Irresistible Magic (9 page)

“In the kitchen?” I teased.

He gave me a sly grin and stuffed a key into his door. A second later he pulled me into his kitchen, slamming the door behind us. He lifted me easily and placed me on the counter, moving to position himself between my legs. Leaning in, he brushed his lips along my jawline and trailed soft kisses to that sensitive place just beneath my ear.

“Hmm,” I murmured, my skin tingling all the way to my toes. He could do that forever and I’d die a happy fae. “That’s nice.”

He lifted his head, his intense gaze searing into mine. Then he placed both hands on either side of my face and moved in. My nervousness came rushing back. Not from the physical act, but from the desire and intense need to belong to Talisen. To give him that part of me I’d always known was meant for him but had kept buried in the depths of my heart.

I sucked in a breath and bit my lip. Tal paused, his eyes focused on my mouth, then he met my gaze and brushed a lock of hair out of my eyes. “Is this too soon?”

I shook my head, not daring to speak, afraid I’d say too much.

“This,” he said, placing a hand over my heart, “is what I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember. Just you and me, Wil.” He brushed his lips over mine, coaxing yet another murmur of pleasure from me. He responded by darting his tongue across mine and kissed me deeply, devouring the emotion running rampant between us.

Oh God. This was really happening.

I matched his fervor and clutched at his shirt, pulling him closer so that our bodies were flush, my legs wrapped around him. His healing hands roamed over my back, under my wings, and even though he’d touched me a million times before, everything was new and different. His fingers were light, almost hesitant, but not afraid. He was taking his time. Reintroducing himself to my bare skin, knowing I wanted him to touch me intimately. To memorize the way I felt in his arms.

Shivers of anticipation crashed through me, and I pulled back, gasping for air.

His gaze went soft with undisguised desire. “Sorry.”

“For what?” I leaned in and nuzzled the hollow of his neck. A faint trace of vanilla and spice filled my senses.

“Not making dinner.” His fingers moved to the tips of my wings, sending a ripple of pleasure straight to my toes. It was then I noticed my wings fluttering. Dammit if Harrison hadn’t been right about that little tidbit.

I sucked in a breath and gently pushed him away. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy.”

His eyes crinkled and then he laughed. “Easy? I was definitely going to work for it.”

Heat rushed to more areas than just my face. I pushed him farther away and then hopped down off the counter. “You’re a bad influence, Mr. Kavanagh. Food first, then we’ll see where things go.”

He took a step closer and wrapped one of his strong arms around me, gazing down at me. “I love having you here in my space.”

I blinked, not expecting that. “Then why didn’t you invite me over sooner?” He’d moved in a week ago and until tonight, I hadn’t even known what neighborhood he’d chosen.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I wanted to finish unpacking first.”

I glanced around, noting a California redwoods print above his couch. The blue glazed vase I’d given him as a housewarming present sat in the center of his dining room table. He didn’t have much else in the way of décor, but there weren’t moving boxes lining the walls either. “Looks pretty put together already.”

Shaking his head, he tucked my hand in his and led me through the kitchen to the sparsely furnished living room. He paused outside his bedroom door. “I want to show you something.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Um, is this an ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours’ situation?”

He stared at me with equal parts admiration and exasperation. “You
are
feisty.”

I smiled up at him, noting the gleam in his eye. What was he up to?

He brushed a lock of hair out of my eyes and then pushed his bedroom door open. “Take a look.”

I stepped inside and even without the light on I saw the outline of branches and leaves against the ceiling. “Tal?” I gasped out. “How?”

He grinned, clearly pleased with my reaction. “I had some help from a certain witch we know.”

“Phoebs did this?” I flipped the light on and gasped at the gorgeous cypress tree and the bed nestled on the floor between its roots. If I ever stayed over, the tree would be perfect to replenish the magic I used every day at my lab creating magically enhanced treats for all my customers.

“Yeah, she worked the spell for the tree.”

He pulled me to the middle of the room and turned me so I was facing him. “I want you to know I did this without expectations.”

Both of my eyebrows shot to the top of my forehead. “Really? Because from here it looks like you have a whole lot of expectations for us.” Tal was gifted in crystal magic. He didn’t need nature to replenish. Sure, it was probably comforting, but totally unnecessary. And the tree couldn’t have been easy to pull off. There was only one reason it was there. Me.

“Okay. Maybe some expectations. But future ones. The kind that I only want to happen if we’re both ready for them. This”—he waved at the bed—“was more about letting you know I’m all in. What we have? It isn’t going away. And I know it’s new, or at least this chapter we’re headed into is new, but it’s real and right, and I’m in it with you. The bed? It’s about letting you know that I know what you need and if I can give it to you, I will.”

He stepped back, giving me some space.

I rubbed my hands over my face and when I dropped them, I found Link lying right in the middle of the bed, sprawled out as if he owned the place. “Link! Get down.”

He blinked his amber eyes at me and then turned his gaze on Talisen. Damn dog. He knew who was in charge here. Tal glanced at me, then Link. “Off.”

The Shih Tzu rose reluctantly but eventually did as he was told and took up residence at Talisen’s feet.

I shook my head in exasperation. Tal had made him get off because he knew I didn’t want Link to get in the habit of not obeying my commands. Not because he minded my dog lying in his bed. I waved a hand. “Go on, Link. It’s fine. Go to bed.”

Link didn’t hesitate. He jumped up and a second later was curled against a pillow.

“He should be your dog,” I told Talisen.

“Nah.” Tal slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me back into the living room. “He adores you and if he thought I was a threat, he’d rip my face off without hesitation.”

I snorted. “Not likely. He’d probably take your side in a fight.”

“Good thing we’ll never have to find out.”

