Page 25 of How Not to Hex a Gentleman (Witches of Edinburgh)

Chapter Twenty-Five

KENNEDY

T he streets are quiet as I walk toward The Black Cat the next morning. It's been a while since I've been outside before the sun has risen and the difference is stark.

Edinburgh is beautiful in any light, but the early morning shadows cast by the buildings coupled with the mist in the air make it look otherworldly. The streets are also mostly empty and that's not a regular occurrence around these parts. I like it. It almost feels like I'm the only person in the whole city. A sudden desire to let my magic come out to play makes me stumble over the uneven pavement. I place a hand on my heart and the other on my forehead, checking my temperature. I don't appear to be sick, so maybe this means I'm actually coming to terms with who I am; that's not something I thought I'd ever reach.

I'm earlier than I'm supposed to be, but Olivia gave me a key, so I let myself in. When Olivia asked if I could look after the coffee shop this morning I didn't hesitate to say yes. It's just the distraction I need. An image of Bennett flashes before my eyes and I push it away, focusing on Petunia.

"Hello, pretty girl. Did you sleep well?" I walk over to her bed at the end of the bar as Pet stretches, presenting her head for scratches. I oblige, and she rewards me with a quick purr before she jumps down and heads toward her food and water bowls. I follow close behind, making sure she has enough before I glance at the paper on the counter.

Hello, my darling, thank you for looking after the shop. There are a few regulars who come in for black coffee and breakfast on their way to work. Other than that, it should be quiet. Enjoy the peace before the storm. And then make sure to enjoy the storm. Those come to us to shake things up in our lives and make them more interesting. xxx

"Any idea what she means by the storm?" I ask Pet, glancing up from the note. The cat gives me a long stare and then heads back to her perch.

Moving toward the kitchen, I decide to make myself some coffee and a toastie—or a grilled cheese sandwich, but I like the English term for it better—before anyone shows up.

I've just put the toastie on the frying pan when the bell over the door dings. I don't remember leaving it unlocked, but maybe I did, and since the lights are on, someone might've thought we were open already.

"Hiya," I call, stepping through the macramé curtain, "we're not o—" The words die on my lips as I stare at Bennett.

He looks just as surprised to see me.

"What are you doing here?" we ask at the same time, just as Pet walks over to headbutt his shoulder. He gives her scratches while he continues to stare at me.

"Olivia asked if I could look after the café this morning," he finally says and then it clicks.

The storm Olivia mentioned.

She should give Parker lessons in meddling.

"Olivia asked me, so you can go. I'm already here."

"So am I."

Can't argue with that logic, but I still will. "The two of us aren't necessary. It's not supposed to be busy, so I'll be fine."

"And if you're not?"

"Then I'll call the girls."

"And if they're busy?"

"Bennett."

"Ah, she does know my name. I was beginning to wonder."

I roll my eyes as he comes closer and motions to the kitchen. "Let me make myself a coffee and then I'll sit quietly in the corner."

"You can—oh no!" I turn around, racing back into the kitchen only to find my toastie is burning.

"Don't touch it!" Bennett pushes past me and grabs a towel before he takes the pan off the burner. I watch as he moves around the kitchen expertly, disposing of the burnt food before he turns to me.

"What exactly where you trying to make?" he asks, and I shrug a little dejected.

"One of those tomato cheese toasties. Olivia made one for me last time and it was so delicious."

I pout a little and Bennett chuckles.

"What?" I narrow my eyes.

"Nothing." He sobers up, but the gleam in his eye doesn't go away. "Come here, I'll show you."

I perk up immediately. He steps to the fridge and pulls out the ingredients before grabbing a knife and handing it to me, handle first. I look at it and then him in question.

"I know you learn best by doing," he says and the warm feeling in my chest increases. He always seems to see me exactly for who I am and understand me at the same time. I have no idea how that's possible, but it's become a very evident truth in my life.

I step closer to the cutting board and he places a tomato in front of me.

"We can also use some of the tomato sauce as well, but having a fresh one in the toastie is how my grandma used to make it." He motions for me to begin cutting. "Slice them thinly."

I line up the tomato and the knife and I'm about to slice into it when Bennett's hand lands on top of mine. I glance up at him in surprise, the warmth of his palm spreading through the rest of me instantly. I'm always so aware of him. When he was sitting beside me last night during our magic lesson I spent more time trying not to focus on him than I should've. He's affecting me in all the ways I'm not prepared for.

"That's too thick," he says, his voice low. His breath ruffles my hair and I realize just how close we're standing. My shoulder is against his chest, his left hand at the small of my back, while his right hand is on my own holding the knife. I breathe in, because apparently I can't control myself. Bennett always smells so nice—like a forest after rain.

I'm supposed to move away, I know it, but I can't seem to make myself move. Instead, my body has a mind of its own, nearly sinking into him and the feeling of his arms around me. He makes me feel safe, something I don't know if I've ever truly allowed myself to feel.

