Page 23 of Bewitchingly Hers (Witches of Pleasant Grove #3)

“What else?” She hummed. “I got Nutmeg—my hedgehog—when I was little. My parents thought I was crazy, picking her as my familiar, but we just clicked. But I was always taking care of injured animals. That was how I found out about my healing affinity.” Eryne looked down at her palms. I thought about how she’d healed me, taking care of me.

The warmth that had flooded my system from her touch, her magic mingling with mine, helping my own rapid-healing abilities come back online.

“My parents joked about me becoming a vet or a nurse, actually, but I never saw myself doing it for a job. I guess I just wanted something that felt like it was for me. I thought about going to college in the human world, but I hated the idea of having to hide who I was for four years to blend in. So… I stayed.”

We’d talked about that before—when I’d asked her if she’d ever left.

“And that’s how you ended up working at the coffee shop?”

She paused for a moment. “It sort of landed in my lap when I was in between things. Willow posted a position for a barista, and I wanted to move out of my parents’ house, and one thing led to another…

I guess you could say it was a little bit of kismet.

” She gave me a warm smile. “Just like finding and saving you was.”

“Thank the moon that you did.” Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I cupped her cheek with my palm. “ You’re beautiful, Eryne. Inside and out.”

“Stop,” she said, though it was a weak protest. She looked away, a bashful smile on her face.

Dropping my lips to hers, I ran my tongue over her lips until she opened for me, and held her like that as we lost ourselves in each other’s mouths, lips moving softly as our tongues explored, like a dance with no choreography.

My cock, already hard again, pressed against her hip, and I groaned as she ran her hand down my shaft, caressing my knot.

I pressed the tip of my finger in her entrance, feeling her tight, wet heat sucking me in. Eryne let out a breath, turning her head to look back at me.

“You’re so responsive,” I murmured, tightening the arm I had draped across her stomach as I slid another finger inside her. “It drives me fucking crazy.” If I wasn’t so afraid of taking her again, I’d slide home right here and knot her. But I was trying to hold back.

“Then why didn’t you… touch me for the last few days?” she whispered, fiddling with her hair in front of her face.

“Fuck,” I cursed, sitting up and pulling her into my lap. “Eryne.” I brushed her bangs back, running my fingers through her soft waves. “It wasn’t like that.” I wanted her. I always wanted her. Didn’t she know that?

“I don’t know why I’m upset. I know this is just… casual.” She shrugged her shoulders, looking away.

“Is it?” I asked, dragging my thumb under her chin to bring her face back to mine and looking her straight in the eye. “Because this doesn’t feel casual to me, Eryne.” And I didn’t just mean the sex.

“I don’t know what I’m feeling,” she admitted. “But we haven’t talked about it.”

“No, we haven’t,” I agreed, rubbing my thumb across her jaw. “And that’s my fault for not clarifying.”

She let out a soft breath, eyes fluttering shut.

“I like you,” I repeated, brushing my lips over hers. “No matter what else is happening out there, this, in here—this is us.” It wasn’t enough, but it was a start.

“Okay.” She murmured, cuddling back against me. I ran my thumb over her shoulder blade as she interlaced our fingers, relaxing into my hold.

“I want you,” I murmured. “I always want you. But I don’t want to rush this, either.”

Her eyelids grew heavy as I continued to hold her. We stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s arms, until we fell asleep. I wasn’t sure I’d ever been so comfortable and content before.

Then again, I’d never felt this close to my mate before.

I was truly bewitched by her. By every single facet of her personality. She was soft and sweet, and yet there was a fire within her that couldn’t be put out.

It gave me hope.

That maybe, just maybe… in the end, she’d pick me too.

My mind was still running a hundred miles a minute, especially after spending the evening with her coven. Last night with Eryne, I’d taken my mind off of the creature in the woods, whatever was feasting off the magic of the wards like a parasite, but I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

I had a hunch, and I hoped like fuck that I was wrong.

Barrett

Going for a run. Will be back soon.

Eryne

Be safe.

Aren’t I always?

I don’t like the idea of that thing shredding you to pieces again.

I’ll be at the Witches Brew when you’re back.

You know, if you want some company.

I liked that she cared about me. That she didn’t want me getting hurt.

For her sake, I didn’t want to be right. Because if it wasn’t just some paranormal being who was living off the magic of their barrier, slowly eroding the magic and turning it into something else… then I wasn’t sure Ezra and I alone were enough to take it down.

Damien had offered, but could I trust the man?

Sure, he seemed pretty smitten with his pregnant mate, and even though I could practically feel the power coming off of him in waves, he was still a demon.

For a long time, wolves hadn’t trusted demons.

Though anymore, I didn’t know what was real, and what had been fabricated by the elders all those moons ago to keep us apart.

It was clear we all had a purpose now. To bring our communities back together. To keep the people of this town safe.

For me, to keep my mate safe. To prove to her that this was real.

I shifted in a flash, leaving my clothes behind as I darted towards the woods. I needed answers. Needed to know exactly what we were up against.

And this time, I wasn’t leaving until I found the monster behind this.

Before he doomed every single witch in this town to a slow, painful death.