Page 24 of Wedded Witch
He steps toward the door and holds it open for me, the same small, gentlemanly gesture he made earlier that I found surprising. I mumble a soft “Thanks” as I walk past him and out into the cool night air.
The temperature has dropped significantly since we went inside, and I pull my jacket a little tighter around me, feeling the chill.
The motel is right across the street, its neon sign flickering slightly in the dark. Kel walks beside me, his pace slow, almost like he’s not in a hurry for this moment to end. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Part of me is still wary, on guard after the way he treated me earlier, but another part of me—one I’m reluctant to admit—is intrigued.
We cross the quiet street, and for a moment, there’s only the sound of our footsteps against the pavement. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, trying to gauge his mood, but he’s staring straight ahead, lost in thought.
The light from the streetlamps casts soft shadows across his face, and I notice again how different he seems from earlier. There’s something softer about him now, something less guarded.
“You’ve been quiet,” I say, breaking the silence as we approach the motel’s parking lot.
He looks down at me, his expression unreadable. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
He pauses for a second before answering. “About how I probably don’t deserve another chance, but I’m glad you gave me one anyway.”
His words catch me off guard, and I stop walking for a moment, turning to face him. There’s that vulnerability again, peeking through his tough exterior, and I don’t know how tohandle it. It’s like every time I try to stay mad at him, he says something that softens the edges of my anger.
“You were an arse,” I say bluntly, crossing my arms as I study him, but a reluctant smile tugs at my lips and I can’t hide it. “But… maybe you’re not all bad.”
His lips twitch into a faint smile. “Maybe.”
We walk the rest of the way in silence, the lights of the motel growing brighter as we near it. When we reach the door to my room, I fumble with my keys for a second before turning to him. He’s standing there, hands in his pockets, looking unsure of what to do next.
It’s a strange look on him—he had seemed so confident before—but now… now he looks like he’s waiting for some kind of signal from me.
“Thanks for dinner,” I say, trying to fill the awkward silence that’s settled between us.
“Anytime,” he replies, his voice low. He takes a step closer, and for a second, I think he might lean in, might kiss me, but he stops himself. Instead, he reaches out and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, the touch so gentle it sends a shiver down my spine.
I want more.
My breath catches, and I glance up at him, unsure of what to say or do. The air between us feels heavy, charged with something I’m not quite ready to face.
You’re married, Swyn.
“I should…probably get inside,” I mumble, taking a step back toward the door.
He nods, but his eyes stay on me, watching closely. “Yeah, of course. Goodnight, Vi.”
“Goodnight, Kel.”
I turn away and unlock the door, stepping inside quickly. Before I close it, I glance back at him, standing there in thedim light of the motel parking lot, watching me with that same intensity that makes my heart race for reasons I don’t fully understand.
I close the door softly, leaning against it for a moment as I try to steady my breathing. What just happened? The night started with me being furious at him, and now…now I’m not so sure what I am.
Horny.
Married. You’re still married.
There’s a knock on the door, and I jump, my heart leaping into my throat. I open it again, unsurprised to find Kel standing there, a sheepish grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
“You forgot this,” he says, holding up my phone. I must’ve left it on the table at the diner.
“Oh… thanks.” I reach for it, but the second our fingers brush, it’s like touching a live wire. A jolt shoots straight through me, igniting something deep inside.
I hesitate, my pulse quickening as the air thickens between us. His gaze locks with mine, and in that instant, everything shifts. The world narrows down to just him—his steady breathing, the heat radiating off him, and the magnetic pull drawing us closer.