Essence of the Witch

by Deanna Chase

  Her eyes snapped up to meet his. “I think I was thirteen. And it rebounded so badly that I ended up with a bad case of acne that didn’t fully clear up for about a year.”

  “It’s probably best not to mess with the hexes.” He winked at her. “Karma will get Olivia in the end, and nothing will bounce back on you.”

  Miranda sighed. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” She opened her fridge and pulled out a pitcher of green juice. “I’ll just have to stick to the chill potion I made earlier.” After she poured herself a glass, she glanced at Gideon. “Want some?”

  He thought it over. Considering his angst over his father since the day before, it might not be a bad idea. But the slightly frothy green liquid smelled like a combination of dirt and fresh cut grass, neither of which were at all appetizing. He shook his head. “I’ll stick with the latte.”

  “Suit yourself.” She returned the chill potion to the refrigerator, picked up her glass, and handed Gideon his latte. After touching the edge of her glass to his coffee cup, she said, “Bottoms up.”

  Gideon took a sip of his coffee while he watched her down her potion. He couldn’t help grinning at her. She was exactly who she’d always been, uninhibited, full of fire, and cute as hell. He was glad he’d stopped by. Seeing her, being around her, just made him more relaxed. The tension had drained out of him. He’d forgotten that she’d always had that effect on him.

  “Want the Danish I brought you?” he asked, pulling one out of the bag.

  “Not right now,” she said with a lopsided smile.

  He wasn’t the only one who’d shed the tension. Her shoulders had eased, and the stress lines around her eyes had vanished.

  Miranda grabbed his hand and tugged him over to the couch. “Sit,” she ordered.

  Gideon didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned back against the velvet cushions and finished off the excellent Danish.

  “Gideon?” Miranda said.

  He turned to find her staring at his mouth. His breath caught as he watched her lean in and lick her lips. “Yeah?” he breathed.

  “You, um…” She giggled and then her tongue darted out, licking the corner of his mouth. She made a show of tasting whatever was on her tongue and then touched the corner of her own mouth. “You had some cream cheese filling there.”

  “So, you thought you’d just take care of it for me with your tongue?”

  Her eyes twinkled as she nodded. “It was delicious, too.”

  “You’re delicious,” he said, brushing back a lock of hair that had fallen out of her bun. That connection that had always sparked between them was stronger than ever. One hand landed on her outer thigh while the other one cupped her cheek.

  She stared into his eyes, vulnerability shining back at him. “I’ve missed you, Gideon.”

  “Same here,” he said, even though he hadn’t meant to. If they allowed themselves to come back together, they’d be walking into a minefield of problems. But Gideon wasn’t sure he cared. His entire body buzzed with the need to be with her, to hold her close, to make her his again.

  “Gideeeeon,” she said, her voice high-pitched. “You were always the one who got away. You know that, right? And why don’t you have a Facebook page or Instagram page? You made it impossible for me to stalk you online.”

  Completely amused, he pulled away and studied her flushed face and glassy eyes.

  She tried to lean back into him, her lips aiming for his.

  It took all of his willpower to put a hand out and stop her. “This probably isn’t a good idea, Mandy,” he said gently.

  “A lot of really good things start off with a bad idea,” she mumbled and reached for the buttons on his shirt.

  “Whoa, sweetheart,” he said and gently wrapped his fingers around hers, stopping her. “I don’t think we should do this right now.”

  “Why?” Her eyes narrowed in challenge. “What are you afraid of?”

  Everything? And nothing. He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. But it was clear she was drunk off the chill potion she’d made, and no way was he letting things get heated while she wasn’t fully sober. “I think it’s better if we pick this back up after the potion wears off.”

  She climbed to her feet, glaring at him. “We won’t be picking this back up, Gideon. You had your chance. Now and then.” She closed her eyes and pointed to the front door. “I think you should just leave.”

  The last thing he wanted to do was walk out and leave her. But he didn’t really have a choice if she was throwing him out. He got to his feet and moved toward her.

  She took a step back, shaking her head. “Nope. We’re done here.”

  “All right.” He shoved his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t be tempted to try to touch her again. “I’ll call you later to make sure you’re okay.”

  “You really don’t need to do that.” She spun, presumably heading for her front door, but her footing was off and she tripped, landing awkwardly in the nearby chair. “Oomph!”

  Gideon was by her side instantly, gently tugging her back up to her feet.

  She mumbled something incoherent as she slumped against him.

  “Miranda? Are you all right?”

  “Fine.” She gazed up at him, her eyes closing. Her words were slurred as she added, “I think I drank too much potion.”

  “Maybe. Do you need help getting to bed?” He knew she’d told him to leave, but she was in no condition to take care of herself at that moment.

  “Just help to the bedroom,” she said, eyeing the stairs.

  “You got it.” In one swift motion, Gideon swept her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. There were twinkle lights around the windows and covering the four-poster bed. It really was like sleeping in a fairy cottage. He placed her gently on her bed with her head resting on the pillow. “Do you need anything?”

  “Just you,” she said so softly he barely heard her.

  “You’ve already got me,” he whispered.

