Page 94 of Potions and Proposals
“You’re not getting rid of me that quickly. It’ll probably take some time to kick in.” Lucinda wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her back onto the counter.
“Good. Then we should use up what time we have left before we start despising each other,” he joked, sweeping her hair over her shoulder and watching as it switched back to its natural colour. “Pity; Matherson black looked good on you.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but the magic had to wear off at some point.” She searched his eyes for any hesitation, as if he was going to cast her aside. Potion or not, that was never goingto happen. At least on his part. He could only hope the same was true for her.
“I wouldn’t change a thing about you,” Benedict said, squeezing her thighs, wrapped around him. He tucked a strand of chocolate-brown hair behind her ear. “You’ve always been perfect.”
Lucinda rolled her eyes. “We’ll both be back to perfect once our elements are back in their rightful places.”
Rightful places? He knewhewas right where he was meant to be – with her, and he was tired of trying to separate himself from her.
“Be serious for a minute?” she asked, resting his hands on the back of his neck.
“Fine.” He put on his best grimace.
“Hand,” she ordered, and he set his between hers.
“I don’t think it’s going to work that fast.”
“Just try to summon your fire.”
Benedict closed his eyes and pictured a flame blooming in his palm. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes, and his heart stilled as he saw the sadness in her face.
“Let’s be patient. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring.” He tipped her chin up, wanting to absorb her anxiety.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have pushed. They have to come back eventually. Or the coven will—” She cut herself off, smoothing her hands over his chest. He wasn’t sure if she was trying to comfort him or herself.
“Whether our elements swap back or disappear entirely, I don’t care. I don’t want you because of your element, or some find your perfect man spell your family cast, or because you’ll make an excellent High Priestess. I want you foryou, now and forever, with or without the binding,” Benedict said, needing her to understand.
“That sounds awfully like a proposal.” Lucinda stared up at him, eyes wide with alarm.
“It is.”
She buried her face in her hands.
“You don’t need to hide from me.”Holding her hands, he wanted to kiss away the furrow in her brow.
“I want you to be sure,” she whispered. “What if we wake up tomorrow and it’s only the potion, and you regret saying all this?”
“My only regret is not realising how I felt sooner, not telling you how much I wanted to take you to that damn dance, not kissing you by the lake when you gave me Greko. If you agree to be my wife, then I won’t have any other. You bewitched me, body and soul, long before any spell or potion,” he said, searching her wide eyes for the answer he so desperately wanted.Needed. If she didn’t answer soon, his heart would surely stop, and it’d have nothing to do with dragon venom.
She hesitated. “Maybe we should wait until the morning? If your feelings—”
“Fuck the spell. I don’t care if you stole my teddy when you were three or beat me up when I was six or flooded my locker just to piss me off. That just makes you cuter, my little force of destruction. It’s always been you. If you weren’t so sure of the potion affecting me… what would you say?” Benedict closed the gap between them, his gaze pleading with hers.
Lucinda took a deep breath and rested her hands on his chest. He was sure she could feel his hammering heart.
“It could never have been anyone other than you, even if the potion had worked as intended. It still would’ve been you. I’d rather spend the rest of my life bickering with you than at peace with anyone else. I’ve never had to be perfect with you. I don’t have to be a Hawthorne– with you I’m just Lucinda,” sheconfessed, placing her hand on his cheek. The love in her touch overwhelmed his senses.
His lips crashed onto hers.
He growled as she sank into the kiss, and his grip on her tightened. His hand travelled into her hair, pulling her closer. She let out a small moan, which broke the intense spell.
Benedict eased his grip on her, a question in his gaze. “We don’t have to do anything until you’re sure. If you want to see what happens when we wake up tomorrow, if the potion changes anything for you…?”
Lucy leaned forward, kissing one cheek and then the other. “Let’s not think about tomorrow. I just want to be in the moment with you. I don’t need any potion or ritual to convince me that you’remyperson, just as I’m yours.”
He pushed her further back on the counter, pressing his body close to hers so that there wasn’t an inch to spare between them.
