Page 34 of Oohs, Ahhhs, and Orbs

I scooted the books she had been reading to the side, then picked her up, setting her down on the counter so we were a little closer in height. “I’m having them delivered. Should be here in about thirty minutes.” I glanced around. “Do you need to clean up before we head upstairs?”

She grinned at me. “I’m a witch. Did you forget already?”

I tilted my head as I studied her. “Let me guess. You have a spell for that?”

“Close. The whole shop is spelled. The floors stay clean. The windows are always clear. The shelves are always dusted. My grandmother did it years ago. It’s kind of nice. I still have to rearrange some things that get out of place, but actual cleaning? Nope.”

“That does sound nice,” I grinned back. “What about dishes? Vacuuming? Laundry?”

She sighed and pouted. “My mother insisted that I learn to care for myself and my home properly. She forbade me from using magic to complete my chores.”

“You still do everything by hand as an adult?” I asked skeptically. I couldn’t imagine anyone doing mundane chores when they had the ability to skip it all with little more than a snap of their fingers. Well, I assumed she snapped. I was certain she didn’t wriggle her nose.

She looked sheepish. “Are you going to tell my mother on me if I say no?”

I chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Never.”

“Good,” she said with a grin. “I’d have to rethink this whole mate thing and turn you into a frog or something if you turned snitch on me. Now let me down so I can show you which drawer Iemptied for you. I had to rearrange my sock drawer by the way,” she pouted, the hint of a grin teasing her lips, letting me know she wasn’t nearly as irritated by losing drawer space as she was letting on.

I stepped back and picked up the duffle bag. “I am deeply honored.”

She sniffed and lifted her chin, doing an excellent impression of a haughty princess. “As well you should be.” She slid the apron she was wearing over her head, then scooped up the books she’d been reading. As we walked into the back room through the doorway, she turned the lights off, then hung the apron on a hook where a few others already waited.

She led the way up the stairs, where the door was closed. When she opened it, a blur of black sped past, running down the stairs and only sparing a disgruntled meow as he passed.

“He seems angry. Do you usually lock him up here during the day?”

She set the books down on the small coffee table. “No. But he wouldn’t stop making a fuss, pacing and yowling. I had to bring him up here so he would stop freaking out so much.” She shook her head. “I wish I knew what his problem was.”

“Maybe he misses your grandmother?”

She frowned and headed into the bedroom. “Maybe.”

I stepped in behind her, and she flashed me a smile before sliding a drawer open, revealing the emptiness. “All for you. Don’t ask for more, though,” she warned. “This place is hardly big enough for just me.”

I dropped the duffle on the floor. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I lied. Eventually, our lives would be so intertwined that she wouldn’t be able to tell where her things ended and mine began. Instead of unpacking the duffle, I stalked toward her and watched as she suddenly became aware of my movementand began to back away. There was nowhere to go with the bed behind her, though.

As the backs of her knees hit the edge of the mattress, she tipped backward with a yelp. I took full advantage of her situation and dove on top of her until I had her caged in underneath me. I kissed her lips briefly, then her cheek, making my way down her jaw and to her collarbone. By the time I was pulling the neck of her shirt to the side to gain access to her shoulder and chest, she was panting as if she’d been running laps.

“Do we have time before the tacos get here?”

I glanced at the clock on her nightstand and cursed. I placed one last lick and kiss on the top swell of her breast, and mourned the fact that I hadn’t even made it to the best part. “No,” I groaned. “We’re picking up where I left off, little witch,” I said as I climbed off her. I reached for her hands, pulling her to her feet beside me.

“I hope so,” she grumbled.

“Tacos or my tongue?” I offered, unsure which one I currently preferred, even as my stomach rumbled. I hadn’t had a chance to eat lunch, and I was starving.

She seemed to be thinking about it pretty hard, but then I heard her stomach growl as well. I laughed, then tugged on her hand, leading her back into the living area. “I promise to give you my tongue just as soon as we fill our stomachs.”

Right on time, I heard a knock on the back door leading to the alley. “Fine. I guess I can eat tacos first.” She dropped down onto her loveseat as I headed for the stairs. After paying the delivery guy with a hefty tip, I carried the bags back to the stairs and paused, seeing the cat pacing back and forth, his tail twitching with agitation. Shaking my head I took the stairs two at a time to see Bridgette had brought out two plates and a stack of napkins, along with two bottles of beer.

Together, we spread out the tacos, figuring out who would take which ones, then settled back to watch a movie while we ate. We’d both had our fill, so I stood up to gather our mess.

“I’ll help,” Bridgette said, picking up the plates.

I put the last two tacos in her refrigerator while she washed the plates, setting them to dry in the dish drainer. I threw the bottles in the recycling bin and leaned against the counter with my arms crossed, watching her wipe down the counter.

“You’re so fucking beautiful.”

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