Page 19 of Witches and Wine
Growling, I kicked my heels off and stormed for the living room, where a comfy cream-colored area rug lay, beckoning me to curl my toes on it. “You know what the most frustrating part about all of this is?” I swayed my arms, the glass going with them, sloshing the red contents.
“What’s that, Red?” Dion had followed me, and smiling, he gently took the glass from my grasp, filling it with more wine.
“Not knowing what I am or how to figure it out.” I raised my hands to the air and let them flop against my thighs in defeat.
“Here.” Dion offered me the goblet. I reached for it, but he delicately took my hand and brought the glass to my lips. “You drink, I’ll hold. Deal?”
Nodding, a bubbling sensation rising in my belly, I took a sip. “Gods, this stuff works fast, huh?”
“Chelsea,” Dion pinched my chin and tilted it upward to look at him. “Youneedto relax.”
Relax? What was even the definition of relaxed?
“I guess I don’t understand it. My sister was a gift to our family from the gods turned goddess, that I understand.” Opening my mouth to him to indicate I wished for my wine, he obliged, grinning and pouring some past my lips. “But our dad is normal and—” A hollow pit formed in my stomach.
Dion’s grip on my hand tightened like he thought I was about to collapse. “Chelsea?”
“Was it my mom? But she never said anything.” My breathing grew erratic again, thoughts jumbling, my heart thundering in my chest. “Whywouldn’t she say anything?” Something sparked in my eyes, the sensation only making the panic worse.
“Chels, Chels, come here,” Dion soothed, pulling me to him in an embrace. He wrapped his broad arms around me and held me tight, stroking my hair. “Listen to my breathing. Time it with mine.”
Following his words, I pressed my ear to his chest, counting how many times his heart beat for every four or five of my own. Steadily, my breathing returned to normal, and I stood motionless, letting his tightly secured arms make me feel safe.
My mother passed away when my sister and I were children. I was older than Elani when it happened, but I, too, wassoyoung and hadn’t had a chance to know much about her.
“Want to know what I think?” Dion asked, his voice booming through his chest against my ear.
Not saying anything, I simply nodded.
“I think I should take you home, let you get some rest, and when you wake up, you can take the time to figure it out. Maybe call your sister.”
Pushing against him, I peeled back and pouted. “But that means leaving you.”
“I’ll still be here,” Dion said, laughing. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily now that you’re finally talking to me again, Stewart.” He bumped me under the chin with his knuckle.
“But—” I started, the word coming out as one long whine.
Dion trailed a finger down my spine, the contact utterly titillating despite the cloth barrier of my shirt. He rested that same hand on my hip. “We’ll have plenty of time for fun later. You figure this out first.”
“Fun?” I grinned wickedly. “Is that what you’re calling it now?”
“You’re right. With me, it’s more of a carnal ecstasy.” Dion let out a low growl, his nose brushing my cheek, and I could feel the grin on his lips against my skin.
Groaning, I playfully shoved him. “Stop teasing me.”
“Come on, Red.” Dion cradled me in his arms and ported us to my apartment before I could try to protest.
I’d heard the whooshing of his porting magic, but I rested my head in the crook of his neck and contentedly closed my eyes. His deep, rumbly voice lightly hummedLay All Your Love on Meas he rested me on my bed, but I was already too close to sleep to appreciate it fully.
“Go to sleep, Chelsea.” Dion’s lips brushed my forehead. “And remember, you need torelax.”
It was the last thing I heard before my mind and body drifted into slumber, visions of bonfires, dancing shadows, and curved horns overtaking my dreams.
Groaning,I awoke the next day with the blazing sun piercing my eyeballs through the parted curtains at my front window. I’d typically made every effort to keep them tightly shut to avoid such a natural alarm clock, but Riley wanted to sunbathe. His crème-colored tail with the black tip hung over the couch, occasionally twitching when he saw something that intrigued him outside. My comforter was bunched to my neck, and I yawned, sitting up and groggily trying to recall how I’d gotten here last night.
Apollo. The diner. Dion’s place.Dion.
Sucking in a quick breath, I peeled back the covers, relieved to see myself in sleep attire—cotton lounge shorts and a lace camisole sans bra. I froze, pressing my thumb between my eyes to think about it more. Riley hopped onto the bed, turning circles until he sat on my lap, staring up at me.