  She curled onto her side and patted the bed beside her. “Stay.”

  He was about to tell her he shouldn’t when she reached for his hand and laced her fingers between his. Her eyes closed again, and he had the feeling that if he left, she’d sleep just like that, on top of the covers in her jeans and sweatshirt. “Miranda?”

  She didn’t move.

  “Hey.” He wiggled her hand a little, causing her to pull her hand back and tuck it close to her body. Okay, time for plan B. He could see a T-shirt poking out from underneath her sweatshirt, so he reached down and lifted her into a sitting position.

  Her eyes fluttered open but didn’t focus on him. Instead she said something about being hot. That wasn’t a surprise. The upstairs was warmer than the downstairs, and she was drunk on a potion.

  “I’ve got you, Mandy. Can you raise your arms over your head for me?”

  To his surprise she did as he asked, and he was able to quickly divest her of the sweatshirt. “Do you want to stay in those jeans?”

  She glanced down at herself and shook her head. Then before he could do anything, she wiggled out of them and tossed them on the floor.

  “Um…” He tried to look anywhere except at her bare thighs and the red silk and lace that peeked out from beneath the hem of her T-shirt.

  “Now I’m cold,” she said, curling into a ball.

  “We need to get you under the covers.” He flipped one side down and then helped her roll over until he could tuck her in. “There. Is that better?”

  She nodded but then shook her head as she patted the bed next to her. “Stay.”

  Gideon knew he could leave and she’d probably be just fine. But considering how fast the potion had hit her and how out of character she was acting, he had a powerful urge to watch over her. “Okay.”

  Her eyes fluttered closed again, and a small smile claimed her lips.

  Gideon disappeared into her bathroom for a few minutes. When he returned to her side, he was wearing only a T-shirt and bo
xers. Not wanting to cross any boundaries, he laid down on top of the covers and used a quilt at the end of the bed to cover himself.

  Miranda reached out and placed her palm on his chest. Before long, her breathing evened out and it became obvious she’d fallen into a deep sleep.

  Gideon, however, was acutely aware that the one woman he’d ever loved was curled up beside him. He covered her hand with his and didn’t care in the least that sleep evaded him. He wouldn’t miss this moment for the world.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Miranda woke with a start. Her head was pounding and her stomach queasy. What had she done the night before? She rolled out of bed and stumbled into her bathroom. After taking a quick shower, she wrapped herself in a thick robe, stuffed her feet into her fuzzy slippers, and gingerly made her way downstairs. But before she even got halfway down, she heard the clang of dishes and froze.

  Someone or something was in her house. Her heart started to pound against her breastbone and her head spun. Should she run back upstairs or bolt for the front door? Her feet were glued to the stairs, and fight-or-flight function had completely failed her.

  “Miranda?” Gideon’s voice floated from the kitchen.

  She blew out a relieved breath and then felt her entire body heat with embarrassment.

  Holy hell, what had she done last night?

  “Um, yeah,” she croaked out and forced herself to move. When she got to the bottom of the steps, she tightened the belt on her robe.

  “Hey there,” Gideon said, smiling at her. “How are you feeling?”

  She cleared her throat and tried to forget that her hair was wet and she likely looked like a drowned rat. “To tell you the truth, I’m a little under the weather.”

  His smile vanished. “I thought that might be the case. That chill potion hit you pretty hard last night.”

  Flashbacks of downing the frothy green drink ran through her mind. And had she thrown herself at him? Her stomach rolled and she pressed one hand to her belly. “What exactly happened?”

  Gideon passed her a mug of what looked to be some sort of herbal tea. “Not much. After you drank the potion, you got pretty loopy. I was going to take off, but then it became obvious you could use a little help, so I put you to bed.”

  “And where did you sleep?” She sniffed the lemon herb tea and took a small sip. Immediately her stomach settled. “Oh, thank the gods for this.”

  “You’re welcome.” He flipped a piece of french toast onto a plate and added a couple pieces of bacon. Once he had the second plate done, he grabbed them both and put them on the bar counter. “I slept next to you on the bed.”

  She closed her eyes, mortified. “I assume I invited you to stay over?”

  He chuckled. “You did. But don’t worry. All we did was sleep, and you didn’t do anything embarrassing.”

  Relief rushed straight to her toes. It wasn’t that she was against doing anything physical with Gideon, she just didn’t want to do it when she was too intoxicated to remember it. Not that Gideon would take advantage of her in that way. He’d done exactly what she’d expect from him; he’d made sure she was okay and kept an eye on her. “Thank you.”

  He reached across the bar and pushed her wet bangs out of her eyes. “You have nothing to thank me for. All I did was help you get upstairs and then hog the left side of your bed.”

  “The left side, huh? Well, at least you still remember which side is mine and which is yours.”

  His lips curved into a slow smile. “Trust me when I say that is something I’m never going to forget.”

  He was flirting with her and so help her, she loved it. How could she make sure their banter never ended? “How do you feel about blue balls?”

  His eyebrows shot up as his eyes widened. “I’m sorry. Did you ask me how I feel about blue balls?”

