by Larissa Ladd
Skyler scowled, angry at her friend but more at herself. She should never have said anything. With the whole David issue, Jayden was volatile. Skyler should have waited for her to calm down before telling her what was going on with Chad. Squeezing her eyes shut so she didn’t have to meet the judgment in Jayden’s, she said, “I gave him a talisman with a love spell that I wove into it.”
“Holy witch’s brew, Skyler! You know better than that! What the hell were you thinking, using something that dangerous?” Jayden sounded more concerned than angry.
Skyler threw her hands up in the air. “You and Mom both thought I should use magic to get my way. Now that I have, you’re jumping down my throat. I’m certainly not telling Mom because she’ll tear down my roof with her reaction.”
“I meant to soften him up, Skyler. You were supposed to make him want you or take away his alpha male syndrome, not bind him to you with an emotion so strong. What happens if it creeps inside you and takes hold? You could be just as easily enslaved to his love as he could. This was stupid, Skyler. We’ve always talked about not hexing someone with a love spell, even if it’s only stored in a talisman that could be broken or unspelled.” Jayden’s worried eyes made Skyler feel horrible.
“I know that. But I’m aware of how the spell is affecting me, and I recognize those aren’t my real feelings. And granted, love spells can be dangerous, but I figured that any incantation I level on someone at work could backfire dangerously, especially my boss. Besides, the man is sexy, and I thought, if I was going to do this, I might as well get a little something extra out of it.” It was a terrible explanation, but unfortunately, it was true.
Jayden groaned. “You hexed him because you wanted to sleep with him? That’s what lust spells are for, Skyler. You could have enchanted a perfume, worn it to work, and had him screwing you on top of the copier.”
She was right, and Skyler suddenly hated herself. Trying one last desperate effort to justify her actions, she told Jayden, “Well, it gets me a date to the wedding reception, right?”
Jayden just shook her head. “Listen, Skyler, I’m going to keep an eye on you, and if I see that this spell is turning you into some sort of monster or into someone you’re not, I’m taking drastic measures.”
Skyler couldn’t blame her, but she couldn’t foresee anything going wrong. “I understand, and you have my blessing on that. But everything will be fine.”
Chapter 15
Chad was running late. He’d intended to be ready by six, but he’d received a call from the rehab clinic where Van was, telling him his brother had nearly collapsed the walls with his fits of rage and detox. He’d had to talk his brother down, all the while Van threatening to bust the phone and rip the lines out of the walls. It had taken a lot out of him, but as he dressed for his date, Chad grew more chipper.
He was looking forward to taking Skyler out tonight. It had been a long time since he’d shared a night out on the town with a beautiful woman, longer since he’d taken one for such a nice meal, and far too long since he’d gotten his game on. This was going to be an excellent night, and by the time it was over, he’d not only have a fond memory of the evening and another notch on his belt, but he was certain Skyler would be malleable to his every thought.
He wanted her under his control—no more arguments, no more butting heads. His opinion was the only one that mattered at the magazine anymore, and he was going to make sure Skyler felt the same way about things.
He checked himself in the mirror before leaving. His suit was a navy blue pinstripe, the design very faint but there nonetheless, accenting the length and tone of his body, over a silver-gray shirt and tie. His hair had fallen just right, as it always did when his image was most important, and his shoes shone with their fresh polish. He was the epitome of the handsome, debonair date. He could only imagine what Skyler would wear, and, even more lascivious, he thought about what she wouldn’t wear underneath.
Her breasts weren’t particularly large, but they were perfectly round and ripe, while her hips were just curved enough to make his hands want to reach out and rest on them. And her tight ass was likely delectable. Yes, if he played his cards right, she’d be in the palm of his hand, begging him to take her to bed and wear her out. And he’d be more than happy to do it.
