Dominic swallowed, his hands forming fists at his sides.
He should look away. It was inappropriate to stare like that. What if she turned around and found him gawking? Allie was his employee. He was her boss.
He was an inappropriate, drooling moron because he didn’t look away.
Dominic had never denied that Allie was an attractive woman. Extremely attractive, with her long legs, soft curves, and sensual lips. He always noticed things he wasn’t supposed to be noticing and, more than once, sent silent thanks to whatever gods were listening that no magic in the world gave anyone access to his thoughts.
A flash of pain snapped him to attention. The knuckle of his fist was caught in a strong bite in his mouth, as Allie stretched on her tiptoes to reach the farthest corner. Her soft blue sweater traveled up, revealing a sliver of her ivory skin.
Dominic felt hot, as if a fever was coming over him, and swallowed the sound that was building in his throat.
“Allie!” he shouted instead. She turned around, alarm coating her features, looking from left to right as if trying to identify the threat that made him shout like that.
“What’s wrong?” She dropped the cloth and approached him. Dominic thought he’d scared her before his eyes moved to her freckled face. Allie was frowning, some shadows he’d never seenhanging around her eyes, as if she was ready to torch anything or anyone he would point at.
Literally.
His heart might give out.
“I need help in the kitchen.” Dominic pivoted and left, desperate to put some distance between them so he could clear his head. Except he did not stop in the kitchen but went back upstairs, straight to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face.
Dominic was acting strangely. He said he forgot something upstairs but carried nothing back with him except a weird look on his face and a couple of water droplets hanging from his jaw. Allie thought he might not be feeling well, but every time she asked him, he grunted a “Fine.” She made him mint tea at lunch, which he drank only after it had cooled down.
The short shift was more than welcome today as it gave Allie enough time to prepare for tomorrow’s event. She laid out her outfit, styled her hair into tame curls, and had an early dinner. Tina and Harper had told her their two chimera pets would be present, and all others were allowed as it was an outdoor event. Allie gave Ekko a bath, his purple scales shining under the soap bubbles, and prepared a white bowtie for him for tomorrow. Besides sometimes acting like a clumsy creature, Ekko was a great companion. If anything, his being clumsy made Allie feel closer to the dragon.
“Let’s get some practice in, too, shall we?” she told Ekko, who flew in happy circles around her, then plopped on her shoulder before Allie opened the door.
“Everyone is worried.”
A voice she didn’t recognize carried from the bakery. Allie turned around to stay in her room and give Dominic privacy, but stopped and cracked the door a bit more instead when she heard him say, “She’s not like that.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“Because I do.” Dominic fixed the chairs in the bakery with more force than necessary. “Has anything happened since she’s been here?”
“No, but?—”
“Then I don’t want to hear it. Thanks for stopping by.” The bell at the door rang, and it was quickly followed by the slam of the door.
There was an extremely low, almost nonexistent chance that it wasn’t about her. Allie contemplated staying back in her room instead of going out to practice, but Ekko flew around and tugged urgently at the sleeve of her jacket.
“You’re right,” she whispered. Why should she pout in her room because of people who didn’t really know her? Dominic had gotten to know her a little, certainly more than anyone else in this town, and he was on her side. Adamantly. Allie leaned into the gratitude and joy she had felt hearing him defend her. Even if no one else would ever accept her, Dom having her back meant the world to her.
“It only takes one person to see you for who you are, and your heart will be content.”
Words her mother had said to her time and again. They had meant nothing then but now rang true, leaving her chest feeling heavy.
Allie waited until the sound of footsteps up the stairs echoed from the hallway before she left her room and went out in the crisp night, down Maple Street, and into the forest.
She felt most at peace under the moonlight, unobstructed by clouds, with her now quiet power humming inside her. Hermother used to say the moon was a Witch’s best friend, and Allie wished she knew why. Maybe it was just this feeling of comfort it gave her, or maybe there was more about her power that she could learn from the moon’s magic.
Another time. For starters, she must learn to work with what she had. Allie sat by the river and reached for her fire, unsuccessfully, while Ekko sat back and watched her with suspense in his eyes. As if he was waiting for her to succeed for them both.
One hour into it and no flame in sight, Allie got up to walk along the river and warm herself up. She went from not being able to control the fire bursting out of her to not being able to summon a measly spark. This was due to her lack of experience, but…
An obsessive thought prevented her from focusing completely on her power.
Should she leave Dom’s Sweets before Hallows Eve?
