Page 65 of Love's a Witch
“Your mother soundslovely,” Lyra said, raising an eyebrow at Knox. I elbowed her in the ribs.
“She’s not.” But some of the tension left Knox’s face. “She’s stubborn to a fault, an absolute snob, and allergic to any concept of real work. How my father puts up with her, I do not know. Yet she loves me and I her, and she’s my cross to bear.”
“Well, family Christmas should be fun.” Lyra winked at me, and I felt embarrassment creep up my face, heating my cheeks.
“Not to worry there. They rarely come home. Most holidays I spend with Haggis and Oswald while Henry snores by the fire.”
“Right, then. I’ll just… see you two inside?” Lyra exited stage left, abandoning me, and I made a mental note to murder her later.
Knox stepped forward, leaning one arm against the wall over me, and I felt like every teenager in a rom-com where the handsome star football player leans over her after a game.
And damn it, but my heart went all fluttery at his nearness.
“Did that freak you out?” Knox asked, a corner of his mouth quirked up in a knowing smile.
“Me? Freaked out? Not at all?” I made to cross my arms and dropped my purse on my foot. “Oh, dang it.”
I bent over at the same time Knox did, slamming the top of his head with mine, and I stumbled. He caught me with his arm as I swore, bringing my arm up to pat at my head, narrowly escaping elbowing him in the nose.
“Easy there, killer.” Knox dodged my blow and held me against him as he dipped and picked up my handbag.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn’t realize I was so clumsy.” I wasn’t usually, but nothing had gone to plan since I’d arrived back in Briarhaven. Everything was off-kilter, and I wasn’t doing well with this level of upheaval in my life. Not in the slightest. Add to that the town’s golden boy was now calling me his partner to his mother, and yeah, right, okay…
This witch needed a drink.
“Do I make you nervous, Sloane?”
I swear every time he said my name, my insides melted, and I wanted to cuddle into his arms.
“Um.” I really hated to admit that anything, or anyone, made me nervous. “Not really, no.”
“Is that right?” Knox grinned over my shoulder, and I turned, gasping at the back wall of the pub. The bright white brick was now covered in vibrant orange mushrooms.
“Are these poisonous? I’ll just put myself out of my misery.” I reached for one, but they disappeared before I could pick it off the wall.
“No need for dramatics, darling. You can admit you like kissing me.”
“Has anyone mentioned you’re a touch overbearing?” I looked up at his perfect jawline and exquisite eyes. Seriously, could anyone stay mad at this face? I wanted to, on principle, just because I really felt that Knox needed to learn that not everything went in his favor all the time.
My body, on the other hand, was putting up a strong argument against that particular decision. That betraying bitch wanted me to pull him into the back seat of his Land Rover and see if he wore boxers or briefs.
“Maybe. But I get things done.” Knox grinned, and I realized that I was fighting a losing battle here.
“Right, I’m late to meet Raven. Have a nice night.”
“We’re going to the same pub.” Knox threaded his arm through mine and helped me over a snowbank. Several snow figures of all sorts now dominated the front lawn of the pub, ranging from the original snow couple, who seemed to have birthed a small army of snowpeople, snow dragons, and even a snow giraffe.
“We’re not walking in together.”
“Why not?”
“Because everyone will see us together and think things.”
“And?”
“I don’t want my love life gossiped about around town.” I whirled on him at the front door. Another devastating smile lit his face.
“So, itislove?”
