Page 40 of Love Spell (Witches of London #3)

Noah bounced on the balls of his feet, looking around dozens of people waiting at JFK’s international arrivals. From limo drivers holding signs to parents with small children watching for relatives, all eyes focused on sliding doors that boldly forbade entrance.

Although Thanksgiving was still a week out, the airport churned like a shopping mall in December.

Noah hardly noticed, able to see only those closed doors, or check his phone every ten seconds in case of another text.

No update since landing. That was ages ago.

Customs, baggage claim, long corridors — it all had to be covered before the London passengers walked through that door.

Besides that, US citizens would get through customs much faster than anyone else.

Even when the doors did open, Noah would have to wait.

Noah jammed his restless hands in coat pockets.

No stuttering, no happy tears, nothing embarrassing here in this chattering throng; they would hug and get home to Noah’s rented room for a night before their flight to Anchorage in the morning.

He shouldn’t be this worked up after being apart for less than a month. Why did it feel like years?

The doors opened. Noah shifted from foot to foot.

Certain it would be impossible for Timo to be first out, Noah almost didn’t register what he saw.

In a long overcoat, pulling his rolling bag that was small enough for a carry-on, shoulders square, blue eyes like searchlights, Timo lacked only a burst of flashbulbs and mics shoved in his face to complete his leading-man image.

Noah meant to hurry forwards. He meant to rush Timo out of here for as much downtime as possible before both needed to be back at the airport. For a moment, as other passengers fountained out and greeters waved, Noah simply stood.

Timo’s gaze found him. Never breaking stride, he smiled.

Noah ran into his arms. Timo’s embrace was crushing. His kiss sent Noah’s heart thudding against his eardrums. Still, even in a crowd, Noah held on just as tight.

He had so much to tell Timo, so much to catch up on. He had only tonight, one flight to Anchorage, and one flight to Fairbanks’ worth of time to get in everything before they’d be seeing his family. At sight of Timo, though, he couldn’t remember any of it.

* * *

Timo steadily offered chocolates while Noah leaned on him, talking and nibbling his way over Canada. Timo had gathered from the bars Noah had packed when leaving London in October that flying made Noah nervous and chocolate soothed nerves.

Although this was news to Timo, he’d filed it away and brought a luxurious gift box of Charbonnel et Walker chocolates for his Fairbanks hostesses and a smaller heritage collection for air travel.

He should have given Noah the larger box.

Eight hours, after all, plus the flight to Fairbanks, and Noah was polishing one off every six minutes.

They could have done this all in one go, with a sofa to share instead of leaning over first-class armrests between them, if Noah had let Timo charter a flight.

Noah finally interrupted himself from telling Timo what to expect with his mother and other relations in Fairbanks, as if providing a battle brief.

“You should have a truffle.”

“I’ll take one that you don’t like.”

“I like all of them. They’re delicious.”

“Then they’re all for you.” Timo took the opportunity of a pause to add, “I’m sorry you’re worried about me meeting your family, but don’t be on my account. I’m not worried.”

“It’s not you. It’s … I haven’t —” He sat up properly, Timo missing him the moment he broke contact.

“I only told my mom yesterday that I was bringing someone, and did it by email so I didn’t have to get into explanations.

It’s the coward’s way out, arriving together so I don’t have to say anything to come out.

Also … I need to be there in person for this.

I’m sorry to put you in the middle of something I should have sorted out with my family ten years ago. ”

“Why? I’m not. Chocolate?” Timo proffered the box.

Noah only looked at him, studying his face, then, “You’re really not, are you? Even though I’m hiding behind you?”

Timo chuckled. “Think I’ve never met in-laws? There’s simply nothing your family can do to scare me. Nothing. If you want me there when you tell your mum the whole truth, about everything that happened before you left Alaska, I’ll be there for that also.”

“No, I better do that alone.” He gulped a breath. “Thank you. I have the most incredible fiancé in the world.”

Timo leaned over the armrest to kiss him. “You have the second most incredible fiancé in the world.”

Noah laughed, red-faced, as he tried to return the kiss. “I love you. Timo? Can we invite Julian to the wedding?”

“ No. ”

“If it wasn’t for him —”

“Rubbish.”

“Changed your tune again?”

“I never believed any of that magic spell crap.”

“Not what you said when you showed up at Julian’s office that morning.”

“When you eavesdropped, you mean? You never told me what you were doing there. You must have asked for the same thing.”

“I did. For the opposite reason. I begged him to lift the spell because I was going home and I couldn’t stand leaving you like that. I never wanted to hurt you, certainly not to make you miserable after I was gone.”

“He wouldn’t back down even for you? And you want him at our wedding?”

Noah gazed at the chocolates that Timo still held between them.

“Noah?” Timo narrowed his eyes. “What happened before I got there? Did he admit it was a hoax to mess with me?”

“Ah, no. He said …” Noah took a chocolate and nibbled and edge to test the flavour. “Orange cream — best one.”

“Julian said what?”

Noah finally met his eyes. “He said he’d lifted the spell after I saw him the first time. Before our Paris trip. He said everything you’d done since then was totally on you.”

Timo opened his mouth, glared, shoved the lid on the box. “Everything was on me all along. That’s how free will works.”

“But …” A smile twitched the corner of Noah’s mouth.

“But nothing.”

“That was when you started sleeping properly again.”

“Only natural since it was when we went away together. Nothing strange about that. How I felt about you didn’t change. How I feel about you has only grown stronger.”

“I know it has. I guess I didn’t want to tell you in case it was like a placebo — like you started to believe a love spell had been lifted, when, really, isn’t falling in love always magical? Don’t we all sometimes feel out of control under its influence?”

Timo started to say not like this love: not like going to bed one night hardly knowing who someone was and waking up the next morning obsessed. No, that wouldn’t help his case.

“Sure,” Timo said. “All part of the fun.”

Noah gave him another chocolatey kiss before returning his head to Timo’s shoulder.

Noah calmed down after that. Having polished off the whole box by the time they reached Fairbanks late that night probably helped. Whatever the reason, he was the one who took Timo’s hand before they disembarked.

Timo kissed his knuckles. He smiled into Noah’s eyes, chest full with the pride he felt for Noah being ready to face the world as who he was, which meant the two of them facing it together.