Page 21 of Of Poison & Pumpkins (Of Witches & Men #3)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Elias

I may be dying from pure arousal. My pulse thrums faster than when my crew won the title at Nationals.

This hallway may be my new permanent residence because Rynn is still alone, tied to that bed, awaiting me while I stand here with my back against the wall, eyes squeezed shut.

I’m trying to calm myself, but the idea of having sex with Rynn is inescapable.

This woman is all-consuming, and my entire body is coiled tight.

If I go back in there, I might not be able to restrain myself.

I’m such an idiot for tying her up. I can’t return in this state.

I can’t look her in the eye until I have regained control. Her purrs and moans were louder than a lawn mower. Her pants were wetter than the rooftop during this thunderstorm.

I swipe a hand down my face.

Two minutes. I’ll allow myself two minutes before torturing myself again.

It’s pointless. The second I see her wrists tied above her head, I’ll be a lost cause once more.

Honestly, I’m a bit surprised she was on board with restraints since she has trust issues that aren’t healed.

I hope one day she can learn that humanity is more positive than negative.

Instead of holding onto bitterness and revenge against those who don’t understand her, I hope she learns everyone has some goodness in their heart. That not everyone is out to get her.

Her vulnerability makes me the most fortunate man on this planet. My two minutes are up, and I don’t wait for the door to open itself, but shove through. The immediate reaction my body has to the sight of her is unreal. How am I supposed to deal with a constant boner?

“I’m gonna return the favor someday. Tie you up, then go to a knitting class.”

“I’m counting on it.” I nod and sit next to her while loosening the yarn. “When that happens, I’ll be out of my mind. This isn’t the place for our first time, so I need to stop now before this gets out of hand.”

Her throat bobs, but she seems to agree. “We should chat now about the responsible stuff. I’m on birth control. But I need to get tested.”

“I’m clean. Haven’t been with anyone in over a year, since I was last tested.”

She nods, rubs her wrists, then sits up to readjust her clothes. “What now?”

I drop my head. “Rynnlee ... What is this between us? Because I like you, really like you. I mean, too much. The type of like with a capital L, usually saved for cheesy romcom movies I binge while throwing popcorn at the screen and making fun of the couple for being head over heels into each other.”

“Speaking from romcom binging experience?”

The ball of yarn drops to the floor. Rynn leans to swipe it, but I beat her. When my hand brushes the floor, I freeze. Something sticky.

I have dipped my fingers in an unknown puddle of goo. My vision splotches. There’s a whirling sound like a fan whooshing in my ears. The entire room fades in and out.

“Woah, Elias, what’s wrong?”

Can’t speak. I see her hand on my leg, but don’t feel it. When I meet her gaze, terror streaks across her eyes like I’m about to be swallowed by a crocodile.

Her lips move, forming shapes I can’t understand. Then all sound disappears other than a low, constant buzzing.

Sticky. So sticky. Why is it sticky? I’m paralyzed. Palms turn clammy. Body overheats. Going to pass out. Need water. I stare at one spot on the ceiling to make the room stop spinning.

Then her lips are on mine. My world topples upside down until all sensations crash into me.

Immediately, my world rights itself. I can breathe again.

Rynn lashes her mouth harder and deeper onto mine.

Urgent and fast. Claiming me. She’s a euphoric toxin I’m addicted to.

She tastes of caramel cocoa and forests.

That’s when I realize a soft piece of cloth wiped against my hand, cleaning the goop off. She remembered. My whole body loosens. I’ve never understood the saying of getting ‘lost’ in someone because being near Rynn is when I feel ‘ found .’

“Lias,” she says my name like a prayer, and it undoes me.

What am I supposed to do with this version of her? One that I had never dreamed of experiencing. I’ll never be able to erase this kiss or outdo it. She’s the one. And it took me years of wasted time to accept it.

As if reading my mind, she kisses me again, her hands in my hair. I let out some carnal, animalistic sound that can’t be described with human vocabulary. I want to touch her everywhere. Her breasts. Her stomach. Her ass. Between her legs. Inside her. Goddess, I want to be inside her.

“Promise me something.” She pulls away and I’m already deprived of her lips. “Always wear suspenders.”

“Only if you agree to be…” I kiss to her chin, then kiss her lips softly. “…my girlfriend. Mine only. Be mine, Sunflower. Please.”

She sits back, examining my face. Eyes wide. Nostrils flared. Cheeks flushed. “You’re serious?”

“Serious as winter in Boston.”

That gets a laugh out of her. “When have you been to Boston?”

“Don’t avoid the question. Will you be mine?”

Her throat bobs. Not a good sign. Her eyes dip to the mattress. No, no, no, I’m losing her. Quickly, I lift her chin so she’s focused back on me.

“Elias … we … you … I want …”

“What is it? What do you want?” I scoot closer. “Is there someone else?”

She takes both my hands in hers. “No, nothing like that. I’m not interested in anyone else.”

“Then why can’t we try?” There’s a loose strand of hair in front of her nose that I sweep behind her ear. “How about this, we start over, like it’s a blind date.”

Smiling, she shakes her head. “That’ll never work.”

Worried I may be pushing her limit, I ask anyways, “How can I help you trust me?”

“I do trust you,” Rynn says defensively, gesturing to the yarn. “I let you tie me up. Gave you full control.”

“I mean trust me with your heart.”

A beat passes. Another. “Oh.”

