Page 34 of Sweets and Sycamores

“How?” She looked befuddled between him and the fire, still keeping it as far away as she could.

Dom thought to share something he had learned in school, and if it didn’t work immediately, he’d put the fire out.

His magic was ready, buzzing through his veins.

He wouldn’t let anything happen to Allie. Did she know that?

“Think of your power like a ball of yarn. You pull on the thread, and the fire ignites. The more you pull, the brighter it burns. And when you want to put it out, you roll the thread back in.”

“But…” she started, panic in her voice.

“Come on, Allie. Roll the thread back,” he encouraged her through clenched teeth, power at the ready.

Her eyes stopped moving between him and the fire and squeezed shut.

On the next breath, the flame decreased the slightest bit.

“That’s good, keep going.” The flame dulled until it was the size of a peach, then Allie clamped her fist shut and snuffed it out.

Dom heard the loud breaths grazing her parted lips. He walked to her—

“Move,” he hissed as Ekko planted himself in Dom’s face, blowing warm steam at him through his nostrils. The creature looked irritated and bared his teeth at Dominic, as if warning him not to approach the Witch.

Cute.

He stepped around the tiny dragon, only for him to fly into his face again.

“Come here,” Allie said.

“I’m trying,” Dom argued, his eyes narrowing at Ekko. He considered summoning a gust of air to keep him at bay, but that would not sit well with Allie.

“Oh. I was talking to Ekko.” She stifled a laugh with the back of her hand while her dragon flew to her and sat on her shoulder, tucking his tail with more sass than necessary. “What are you doing here?”

Dominic finished crossing the distance between them. Finally.

“Why do you want to leave early?” he asked softly.

“I…” Allie paused and studied him with her chocolate brown eyes, scrunching her freckled nose. She sighed and put her hands in the jacket’s pockets. “I don’t want to lie to you.”

“Then don’t.”

She scoffed and bit her lip, averting her gaze. But Dominic’s dropped to her mouth, and hell. How was he supposed to focus on anything else than her lips?

“I don’t want the people here to keep holding you responsible for me anymore.” That was enough to break the spell Dom had fallen under.

“What?”

“I hear all the whispers, Dom,” she said in a defeated voice that cracked something in his heart.

“I’m used to people sneering at me, being wary of me, avoiding me on the street.

I’m used to gossip and theories they have about Witches that are not true about me, not only due to the nature of my power, but also due to the nature of my soul. I’m not like that.”

“I know!” he blurted.

“I’m used to living with the burden of being a Witch, and I’m fine with that.

It is my life. But I cannot stand watching the people here question you about it.

If anything happens, they’ll hold you accountable, and maybe I didn’t understand that well enough at first, but it’s clear as day to me now.

And I can’t have that. I won’t have that.

You are not responsible for my actions or lack of control over my power, yet everyone is ready to make you take that responsibility.

” Allie’s breath was ragged, her eyes covered with a translucent sheen.

“I don’t want that to happen. You have been incredibly kind to take a stranger in, and so patient with me through my power struggles.

Now they’re mostly contained, I can go back to my coven and keep learning with them.

I’m really grateful, Dom. If it wasn’t for you, I would have never known about the seal.

I know I can never repay you for this, but at least if I go, everyone here will be at ease, and they’ll stop bothering you. ”

Allie’s voice cracked on the last word. Dominic had wanted to cut her off at the end of every sentence, but he bit his tongue to let her get everything out.

She would go back to people who hadn’t wanted her when she was struggling, to a place where she had no friends, just so the people in this town left him alone?

To spare him?

Fuck that.

“Allie.” He stepped closer to her and tipped her chin up, ignoring Ekko’s throaty growl.

“The people of Sycamore Falls will be on my case for the rest of my life. It’s how the community here is built, and as much as it annoys me, it also…

comforts me. At times.” He’d never said these words out loud and doubted he would ever repeat them.

“So if you go, they will find something else to pester me about. I don’t care about any of that. ”

“I care,” she whispered. Determination was clear in her watery eyes, and Dom knew this was not an argument he could make in his favor. There was one last thing he could say to make her stay until Hallows Eve. One thing he really did not want to use, but he had no choice.

Dominic wanted her to stay. At least a little longer. And if it worked, he would clear any confusion about the wedding, too. Anything to keep her from leaving early.

“You can’t leave yet.” Dominic took a step back and schooled his features into that no-nonsense look that Brandon said would forever help Dom get his way.

For this rare moment, he hoped his friend was right.

He watched Allie’s sadness transform into shock as he said, “You promised to help me with my task.”

Allie felt her eyes go wide, a goose egg sticking in her throat.

“You can help me with my task here in Sycamore Falls. But only if you promise to come to me if you have trouble controlling your power.”

Dominic had offered her this bargain, and Allie had been so excited when he had agreed to let her help. But she had been overwhelmed by everything else that had happened and selfishly focused only on her practice. Dominic hadn’t asked her for help, but she hadn’t offered either.

Not only that. When she was adamant about getting more responsibility at the bakery, Dom offered to teach her with such gentleness… Just so she would leave now. Guilt curdled in her chest for the things she had asked for and was ready to give up because of other people.

Selfishly, she wanted to stay. To soak in every minute in this beautiful place that offered her so many opportunities, with people who were starting to mean so much to her.

“You’re right,” Allie breathed. “I’m sorry.” She rolled her lips once and took a step closer to her boss. “Let’s start tomorrow.”

“So you’ll stay?” he asked, and Allie didn’t want to read too much into his rushed words, or the shade of hope that seemed to light his emerald eyes.

“Until Hallows Eve.” They both nodded once in silent agreement, then Ekko flew from Allie’s shoulder and circled Dominic twice with clear suspicion in his dark coal eyes. The Mage ignored the adorable creature and bore his green gaze into Allie’s.

“About the wedding.”

Allie straightened at his words, her heart pounding ten times faster than three seconds ago. Dominic could be upset that she hadn’t helped him with the cake. He could also be referring to the tattoo remark, and the simple memory of Allie’s daring flirtation made her cheeks warm.

“I have…more than one.”

Why, Allie?

“Yes?” she asked, a little out of breath.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

“What?” Allie blurted. He made her feel uncomfortable? Not the other way around? “You have not,” she added quickly, shaking her head. “I made you uncomfortable, didn’t I?”

“No.” Genuine surprise took over Dominic’s features. Allie chuckled.

“Then if neither of us is uncomfortable…are we… Are we fine?” Allie knew this approach was cowardly and avoiding the subject, but it was the safest bet if she were to stay here until Hallows Eve. With Dom.

Dominic looked her over just like he had done the night of the wedding, top to bottom, leaving a trail of heat crawling over her body. His frown softened just before he turned around and started for the path out of the forest.

“We’re…comfortable,” he muttered.