Page 21

CHAPTER 21

“W e could try not putting the paste on my back tonight,” Jonah said when Elora joined him in the bathroom. He stuck his toothbrush back into the holder and rinsed his mouth as Elora opened the jar of healing paste and set it on the counter.

Elora shook her head. “Nope. You need it one more night.”

He made a disgruntled snort, and she laughed. “What is with your obsession with being clean?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ve been this way my entire life. I shower twice a day, usually. Does that bother you?”

“No,” she said.

He closed the toilet seat and sat down on it. Elora scooped out some paste and smeared it onto Jonah’s back.

“Did you get enough to eat?” he asked. He shifted on the closed toilet seat, willing himself not to get another erection as Elora’s soft fingers stroked his back.

“I did. We could have cooked something, though. You didn’t have to order pizza.”

“One, we’re too tired to cook, and two, I love pizza,” he said. “I’ve missed pizza. I’m gonna eat pizza every day.”

She laughed again. “You do you, Jonah.”

They lapsed into silence for about a minute before she said, “We need to talk about what this is between us.”

The pizza in his stomach threatened to come up, and his half-hard cock immediately wilted. Hating himself for what he was about to do, he said, “I don’t do relationships, Elora.”

“I know. I’m not asking you for one.”

Shock reverberated through him, and he looked over his shoulder. “You’re not?”

“No,” she said. “You know that. You heard me say that in the store, remember?”

“Yeah,” he said.

Silence lapsed between them before he said, “Why aren’t you asking for one?”

She laughed. “Does it matter? Even if I wanted to date you, you’d say no, right?”

“Yeah,” he said, his guilt returning like a flash flood.

“Hey, it’s fine,” she said. “I was well aware that you don’t do relationships before I slept with you.”

“It’s for your safety,” he said.

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Don’t lie to me about why you don’t want a relationship.”

“It is dangerous for you to date me,” he said flatly. “I’m not lying.”

“I can take care of myself,” she said, “and you forget that I’m related to a shapeshifter. I know how careful you are to keep your loved ones safe.”

“It’s still dangerous for you,” he said.

“The world is a dangerous place,” she said softly.

He didn’t reply, and she leaned in and kissed the top of his shoulder. “Why are we fighting about this? I told you I was fine with what you could offer. I’m happy to do a friends with benefits thing, okay?”

His stomach curdled, and he seriously regretted how much pizza he’d eaten. He should be happy that Elora wasn’t angry or upset with him, that she was content to do what he always did. So why did he feel like she’d run him over with an eighteen-wheeler?

She smoothed more paste onto his skin and kissed his shoulder again. “All done.”

“Thank you,” he said.

She washed her hands in the sink. “Okay, I should get going. Are you good with me leaving most of my stuff here until tomorrow? It’s late, and I’m too tired to pack it up tonight.”

He tugged her into his lap, kissing her upper chest. “Stay the night.”

“I have to work in the morning,” she said.

“My house is closer to the store,” he said.

She laughed. “By, like, two minutes. We can’t have sex again tonight. I don’t want you overdoing it, and I don’t want paste all over me.”

“I know,” he said. “Stay anyway.”

She hesitated, and he nuzzled her throat. “You have clothes here, and the shower and the coffee are way better at my place.”

“That’s for sure,” she said with a small smile. “All right, you’ve convinced me. Are you good with me sleeping in your bed again? I don’t have it in me tonight to do a fire protection spell on the guest room.”

“Obviously, you’re sleeping in my bed,” he said.

“I don’t want to assume. Some people don’t like their friends with benefits to sleep in their bed if they’re not getting the benefits part.”

“You’re always welcome to sleep in my bed, whether we’re having sex or not,” he said before patting her ass. “Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

They left the bathroom. He dropped his sleep pants, inwardly grinning when Elora glanced at his dick as he climbed into bed. He settled on his side, his back tingling from the paste, and watched as Elora changed into her pajamas and disappeared into the bathroom again. She returned with minty breath and a makeup free face and climbed into bed beside him before shutting off the light.

