“With pleasure.” He took my phone, and I struck a pose with my plate balanced on one raised hand. “Actually, that’s just going to make her ask who took the photo. She’s nosy like that. Selfie?”
Without hesitation, Sam leaned in and snapped an image of the two of us. As he lowered his arm, I caught a glimpse of his grandmother, sly smile on her face that broadened when I met her gaze. She turned away, and Sam handed me my phone before I could get too into my head about whatever she might have been thinking.
Sam led us to the far end of the porch, and we perched on the stairs to eat.
“This is all delicious. Is there special significance to any of the foods?”
“All of them. The sun tea, the golden honey and golden raisins all honor the power of the sun. All the green foods honor the Oak King—he’s thought to rule between midwinter and midsummer, then the Holly King rules the other half of the year—the spices are bright like the dill in the artichoke tart, or warming like the ginger and lemon in the pork marinade and the cinnamon and nutmeg on the snickerdoodles. It’s all celebrating the season. It’s meant to bring on a fruitful summer followed by a bountiful harvest and to honor the abundance of the goddess.”
I took a bite of rosemary teacake and followed it with a sip of the honey-sweetened sun tea. It was perfection. “And you were raised with all these beliefs?”
“Yes… But I was also raised with traditional Christmases and some Jewish holidays as well. My extended family is quite a diverse mix, and this house was always where everyone descended for every holiday. A lot of my grandmother’s cousins still live in Canada, but they’re just an hour or two to the north.”
“I noticed on the drive up that when I entered New Hampshire, the welcome sign was in English and French. I never gave much thought to how close New England is to Quebec and Montreal.”
“Old Quebec City is where my grandmother’s family lived until she was around twelve, then they settled in Vermont, and she and Iris have been here ever since.”
“Very cool.” I broke off a piece of snickerdoodle and popped it into my mouth, letting the cinnamon sugar tickle my tongue. The sun had begun to set, and it cast a pink-red glow on everything. Someone had lit the bonfire, and parents were handing their children long sticks topped with marshmallows.
“I feel like there should be magical fairies flying around or something.”
Sam gave me a wicked grin. “Not too loud. There are summoning spells people use for fairies during solstice, but it’s best not to mess with them. They can be very mischievous. Not unlike Puck.”
“Poor Puck. He’s missing his festival. Should bring him a kebab or something.”
That got a belly laugh out of Sam that triggered another string of Kegels. This was more exercise than my nether regions had had in ages.
“No wonder that cat is so fond of you. He knows you’ll bring him treats.”
I saw Rose going into the house. “I’m going to go see if your grandmother needs any help with anything. I want to thank her for renting me the guesthouse on such short notice.”
Sam took my plate. “Okay. Just come find me later.”
I wandered down the length of the porch and saw Rose inside the spacious kitchen. I knocked on the screen door, and her face brightened when she saw me. She waved me inside.
“Thank you for having me. This party is amazing. And thank you so much for getting the cottage ready so quickly. You have no idea how much easier that made my life.”
She gave me a knowing smile. “No trouble at all, dear. I think you’re right where you’re meant to be. Have you started your new job yet?”
“Sort of. I toured the restaurant and met with a few people. I’ll be hiring servers and cooks, if you know anyone looking for a job. Speaking of which, did you make all the food yourself?”
“Iris and I always do.”
“Either of you want a job?”
Her laughter was the female counterpart to Sam’s, rich and warming, just with a higher pitch. “I’m very much enjoying my retirement. But if you ever have trouble finding fresh herbs, you let me know. Between our garden and our greenhouse, we can get you anything your heart desires.”
I had a feeling she meant more than just what my palate wanted, but I decided not to ask about the spellwork books alongside her impressive collection of cookbooks. “I’ll keep that in mind. Can I help you with anything? I know how much work parties are.”
“You’re so sweet. You can grab those two baskets on the table if you’d like. I was going to set those out for people to take as they leave.”