Suddenly, it's very important for me to be closer to him, but I keep myself very still, not giving in to the unfamiliar desire. Since the moment he came into my life, he's been pushing me past my comfort zone. I feel his sharp inhale against my side, as if he too is trying not to break whatever thin layer of quiet intensity that has built. Then he moves just a tiny bit closer, almost like he's also pulled by this invisible string between us.

His eyes fly to my lips and back to my eyes and then I do the same thing. The air around us grows heavy and I'm swaying toward him. A warm feeling spreads through me and I can't tell where it's coming from or what it is, only that I want it to continue.

Something catches my attention out of the corner of the eye and then Bennett says, "Are you doing this?"

I'm frozen for a moment and then I realize what he's talking about. The spices display that's in front of us, the water from my cup, along with some of the dried flowers Olivia has placed around the kitchen are floating in the air.

I forget how to breathe, shock radiating through me, battling the warmth. Bennett steps behind me, placing his hands on my elbows.

"Don't be afraid of it; let it flow." His voice is in my ear, sending pleasing shivers down my skin as I watch the spices, flowers, and water stay suspended. With him at my back and his quiet encouragement, I don't instantly pull away.

I can feel the magic all around me. Now that I'm aware of it, I understand that it is what I felt spreading like a warm glow. Bennett stays close, but he's no longer touching me, taking a step back, as if giving me the space. Then it's my turn to do something that shocks us both. I take a step back into his arms as I raise my own. His hand drops to my hips and the moment I feel his touch I let more of the magic out. This time with direction.

The spices spin in a slow circle with the movement of my hand, as the flowers and water stay suspended. I let the spices back on the shelf and focus on the flowers and the water, sending them spinning together over our heads.

I lean fully into Bennett's arms as we both look up at the display above us. I move it one way and then the other before I carefully deposit the water back into the cup and the flowers back on the shelves.

My body feels alive, buzzing with the magic and the feel of Bennett at my back.

"You are incredible," Bennett whispers in my ear, his arms around me, and just like that, for the first time, I think so too.

BENNETT

I'm afraid to breathe too suddenly lest I break the spell. Kennedy in my arms—it feels like a dream. One I don't want to wake up from. I already knew how perfectly she would fit there after we danced at the cèilidh and hugged at the fountain. But this? It's different. It's like she was made to spend her life in the circle of my arms. More than just her proximity, I can't get over the trust she just showed me. She let her magic free with me here. This feels monumental for her.

I've watched her struggle to come to terms with her magic for weeks and here she is letting herself have fun with it. I don't want to do anything to disrupt that.

"I don't know what came over me," Kennedy finally says, turning her face so she can look up at me. This puts her lips close to mine and I flex my hands against her hips to keep myself from closing the remaining distance. This doesn't feel like the time for it. Her eyes are shining with excitement, her smile lighting up her face in a way that's mesmerizing.

"You are incredible," I repeat because I need her to hear it again. She should hear it every day for the rest of her life.

"I actually feel incredible," she whispers, almost shyly. "I never knew magic could feel so—freeing."

It seems like it takes a lot out of her to admit it and it has to go back to her fear of magic. She's never opened up about what has caused it, but I've watched her battle with it since the moment I knew she had magic. There are a million things I want to say to her—my feelings on the tip of my tongue—but this is her time. I don't want to take away from it, no matter how much my own skin is buzzing from the power of it all.

I settle for, "Thank you, for letting me be a part of it."

She gives me another shy smile, her voice very soft when she speaks. "Thank you for being a part of it."

It's like I've been punched straight in my heart. There's tension in the air and magic that seems to have nothing to do with the magical.

This moment—it's the moment . I can feel it. Her eyes are on mine and I think she tilts her head just a little, and it's all the invitation I need. My own head lowers toward her, and we're pulled to each other just like we've been from the beginning.

But then, before I can kiss her, the bell to the front door chimes, and Kennedy and I spring apart.

"Did you not lock it?" she asks.

"I was too surprised to see you," I reply.

We stare at each other for a moment and I want to move toward her when someone calls out a greeting.

"I'll take care of it," I say, and step out to meet the customer.

My whole body is buzzing with energy I've never experienced before. If I didn't believe in magic before, I think I would be a believer now because everything about Kennedy feels magical.

The man greets me and I try to focus on what he's saying, instead of the phantom sensation of Kennedy in my arms. Pet is lying on her bed near the counter, but she raises her head enough to give me a look that I can only translate as judgment. She glances behind me at the kitchen and I nearly roll my own eyes at the cat.

"Is that okay?" The man's voice breaks through my thoughts.

"Yes, of course. Coming right up."

I hurry to fulfill his simple order, while I actively try not to feel judged by the cat or yearn to be back in the kitchen with Kennedy in my arms. The moment the man leaves, I step up to lock the door, but then realize it's time to open. More people are coming in and then Kennedy and I are dancing around each other, trying to fulfill the orders.

When we both end up in the kitchen at the same time, words tumble out of me before I can stop them. "Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?"

She freezes in place and then looks over at me and gives me the greatest present. "Yes."