Page 37 of Sweets and Sycamores

“I bet you can,” Brandon mumbled, barely containing his laughter. Dom turned murderous eyes on his friend, who had the audacity to say, “I would have driven Allie back. You can spend the night here, too, if you want,” he addressed the beautiful Witch.

Dominic wanted to punch him. He wanted to punch him so damn much.

He replaced that urge with a flare of his power, flicking his wrist and sending a gust of wind through the farm to find Allie’s dragon.

It blasted to life more powerfully than Dom had anticipated, and he positioned himself in front of Allie to take the brunt of it.

Brandon swore and moved his arms in front of his face, spilling hot chocolate on his shirt.

“Was that necessary?” his friend complained.

“I’m bringing Ekko back so we can go home.” Dominic didn’t leave Allie with the choice to accept or reject Brandon’s offer. He knew it was a jerk move, but he’d rather suck the air out of his own lungs than hear Allie say she wanted to stay here. Away from him.

“Good,” she said in a sweet voice that brought his eyes back to her.

Good.

A chittering chaos of purple flew to them from the darkness as Ekko fought the gale with his head upside down. Dominic slowed the wind and placed the creature in Allie’s lap. His snout was smudged with dark purple, and his cheeks were rounder than usual.

“Ah, he found the winery,” Brandon said.

“I’m sorry.” Allie laughed as she struggled to clean the baby dragon with the end of her sleeve. “He really likes grapes.”

“You can bring him here any time.” Although Brandon was talking to Allie, he threw Dom a look full of meaning, and he answered with one full of menace.

“Thanks, Brandon. Your farm is really lovely.” Allie gave him one of her radiant smiles, then cupped her palm up and lit a fire in her hand.

“Ready?” she asked Dom. He looked pointedly from her hand to Brandon and back.

The Witch inched closer to him, her tangerine smell wrapping around his senses. “You trust Brandon, right?”

With my life.

The simple question made Dom reconsider his childish behavior. He placed the car keys in Allie’s other hand and said, “The car is just outside the front gate. Get in. I’ll be right there.”

Allie nodded, then smiled and waved at Brandon before leaving. Ekko flew to him and nuzzled his jaw while Brandon scratched under his chin and said, “You’re welcome.”

Alone with his friend, Dominic crossed his arms and glared in what Brandon had always called his “signature move.”

“Fine,” he barked. “I like her. Are you happy now?” He felt as if someone dragged needles through his throat.

“Overjoyed.” Brandon slapped him across the arm in acknowledgement. “But will she be okay?”

Now Dom could take his friend’s worry and be grateful for it.

“What did she tell you?”

Dominic discovered that Allie had left out anything connected to him. He’d never kept secrets from Brandon, so he told him about the seal.

“Who the hell did that to her?”

“I don’t know.” Sizzling rage ignited inside him at the memory. “But if I ever find them…”

“I’ll help,” his friend grunted. Dominic nodded, then his eyes moved to the darkness along the driveway. “Go.” Brandon made a shooing motion.

They shook hands, and Dom made to leave but stopped abruptly where the light still reached.

“Brandon?” His friend raised his brows, putting his hands in his pockets. “Thanks.”

“Don’t go soft on me now, Ranford.”

“Not a chance, Peterson.”

Ekko fell asleep in Allie’s lap as she dragged her fingers over his purple wings.

His soft snores were the only sounds she could hear, and Allie found the quiet less peaceful now in this dense darkness that clung to the car windows.

She thought she should have waited for Dominic in the driveway, let him have a moment with his friend, then walk together to the car guided by the light of her fire. Now…

Shadows moved around the car, and despite trying to convince her heart and brain that it was probably just Dominic, the loud beating in her chest echoed in her ears with alarm.

When the driver’s door opened, Allie jolted and woke up Ekko, who snarled in defense at her door.

With his tail facing Dominic, who had just climbed inside the car.

“What’s that about?” he asked. Ekko turned and blew hot steam Dominic’s way before he curled back into Allie’s lap.

“Nothing.” She chuckled, her heartbeats slowing down. “Let’s get to work.”

“Work?”

“Yes. Didn’t we make plans to start today?

I’ll help you with your task, then I can practice my power.

Sorry you had to come all the way here, but I couldn’t say no to Brandon.

After all, he’s the reason I’m here. And I really wanted to see more of the farm.

It’s beautiful out here. When there’s light outside, at least.”

Dominic looked at her as if she’d grown another head. Allie was sure she’d rambled like this before countless times in his presence. What fazed him now?

He started the engine and drove in silence until they crossed the bridge and reached a familiar paved road with a side path through the forest. Dominic parked the car there and got out while Allie carefully gathered her sleeping dragon into her arms.

Her door opened, and Dominic’s extended hand came into view.

“Can I leave Ekko on your seat?” Her boss grumbled a half-hearted agreement, and Allie placed the ball that Ekko had become onto the chair.

Allie took Dominic’s hand and got out of the car. He pulled her close to him, conflict lighting up his green eyes.

“Would you have stayed?” He grimaced, like the question was causing him pain. “At Riverbend?”

“No,” Allie answered immediately. His brows knitted, and she shared a piece of the truth that she had wanted to keep to herself. “I wanted to be here, with you.”