Page 21 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)

Fire erupted inside me at his touch, his mouth claiming mine for his own.

It was like all of the kisses I’d had in my lifetime had been on paper, and this one was 3-D and full of life, like his magickal scale model of Briarhaven had been.

Knox did that. He ignited something latent inside me, bringing to the surface needs I hadn’t even known I had, and I gasped against his mouth.

Holy hell, but the man could kiss. Clutching his shirt in my hands, I bore down on his kiss, opening my mouth for his tongue, and I almost melted on his lap when he tasted me, eradicating every kiss I’d ever had before from my memory.

Heat, everywhere, inside me—around me. Helplessly, I ground myself against him, riding his lap, wanting his body closer to me, in me, on me, around me. It didn’t matter. I couldn’t get enough of him, and my body was alive with need, screaming for more of his touch.

The scent of smoke teased my nostrils.

I wanted more. I wanted Knox, all of him, annoying ego and all. It was senseless, and ridiculous, and my feminist self would be annoyed with how I was melting into a puddle of lust over this man.

Wait—smoke?

Smoke.

Tearing my lips away from his, I whirled to see that the glorious golden velvet curtains had erupted in flames.

“No!” I shouted, leaping off Knox as he jumped from the couch.

My magick.

I’d done this.

My misfiring magick had somehow exploded his beautiful curtains in the most perfect room in the world, and he would never, ever, forgive me.

“Stay there.” Knox raised a hand, and the doors of the library slammed shut behind me, even as I heard a plaintive moo from Haggis, who had clearly barreled closer at my shout.

Even in chaos, Knox protected those he loved.

I gasped as the flames raced up the velvet, the smoke ribboning across the ceiling, while Knox muttered a slew of words and threw his hands out toward the curtains.

The windows blasted open, taking the smoke with them, and the flames winked out on the fabric.

Leaving a smoldering, ashy mess in their wake.

Shame filled me, and I pressed my hands to my mouth, horrified.

As cold showers went, it was a nasty one.

And an excellent reminder why the likes of Knox and I could never be.

“Knox, I am so, so, so sorry.” I held my hands up, pleading with him to understand how bad I felt about this misstep. I should have known better than to let myself get carried away with my moods. I was a new witch, and I knew well enough that erratic emotions could cause unexpected magickal spikes.

“This was you?” Knox turned to me, his head tilted, a contemplative look in his eyes. A small tic, just above his jaw, revealed his restraint.

“Not on purpose, I promise you.” I wrung my hands. “It’s just that… um, I’m not sure how to say this… but it seems my magick might be a bit unpredictable.”

Knox’s eyes widened as he swung his head toward the decimated curtains and back to me.

“I thought your magick was levitation.”

“So did I?” I stepped backward, moving closer to the door and my way out.

“And what’s changed?”

“Turns out today it is fire.”

“And tomorrow?”

“Um, undetermined.” Goddess, I hated admitting that. The idea that I had zero control over my future, along with the obvious inability to take charge of my magick, made me grind my teeth.

The doors flung open at my back, and Henry charged in, along with Haggis and Oswald at his side.

“Sir!”

“Everything is fine, Henry. Tell Mother to order new curtains for the library.” Knox paused as the cat swiped at his leg. “And make sure she knows that it wasn’t Oswald this time.”

“Aye, sir.” Henry bowed out, and Haggis bumped his nose against my leg while Oswald leapt to a bookshelf near me and prowled the length of books.

“I’ll just be seeing myself out. Truly, I’m sorry for… all that.” I waved a hand at the mess of the curtains and turned.

A book thumped at my feet.

Jumping back, I looked at where Oswald cleaned a paw on the shelf by my head.

“He wants you to have it.”

“Excuse me?” I glanced over my shoulder at Knox and then at the cat. “Can you speak to him?”

“Both of them. They’re my familiars.”

“No way,” I breathed, distress momentarily forgotten. Would I be able to speak to Blue, then? The thought was enough to bring some cheer to ease my embarrassment.

“Aye, witchling. And entirely too chatty, if I’m being honest.” Knox gestured to the book, and I bent to pick it up, pausing to give Haggis a good ear scratch on the way.

The book warmed under my hand when I touched it, as though it came alive, and I paused.

The cover was a deep cerulean blue, and when I tilted the book, it glimmered, like the dance of moonlight on the sea.

This was meant for me.

I don’t know why I knew that, or what could possibly make me think such a thing, but as soon as the book was in my hand I wanted to tuck it close and never give it back. Which I should do. I couldn’t possibly accept a gift from a cat.

Or Knox.

The man who had just kissed me so senseless that I’d spontaneously erupted his curtains.

“I can’t take this,” I said as I held the book more tightly against my chest. Right, not exactly a ringing endorsement of my words.

“Uh-huh,” Knox said, seeing right through me.

He stepped closer and panic set in. I didn’t want to talk about what had just happened between us.

I didn’t want to discuss my misfiring magick or the fact that I’d been riding the man like I was a cowgirl.

Nope, most definitely did not need to discuss any of that.

What I needed was to get the hell out of here. Like, yesterday.

“But, since your cat is so sweet and insists, I’ll just give it a read and return it once I’m finished. On loan.” I waved the book in the air and backed toward the door. “Good luck with the snow festival and all that. Remember, snowmakers are the way forward. Trust me, it’s a good plan.”

With that, I turned and hightailed it toward the front door, only to find myself trapped, trying to pull the heavy door open.

“Damn heavy doors and damn unicorn door knockers.” I glared at the huge doors. Where was the ogre when you needed him?

“Need help?”

“I most certainly do not.” I tried the door again, and then winced as Knox’s big body shadowed mine, and he leaned over and eased the door open for me.

“Are you going to admit there’s something here?”

His voice was a breath at my ear, causing my skin to shiver as I stared out at the snow drifting from sullen gray clouds.

“There’s not.”

“Aye, there is.”

“No, there’s not .”

“Aye.”

“Nae.” I parroted his Scots back and then pushed through the door without one last glance, slamming it behind me.

Outside, I welcomed the cold that slapped at my face. I’d forgotten my coat, but I didn’t even care. You couldn’t turn around after a back-and-forth argument like Knox and I had just had. Everyone knew that. Drawing my stubbornness around me like a cloak, I stomped down the driveway.

I’d rather set myself on fire than go back and get my jacket.