Page 9 of Magic & Mochas
His expression softened a fraction.“My schedule is wide open.”
“Great!”I shoved the mop at him with a mischievous grin.“Then you can start with the floors.”
He exhaled in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, but made no complaints.Instead, he immediately got to work, and I had to tear my gaze away from the way his muscles bunched with the movement.
Then I gave myself a mental shake.After Rasmus, I think I needed a long break from emotional entanglements—no matter how tall, dark, and broody they may appear.
Refocusing on the task at hand, I fired off spells left and right, dusting here and polishing there.The windows were soon sparkling clean and most of the dust and cobwebs were taken care of.Though for some reason, Thorne was doing the mopping by hand, instead of using his shadows to do it for him.
Now that the interior was looking so much better, I wandered into the back storage room to see if that needed cleaning.It was a small, cramped room, with metal rolling shelves that lined each wall and were packed with cardboard boxes.
With a wave of my hand, I fired off a handful of cleaning spells to get to work while I investigated the boxes.Mrs.Virgil had been meticulous in her labeling, so I quickly learned that the boxes towards the front contained various tools and kitchen supplies, the ones in the middle held things like chalk for the menu board and umbrellas for the tables outside, and the ones towards the back held seasonal decorations.
Perfect—some Halloween decorations were just what the place needed to brighten it up.
Unfortunately, the Halloween box was on the top shelf and just out of reach.I went onto my toes and stretched up to try and reach the box, but my fingertips just barely brushed the cardboard edge.Changing tactics, I used a spell to pull the box towards the edge, though it seemed to be a bit heavier than I was expecting.
For a moment, it teetered on the edge before gravity made its claim and pulled it into the open air.Which was when I realized the box was far larger and heavier than I initially thought—and it was headed straight for my face.
“Watch out!”
Soft shadows wrapped around my hips like a vine, before yanking me back against a hard chest as strong arms tightened around me.Before I could react, the box I had been trying to reach crashed down exactly where I had been standing a moment before.A dust cloud ballooned, causing my eyes to start watering, and tiny plastic pumpkins scattered all over the floor.
“Did we not just agree you would letmedo the heavy lifting?”His voice rumbled in his chest, making me suddenly, acutely aware Thorne was still holding me rather protectively.
Color rose in my cheeks as I peeked up at him.“I didn’t realize it was that heavy.Thank you.”
“You’re…welcome.”He almost sounded shocked that I had thanked him.
Am I interrupting something?Silas intoned in my mind.
I jumped, looking around frantically.I hadn’t just accidentally squashed my own familiar, had I?
“What’s wrong?”Thorne’s arms tightened for a moment before he released me.
“Silas is here!”
“Silas?”His eyes narrowed.“How many boyfriends do you have?”
I sagged with relief as I spotted my cat’s form slinking into the room and scooped him up in my arms.I rolled my eyes and laughed.“Silas is my familiar, silly.”
The line of his tensed shoulders relaxed as he peered at my cat.“Oh.”He reached out a hand to pet him, but after Silas sniffed it, he hissed at him.
He reeks of blood and darkness.His pupils slitted.Why is he here?
A chill ran down my spine.
“I’m so sorry about him; my familiar has no manners,” I said aloud as Thorne withdrew his hand.Silently, I asked Silas,What do you mean?
Instead of answering, he wriggled free from my arms and leaped onto one of the shelves to watch us both from a higher vantage point.
“Are you at least going to help?”I asked aloud for Thorne’s benefit.
A single pumpkin decoration magically rolled back into the crumpled remains of the box.And then Silas began to groom himself.
“Gee, thanks.”I propped my hands on my hips.“Whatever would I do without you?”
With a snap of my fingers, I repaired the box and sent all of the little pumpkin decorations back in with a wave of my hand.When I glanced at Thorne, he was watching me with a hint of amusement behind his violet eyes.
