Page 80 of How to Flirt with a Witch

She pulls back and winces as if in pain, regret flashing in her eyes. “We can’t.”

No!

The warmth in my belly turns cold. My lips tingle, yearning for what they nearly had. I reach up to lay a palm over her hand, holding it to my neck. “Why not? I know everything now. I’ve been exposed to curses and magic, and I’m still here.”

She traces a thumb along my jawline, soft and tender, before dropping our hands to her lap. “You’ve only seen the surface. It’s not that simple.”

I squeeze her fingers. “Tell me, then.”

A pause.

She stands abruptly, putting distance between us, and combs her hair back. It’s a mess from the fight with Oaklyn, her bun barely hanging on. “Shit,” she whispers.

As she fights with the elastic and shakes her mane free, letting it cascade over her shoulders like a shampoo commercial, my brain stalls.I didn’t think it was possible for her to look any more sexy, butGod. A primal urge to jump on her flares to life inside me.

She wrestles her hair into a high ponytail, which is worse because now I can see the full breadth of her toned arms.

Get it together, Katie. Jesus.

I avert my gaze, drawing a breath to control my urges.

When she’s done, she huffs, stepping away from me. “This can’t be anything.” She motions between us. “This is strictly forbidden.Punishable,and for good reason. There are things you don’t know—things you shouldneverknow.”

I can’t fathom what she’s referring to, and the mystery feeds the ball of frustration in my stomach. I thought I figured her out—curses, earth magic, CSAMM. Apparently, that isn’t enough, and I’ll always be a world apart from her.

“Fine.” I can’t mask the hurt, and my tone comes out cold and flat.

I have every right to be pissed off. She led me on, let me believe she was going to kiss me, and then rejected me again.

There’s a heavy pause.

At least Natalie has the grace to look uncomfortable.

“I promised to show you the courtyard,” she says, all emotion gone from her voice. “Grab your laptop, and you can catch up on the classes you missed this afternoon. I have to go back to UBC to repair the damage.”

Ah, the damage. After seeing what she can do, I’m sure she’ll have the parking lot smoother than ever in about sixty seconds—like none of it happened.

Sitting in a mesh hammock under the open sky, I’m at a loss for what to do next. Following Natalie to the site of a curse was a terrible idea, and I like her too much to keep fighting her. But I can’t ignore my ability—my calling to help find curses. Should I be afraid of whatever Natalie doesn’t want me to know? Is she right to resist how she feels about me, or are we missing out on something amazing?

I rest a foot on the grass and swing the hammock, the ropes creaking on the willow tree’s thick branch. Around me, the courtyard is an oasis nestled between brick walls, so lush and perfect that it must have been crafted by magic. Warm, humid air embraces me, ivy spills down every surface, the trees are as green and leafy as springtime, and a koi pond burbles in the center—which Ethel would love. Longing fills me as I picture her happily watching the fish and birds… and me, making friends with the witches who are currently ignoring me.

Witches walk along a gravel path that winds through everything, while others sit at picnic tables. A pair of older women play mahjong without touching the tiles. On a bench, a slender blonde woman cuddles up next to Sebastian, knitting needles hovering in the air before her, clicking as they create a green scarf. A few teenagers who must be in high school sprawl in the grass with laptops and textbooks, laughing as their pens and highlighters skate over the pages of their own accord.

Surrounded by all these friends and families who’ve known magic all their lives only adds to my loneliness—the sense that I’m an ‘other.’ It doesn’t help that I’m drawing stares but nobody is coming to say hi.

I settle deeper into the hammock and fold my legs under me, opening my laptop. Time to get advice and support from people who have my back. My family, my friends… my community. The people who love me unconditionally.

I video call Mom. My parents have helped me through everything from friendship drama to deciding what to bring to university, and they’ll be able to give me perspective on whether I’m fighting for thewrong goal. I’ll just have to find a roundabout way to ask for their input without bringing up curses, magic, or witches.

Mom answers with a blurry view of her forehead. “Hi, Katie!”

I smile, lighter at the sound of her voice. “Hey!”

She props her tablet on the table and sits. The kitchen behind her is the familiar, eclectic blend of both sides of the family, from Mom’s wooden fork and spoon on the wall to Dad’s moose painting from the prairies. Between the glimpse of home and Mom’s smile, my heart squeezes—especially after the ordeal today. Being safely surrounded by loved ones would be pretty comforting right now.

Dad appears in the frame, cut off at the neck. “Who’re you videoing?”

“Who do you think?” Mom asks with a bit of irritation.