingers in my hair and held on.

With small nips and playful bites, I worked my way lower to his abs. Frantically, I tore open his belt, yanked it aside, and unzipped his slacks.

“Skye…” His voice was ragged as I tugged the zipper down.

“Let me,” I said. Kneeling down in the grass before him, I reached inside of his briefs and pulled him free.

He was long and turgid. I immediately ran my tongue over his length and felt him jerk against my lips in reaction. With a satisfied groan, I wrapped my fingers around and began to pump my hand over him. Charlie threw his head back and groaned.

“We can’t,” he said. “Not here.”

I pressed a soft open-mouthed kiss over him. “Oh yes, we can,” I insisted. Tugging him closer, I slipped my lips around him and took him deep in my mouth.

His head fell back as I took him in as far as I could go, and then I went further.

Charlie had given over total control of himself to me, and I loved it.

His hips thrusted helplessly as his hands tightened in my hair, and I knew he was close. Sucking a little harder I rolled my tongue around him, and that took him right over the edge.

As I held on, I could feel the tremors that went through him as he came. Slowly, after he was finished, I eased back and stayed there kneeling on the grass, looking up at him with the nightshade flowers behind me.