One wicker basket held small candle bundles tied with twine with a little instructional card and the other held massive sunflowers. A photo on the bookshelf behind the table caught my eye. A woman with long dark hair and a small boy with sparkling eyes sitting on her lap. “Is that you and Sam?”
Her entire face glowed with pride. “Yes. Adorable, isn’t he?”
Not wasn’t he—isn’t he. “Indeed he is.”
And as if we’d summoned him, he walked in the door.
12
Sam
“I heard my name. Aren’t I what?”
My grandmother winked at Phoebe, then turned to me. “Nosy. Always have been, probably always will be.”
I grinned and plucked a strawberry from the fruit pizza she was decorating. She slapped my hand. “Take them from the bowl, not off the pizza.”
“But then they don’t have the cream cheese stuff stuck on them.”
She grimaced, but I ignored her. I’d been sneaking fruit off those pizzas since I was old enough to reach the counter.
“You’re lucky I love you.”
I kissed her cheek. “I know I am.”
She finished the ring of kiwi slices and then poured some blueberries into the center.
“Want me to carry this out for you?”
“Yes. And no more stealing.”
Phoebe looked like she was biting her tongue to keep from laughing, but she picked up the large baskets on the table and followed me to the door.
“Thanks again for having me. It was great to meet you in person.”
“You’re welcome here anytime, Phoebe.”
“Thanks. I may take you up on that offer of herbs.”
I held the screen door and ushered Phoebe out onto the deck. “What’s that about herbs?”
“Your grandmother was telling me about her garden and her hothouse. I’ve always wanted to have a massive herb garden, but the closest I’ve ever gotten is one of those aero-garden things, and the bulb blew out while I was traveling, so they all died.”
“We can plant you your own if you’d like. It’s the perfect time of year to start one. No more frosts, and the side of the guest cottage gets just enough sunlight they should do well.”
“I’d love that.”
“We can come back here this weekend and get some small plants and cuttings to start you out.” Not gonna lie. The idea of a project that would allow me to spend the weekend with Phoebe set my heart racing.
I watched her walk down the porch steps, ribbons streaking her long hair. She’d asked about summoning fairies without realizing she looked as ethereal as a mystical sprite herself. No wonder Puck was so enthralled with her. He wasn’t alone in those feelings.
Phoebe snagged another snickerdoodle and a glass of honey lemonade, and we sat and watched the bonfire. I didn’t know if it was the heat from the blaze or from her leaning against me, but I felt warmed from the inside out. Her eyes closed, and I studied her features. Delicate nose, full lips. Dark fringe of lashes. It took every ounce of self-control not to reach out and stroke her cheek, brush back her hair, and pull her into a kiss. Her big eyes opened, their hazel color looking greener in the firelight, and she caught me staring.
“What? Trying to see if I’m still awake?”
“You tired?”
“I am. I don’t know if it’s the food or the fire but I feel relaxed for the first time in…” Her voice tra
iled off.
“That long, eh?”
She laughed. “You have no idea.”
I stood and held out my hand to help her up. “Let’s get you home, so you can get some rest.”
She slid her fingers into mine, and I swore I felt electricity zip straight up my arm. It took my breath away. From the way her eyes widened, I thought she might have felt it too. But that might have been wishful thinking on my part. She rose slowly and didn’t pull her hand away. I wasn’t about to complain. As we passed the tables, I grabbed a sunflower from a basket and handed it to her, and stuck one of the candle bundles into my back pocket. “I’ll show you how to do the candle ritual sometime, if you’d like.”
“Cool.”
The driveway was still lit by the luminaria, but the street itself was dark. I turned on my phone’s flashlight, very much aware that Phoebe and I were still holding hands. We strolled past the remaining parked cars and turned onto my street. Our street?
“I can’t believe there are no street lights. It’s light in New York City twenty-four seven.”
