Page 36 of The Witch's Cottage
She lifts it to her nose and takes a deep breath before letting out a sigh. “Thank you, dear.” She moves a few things around in her basket to accommodate the fluffy bread loaf. “You know, Lilith used to bake bread too. Best in the whole village.”
Warmth blossoms in my chest at the thought of Auntie, and I stand straighter. “She taught me everything I know.”
With a smile, Welma reaches out to squeeze my hand. “Then I know I’m going to love it.”
As she shuffles away, I catch sight of Alden in the crowd. He’s standing at one of the big buffet tables with a few other village men, a tankard of wine in hand, and he raises it to me with a quirk to his lips. I lift my hand in a wave, and just as Alden turns his gaze away, a shock of red hair steps into my view.
I tip my head back and look right into a pair of verdant eyes.
“Hello again.”
My chest squeezes.
“H-hello,” I squeak.
The red-haired man from the mercantile smiles down at me. He’s dressed in gleaming armor, his cuirass reflecting the sunlight. A helmet is held under his arm, and the metal of his gauntlets clinks as he reaches out to snag a cookie from the display set atop Alden’s cart.
Lifting it to his nose, he takes a sniff. “Lemon?”
I nod.
He smiles. “My favorite.”
He takes a bite of the cookie, and I watch, almost spellbound, as the muscles in his jaw work, flexing under his paleskin. His hair is like fire in the bright afternoon sunlight, so vivid and warm that I almost wonder if I’d burn myself were I to reach out and touch it.
Not that I’m going to. Of course not.
“What do I owe you?” he asks after finishing the cookie.
Swallowing down my strange feelings, I say, “Nothing. Consider it reimbursement for the chocolate.”
He laughs, and the sound is free and untethered and floating. I swear I can almost see his laughter drifting through the air, can imagine myself flying away into the blue sky with it.
“If you say so.” He shifts his helmet to the other hip. “I’m Rowan Highcliff.” His hair catches the light again as he bows his head to me.
“I-I’m Aurora. Aurora Silvermoon.”And I can’t seem to speak, apparently.“I hear you’re Garland’s replacement?”
He straightens and nods. “I am. Seems word travels fast around here.”
My tongue ties itself again, and I just nod, unsure I’d be able to actually speak.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Rowan smiles and reaches up to run a hand through his long red hair, which hangs well past his collar. I’m not sure what it is about these men and their long hair, but I find it much too tempting. To keep myself busy, I begin moving the platters of cookies and baskets of bread around on the cart, trying not to wonder what it would feel like to touch Rowan’s hair.
“Well, I imagine I’ll see you around, Aurora Silvermoon.”
I look up to meet his eyes just before he pushes his hair back and slips his helmet over his head. Then he turns on anarmored heel and walks away, drawing stares and whispers as he drifts through the cobbled square.
Even after he’s gone, it takes me a moment to catch my breath. I sell two more loaves of bread and half a dozen cookies, and the cart is starting to look a bit bare. I’m thinking about eating one of the lemon cookies when an arm wraps around my waist.
“Brought you something,” Alden says in my ear, and my chest immediately warms with his proximity.
“You spoil me,” I say as I turn to find him holding a plate of honey cake in his free hand. My mouth immediately waters. I’ve wanted a slice of cake all day, but I’ve been too busy with customers to grab myself one.
Alden stabs a piece of the honey cake with a fork, then lifts it to my lips. I open my mouth, and he holds my gaze as he guides the sweet honeyed delicacy onto my tongue.
And I’m suddenly very much looking forward to getting him home tonight.
