Page 77 of Love's a Witch
“Oh no,” Sloane said, “Will he be okay?”
“Oswald is excellent at protecting himself. This is good. Will give him a little shot of excitement, plus some extra exercise. Let them work it out. Come on, let’s get you into some dry clothes.”
“I can just go home. Honestly, it’s fine. I don’t want to put you out.” Sloane’s eyes took on a bit of that panicked look that I was beginning to regard with such fondness. Every time she got that look in her eyes, it meant she was thinking about things she didn’t want to be thinking about, which usually meant that I would get to steal a kiss very soon. One of these days she was going to accept that she and I were a great match.
I’d been thinking more and more about why I wanted Sloane in my future. As my partner. She was passionate, empathetic, fiercely loyal, sarcastic, strong-willed, gorgeous—and each of those traits lit me up inside. I admired how her hard edges balanced her soft side.
Beyond that, Sloane was also stubborn, smart, and resilient. All traits that complemented my role as provost perfectly. She took careof everyone else, ignored her own needs, and basically hissed at me anytime I helped her. It only made me want her more.
Soon I’d make my intentions perfectly clear, but I had to convince her about me first.
Striding back to the front door, I opened it, and about a foot of snow fell inside.
“The storm’s the worst I’ve seen yet. What makes you think you’re going anywhere?”
“Seriously?” Sloane came to the door and peered out. Even though it was late afternoon, it was almost as dark as night, and the snow raged with the intensity of, well, a dragon. There was no way anyone was going anywhere at this point. Pulling out my phone, I put a village-wide alert out to shelter in place, and then sent a text to Broca that Sloane was with me and safe.
“Just telling Broca you’re here with me.” I held up my phone, and Sloane bristled.
“I’m capable of checking in with my family, thank you very much.”
“Aye, lass, but now you don’t have to. Come on. Let’s get you some food.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“I am.”
“So eat.” Sloane shrugged out from under my arm, and I grinned, already knowing where this was going. I’d allow her to keep pushing me back, but when she came to my bed, it would need to be by her choice.
“Come on.” I nudged Sloane down a hallway toward my dressing room, and her mouth fell open when she walked through the door.
“Is this how you live?” Sloane twirled, looking at the massive dressing room attached to the bedroom, a meal already set up at a small table by the fireplace.
“Such a shame, I know. It’s a wonder how I get by.” I smirked at the irritation that flashed across Sloane’s face until she realized I was joking.
“Must be nice.”
“?’Tis. No complaints here. But I would like to get you into warm clothes.” I pointed toward a pile that the maid had left out. “Go on. I won’t look, I promise.”
“Like I’d change in front of you.” If Sloane’s lips weren’t tinged blue, I was certain she’d have denied the clothes, but instead she grabbed the bundle and stomped into the en suite, mumbling about how stupidly gorgeous everything was. When she came back out, her hair tied in a knot on her head, in a soft robe wrapped around knit pajamas, I wanted to go to her. My arms ached with wanting to hold her close, but there was tension in her shoulders, and a sadness in her expression that I needed to get to the bottom of. Something had happened today, something significant, that had allowed her magick to create a dragon.
“Do you know the best meal for a storm?”
“What’s that?” Sloane asked, skirting along the walls of the bedroom and staying as far away from the four-poster bed as she could. Which meant she was absolutely thinking what I was thinking, and lust tugged low inside me.
“Cheese toasties and tomato soup.” I pulled the cover off the food and held it up, and Sloane’s expression softened.
“A fan favorite. And one of the few things I can cook.” Sloane glanced at the door to my bedroom and then back to the table. “Will Blue be okay?”
“Blue is currently being roundly spoiled by Henry, I can promise you that. Henry has a soft spot for emberwolves, and he has one of the gentlest hands with animals I’ve ever seen. Despite my parents’ great annoyance with me bringing home every animal under the sun, Henry was always there to help.”
“Do your parents get annoyed with you a lot?” Sloane slipped into the chair and I held the wine bottle up. She nodded, and I poured us both a glass of a rich cabernet sauvignon and waited until she took a sip and nodded her approval. Sitting across from her, I relaxed. Shelooked so warm and lovely by the firelight, more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her, and I wanted to know this side of Sloane too.
“Aye, they do. And yet, somehow, they’ve entrusted everything to me, and not my brothers. Even though they critique every last thing I do.” Compliments were few and far between in my family.
“That seems counterintuitive. Either they trust you or they don’t. If they don’t, they should be here taking care of things. If they do, they shouldn’t get to weigh in on every choice you make.”
“Yes, but then what else will keep them busy in their retirement?” I’d meant it as a joke, but Sloane leveled those all-seeing eyes on mine.
