Page 69 of Spellbound & Speechless
I can hear it now.Aspen Hawthorne is back in town, and she’s breaking and entering!
The old ladies who sit around the park would eat it right up, and the old men would make it the headline of our pathetic little newspaper.
He flicks on a light. “Look at that. The power is still on and everything.”
“Thank the goddess.” My shoes click against the hardwood. “I guess this place isn’t as outdated as I thought.”
“That’s a good sign, huh?”
“Yeah.” I brush my fingers against the dusty shelves. “It’s all coming back to me. This used to be filled with rows and rows of sweets.”
“Which one was your favorite?”
“Oh, the fudge,” I say. “Easily. There’s nothing like homemade peppermint fudge. I haven’t thought of this place in years, but now that I’m here, I miss it.”
“I can think of one thing you’ll like more than the fudge.” He stands behind me, resting a hand on my hip. “Racks and racks of your designs.”
“For all sizes.” I turn my head to look at him. “That’swhy I left my last job, you know. Ilovemaking designs for larger bodies—for all bodies, really—and they asked me to remake them. They wanted me to make them smaller.” I wrinkle my nose.
“Foolish of them.”
“Isn’t it? Aside from the ethics of not making clothes for everybody, they’re leaving money on the ground.”
“Look at that. You’re a great businesswoman already.”
“And you’re a wonderful boyfriend already. I’ve dated people for longer and received a fraction of the support you’re giving me. Not bad, considering it’s your first relationship.”
“Why, thank you.”
“Why is that?” My voice goes softer. “I’m sure anyone would be pleased to be with you, so… why did you spend so long alone?”
He’s a little older than I am, at least in his thirties. It may say more about me than him, but I can’t imagine spending so long without a lover. He must be so lonely, even though he doesn’t appear to be. From the time I met him, Mac seemed perfectly happy on his own.
“Because…” He deflates, sighing.
I squeeze his shoulder. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”
“No, no. You can ask me anything.” He still hesitates, staring at a dusty wall rather than looking at me. “Do you know about fated mates?”
“Well… yes. I know it’s different for wolves than witches, but I understand the concept.”
“My parents were mates.”
“As you mentioned before.”
He shifts his stance and buries his hands in his pockets, searching for something—probably a cigarette. The searchquickly stops. “My dad’s death ruined my mom. She never dated again. She left the pack, and without a leader, they disbanded. It became easy to see that… losing someone you love is, well… fucking shitty. It’s the worst pain I can imagine.”
My brows furrow. “Especially when it’s your mate. When your souls and minds are linked in such an intimate way.”
“Yeah.” He exhales and bends, pressing his forehead to mine. “Especially then.”
“I’m proud of you.” I hold the sides of his face with a tender touch.
He chuckles. “For what?”
“For letting me in.” I push his chest, leading him to the wall. “I know that couldn’t have been easy to talk about.”
“But it is.” His back hits the wall, and he smiles at me, shaking his head. “Opening my heart toyouis the easiest thing I’ve ever done. That’s what makes you so dangerous.”
