A shadow passed over Malcolm’s face. “He wants me to return to Boston and serve on the Salem Witch Council.”
“That’s an important position,” she said quietly. “And…you’d have to leave.” She wasn’t stupid. She knew that sort of occupation in the witching world would require a lot of time and dedication. He’d need to move to Boston… She’d either have to go with him or lose him. She couldn’t imagine the council being okay with him bonding with a hedge-witch, and she imagined they’d expect him to stay in Boston full time.
His face hardened. “I have no place among those witches or warlocks. They are all powerful, all able to control their magic. Not like me.” The self-loathing in his voice made her want to hold onto him, to remind him just how powerful and talented he was with magic when he trusted himself.
“I think we’ve proven you’re powerful too, and you’re getting better at your control.” It was true. He still had the occasional mishaps, flares of unexpected power but he was getting a lot better.
“But I don’t want to be on a council like that. It’s not my passion. I don’t want to be forced into politics, not when I’ve only just reconnected to my magic.”
It was easy to hear the frustration in his voice. He’d been on the outside for so long he couldn’t seem to imagine anything but failure when it came to magic, despite all the gains he’d made.
But she’d seen what he could accomplish when he focused and believed in himself. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him, her lips soft and coaxing as she silently urged him to see the truth of what could be.
“Malcolm, a hedge witch has never been allowed to sit on the Council. But if you were able to sit on the Council, you could make real changes. Maybe even convince the other members to appoint a hedge witch for the next opening.”
There wasn’t a witching world law that prohibited hedge witches from being on the council, but the natural prejudice in witching society had kept them shut out from so many decisions that affected all of witches and warlocks.
His eyes widened slightly. “I hadn’t thought of that.” He grasped her waist. “I suppose I could do a lot of good, couldn’t I?”
“Yes, you could,” she agreed. You’re certainly brave enough, she silently added.
“You are so beautiful and brilliant,” Malcolm said before he kissed her again.
She moaned and closed her eyes as the idea she’d presented continued to sink in.
Being on the Council to create change—to make the witching world a better place, and close the gap that those prejudices kept open. His gorgeous, thoughtful, hopeful hedge witch had opened his eyes to what was right in front of him, and it both scared and invigorated him.
It would be an uphill battle. Malcolm wasn’t familiar with the laws surrounding the council, but even if there wasn’t an actual rule preventing a hedge witch from joining, getting the others to agree was a completely different matter.
Calli moaned softly as his palms swept down and cupped her bottom. He was definitely ready to show her what shower sex was like now. He nipped her chin, then her throat, and then returned to her lips. He nearly lost control when he remembered how it had felt for them to wrap around his cock. She’d drugged him with ecstasy and almost killed him with pleasure. Now he wanted, no, needed to return the favor.
“Turn and face the wall,” he said softly.
Her autumnal eyes raised in confusion. He repeated his command and gave her bottom a gentle squeeze.
Heat flared in her gaze as she understood he was going to do something wonderfully wicked. She did as he asked and braced her hands against the white tile.
“No coming until I say you can, all right?” He leaned forward and kissed her neck, then her shoulder. “The longer you hold out, the better it will be. Trust me.”
She arched her back and lifted her ass up a little. He gripped his shaft, guiding himself into her from behind. Calli made a soft sound, almost like a whimper, as he started to push into her. All around them the water still poured over their bodies, heating the air and fogging the shower door.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah, it just feels different at this angle.”
He slid one of his palms around the front of her body to find her clit and brushed an index finger over the little nub. Her hips jerked as she sucked in a breath. His little witch was still sensitive from last night. Malcolm sank another few inches into her and continued to gently tease her clit with his fingers. She was so wet and hot, her channel gripped him as tight as a fist, and his eyes rolled back in his head with the torturous pleasure he felt by taking her slowly.
When he was in all the way, his hips touching her ass, he urged her to stand up so he could pull her fully back against his chest. He nuzzled her ear and filled his hands with her gorgeous breasts. Her hands moved away from the wall to cover his hands on her breasts, urging him to keep touching her. He’d always thought of himself as an ass man, but her breasts were truly perfect. Malcolm kissed her cheek, then her neck as he played with her breasts, pressing them together, rolling the nipples between his fingers as he let her get used to him filling her from behind. Hot water sluiced down their bodies, and he swore for a moment the water was almost humming… or perhaps singing was the right word. There were certainly notes, beautiful patterns filling the air, haunting and captivating.
“Can you hear that?” he whispered against her ear.
“The singing water?” she answered with a dazed nod. “Yes. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She suddenly giggled. “The water sometimes sings to me… It’s a hedge witch thing.”
If he hadn’t already been falling in love with her then, he would have now. The way she’d delighted in the magic of nature singing to her was perhaps the most wonderful thing he’d ever witnessed in his life.
It was why he’d loved magic as a boy. And why, because of her, he was learning to love magic again.
“Tell me if anything hurts or feels like it’s too much,” he reminded her.