When she didn’t cuddle up to him, he reached over and dragged her closer, throwing one leg over hers and sliding his arm around her waist.

“So, you’re a naked sleeper and a cuddler, huh?” she grinned.

“Does that bother you?”

“No, but you’ll want to give me more space as I’m starting to fall asleep. I get… kicky in my sleep.”

He laughed. “I’m aware. I slept in your bed for two years, remember?”

She traced his jawline, her fingers moving lightly across his skin. “I like sleeping with human Jonah a lot better. Even if you take up more space.”

He turned his head and kissed her fingertips. “I like it, too. Good night, Elora.”

“Night, Jonah.”

* * *

Elora pulled open the greenhouse door. “Jonah, are you in… holy shit.”

She stared in amazement at the abundance of plants crowding the greenhouse. They sat on the counter and the floor, hung from the eyehooks, and a few were crammed onto the metal shelf.

“Hey!” Jonah glanced over his shoulder at her. He was standing at the table at the far end of the greenhouse, and Elora made her way to him, skirting around several large plants and a wheelbarrow filled with bags of potting soil.

“How was work?” he asked.

“Good,” she said. “I’m sorry I had to bail on the greenhouse this afternoon. But it was super busy at the shop, and after Anise called in sick for her shift, I couldn’t leave Charissa alone at the store.”

“It’s no problem,” he said. “Also, Anise is my least favourite employee at the store.”

“Given your love of plants, I’d think someone named after a plant would be your favourite,” Elora said.

“She used to sneak up and pluck a feather whenever I was napping at the shop,” Jonah said.

“What? Are you serious?” Elora asked.

He nodded. “I have no idea what she was using them for, but I swear she yanked enough out over the last two years to have her own crow by now.”

“What a dick,” Elora said. “No wonder you were always screaming at her when you were in your crow form.”

Jonah grinned at her before plunging his hands into a bag of potting soil and sprinkling the handfuls into the starter trays in front of him.

“So,” Elora said, “this is a lot of plants.”

“It’s Cece’s fault,” Jonah said as he added more dirt to the trays.

“How is this her fault?”

“She’s very passionate about plants,” Jonah said.

“She’s a green witch. Of course she’s passionate about plants,” Elora laughed.

“Her enthusiasm was contagious.” Jonah opened some flower seed packets and carefully added the tiny white seeds into each section of the tray. “And you have to admit they look great in here. Or will, when I’m finished sorting and repotting and finding the perfect spot for them.”

Elora couldn’t help but smile as Jonah carefully piled dirt on top of the seeds. She loved how happy and relaxed he looked. It was the first time since his encounter with the fae that he didn’t have a pinched look of worry on his face.

“Are these the flowers you’ll plant in the new flowerbed?” Elora asked.

“Yes. Assuming they do well in the greenhouse and are big enough for transplanting in the spring. Cece gave me a few tips and tricks I haven’t tried before, so we’ll see what happens.”

He reached for one of the starter trays, muttering a curse when he knocked a clay pot off the table, and it broke on the floor. He picked up the pieces, but before he could throw them into the garbage bin at the end of the table, Elora said, “Wait. Put them on the table.”

He set the pieces on the table, and Elora studied them for a moment before holding both hands toward them and murmuring the incantation. The pieces rose and floated in the air before knitting themselves back together in the shape of the pot. Elora smiled with satisfaction as the blue light faded from her hands.

Jonah grinned at her. “You’re amazing.”

She snorted. “It was a simple mending spell. A newbie witch could do it.”

“Still amazing,” he said.

“How’s your back?” Elora resisted the urge to lift the back of his shirt and check for herself. They weren’t in a relationship, and she didn’t have those privileges.

“Better. I won’t need the paste tonight,” Jonah said.

