by Janet Woods
The wine left a sharp after-taste in her mouth, but it was pleasantly relaxing. She was still relaxed after they’d cleared the dishes away.
Inserting a romantic tape into the player she joined him on the couch and took the biggest gamble she’d ever taken.
‘I’ve decided to turn down your proposal.’
Incredulity chased the smile from his face. ‘You don’t mean it! After what’s happened between us you can’t mean it.’
‘I’m surprised you consider our compatibility in bed a sound basis for marriage.’
Amusement flared in his eyes. ‘It was more then just sex, as well know.’ His finger stroked fullness into her bottom lip. ‘You’re playing games, Eloise. You’ve been playing them all day. If you don’t intend to marry me, why the love-potion?’ The candle spluttered as he gazed into her eyes. ‘I don’t need a love-potion to remind me what my feelings are for you. It happened exactly as Vera said.’
‘How exactly was that?’ Ellie felt herself glowing with a positively witch-like triumph. ‘I don’t recall you telling me.’
‘Probably because I didn’t.’ His wary regard of her made her want to laugh. ‘You’re not making things easy for me.’
‘Just tell me,’ she encouraged, winding one of his dark curls around her finger.
‘That you were who I’d been searching for all my life - that as soon as I saw you I would fall in love with you?’ He grinned. ‘Vera said it was Karma ... and no matter how much I fought against it, everything seemed to conspire to bring us together - even you.’ His grin became rueful. ‘I’ve never met anyone quite so determined before. You rubbed my face in the dirt then forced me to take a good, long look at my future. So, my green-eyed witch, I’ve decided I can’t go through life without you. I intend to have you, and I won’t take no for an answer.’
Who said love potions didn’t work? Snuggling her head into his shoulder Ellie breathed a sigh of utter happiness into his ear. ‘The love potion I bought was worth every cent just to hear you say that.’
‘I swapped the drinks.’ He tipped her face up to his and gently kissed her waiting mouth. ‘I don’t need a potion to tell you I love you.’
‘Is that why I’m feeling so ... so?’
‘Loving?’ he prompted hungrily, his arms pulling her closer.
‘And sensuous ... and ... adventurous.’
‘That’s odd.’ The smoky passion in his voice was mirrored in his eyes. ‘I feel exactly the same way.’
Not that odd, Ellie thought, surrendering to the devastation of his kiss. Weaving spells had turned out to be as chancy a business as love - so she’d added the potion to both their drinks.
After all, what harm could a little touch of magic do?
Copyright © 2000, 2012 by Janet Woods
Originally published by New Concepts as Spellbound
Electronically published in 2013 by Belgrave House
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228
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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.