“And that’s why you can’t see the stars. Look up.” I slipped my phone into my pocket so it didn’t detract from the view.
Phoebe’s breath rushed in audibly. “Oh my god.”
She tilted her head back all the way, staring at the sky. The moon was nearly full, bright enough to illuminate her features.
“I’ve never seen so many stars outside the Hayden Planetarium.” Her hand slipped from mine, and I immediately missed its warmth. She pointed up. “Let’s see what I remember from school field trips. Big Dipper, right?”
I stepped behind her, aligning my arm with hers and guiding her to look directly overhead. “Yep. And that right there, see those stars? That’s Ursa Minor, and that’s Hercules and Draco.”
She leaned back against me, her hair tickling my arm, the gingery scent of her shampoo filling my nostrils. “It’s so beautiful.”
You’re beautiful. I almost said the words out loud, but with her pressed against me I wasn’t sure I could speak at all. She turned slowly, not stepping away, and looked up at me instead of the sky. “Thank you, Sam. You’ve managed to turn the most traumatic event of my life into a week filled with wonderful things.”
Before I could reply, she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck. I hugged her, feeling her warmth, the crush of her breasts, and breathing in her delicious scent. Could she feel how fast my heart was racing?
She slowly lowered herself, not pulling away, looking up at me, eyes dark and wide. A breeze blew a lock of hair across her face, and I felt like I was moving in slow motion as I tucked it behind her ear. I wanted to freeze time and stare into her eyes like that forever, but I wanted to kiss her more. As if she’d read my thoughts, she tilted her head, giving me better access, and I lowered my lips to hers.
The faintest brush of her mouth against mine sent tingles through me from head to toe. I cupped the back of her head, and she parted her lips, her tongue flicking against mine. She tasted like honey lemonade mixed with cinnamon sugar, all dizzyingly sweet and decadent. I deepened the kiss, and she moaned, her fingers sinking into my hair, her body curving into mine. Time, the wind, everything ceased to exist. It was just the two of us. And at that moment there wasn’t anything else in the universe that I wanted.
13
Phoebe
I’d had a lot of first kisses. Even some truly great ones. But I’d never had a first kiss like this. Sure, the feel of his lips on mine was wonderful—soft and gentle to start, then increasingly intense—and, yes, his tongue did masterful things to mine, spiraling, exploring, filling me with his sweet, fresh taste. Only I didn’t just feel the kiss where our mouths joined. I felt it everywhere. As if somehow something as pure and simple as a kiss had flipped a hidden switch in my body that I didn’t even know existed. And now I glowed, lit from within. All from his kiss.
His tongue slowed, and he brushed two more closed-mouthed kisses against my lips. I pulled away, breathless, still tingling all over. I glanced down, half expecting to actually be glowing. Like a kid’s stuffed-animal nightlight with a light-up tummy.
But it was just me. And Sam. Lit by the moon. A cool breeze swirled around us, and I shivered, missing the warmth of his body.
“Cold?” He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer.
“Better.” I snaked my hand behind him, resting it on his slim hip.
“Let’s get you home.”
Home. My home? His home? Where the beds were? We’d had one steamy kiss, and now my mind was leapfrogging to all sorts of other events. Were we going to our separate homes or staying together? Would there be more making out? Should I sleep with him? Was that even what he wanted?
Maybe the kiss had just been an impulse. A mind-blowingly hot, full-body-glow-inducing impulse, but just an impulse. Caught up in the moment, the starry sky.
He hugged me closer, his hand squeezing my upper arm. Or maybe he was still having aftershocks like I was.
Kegel.
What is wrong with me?
We strolled up the long driveway, right past his house. Guess he wasn’t taking me back to his place. Should I invite him into mine? I did a quick inventory. It wasn’t messy and I had worn really nice underwear. But…
He stopped at my door, his arm sliding off my shoulder, hands going into his pockets, which, of course, drew my attention straight to his crotch. Why wasn’t the back yard brighter, so I could get a better look? I’d brushed up against him while we kissed, and he was definitely hard then. Was he still?