I hope she doesn’t have a concrete answer because I realize my question is absurd. There’s no way of proving that I can stop her fears. I don’t have the magic ability to prevent heartbreak in the future. Unless …

“Rynnlee, I can use my spell to grant you a wish, to make sure your heart doesn’t break!”

She freezes.

“Listen, it’s a perfect idea. The wish will only last a few weeks, but at least during that time, you’ll know for a fact that I can’t hurt you. If you hate every speck of me once the next ritual comes, you can break up with me, but you’ll never be heartbroken. It’s a win-win.”

I’m so desperate. I concentrate on the scarred tissue at my palm where I sliced my flesh open for the last Ceremony and welcomed in my magic.

“I, Elias Gabriel Thoren, do hereby promise to fulfill Rynnlee Eve Pozinne’s greatest wish when she chooses to use it.”

“Elias! How could you!?” she yells and jumps off the bed. “You idiot! How arrogant can men possibly be to think a woman’s biggest wish is to date them?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Quiet! I’m talking!” Her volume increases, and I stand too. “You didn’t ask my permission first!” She throws her hands in the air. “What if my greatest wish is to murder half the penguins in the arctic?”

“Why half?”

“OH MY GODDESS! Are you kidding me?” she screams, her voice echoing off the barn’s walls. For the first time, I consider that she may have the wrath to rival the thunderstorm.

“Take it back,” she roars.

“Can’t.”

I bite my lip to keep from smiling because I don’t regret it at all. I’d use all of my magic to make her dreams come true, whether she likes it or not. Plus, Rynn happens to be adorable as kittens on catnip when her forehead creases like that.

With a loud “hmmph” she crosses her arms over her chest and flops onto the bed again.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why? It’s my magic. Aren’t you the one who has hated regulations and control of our magic? It seems a bit hypocritical that you’re upset with me for using my spell how I see fit.”

Her nose scrunches up in fury. “You wasted it on me. Because if my greatest desire comes true, it’ll have nothing to do with you.”

“That’s okay. This was the right choice.”

“Uugh.” She collapses onto her back on the bed, both legs dangling off the front. Under her breath, she mumbles something in complete irritation. At least I caught the tone.

“I don’t know what I want most.”

“You don’t?” I slide onto the bed, laying next to her so we’re both staring up at the ceiling. “The number one thing?”

A unicorn neighs from the stables as I wait for her answer.

“For my shop to always find success. Or for Tinsley and Maya to never see hardship again. Or to never have to speak to my family again. Or never have to return to Indiana. Or for all animals to live safely in freedom.” Rynn pauses so long I thought she’d fallen asleep.

“And there’s a small chance my wish would be to find trust and love someday. ”

I swallow, unsure how to respond. Because she stressed the word ‘ someday ,’ which means not now. Or soon.

“I know my greatest wish,” I whisper.

Part of me wants Rynn to ask me what it’d be, and the other part hopes she already knows. When she stays silent, it’s too much to bear.

“You, Sunflower. You’ve always been my greatest desire.”

The door connecting our massive room to the stables slams open against the wall with a loud thud. Viv appears, wet and worried.

“Did you get the Waken County Emergency Text?”

We both dig into our pockets for our phones.

“Don’t have service,” I say and glance at Rynn.

“Me either. Is it about flooding?”

“No. The council has sent out a mass message saying that we’re in a state of emergency because of the amount of people affected by the ‘Dazed Epidemic.’ The officials are asking anyone who has information about someone called the ‘Purple Princess’ to come forward.”

“We need to go to the authorities.” I pop up from the bed. “Let them know about the cursed paint.”

“No!” Rynn jumps to her feet, too. “That would be turning myself in. I’ll lose my shop, my independence, my reputation, my freedom.”

“If we explain it right, they’ll understand that you didn’t mean any harm.”

“Yeah, right,” she snorts. “I gave Fuzers a weapon of revenge. Sure, it was stupid little curses like not remembering a towel after showering, driving on an empty gas tank, or accidentally buying expired milk, but they were still meant to do harm. I ran an illegal, unregistered business.” She takes a deep breath.

“Do you know what happens to Fuzers who are considered dangerous in Waken County? They’re stripped of their magic.

I’ve seen it happen to Tinsley’s cousin. ”

“I won’t let them take your magic.”

“Elias, that’s not something you can promise!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!” she hollers back, then quickly takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

During an awkward few minutes of feeling like we’re all wandering in a secondary dimension of confusion, I’m furious at myself for the drastic turn of our evening.

“I figured out why you look familiar,” Viv says to me. “You have to be Noah’s son. Noah Thoren?”

My mouth must hit the floor. “How do you know my dad?”

“Oh, we go way back. His cousin lives with my neighbor now. I heard from him today. We’re catching up next weekend.” She smiles as if reminiscing from the good-ole-days. “I can’t wait to meet his new partner. They looked so good in that picture. Where did they cruise together?”

No words come.

“Well, they seem happy together,” Viv says. “We have plans to meet at Tanya’s Teahouse on Saturday.”

Speechless. My mind is blank.

Another lightning strikes like a dividing line creating a before and after moment.

Before Viv bolted into this room with mind-blowing information and after.

Why is Dad in town? To see me? Did he hear about Pumpkins doing well?

Why hasn’t he reached out yet? He’s dating someone?

Maybe he doesn’t have my number. What if he only has the address of my store and hasn’t been able to find me?

Because I’m here, forty-five minutes away, stuck on a unicorn farm in a thunderstorm with someone who doesn’t want to date me.

I need to leave the second this storm blows over.