“No.” His gaze darkened to something ravaged, angry. “You will not be putting yourself in danger.”
I didn’t want to fight to protect the waters either. I didn’t want to kill anyone. The thought of stepping into battle made me feel sick.
But I lifted my chin. “It’s my purpose.”
“I know you heard the conversation I had with Caron. Your purpose is what you choose it to be, not what a bunch a haggard broom-riding witches tell you it is.” He threw back his whiskey and placed the empty glass on the mantle.
“I don’t think they ride brooms. It would be impractical lugging them around.” My attempt at humor fell flat. Normally his eyes would sparkle, or his lips would curve a little in the corner; everything was taking a toll on him. Instead, I saw exhaustion, I saw anger, and I saw guilt.
“None of this is your fault, you know,” I said gently.
His jaw tightened as he dragged his eyes—his tormented eyes—away, and didn’t respond.
“It’s not. Sarah wanted revenge for something you didn’t even do. If it wasn’t me she tried to hurt, it would have been Monique or Michael or someone else you care about.” I grappled for words to ease his angst. “She could have easily killedMonique if she wanted to. It’s lucky she had me to focus on, when you think about it. It’s lucky BJ had a bad feeling, it’s lucky you came when you did. What happened was terrible, and it was traumatic for everyone.” My voice filled with emotion as I moved over to him and took his hand gently in mine. “But none of it was your fault.”
“You could have been killed because of me.”
I shook my head. “No, Karson, not because of you, because of Sarah.”
He looked away, unable to meet my eye. He swallowed and rasped, “You are far too forgiving.”
“There’s nothing to forgive when it comes to you.”
There was a long pause as he merely stared at me, a mixture of emotions whirling through his eyes. Finally, he said, “There is so much you don’t know about me.”
It twisted me up inside to hear him so raw, so vulnerable, so ravaged.
“I don’t need to know everything about your past, only the parts you choose to share.” My thumb swept over his knuckles. “Perhaps looking at the past serves no purpose but to distract from our present circumstances.”
He smiled. It was a tiny movement of his lips, but there was the man I knew, the man I loved. If only he loved me …
“Michael would be pleased his somewhat tiresome lectures are being put to good use.”
“It’s not Michael I care to please.” I wasn’t sure where the words came from—they sounded ancient and corny, even to me—but they just kind of tumbled out, no corn filter to hold them. Heat warmed my cheeks as embarrassment took hold.
His gaze drank in my face, as if seeing me blush was a thing of beauty. “Dance with me?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. One hand scooped my hip and pulled me in, while the secondsettled on the small of my back. A curling sensation fluttered in my stomach and—lower.
I smiled as I placed my hands on his shoulders. “There’s no music.”
“One would think a witch may be able to fix that with a simple thought.”
I peered up nervously, shyly, yearning to pull him closer. “Or we could make our own music.”Oh my God, did I really just say that?
I felt my blush grow hotter.
His laughter filled the room, and I didn’t need music with a sound so beautiful caressing my ears. Then the sound faded, and he stared down with something soft, something serious, and yet there was a sparkle in his eyes for the first time since I woke here.
He leaned into my ear and murmured, “For tonight, I’d be most honored if you would simply dance with me.”
He’d had years of practice; his movements were skilled and fluid. I would be hard-pressed not to turn his toes into pancakes. I bit my bottom lip. “I’m not a very good dancer.”
“I know.”
I laughed as I took my hand from his shoulder and flicked it toward the stereo, as my mind whisperedplay. “Take My Breath Away” floated through the room.
When I placed my hand back on his shoulder, I stepped in closer, a tingle rushing through my entire body as just being close to him made every cell spring to life. The scent of something like honey, musk, and fresh flowers with a hint of cinnamon rolled through my nose. We moved slowly from side to side.
“This was the first song we danced to,” I sighed happily.
