Page 49 of Chasing Stripes (Enchanted Falls #3)
FORTY-NINE
A rtemis couldn’t look away as Bartek crossed the room. Her pulse quickened with each step he took toward her, the golden glow intensifying between them. He moved with predatory grace as if drawn by an invisible thread, his eyes never leaving hers.
He took the empty chair beside her, his thigh pressing against hers beneath the table. The contact sent a jolt of pleasure through her body that had nothing to do with magic and everything to do with the heat radiating from him.
“How’s your ankle?” he asked, his deep voice pitched low for her ears alone.
“Better,” she managed, her mouth suddenly dry. “Tilly’s magic worked wonders.”
His hand moved as if to touch her leg beneath the table, but he hesitated, glancing around at his assembled family. Instead, he passed her a platter of honey-drizzled pastries, his fingers brushing hers in a touch that felt deliberate. Sparks of gold danced between their hands.
“You should eat,” he murmured. “Magical recovery requires energy.”
The gentle concern in his voice contrasted with the intense way his eyes tracked her movements. Artemis found herself fascinated by this duality—the fierce protector who could also pass pastries with such care. She selected a honeycomb-topped scone, hyperaware of his attention on her.
“These look amazing,” she said, taking a bite. The pastry melted on her tongue, releasing a burst of sweetness that made her close her eyes in appreciation. When she opened them, Bartek was watching her with undisguised hunger that had nothing to do with breakfast.
The meal progressed with surprising ease, considering the circumstances. The twins peppered Artemis with questions about her fae abilities and the bakery, their curiosity boundless.
“Can you make cookies dance?” Lily asked.
“Only when I’m not paying attention,” Artemis admitted with a smile. “When I’m distracted, sometimes the pastries move on their own.”
“Especially when Uncle Bartek is around?” Jade asked innocently.
Artemis nearly choked on her tea while Mimi unsuccessfully tried to smother her laughter.
Mimi shared amusing stories about Bartek’s childhood—much to his chagrin—while Hudson observed with quiet satisfaction, occasionally contributing a dry comment that revealed where Bartek had inherited his understated humor.
“Bartek once shifted accidentally during a school play,” Mimi recounted, eyes twinkling. “He was supposed to be a tree, but ended up as a tiger cub with branches tied to his paws.”
“I was seven,” Bartek grumbled, but Artemis caught the hint of a smile he tried to hide behind his coffee cup.
“The school banned nature-themed plays after that,” Hudson added dryly. “Can’t imagine why.”
For someone who had grown up an only child after losing her parents, the boisterous family dynamic both overwhelmed and warmed Artemis. She caught herself laughing more freely than she had in years, the weight of yesterday’s attack somehow lighter in this home filled with acceptance.
“You should know,” Mimi said, leaning across the table conspiratorially, “Bartek prowled the halls all night checking the security perimeter.”
“I was being thorough,” Bartek muttered.
“You wore a path in the carpet outside her door,” Mimi countered with a grin.
Artemis glanced at him, surprised. “You were guarding my room?”
A faint flush colored his cheekbones. “I couldn’t sleep. The tether... it pulls.”
The simple admission touched her more than grand declarations might have. For someone so controlled, so focused on duty and responsibility, acknowledging vulnerability didn’t come easily.
“It does,” she agreed softly. The gentle tug between them had strengthened overnight like an invisible cord connecting their bodies.
Bartek cleared his throat. “Would you like a tour of the grounds after breakfast? If you’re feeling up to walking.”
“I’d like that.” She smiled, ignoring Mimi’s exaggerated wink from across the table.
Under the table, hidden from view, Bartek’s hand finally settled on her knee—warm, solid, possessive. The contact sent waves of golden light rippling beneath her skin, and for the first time since the handprints appeared, the restless energy inside her settled into contentment.