Page 14 of How Not to Hex a Gentleman (Witches of Edinburgh)

Chapter Fourteen

BENNETT

I can tell the moment she surrenders to my leading and the dance. I was prepared to fight her on this—Parker mentioned that pushing Kennedy's buttons might be the best way to get through to her, but I was still hoping my personality would win her over instead. My head swims at the display of trust she shows me as I spin her around. I feel like since the moment we met, I've been trying to break some of her walls down, and here we are, finally making progress. All it took was a cèilidh dance.

Kennedy is fire through and through. So much like her surname suggests, a poisonous flower, if you get too close. However, just like with almost every poisonous plant, more research has yielded medicinal uses. The fascination I have with this woman is new to me, but maybe it's not at all surprising. She has this tough exterior, but one look at the way she is with her friends and I can see there's a softer side beneath the surface. I want to be the recipient of that softer side too.

Almost as if she can read my mind, her chin comes up, eyes shining as we separate and then come back together in the dance. We're moving through the rest of the steps with her back straight, but she can't fool me. I know for a fact she was enjoying herself there for a moment.

We separate at the end of the row, standing across from each other, and I watch as she claps along to the music, waiting for the next couple to make their rounds. At this point, I don't know if anything can make me take my eyes off her. She seems to be glowing. Her eyes find mine and there's a moment where I think she feels it too before she narrows her gaze. I'm going through the motions of the dance, but I keep coming back to her. When it's our turn to join at the arms again, my whole body is alight in anticipation.

"It's not polite to stare," Kennedy says as she hooks her palm at the back of my elbow, and I pull her close. Her voice is slightly breathless and I can't tell if it's from the dance or the proximity.

"I can't help myself," I reply, deciding to be honest, and her eyes fly up to mine just as I start to spin us. She moves with me, now more easily than before, as if we've been doing this all our lives. Her hair flies out behind her, her eyes gleaming, but her gaze doesn't leave mine.

It's obvious I surprised her with my honesty, and maybe I'm doing that thing again where I come off too strong—too much. I'm nervous I'll scare her off, but I can't seem to keep my thoughts to myself. She has spun my world completely off its axis and I'm not sure anything will ever set it right again.

I'm not sure I want it to.

KENNEDY

I am intoxicated by the feel of him and I can't stop my head from spinning. The dance ends abruptly and we're left standing, hands locked, our breaths in sync. I can't stop staring at him. Those eyes that I've been thinking about a lot more than I'd like to admit, hold me captive. There's something about Bennett, the kind of pull I've never felt for another person, and it makes me feel unsteady in a way that can't be helped. Or fixed.

The instructor's voice booms over the microphone and I pull my hand free, taking a step back.

"I need fresh air," I mumble before spinning on my heels and heading for the door that leads outside. I hear my name called, but I don't stop. Not even long enough to grab my jacket.

The cool air hits me in the face as I stumble out of the building. It's dark out, nearly ten in the evening, and the streets are mostly empty in this neighborhood. I pivot to the right, heading to the small courtyard with a few trees we passed earlier at the side of the building. A magpie jumps down from the tree, gives me a look, and takes flight.

There's a buzz of electricity sweeping over my skin as the magic I try so hard to control bubbles to the surface. I don't understand this reaction; it's not something I've ever experienced before. Is he causing it? Is he pulling at my defenses to—no. I made a conscious decision to trust Parker and to make my own opinions about him. This doesn't feel like an evil type of magic; it doesn't feel like anything I've felt before. It's more intoxicating. Almost like my magic and I are enjoying it—whatever it is.

I glance down at my wrist, at the tattoo resting there, and trace it with the fingers of my other hand. I jerk my fingers away as I watch the tattoo glow a bit, as if it's trying to tell me something.

"What is it? What am I missing?"

This whole new magical destiny has been lackluster at best. I have no idea what's happening to me or how I'm supposed to reconcile myself with a life where magic is part of everyday life. And why am I feeling all of these emotions for a guy I just met? The part of me that has spent her whole life hiding who I am and controlling every outcome is losing her grip on reality. Everything is making me realize that I have no control over any part of my life. I thought leaving home would give me that sense of control—finally being out from under my aunt's thumb—but instead, it seems that everything is so much more out of my hands.

"Kennedy, are you okay?" Lily appears beside me with Parker right behind her.

"I don't know," I reply honestly. "I don't know what's happening to me."

"Talk to us," Parker says, leaning over so she can look at my face.

"I don't know what to say." I wrap my arms around my middle, as if I can hold it all in with a simple touch. "It almost feels like I've touched a live wire and now I'm feeling the aftereffects of it. And I can't catch my breath. The way I was raised, this…"—I wave my wrist in their direction—"All of it is too much. And now him ? He makes me feel unbalanced. He makes me—" I stomp my foot in frustration just as the courtyard comes alive around me.

The bench and garbage bins are pushed to the side and away from me, much like the furniture was in our apartment. I gasp and clutch my hands to my chest, staring at what I just did.

The girls stare as well before Parker turns back to me. "Our magic is tied to our emotions. What were you thinking just then?"

"That I wanted to protect myself," I say quietly as images of Bennett's handsome face flash in my mind. He makes me want things, he makes me want him , and I'm not used to it.

"Then protect yourself again."

I glance up just in time to see Parker rush over to one of the flower planters on the side and pick up a bunch of pebbles. Without warning she throws them in the air at me.

In a split second, I know I can step out of the way and be fine, but for some reason, I don't. Instead, I raise my hand and push my intention at the rocks. They hit an invisible wall before being launched back. Parker ducks at the last moment before standing up and looking at me in complete wonder.

"Again."

She grabs more rocks and this time chucks them at me. I don't even hesitate to bring up my hand, pushing them right back. The movement is so natural for me, it feels like I was meant to be doing just this. The panic I felt earlier is replaced with wonder and a bit of exhilaration.

Parker ducks again as I push more rocks her way, and then we're all laughing, this newfound high sending me reeling. Parker throws another handful, and instead of pushing it away, I send it up, hovering over our heads, before I let them drop away from us, making sure it doesn't hit the girls. I grin, looking up when a noise catches my attention and I spin around to find a very confused Bennett staring at me.

"What was that?"