Page 74 of Witchful Thinking
“But you said—”
Lucy took Alex by the arm out of the backyard. “I’ll show you.”
She brought him to the front of the house, where two of her younger cousins raced by, each cradling armfuls of balloons. They gave orders to each other and continued looking for their enemies hiding around the house. Lucy gestured to the porch railing, at the collection of small plants snaking out of terra-cotta pots. She touched the wilting leaves of the rosemary, lemon balm, and the other herbs, then faced Alex. He watched her without saying a word.
“I can’t keep them in the house. Shadow will chew them up.”
He stood next to her. “You need help taking care of it.”
“Nana left them for me. I give them sun, air, and water, but they haven’t thrived the way I’d like them to.” Lucy let frustration bleed into her voice. She’d done everything she could for the little group, but the herbs were quite stubborn. Just like every Caraway witch, they had no quit in them, as Nana said.
“Why is it secret?” he asked her. He took a step closer, closing the space. There were a few inches of daylight between them. She needed to make something grow and heal her heart after another dating disappointment. Lucy tried to find the words, but she couldn’t say them. If I can trust someone with my plants, I can trust them with my heart. She heard the little cousins buzzing around, but she was too preoccupied with the merman next to her.
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” she teased.
He held eye contact with her. “I’ll take the hit.”
Another Caraway cousin, Sage, ran up the stairs and darted behind them. A warrior princess scream went through the air. There was a series of rapid pops and an explosion of water between them. Freezing-cold water hit Lucy right in the chest and ran down between her breasts. She let out a startled cry as the water dripped down. Alex’s eyes and chin were also dripping wet. His linen shirt clung to his skin like tissue paper, and his khakis looked like he had peed himself. Remnants of water balloons were scattered all over them. Everything they wore was completely soaked. Lucy looked down. Her dress was plastered against her skin, revealing her bra and panties. She met Alex’s eyes and noticed that his attention was directed squarely on her body as if he was trying to trace her curves through the fabric. Hey. Now. She dragged her attention from Alex and focused on the trio of cousins hovering around them.
“Oh, man,” Lucy’s cousin Daphne wailed. “Auntie’s going to get you.”
“I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!” Juniper shouted in self-defense. “I was aiming for Sage!”
“You’re too slow,” Sage mocked. Lucy gave Sage a warning glare, effectively silencing her. Everyone focused on Juniper, who rubbed her face, trying to physically pull the tears away.
“I’m going to miss Halloween!” Juniper wailed, tears welling in her eyes.
Lucy reached out and held the girl by the shoulders. “Juniper, look at me. Listen. You won’t get in trouble if she doesn’t see us. Caraway cousins stick together.”
It wasn’t just a saying; it was a promise.
“Yeah?” she asked hopefully.
“We can keep this between all of us. We’ve had our fun; we’re done with the water balloons. Right. Right?” Lucy gave each cousin a pointed stare, eliciting silent nods. “Now, tell Aunt Niesha I’m showing Alex around.” Lucy looked at Alex. He nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” Daphne said.
Lucy gently nudged Alex into the house. Shadow watched them with big eyes, tracking them as they rushed past where he lounged on the mantel. He flicked Lucy an “oooh, you’re being so bad, it’s good” look. Ugh, her cat was so annoying. Voices boomed from the kitchen. Lucy took Alex by the hand and led him upstairs to her bedroom. She closed the door behind them and locked it.
“So, this is where the magic happens,” Alex mused.
“The magic happens downstairs or in the attic.”
Lucy peered around, trying to see if she’d accidentally left her raggedy yet comfortable high-waisted underwear on the floor. She couldn’t wear the cute stuff all the time. She glanced around trying to put herself in Alex’s place. There were pops of champagne pink and cream accents that made the room have a quiet, sensual vibe. It was a basic bedroom, littered with secondhand books, witchy treasures of crystals and natural items, and typical furniture: a dresser, a bed, and a privacy screen she’d fallen in love with at an estate sale.
“We have about seven minutes before Auntie calls me back down,” Lucy said. “Five minutes if Uncle Leo makes a bad bid.”
She threw him her stars- and moon-covered robe. “Get undressed.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” He took off his shirt and slipped out of his khakis, showing off his toned body and boxer briefs. She stumbled to a stop. The water had soaked through the clothing and his skin was wet. All the way down. Her mind repeated the plea Let me be the water on his skin. Lucy scooped up his clothes and put them on a hanger to distract herself from following through and tasting the water on his stomach.
“I have a pair of basketball shorts that might fit,” Lucy said. She studied his flank, unable to look away. How did he get that perfect bubble butt swimming in the Atlantic? There weren’t enough squats to give her behind that look, but he had it naturally.
“Lucy,” he said, breaking her out of a daze.
“Uh. I don’t think they’ll get up your thighs,” Lucy responded. She turned away, heat rising up her neck. His laugh echoed inside the room. When she looked back at Alex, he’d belted the robe around his solid form. The wide bed was a splurge, and she’d decorated it with a floral comforter, which seemed lush against his body. Why does he look so good on my bed? Maybe he belongs there.
She pushed that thought away.