Page 39 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)

On the way downstairs, I hummed softly to myself, feeling happy and relaxed for the first time in a long time.

Sure, we had a curse to break, and the town was raging about the constant snow, but I liked challenges.

I know it didn’t make sense, but it was nice to feel needed, to be able to fix things, and having problems meant I could find solutions.

Call it a hero complex, or just a life of someone who didn’t like to be bored, but either way, obstacles were my thing.

I was going to help the MacGregors, one way or another, because I think they deserved it.

The sisters deserved an honest chance at a happy life.

This curse was unfair to them, and to the towns they tried to live in. It had gone on long enough.

My phone rang, and I pulled it from my pocket, swiping up as my mum’s name came up. It was a video call, and I angled so Sloane was on the screen.

“Say hi to Sloane,” I instructed my mum, and I could see the same expressions of shock on each woman’s face as they stared each other down on the phone.

“Um, hello, Mrs. Douglas.” Sloane nodded.

“Why is she there so early in the morning?”

“Because we are dating. Do I need to provide more detailed information?” I raised an eyebrow at my mother as she gasped, and Sloane elbowed me in the ribs, ducking out of the screen.

“Knox, how uncouth.”

“Get used to it. Sloane and I are dating, and what you just said was rude. Do better.” I hung up and Sloane rounded on me.

“Knox! You can’t speak to your mother like that.”

“Sure I can. If she has an issue with what I do with my life, she can get back here and say it to my face. Until then, I quite simply do not care. I have taken care of this house and this town for years now, while they travel and do anything they please. It’s my turn to enjoy some happiness, and I’ll be damned if she gets to suck the joy from my life. ”

“Oh.” Sloane’s mouth rounded.

“And yes, that happiness means you.” I brushed a kiss on Sloane’s lips, and then continued on down the hallway.

I only paused when I realized she wasn’t following me.

Turning, I caught her cuddling Blue close, her eyes caught on a painting.

Wandering back, I looked at the painting she was staring at.

It was the one with the man standing by the blue cart.

“What’s caught your eye?”

“Look.” Sloane pointed, and I leaned closer to see a blue book in his hand. The same blue book that Oswald had given her.

“Ahhh, that makes sense. Eoin always regretted not being able to help Bonelle.”

Sloane gave me an odd look.

“So the hero complex runs through generations?”

“We’re knights, baby, can’t really train that out of us.” I grinned at Sloane’s annoyed huff of breath.

“But look, there are a lot of people in the background. And the emberwolves! See, there’s one.” She angled Blue so he could look at the painting too. “I wonder if this is the day it happened.”

“It might be.” I strained my eyes as a thought occurred to me. Many of the people featured at the festival in the background still had family lineage here.

“It feels meaningful. But I’m not sure why.” Sloane worried her bottom lip, and I dropped a kiss on top of her head.

“Maybe because Eoin couldn’t save Bonelle all those years ago, but I might be able to save you now.” I had an idea how to help, but I needed to dig a little further first. Not wanting to set hope alight quite yet, I decided against telling Sloane my thoughts.

“Oh,” Sloane breathed, her eyes caught on the painting. “I didn’t realize. That’s your ancestor. Duh, of course. Did he help Bonelle?”

“I think to a point, but in the end, I’m told he had to choose between the village and her. So she ran.”

“Poor thing,” Sloane said, her face wreathed in sadness. “So young to be on her own.”

“But unlike her, you’re not on your own now. And we’ll fix this.”

“You say that so confidently.” Sloane shook her head and moved away from the painting. “I wish I could feel the same.”

“Fake it ’til you make it, witchling.”

“Is that what you do?”

“Sometimes, if I have to. Everything has an answer. In time. We just don’t know it yet. But we have a lot of smart people who care about you in this town.”

“I think you’re being optimistic on the ‘care about me’ part of this. They care about Briarhaven.”

“And you’re a part of Briarhaven.” Sloane opened her mouth to argue with me, but I cut her off with a kiss. Hunger unfurled in me, and I braced one arm over her head, leaning into the kiss.

A whisper of wind was the only warning I had, and when I looked down, my clothes had turned see-through. Even better? So were Sloane’s. Blue took off from her arms, making a chortling noise that sounded dangerously like he was laughing, and I raised an eyebrow at Sloane.

“Something on your mind, love?”

“Oh. My. Goddess,” Sloane breathed. Her cheeks tinged pink, and her eyes widened as she stared down at me.

At where I was very much reacting to where her magick had taken her today.

“It looks like we may be a touch late to starting our day.” I scooped her into my arms, and even though she let out a small shriek of protest, she didn’t tell me to stop. Bounding back to my room, I kicked the door shut behind me.

“You know what, Sloane? This misfiring magick might be quite a bit of fun after all.”

“Nooooo,” Sloane moaned, even as I ran my hands under her clear jumper, lust pinging crazily through my brain. “It’s the worst.”

“Is it?” I cupped her breasts in my hands, delighted with the clear view.

“Knox, I need to get…” Sloane’s voice trailed off as I tapped my finger against her breastbone, pulling at my magick, and her clear clothes disappeared. Her mouth fell open. “I will never get used to that.”

“Magick certainly has its uses,” I said, pushing her back against the door and threading my fingers around her throat.

Whatever Sloane was about to say died at her lips as I lightly tightened my hold, delighting as her eyes dilated with lust.

Oh yes, my fiery Sloane liked when I took command. Her throat moved under my palm, a nervous swallow, and I grinned as I brought my mouth to a pert nipple and bit lightly. Sloane sucked in a breath and arched against me, but I held her pinned.

“Knox.” Her voice was shaky with need.

“Aye, lass?” I traced a finger down the soft slope of her stomach and found her seam. She shifted, automatically widening her legs, and I laughed against her breast. “Och, that’s a good lass, isn’t it, then?”

“I should hate this,” Sloane admitted, swallowing a moan as I slid a finger inside her, finding her wet and ready for me.

“Should you, though?” I lifted my face to find her expression caught between stubbornness and hunger, and I reached deeper, finding that soft spot inside her that made her legs buck and tremble.

“I…” Sloane closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the door, her hair tumbling over her shoulders as I worked her quickly to the edge.

When I thought she was close, I eased back, barely able to stop myself from driving deep inside her.

Stepping back, I wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her to the bed, turning her so her hands were on the mattress.

“Stay.”

“I’m not a dog, Knox.” Sloane turned and glared at me over her shoulder, and I winked as I sheathed myself with a condom and bent over her. Gripping her hips, I positioned myself at her tight entrance and nudged lightly inside. Playing.

“No, you’re certainly not. What you are is mine, Sloane.

Mine to do what I want with.” I shoved deep inside of her and her moan came out long and keening.

“Mine to claim. Mine to bring to pleasure over and over. Because that’s how you like it, don’t you, witchling?

You like it when someone else takes over, for once, and you just get to let go. Am I right, my beauty?”

“Yes,” Sloane gasped, pushing back against me as I drove into her, rocking her sweet round body against mine. “Yes, please.”

“Please what, Sloane?” My fingers dug into her flesh, and I increased my speed, sliding fully out and slamming back into her.

“Faster,” Sloane gasped, throwing her head back so her hair fell down her back. “Harder. Please, Knox.”

“As my lady wishes.”

We exploded at the same time, and I gasped as a pleasure so pure and bright shook my body.

Damn it, but I wanted this woman.

Every day.

By my side.

Arguing with me over dinner.

In bed with me.

Now I just had to convince her that this whole dating thing was meant to be oh so much more.