  She cackled. “Yes.”

  He glanced down as if checking out his own package. “Can’t say I’m a huge fan.”

  Snickering, she took a seat at the bar and picked up a fork. “I thought you’d say that. That’s why I think we should go with red and gold.”

  He poured himself a cup of coffee and then gestured to the pot, asking if she wanted one.

  “Yes, please.”

  He gave her his mug and then filled another for himself. Once he was seated, he said, “Okay, explain the balls. What are we talking about?”

  “We need to decide what colors to decorate with for the Christmas ball. It’s either silver and blue or red and gold. I kinda like the richness of red and gold, myself.”

  Gideon nodded. “Definitely. How about we turn the ball into an art fair of sorts? You know, decorate it with original holiday art. It can either just be on display or for sale.”

  “For charity!” Miranda slipped off the stool and hurried over to a drawer where she retrieved a pad and pen. After scribbling some notes, she sat back down in front of her breakfast. “That was an excellent idea. We can source artists at the art market this weekend.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Miranda turned to him, her nerves almost getting the better of her, but she had to ask. “Will you paint something?”

  He put his fork down and turned to look her in the eye.

  She was certain he was going to balk. After all, he hadn’t been a professional artist for many years now.

  But to her surprise, his eyes lit up and he grinned as he said, “Sure. I’d love to.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. I even have a piece I’ve already been working on.” He winked and took a sip of his coffee.

  Miranda’s heart soared. He really was an exceptional artist, and it had killed her when he’d given it up to be a suit for his dad’s company. But it was only because she knew how he lit up inside when he was working on something special. She’d missed that part of him almost as much as she missed the relationship that they’d had. “I can’t wait to see it.”

  His cheeks flushed, but his smile only widened.

  “Thank you for breakfast,” she said. “The french toast is amazing.”

  “You’re welcome, Mandy.”

  Her heart melted at his use of the name he used to call her back in college. “And thank you for taking care of me last night. I know I made a fool of myself, but you—”

  “You did not make a fool of yourself,” he insisted. “The potion was just too strong. Don’t give it another thought. It’s not like I suffered. I’d sleep next to you every day of the week if that was an option.”

  Her breath caught. They’d been harmlessly flirting, but that statement had taken things to an entirely other level. She could go one of two ways; either she could laugh it off, or she could make it a challenge. Because it was Gideon, there really was no choice. “All you have to do is ask.”

  His eyes turned molten, and she was certain she saw a single flame spark to life in each eye. “Don’t tempt me, Mandy.”

  That was it. Game over. Miranda got to her feet, took one of his hands in hers, and tugged him off his stool. Then she gave him a slow seductive smile and led him upstairs to the bed they’d shared the night before. But this time she wasn’t going to forget a thing.

  “Miranda,” he breathed once she turned to him. “Are you sure about this?”

  In answer, she untied the belt of her robe and it gapped open, revealing her naked skin.

  Gideon let out a small gasp of need and then moved in, his large hands landing on her curvy hips. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

  The words were like a healing balm to her soul. Tears stung her eyes as his lips met hers, but she blinked them back as her body came alive under his touch. In the next moment her robe was gone, and she stood bare before him.

  “Mandy,” he said with a groan. “You’re even more gorgeous than ever.”

  There was a time when she would’ve felt completely exposed standing naked before him while he was fully clothed. But not now. She only felt the awe reflected back at her through his gaze, and it f
illed her with pure power. Gideon was one hundred percent hers, and she knew it.

  “Strip,” she said, taking a step back to watch him.

  He didn’t hesitate. Their eyes met as he slowly divested himself of his button-down shirt and then his jeans. Pure desire mixed with intense emotions crackled between them. There was no denying that this moment was so much more than just physical. The words love, connection, and soul mate ran through her mind, but she didn’t feel the need to voice them. They both knew what they meant to each other. It was just time to stop denying it.

  Miranda let her gaze scan his fit body before she linked her fingers through his and guided him to her bed where they finally, after far too long, became one again.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gideon lay on his side with Mandy’s back pressed against his front as he caressed her bare arm. They’d come together like two starved people who hadn’t been able to get enough of each other. Their lovemaking had started slow and sweet and had quickly turned hurried and desperate and incredible. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and had to swallow the promises on the tip of his tongue.

  The truth was, he couldn’t imagine walking away from her again, but he still didn’t know how that would work. It would mean walking away from his life in Los Angeles, but he didn’t know if he could do that. His entire life for the last decade and a half had been all about Ace Media. At first, he’d taken the job to appease his father. But it turned out he was good at his job, and while it didn’t allow him to tap into his artistic side, he found it satisfying.

  “Gideon?” she said.

  He pressed his lips to her neck. “Yeah?”

  “How come you aren’t taken?”

  “What?” he said with a chuckle.

  Her hand covered his and she gently stroked his fingers. “Why aren’t you married with two kids and a dog? Or why isn’t there a hot aspiring actress blowing up your phone? You’re a catch.”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” he said, dodging her question. This definitely wasn’t something he wanted to talk about, although he desperately wanted to know what was going on with her and Cameron Copeland.