Page 22 of Magical Mayhem

A veritable feast sat on the low table by his bed.

Bowls with steaming potatoes, roasted corn, baked chicken, bread piled high, and sugared fruits gleaming like jewels, dotted his desk.

Plates clattered faintly as two sprites vanished with a wink, their duty done.

“Stella,” I whispered with a smile.

Of course, she would try to feed him well enough to drown out any curse.

But when my gaze shifted to Keegan, my smile faltered.

He sat propped against pillows, firelight spilling over his face. Gorgeous as ever, too gorgeous, really, with his strong jaw, tousled hair, hazel eyes catching every shade of gold. But there was something else tonight.

Something darker again.

The shadows seemed to cling closer to his skin, the hollows of his face sharper, his presence heavier, as though the curse had reached deeper into him since morning.

My belly twisted in denial.

But when his eyes locked on mine, the heaviness cracked a little.

“Maeve,” he murmured, his voice rough but soft in the quiet room.

I slipped inside and closed the door behind me. I sat gently on the edge of his bed. For a long moment, we didn’t speak, didn’t need to. His eyes searched mine as my breath hitched, and then he leaned forward.

His lips brushed mine, soft and lingering.

The kiss sent a warmth cascading through me, my belly stirring as heat bloomed low and sweet.

When he pulled back, his eyes held mine, fierce and vulnerable all at once.

“I miss you,” he whispered. “I miss me.”

I blinked, my throat aching. “I’m right here.”

“I know. But I’m….” His jaw tightened. “I’m sorry. For not being myself lately.”

I reached out, brushing my fingers against his cheek. His skin was warm, the stubble rough under my touch. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

His mouth twitched. “You say that, but you’ve seen me. Snapping. Brooding. Pacing like a caged wolf.”

I chuckled softly. “So basically you’ve been yourself?”

A laugh broke from him, low and rough, the sound rumbling through my chest. “You always find a way to tease me when I least deserve it.” He shook his head, keeping my gaze. “You make me feel human again.”

“Whether or not you deserve anything has zippo to do with it,” I joked, my grin tugging wider. “Besides, it’s not your fault. You didn’t exactly sign up for being cursed.”

He leaned back, shaking his head with a rueful smile. “No. But I should carry it better.”

I swatted his arm gently. “Keegan, you carry everything better than anyone I know. You’ve been protecting Stonewick since before I even believed in my own magic. If you need to sulk a little while you fight off a centuries-old curse and ancient rites, then sulk. You’ve earned it.”

His hazel eyes softened as the shadows eased slightly. “You’re impossible.”

“Adorable,” I corrected with a smirk.

He laughed again, shaking his head, and the warmth in the sound nearly undid me.

I reached for one of the plates Stella had sent up, loading a piece of roasted chicken onto it. “Eat. She’ll kill us both if she hears you didn’t touch any of this.”