Chad was surprised to pull up at the quaint little house outside of town, but this was the address she’d given. Apparently, while Skyler was a bit flashy in her appearance, she didn’t particularly live that way. It came as a bit of a shock to Chad, but it was also very refreshing. He knocked on the door, and when she opened it, his tongue nearly rolled out of his mouth like some cartoon. He was suddenly infatuated with what he saw, her body hugged by a shimmering golden sheen of a dress with a mermaid shape. The straps left her shoulders bare, and the creamy complexion was enough to make Chad want to push her back inside and ravish her, right here and now.
“Hi, Chad, would you mind stepping inside for just a moment? I have a couple of quick things to do to finish getting ready.” She stepped away from the opening to let him in, and he moved as if in a trance.
“You look absolutely amazing,” he told her, drawing her hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it. “I’ll wait here.” She blushed and nodded before disappearing into what he assumed was the bedroom. Looking around, he was almost as taken with her house as with her appearance tonight. The décor was very cozy and simplistic, and it reminded him of the home in which he’d grown up. Certainly his current living situation was luxurious, but he’d trade in the in-home movie theatre for something like this any day of the week. He’d loved the childhood home he and Van had grown up in, and he’d been devastated to have to sell it. The fact that it had been torn down as part of a project to build condos before he was able to use the money his brother gave him to get it back still saddened him.
When Skyler returned, she smelled like vanilla and lime, and Chad wanted to just press his nose into the crook of her neck and sniff her. It was a delicious smell, and again, he thought about removing that thin dress from her body and licking her from head to toe while she screamed in ecstasy. He shifted before his physical reaction became too obvious and smiled. “You have a lovely home.”
Skyler rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you have a much larger, more elegant place than this. You don’t have to be polite.”
“I’m not. This has the same look and feel of my childhood home. I loved that house.” Bringing himself out of his reminiscence, he turned to Skyler again. “And now you not only look delicious but smell it as well. Shall we?”
She nodded, and he led her out to the car.
Chapter 16
The way Chad had appraised her house, with awe and wonder in his eyes, made Skyler a bit uncomfortable. It was perhaps the most vulnerable she’d ever seen him, and she didn’t know if that was part of the spell or if he truly felt that way. But the more she thought about it, despite Jayden’s concern and warning, Skyler knew that her incantation didn’t make people lie just to impress someone else. Expressions of love were based on truth, so whether pushed forward by the magic or not, Chad truly loved her house.
This time, Skyler had no problem with idle conversation, and as he drove toward the restaurant, they talked about weather, gossiped over celebrities that Skyler had met during her stint at the magazine, and engaged in all manner of other small talk. “So, I really don’t know anything about you,” she said as they arrived and walked toward the front door. “Do you have any family nearby? Brothers, sisters, parents?”
His mood seemed to change suddenly, his smile falling. His face tight, he told her, “I have a brother. We used to be close, and I still try to take care of him, but he’s got some issues, and he’s become an alcoholic.”
Skyler felt terrible for asking. Just because she’d cast a spell on this man didn’t mean she should force him to share every painful detail of his life with her. After all, this wasn’t going to be a permanent arrangement. Eventually, she’d reverse the spell, and
the two of them would go about their business separately. “I’m so sorry, Chad. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
He shrugged and gave her a sad smile. “It’s alright. It was bound to come out eventually. After all, I didn’t want this to be our only date, and I can guarantee that, at some point, I’ll receive a call from my brother or from the rehab clinic while we’re out. I think it’s better you know up front so you can be prepared for the meltdown.” He chuckled lightly.
The hostess seated them, and the waiter poured them each a glass of water, nodding as Chad requested a bottle of red wine. Needing to right her wrong, Skyler said, “If that’s the case, then I should be honest about my family. My mother is a busybody who is likely to interfere with my plans at some point, and my brother is a paranoid schizophrenic who calls from time to time to let me know he’s still surviving. Right now, he’s locked himself in a monastery halfway across the world, where it’s much quieter for him.”