We stood in the middle of the living room and I suddenly felt awkward. Tal and I had spent countless hours together. I’d never been uncomfortable around him before, but now, on a date in his apartment, I didn’t know how to act. I couldn’t exactly leave and go home, in case another tail was waiting for me. We needed these people to think Harrison and I were together at the hotel. So I was stuck here. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue. Tal and I would’ve likely even slept in the same bed. Everything would’ve been one hundred percent platonic. But now…

“Have a seat.” Tal indicated the brown leather couch and headed to the other end of his apartment into the kitchen. “I’ll work on scrounging up some dinner.”

I glanced at the couch and then followed Talisen. “I’ll help.”

He grinned and opened a drawer full of menus. “What sounds good?”

“Takeout?”

“It’s either that or a frozen veggie burger.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Really? Veggie burger?”

He shrugged. “They’re the fancy brand from the health-food store.”

I laughed. “Since when do you shop the health-food stores? I watched you eat your weight in burgers and fries over the summer. What gives?”

Passing me a couple of menus, he leaned against the counter and crossed his feet at the ankle. “I don’t know. Ever since I got down here I’ve been craving plant-based food. I think it’s because I’m not near the forest. Sort of like how you need your tree to replenish. I think I need to digest more vegetables.”

“Huh. Could be. Or maybe your body is rebelling after years of abuse.”

“That’s probably it.”

I eyed his lanky but muscular body. Talisen had never been health conscious before and if he was craving plant-based foods, he was probably right to assume his environment was having an effect on him. And it was because of me. He wouldn’t be here otherwise. I handed him back the menus. “Whatever you want to eat is cool with me.”

He lifted his eyes to mine and then his gaze slowly traveled the length of my body. When our eyes met again, I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I meant food.”

A slow smile spread over his handsome, tanned face. “Yeah. I know.”

My pulse quickened and I shook my head. “Just order something.”

He kept his eyes locked on mine as he pulled out his phone and tapped a button. A few moments later, he ordered a couple of blackened redfish dinners. “Thirty minutes,” he said to me as he placed his phone on the counter.

“Sounds good.” I broke my gaze from his and took up residence on his brown leather couch.

He watched me tuck my feet under myself. His light footsteps echoed in the room as he walked over to stand in front of me. He kneeled, taking my hand. “I don’t want to move too fast, but dammit, Willow, I don’t think I’m going to be able to keep my hands off you.”

I opened my mouth, closed it, and then swallowed hard. I didn’t really want him to keep his hands off me. But I also knew once we went there, we couldn’t go back, and the thought terrified me. What if he decided we weren’t right together?

He brought his hand up and caressed my cheek.

I closed my eyes and shivered.

“Why do you look so scared?” His voice was low, barely a whisper.

Forcing my eyes open, I met his intense stare. “I don’t want things to change.”

His hand tightened on mine. “I think it might be too late for that.”

And wasn’t that the problem. We couldn’t move backward. This emotional intensity wasn’t going to go away. If I stopped it now, we’d forever be left in limbo where we could never be totally honest with each other. And if we moved forward, there was potential for the heartbreak of a lifetime. “I know.”

He shifted to sit next to me on the couch and wrapped both arms around me, pulling me to him.

I couldn’t resist and leaned into his embrace, burying my face in his chest. “I’m sorry. I feel like an idiot. It’s just that we…you’re…this is important. I don’t want to mess it up.”

He brushed a gentle kiss over the top of my head. “You’re not an idiot. This is intense and you’re right, it is important. We’ll take it slow. There isn’t any rush here.”

“No?” I knew he’d never pressure me to do anything I wasn’t ready for, but the way he’d been looking at me all night, I knew exactly what he wanted. And if I was honest, it was exactly what I wanted, too.

“Of course not, Wil. I’m in this for the long haul. I’m not going anywhere. You have to know that.”

The problem was I didn’t believe him. It wasn’t fair, but it was the truth. Tal had never been in a steady relationship longer than a few months before. Deep inside, I was afraid our relationship would suffer the same fate. I wouldn’t survive losing him. It wasn’t the romantic relationship I feared, though I’d wanted one with him for as long as I could remember. Wanted him so badly my fingers ached to touch him. I feared the emotional one we already shared. If anything came between us, I’d be a wreck. Tal was my oldest friend. The person who knew me best and the one I counted on above all others.

“Look at me. Hear me when I say this.” He pulled away and lifted my chin with a finger. “No matter what happens, I will always be here for you. Always. Never doubt that.”

A single tear ran down my cheek. He was everything I’d ever wanted. Everything I’d hoped he’d be. His words only proved he understood me all too well.

“Ah, don’t cry.” He brushed a gentle hand over my cheek.

“Goddess,” I breathed. “I’m sorry, Tal. It’s been one hell of a day. I think I’m just overwhelmed with everything that happened. The attack, seeing Mom, Allcot’s directive saddling me with that Harrison guy. I don’t like any of it.” I placed a kiss on his cheek and ran a hand over his jaw. “All I wanted was a really good date with you, and instead I found out my mom’s been keeping secrets, Carrie was attacked, the Void might be investigating me, and now Allcot’s invested enough in my situation that he’s assigned a security detail. It’s too much to take in.”

Tal’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Allcot’s name.

The image of Allcot and Tal shaking hands flashed through my mind. With all that had happened, I’d almost forgotten. “What understanding did you and Allcot come to?”

He sat back and ran a frustrated hand over his face.

“Tal?”

“Shit.” He got up and started pacing, his limbs twitching with agitation.

I sat up on the couch, my body tense. What had Tal agreed to?

He stopped and faced me, his feet shoulder width apart. “You’re not going to like this.”