He nodded. “Okay. Send him that message. What you just said. Give him my number and he can call me when he gets to Alienn, Arkansas. He’ll still have to go through there before he’s allowed to travel here anyway.”
“Done.” Ruby retrieved the self-addressed package and note for the response. She quickly penned a message and let him read it. At his nod, she signed it, sealed it up and got it ready to send back. A place in Alienn, Arkansas would forward the package on. She would also send an electronic message to ensure her client knew the package was on its way.
“I’m not sure how long it will take. Maybe a week, maybe more.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“What do you want to do now?” she asked, making a note on her to-do list to send the package in the morning.
“I want to kiss you again.”
Max’s head was swirling. He had an uncle he didn’t know existed. A man who wanted to help and support him because of the unfairness of what had happened. It was sort of a dream come true. Was it too good to be true? Time would tell.
All the while he stared at Ruby, remembering how good that kiss was and how he really wanted to do it again.
The moment he told her that, she grinned. “Okay.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” She stood up and came around her desk. He stood up as she approached. She hugged him close and tipped her face up to his. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her again. Their first kiss had been new and tentative, soft and sweet.
This second kiss was skilled and sure, firm and spicy.
While Max still felt compelled to tell Ruby he loved her and wanted to marry her, he also wanted the feelings to be his own.
The kiss ended and he pulled her into his embrace. She hugged his middle.
“Okay, now what happens?” she asked into his chest, her words muffled.
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether you might be able to take this spell off me.”
“The spell?”
“Those two women at the ball did something to me, I’m sure of it. If you’re a witch, can’t you remove what they did to me?”
She shook her head. “Witches typically can’t remove a spell another witch has cast. Besides, I’m not a very good witch to start with.”
“I think you’re a good witch.”
“That’s because you love me and want to marry me.”
“True. Okay. How about I hire you?”
Ruby didn’t let go of him, but lifted her head to look at him. He was mesmerized.
“Hire me to do what?”
“Find the two witches who put the spells on me and makethemtake the spells off.”
“Because you don’t like kissing me?”
“No. Because I really do. I love you and want to marry you, which makes your eyes roll. Once the spells are off, the compulsion to declare my love and tell the truth, we can date like real people and get to know each other without you thinking I’m crazed and strange.”