Chad shook his head with a sympathetic expression. “I guess we both have our demons and our crosses to bear, don’t we?” The waiter arrived and poured the wine. Chad raised his glass in a toast, and Skyler joined him. “To us and all our crazy baggage, learning to enjoy life to the fullest in each other’s company.”
It seemed a strange toast, but it was also heartwarming for Skyler. She had her friends, and she had her coven, but this sort of bond, whether part of her magic or not, was something she’d never shared. Even if it was only for a time, she looked forward to it.
As they chatted and laughed, Skyler lost track of time, and the only way she managed to keep up with just how well things were progressing was by evaluating how much wine they consumed. At the end of the third bottle, she could feel her cheeks flushed, and she’d finally stuffed herself full. It was time to leave. “I’m almost afraid to get up,” she teased. “I ate so much, I’m worried I’ll pop the seams on this dress.”
Chad gave her a lascivious smile. “I can’t say I would mind that at all.” The outright innuendo shocked Skyler, but she liked it and let her fingers play across the back of his hand for just an instant before the waiter returned with the tab to be signed. A spark seemed to radiate up her arm and into her chest, making her heart beat wildly, and she reminded herself that the wine had made her vulnerable and all her feelings were based on trickery.
As if to reinforce that thought, she held her breath when Chad pulled the pen she’d given him out of his coat pocket to sign the receipt. If she’d had any doubts that all of this attention was due to her magic, she’d just confirmed the truth. He’d had the talisman with him all along. “I see you liked my gift.”
He glanced up at her as he signed. “I do, very much. Because it’s such a nice, personalized pen, I’m less likely to accidentally leave it behind. People are also much less likely to swipe a pen that has someone else’s name on it. I’m always prepared to write if needed when carrying it. And above all else, you were the one who gave it to me. I’ve been carrying it as a token of what I hope is your affection.”
Skyler nearly gawked at him. It all sounded so sincere, she thought she might cry. She’d wanted to fall in love, to have someone say such kind things to her, but they never had. And even now, all of it was a farce, induced by some crazy bibbity-bobbity-boo she’d performed. Obviously, the alcohol was making her super sensitive, and she needed to clear her head. With a smile, she told him, “It is definitely that. Now, are we ready to go home?”
He frowned at her, looking hurt. “The night is still young. Are you so anxious to leave my company already?”
Biting her lip and leaning in conspiratorially, she told him, “That’s not exactly what I had in mind when I asked if it was time to go home, darling.”
She watched Chad’s eyes heat, and his muscles tensed visibly beneath his suit. “If the vixen wants to enjoy an evening in, who am I to protest?”
Chapter 17
Had all the grandstanding been nothing more than a cry for attention? Chad thought as he drove toward his house, his entire body hungry for the woman in the car beside him. Or perhaps she’d simply been eager to impress him and disappointed when he’d practically bashed her as a person and a writer. Whatever the truth then, Skyler’s words and demeanor screamed how much she wanted to jump in bed with him. And as he’d told her just before they left the restaurant, he wasn’t one to protest.
The drive was quiet and tense, and several times, Chad had to jerk his hand back as he started to reach over and slip his hand inside the slit in her dress so he could pet the intimate parts of her beneath. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away. He had her right where he wanted her, and he was going to bring her home and move slowly enough to ensure he wasn’t reading her signals wrong. If his wires were crossed, he could already tell Skyler was the wrong woman to mess with.
As he pulled around into the driveway, he heard a sarcastic laugh. Turning to Skyler in question, he waited as she shook her head. “When you live somewhere this grandiose, how can you possibly like my little shack?”
“Easily,” he answered, turning off the engine and facing her fully. “I didn’t buy this place. My brother won the lottery a few years back, and he bought it and furnished it for me. Had I gotten my way, I would likely have been your neighbor.” He meant that, and a part of him was already considering selling this place, pocketing most of the money, and purchasing a nice suburban home with a picket fence and a dog.
