Page 61 of Curses and Cauldrons

“If you want to shower or get cleaned up, the bathroom is right through there. Feel free to rummage around in the drawers and find something to wear.”

“You’re going to let her search through your drawers? What if she looks at all your underwear?”

I slap a hand over my face. “Pen. Seriously?

Penelope snickers. How are we from the same family? This kid has no filter. Actually, I’m kind of proud of that. My mother sucked all of my curiosity and silliness out as a child. I knowPenelope hasn’t had it easy, but I like to think I’ve helped protect her from the same upbringing that I’ve had. Maybe it’s not too late to get her out before she loses her spirit.

“Josephine can do whatever she wants. My house is her house.”

My cheeks heat, and I almost sigh, but I manage to hold it in. Roman leaves the room, and Penelope follows. Just before she walks through the door, she turns to gape at me. Her eyes are wide. She mouths, “Holy shit.” I roll my eyes at her when she gives me a thumbs up.

Despite Roman’s invitation to root around in his drawers, I only open a few until I find a T-shirt and a pair of gym shorts. I head to the bathroom and take off my party dress and the stupid fucking shapewear. I exhale and let my skin breathe for a minute before I turn on the shower.

Everything in here is just as dark as the bedroom, with slate tile and a shower that’s completely surrounded by stone. There are multiple shower heads, and the water pressure puts the shower in my apartment to shame. I could probably stay here for an hour, but I'm too anxious to linger.

I wash up, towel off, and drag on Roman’s clothes with heavy limbs. I’m still tired and achy from the incident in my parents’ library. Although surprisingly, I feel better than expected. Normally, I’d be out for at least a day with no energy to get out of bed. Not that my fatigue stopped my mother from forcing me to go to work and meet with clients.

Money doesn’t care if you need a sick day.

Still, the accelerated healing is puzzling. It was the same the night of the new moon ceremony. I press a hand to my chest where my magic thrums brightly. It’s almost as if being close to Roman has boosted my magical strength. I’ve not heard of that happening before between witches, so maybe I’m just imagining it.

Roman’s sitting on the edge of his bed when I exit the bathroom. His hands are braced behind him, and his long legs are stretched out. He’s wearing his signature three-piece suit, but he ditched the jacket at some point, and his sleeves are rolled up. He has some dark scruff on his jaw and looks like absolute sin.

Meanwhile, my hair is hanging down my back in a wet braid because I didn’t have a brush. I didn’t have a bra to put back on, and the T-shirt isn’t hiding the fact that I’m chilly. Roman’s shorts are long enough that they hang to my knees. All around, I’m sure I look like a hot, sloppy mess.

“Come here,” Roman commands, eyeing me like I don’t look ridiculous but beautiful.

“You’re very bossy tonight.” My words say one thing, but my feet move on their own, taking me closer to him. He doesn’t move his hands, but he shifts his legs, spreading them so I can stand in between his thighs.

Roman inhales, and then slowly releases the breath. “I’m struggling.”

I step forward until my thighs press against his. Roman’s eyes search my face, the gray reminding me of a storm rolling in. He sits up, his hands landing low on my hips before circling my waist and then pulling me in for a hug. His head presses against my chest. I close my eyes and thread my hands through his hair before wrapping them around the nape of his neck. The heat from his body feels amazing, but his embrace is everything. The sense of well-being that washes over me is staggering.

“I hate that your family does this to you. I don’t want you to go back to them.”

I hold him closer, dragging my fingers through his hair. “In the past, it was just normal, you know. I knew it wasn’t the way things should be, but I’ve been stuck. Have you ever had aproblem and it feels like there’s no way out. That the harder you try to solve it, the deeper in the mess you get?”

Roman makes a sound of agreement against my chest.

“That’s what it’s like with my family.”

Roman squeezes me tighter, and I comb my fingers through his hair, floored by how amazing it feels to touch him like this.

“Something’s changing. Tonight, I called for help from the Maiden, Mother, and Crone. It didn’t stop my family from hurting me, but I get the sense that there’s something we’ve been missing in our magic. And then there’s you. You’re doing something to me, too. Changing my life.”

Roman’s hold borders on painful, but I love it.

“Yeah, well, you’ve bewitched me.”

I reply lazily. “I’ve done no such thing.”

“Not with magic.” Roman lifts his head and stares up at me with such intensity that my knees go weak. “You…” he trails off, but I don’t need to hear anymore. I lower my head and kiss him.

Every kiss with Roman feels like a gift. The way he holds me so tightly, like he’s afraid I’ll disappear into the ether if he loosens his grip. How his mouth brushes against mine as though I’m a revelation. My chest feels full, my heart hammering in my throat. I kick off my borrowed shorts and climb onto Roman’s lap. His hands land on my ass, pulling me close.

I look over my shoulder at the closed door. “What about Pen?” I really don’t need to scar my little sister more than the rest of her upbringing has.

“I went to get her a snack while she got ready for bed. She was already asleep by the time I got back.”

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