She gave him a look, and he grinned before whipping off his shirt and tossing it on the table beside the potting soil. “Check for yourself, little witch.”

She studied his back, pleased by how well the puncture wounds from the thorns had healed. Only a few were still scabbed over, and the rest were pink spots of healed skin.

“You’ll have some scarring,” she said, tracing her finger over those pink spots.

He shrugged. “Happens in my line of work.”

She slid her fingers into his thick hair, parting it at the back of his skull to examine the wound. “Oh wow, this looks fantastic. It’s completely healed. No more bouts of dizziness?”

“No,” he said. “I’m much better.”

“Good.” She studied Jonah’s muscular back and, unable to resist, slipped her arms around his waist and trailed her hands across his abdomen. She peppered soft kisses up his spine, enjoying the sound of his low groan when she traced her fingers along his waistband.

Her hand drifted downward, a satisfied smile crossing her face when she felt Jonah’s erection pressing against his jeans. He groaned again and turned to face her. She kissed his chest before lightly sucking on one flat nipple.

“Fuck,” he muttered as his back arched. He reached for her before studying his dirt covered hands. “Let’s go inside, baby.”

“I like it in here,” Elora said with a slight grin as she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and reached inside his briefs.

“I need to wash my hands before I can touch you… oh, Christ…that feels good,” Jonah moaned as Elora gripped his cock and stroked him firmly.

“You like that, huh?” she said, rubbing her thumb across the head.

“Yeah,” he groaned before reaching for her again. Frustration crossed his face, and he stopped inches from her skin. “Baby, let’s go into the house, please. I want to touch you.”

“I know you do,” she said before sinking to her knees and tugging his jeans and briefs to his thighs. His cock popped free, thick and hard and already leaking precum.

She gripped the base and sucked lightly on the head. Her lust soared at his delicious salty taste. She sucked harder, using her tongue to clean off the head before sliding her lips down his thick shaft.

“Baby, oh fuck, baby, that’s so good,” Jonah moaned. He gripped the table behind him with his soil covered hands, his glittery hot gaze pinned to her mouth and his cock sliding past her lips.

She traced her tongue along the thick vein on the underside, stroking the base of his cock with her hand and then sucking his dick in a hard, fast rhythm. His hips rocked against her, and his low moans made her pussy drip. She couldn’t decide what she wanted more - to fuck him or suck him dry. But when more precum dripped onto her tongue, she couldn’t resist his taste or the look of utter bliss on his face.

She pumped him harder with her hand and sucked until her cheeks hollowed.

“Fuck!” Jonah shouted, his hand clamping against the back of her skull. “Baby, I’m gonna come in your mouth if you don’t stop.”

She sucked faster, and Jonah made another hoarse cry, his fingers digging into her skull. His cock swelling and another desperate moan was her only warning before he filled her mouth with his warm salty taste. She swallowed eagerly as he pumped his cock in and out of her mouth. She reached between his legs and pressed lightly on the smooth spot just behind his balls. He cried out, his cock shivered in her mouth, and more cum spurted onto her tongue. She lapped it up with enthusiasm as Jonah released her head and propped his shaking body against the table.

She hopped to her feet, licking her lips and smiling at Jonah. He leaned against the table, his chest heaving and his cheeks flushed.

“Holy fuck, Elora,” he gasped.

“You like?” she asked.

“Best fucking blow job of my life,” he said.

“Good.” She gave him a pleased look as he staggered upright.

“Shit, I got dirt in your hair,” he said.

She ran her fingers through the strands, letting the soil fall from her fingers. “No big deal.”

“Come inside, and we’ll shower.” He pulled up his pants and buttoned them before reaching for his shirt.

“Oh, um, I was just here to pick up my stuff,” she said.

He gave her a look. “No, you’re here to get in the shower with me so I can eat your pussy and then fuck you.”

He slid his arm around her and pulled her into his embrace. “No arguing with me, little witch.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she grinned.