He ushered her up the steps of the abhorred mansion and into the overbearing oak doors. Inside, he tried to keep her moving, though she seemed taken with the expensive and gaudy décor everywhere, until they were in his private study. There were really only five rooms in this house he used regularly – his bedroom and bathroom, the study, the kitchen, and his private library. They were all gathered in this one wing, behind the imposing curved staircase in the foyer.
He’d managed to achieve a much cozier living space in these rooms, and in the study, he offered her a seat on a plush armchair. “Would you like a drink?” he asked.
Skyler shook her head, looking around at the dimly lit room. “No, thank you. I believe I had more than enough wine to leave me a bit miserable in the morning.” She stood and moved toward him, her hips swaying seductively. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I have to be miserable tonight.”
He watched her, entranced, and when she reached him, Chad closed the distance with an arm around her waist, drawing her body tight against his in longing as he pressed his lips to hers. They opened like petals, soft and sweet, and he drank from her, his tongue dancing with hers in a passionate tango that promised an even more intimate coupling to come.
In that moment, based on the complete satisfaction brought to him by a single kiss from Skyler, Chad made a decision. Tomorrow, or even in a couple of hours, he would hate Skyler once again. But for this magical night, he would set aside all differences and truly enjoy the luscious body and the intense emotions of the woman who had just relaxed in his arms.
Chapter 18
Skyler lost all train of thought at the sensuousness of Chad’s touch, the precision of his tongue as it rolled with hers in imitation of lovemaking. He tasted of salt and wine and of his own masculinity, and she wanted so much more. Her body was on fire, and everywhere he touched her, another spark ignited. Perhaps she’d been too long between lovers, or maybe Chad just knew exactly what he was doing. Either way, she was going to let him do it, at his leisure, in his way.
Gasping as his lips trailed away from hers and down her throat, Skyler tilted her head to give him what he wanted and asked, “Is your bedroom far from here?”
Without responding, Chad bent, sweeping her legs up with one arm behind her knees and the other behind her back, carrying her as he moved in a silent glide across the room. He didn’t even seem to be taking steps, so gentle was his movement, and she nibbled at his ear, smiling as he groaned in pleasure. He pushed open a door that led off the study, and suddenly, they were in a room lit with electric lanterns that w
inked like old-fashioned flames. The bed was large and luxurious, with purple satin sheets and what looked like millions of pillows. As he laid her back on the massive structure, she glanced around to find the walls covered in works of abstract art, all in shades of grays, blues, and purples.
She didn’t take long to peruse, though, the weight of Chad’s body on top of hers as he covered her and kissed her more deliciously than she could have imagined. He was rock hard, pushing against her stomach, and she moaned as his had covered one breast, squeezing and massaging gently as he kissed her with fervor. She wasn’t shy, never had been when it came to sex, and she reached down to cup his buttocks in her hands, manipulating the very firm muscles to her own delight. She pushed upward, making his body slide enough to rub his length through his pants against her so he sighed.
Chad pulled away, and she cried out in protest, her body suddenly cold and left wanting, but he merely rolled her over to release the zipper of her dress, then moved her to her back again and slowly drew the material down her body. She wore nothing beneath except the garter belt that held up the thigh-high hose, and she watched him gulp visibly at her nudity, obviously taken by it. She’d worked hard to remain flawless, and tonight, it was definitely going to pay off.
She sat up and began to undress him as well, their mouths locked together as she removed his suit jacket, unbuttoned the shirt beneath, loosened the tie, and opened his fly. With a little help from a silent spell, everything came off gracefully, falling into a pile on the floor beside the bed. She ran her fingernails down the expanse of his bare chest and was delighted at the feel of the taut muscles beneath, and then she switched, feeling the movement in his back and shoulders as he explored her body. They moved with rhythm and precision, and it made her wetter between her thighs before he even reached that juncture.
