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TWELVE

damien

I was in more trouble than I’d thought. I was letting myself get distracted with pumpkin patches and dances and the intoxicating presence of Willow. Thinking that maybe this could last. That there was some way I could make it work.

Like I wasn’t a demon with responsibilities that didn’t involve getting entangled with a witch.

But that kiss.

I hadn’t been planning on kissing her. I was trying so fucking hard to be good. To not tarnish her sunshine with my darkness. But I couldn’t help it. When she’d looked up at me with those big green eyes—I’d lost any semblance of self control.

Looking over at the passenger seat, I watched Willow sleep, her head turned towards me even with her eyes closed.

I wanted this. Wanted her. But I couldn’t have her.

“Fuck,” I muttered, turning back to stare at the house. It was a miracle she’d let me drive home. I’d had to prove to her that I did, in fact, have a driver’s license—even though it had been faked by the demon realm, since I wasn’t exactly a human with real ID—and that I could drive her car before she relented.

But she’d been exhausted. After hours of swaying on the dance floor, her eyes had been closing on their own.

And now, I couldn’t bring myself to wake her up. So instead I was staring at her, tracing the lines of her face with my eyes.

But I couldn’t help myself, and I reached out, brushing over her cheekbone with my thumb.

“Hmm?” Willow gave a small groan as she stirred from her nap.

“We’re here,” I said, looking up at her house.

“Oh.” My witch yawned, stretching out her arms. “Thanks again for driving.”

“No problem.” I cleared my throat, avoiding looking at her dress, or the way it had ridden up, exposing more of her thighs.

My mouth went dry.

“We should go inside,” I whispered.

“Yeah.” Her voice was quiet, low. “We should.”

Padding into her guest bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror.

You need to get it together, Damien, I scolded myself. She’s not yours to touch.

But our kiss was replaying in my mind.

The way her soft, smooth lips moved over mine. The way she’d sighed so sweetly into my mouth. How she tasted so fucking good. I wanted more.

But—no.

Stripping off my clothes, I stayed in my boxers, leaving the rest folded neatly on the counter.

When I’d come out, Willow had left a pillow and blanket on the couch. It was strange to think that this was only our first night sleeping under the same roof with me in this form. That every other night, I’d slept on her feet.

I chuckled, looking at the pile of bedding. The couch.

Because even if she’d kissed me back—I was still a stranger. This wasn’t serious. It wasn’t like she was going to invite me to her bed.

Not again. Not yet, at least.

But…

Turning back into my cat form, I waited until she’d turned her lights off and gone to sleep, and then I slipped into her room, curling up at her feet.

Where I could protect her—my small, little witch—from harm.