Page 13 of Wedded Witch
His eyes are a deep, intense brown, but as they lock onto mine, something in them shifts – a flicker of light blue, like lightning flashing beneath the surface of a storm.
For a moment, I’m frozen, a strange electricity crackling between us, tugging at something deep within me, as if an invisible thread binds us together, pulling tighter with each second. The world blurs, fading into the background, until all that remains is the charged energy between us, humming in the air like a quiet promise, a connection that feels both thrilling and terrifying.
I want to kiss him.
Whoa, where did that come from?
As quickly as it came, the moment between us dissolves. He blinks, and the blue vanishes, replaced by the warm brown again, as if it had never been there at all.
My breath falters, and I force myself to shake off the lingering sensation, inhaling deeply. The scent of leather – bold, smoky, and rugged – surrounds me, grounding me in the present as I step forward, my palms brushing the cool surface of the counter.
Is that his scent? Why does he smell so good?
He offers a small, polite smile, but there’s something guarded in his expression, a glint of something hidden behind his eyes. I can’t place it, but it makes my pulse quicken all over again.
KEL
The bellabove the door jingles, and I perk up immediately. Recent phenomenon aside, it’s rare that we get new faces around here, so when the door swings open, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement. It’s been the same old regulars for weeks now – truckers, locals who need a break from their routine, and the occasional traveller who gets lost on the way to somewhere else.
But this? This is something different. I canfeelit.
I glance up from the ledger I’ve been pretending to work on, my fingers drumming on the desk in anticipation.
Whoa.
I have to blink a couple of times to make sure I’m not dreaming. It’s a woman who just walked in and she’s…she’s…
She’s stunning, with golden hair that catches the light in a way that makes it seem like it’s glowing, and striking violet eyes that seem to pull me in, making everything else fade into the background.
For a moment, all I can do is stare, my brain short-circuiting as if it’s been hit by a lightning bolt. It’s an effort to pull air into my lungs. She’sthatbreath-stealing.
Magic flickers at the edge of my senses, something subtle but undeniable, like the way the air feels right before a storm. It’s like my magic has suddenly sprung to life, crackling around me in a way it hasn’t in… well, forever.
The sensation makes me dizzy with anticipation and a bit unsteady on my feet, like I’ve had too much coffee – or maybe not enough.
And then it hits me, her sweet cherry scent, and clear as day I know.I’m gonna marry this girl.I don’t know her name yet, but that’s a minor detail. My brothers are never going to believe this. Hell,Idon’t believe this, but here we are.
I take a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of control.Focus, Kel. Don’t scare her off. You’re a grown-ass man, not a lovesick puppy.Though, honestly, the puppy part isn’t too far off. My magic and my energy is bubbling over, the urge to leap over the counter and introduce myself barely restrained.
As she approaches the desk, I straighten up, my best smile firmly in place. She looks around the lobby, and for a second, I’m worried she’s going to walk right back out. But she doesn’t. Instead, she heads straight towards me, and I feel a weird mix of relief and excitement.
“Hi there!” I say, a little too loudly.Tone it down, Kel.I clear my throat and try again. “Welcome to our little slice of paradise. Looking for a room?”
She nods, and I can’t help but notice the way her eyes flicker with curiosity as she takes in the surroundings. I want to tell her that the motel’s nicer on the inside than it looks from the outside – that we’ve put a lot of effort into making it comfortable, even if it’s not exactly five-star. But before I can, she speaks.
“Just for the night,” she says, her voice soft and melodic and definitely not from around here. It sends a shiver up my spine,making all the hairs on my arms stand on end, and I have to resist the urge to offer her a permanent stay.
You know, just in case she’s into that sort of thing.
When we wed, will we stay here on the outskirts of Spells Hollow? Or will she expect me to follow her back from wherever she came from? I’d follow her to the ends of the earth, so I guess it’s a moot point anyway – even if I will miss my brothers when we go.
“No problem!” I chirp, already grabbing the key for the best room we have. “You’ll love it here. Best bed this side of the pond.” I flash her a wink, because why not? Might as well lay on the charm. And I caught that cute accent, she’s definitely not from round these parts.
Her lips quirk up in a small smile, and I swear, it’s like the sun just came out from behind the clouds.
I’m in trouble. So much trouble.
“You can tell I’m from across the pond just from those four words I said?” she asks with a wry smile.