Too many questions. I was making myself dizzy.
“You still want to go to the farmers’ market tomorrow? It’s from three to six. I can close up the shop at four, and we can head over.”
All my worrying screeched to a halt. We were clearly done for the night. “Oh, yeah. That’d be great. I have a few more interviews to do, then I could just walk to Crystal Persuasion.”
“Perfect.” He bit his lower lip in a way that had me imagining more perverted things than I’d ever thought of all at one time. Those teeth sinking into my lip, my shoulder, my neck, my ass. That lip teasing a nipple, moving lower, sucking…
My thoughts were interrupted as he leaned closer, and then that full lip was pressed against mine. Different than before. A firmer press. As if he was holding back from what he really wanted to be doing. A kiss that sent his thoughts directly into my brain, like a secret download. A kiss that meant I want to do all sorts of decadent and filthy things to you…but not tonight.
“Goodnight, Phoebe.” He breathed my name and then ambled off toward his house, leaving me swaying in the breeze, the full-body glow bright enough I was sure they could see me from space.
“Goodnight, Sam.”
14
Sam
It had been a while since I’d had a first kiss—or any other kind of kiss, for that matter. That’s how I tried to rationalize how good it had felt to kiss Phoebe. Breaking a dry spell. Nothing more.
Only I’d had longer dry spells, and I’d had plenty of first kisses, and none had ever had quite the effect of this one.
I played it over in my mind. The way her eyes had glowed in the moonlight, lids slowly closing as I’d approached. The arch of her neck as her head had tilted back. The sweet taste of her filling my senses with more desire than I’d known what to do with.
Puck wound his way around my legs in annoying figure eights.
“I know. You’re hungry. You’re always hungry.” I dumped a cupful of dry food into his bowl, and he ate, sounding like a gremlin.
It had been a long day. I should have been tired. But sleep was the last thing on my mind. I repeatedly sneaked glances at the guesthouse, hoping… What exactly? Did I expect to see her crossing the yard, naked save for the floral crown? Expect? No. But I sure wouldn’t have minded.
“I need to get a grip.” I said the words aloud, as if maybe that would talk some sense into me.
Puck looked up
at me, as if to agree, then went back to nomming his kibbles.
With one last glance at the disappointingly vacant back yard, I turned off the lights and trudged upstairs. For the first time since I’d moved in, the house felt oddly empty. Like something was missing. Or someone.
Phoebe. Her name echoed softly in my head, and my dick pulsed with each whisper.
I’d been semi-erect since she’d leaned against my legs on the back porch. The kiss had taken me to full mast. Now it was just pure need.
Without bothering to turn on the lights, I stripped off my shirt and pants. My hand slid inside my boxer briefs and even that first second of contact brought welcome relief. Groaning, I flopped onto my mattress. The damp spot slid across my swollen head as I slowly stroked the shaft.
The memory of Phoebe’s body pressed to mine sent fresh waves pulsing through me. Fuck. She’d felt so perfect in my arms.
I tugged off my underwear, kicking it from the bed and spreading my legs to cup my balls. Full. Heavy. Craving release. I gave a light squeeze, increasing the speed of my strokes as I grew slick with precum.
My abs clenched, tensed with pleasure, as my mind wandered back to Phoebe. What was she doing right now? Was she awake or asleep? Still dressed? Half dressed? Naked?
I slowed my hand, conjuring that image. Long hair loose and flowing halfway down her pale back, stopping right before the swell of her full hips. Was she standing in front of the full-length mirror, lit by moonlight again? Or sprawled on the bed like I was, remembering our kiss and touching herself?
I groaned, head pressing into the pillow, that thought more than I could stand. My hand slid from my balls to the base of my dick as I worked the tip faster, hooking my index finger on the underside to hit the sweet spot with each stroke.
Touchstone Page 8
