Page 89 of Love's a Witch
I paused and looked out over the festival with fresh eyes.
Briarhaven could have whiplash from the shift of focus from Halloween to Christmas and Hannukah decorations. In fact, there were still skeleton decorations with Santa hats hastily thrown on their heads at the hardware store. But here, it was as festive as could be. Elaborate strands of lights wound around the ancient yew tree in the middle of the square, and hundreds of strands of twinkle lights strung out from it, connecting to poles around the square, created a canopy of sparkling lights above us. Booths lined the square selling everything from ornaments to crafts to jewelry. Chopped logs had been rolled close to the bonfire, with wool blankets tossed over them to make for comfortable sitting. Carolers warmed up by a bandstand, ready to take the stage, and children screamed and chased one another with snowballs.
My breath caught as I spied Knox, talking to a woman in front of a mulled wine stand, a child laughing on his shoulders.
Oh, my ovaries.
Honestly, I’d never been one to think much of having children, nor did I particularly want them. But there was something about seeing a big strapping man with a small child in his arms that did funny things to my insides.
“How’s that getting on, then?” Raven asked, following my line of sight. Knox swooped the child off his shoulders and hung him upside down, and the child’s squeals echoed across the square.
“It’s… getting on.” I wasn’t sure what to say, really, or what to think. The man had ravished me six ways to Sunday, and I should feel embarrassed by how much I loved how he dominated my body, and yet I couldn’t quite work up any shame about it. Frankly, that was antiquated thinking. So what if I liked a man to dominate me in the bedroom? It was hardly uncommon. Maybe it was time for me to learn to give up a bit of the control I so favored.
But only just there. In the bedroom.
And to him.
Surprised at the thought, I realized that I trusted him. Completely.
And wasn’tthatthe scariest thing of all?
“I truly cannot decipher the emotions running across your face. You’re either going to eat that man alive or run like hell from him,” Raven decided, watching me.
“That’s about right,” I admitted.
“Well, if I had any vote—I’d say eat him alive. Bloody hell, Sloane, he’s gorgeous.”
“Goddess, he really is, isn’t he? I’d be annoyed by it if I weren’t too busy craving his hands on me.” Shocked at my words, I slapped a gloved hand over my face and Raven laughed outright.
“Girl, I do not blame you. He’s a mighty fine snack.”
“Who is a snack?” I jumped at Knox’s voice in my ear.
“Oh, Liam is,” I said, neatly throwing Raven under the bus, and her mouth rounded in a perfect O shape.
“Och, all the ladies like Liam. Do you fancy him more than me, Sloane?” Knox pulled a sad face.
“Of course not.”
“That’s what I thought.” Knox shocked me by pulling me close for a searing kiss, and then tucking me under his arm. He grinned at Raven’s raised eyebrows. “We’re dating now.”
“So it’s official?” Raven gave me a look.
I squirmed under his arm, nervous at the term. “It’s a trial period.”
“That’s what dating is, isn’t it?” Raven looked confused now. “Did you, like, set an end date or something?”
“Nope. Sloane’s just not ready to admit she likes me publicly. Thank goddess, my ego is strong enough to hold up under such disdain and neglect.”
“You probably enjoy being her dirty little secret,” Raven said, and Knox threw his head back and laughed.
“That is fun—maybe we can role-play that later.”
“And that’s me out…” Raven laughed and waved. “Bye, lovebirds.”
“?‘Love’?” The word sent a shiver down my spine.
“Nope, don’t start panicking. Not yet, at least. We have to go to the photo booth.”
