My lip quirked into a grin. “Something tells me you’re not being entirely honest with me, Caitlyn.”
“I... well...” She glanced down at her empty bowl, her knee bouncing—an unmistakable sign that a Caitlyn ramble was imminent.
I braced myself, trying not to let the grin spread too wide.
“It’s just... sometimes when I get brewer’s block, I need a bit of an, erm... factory reset,” she said. “Something that completely distracts my mind. Y’know?”
Heat licked up my spine. I rose to my feet and held out my hand to her, my voice dropping to a low rumble as I said, “I know exactly what you mean.”
Chapter 15. Caitlyn
My heart felt as though it was about to burst through my ribcage like the chestburster from that old alien movie. Blaise stood in front of me, his hand extended.
My cheeks burned, and my body coiled in anticipation—my still-trying-to-escape-my-chest-cavity heart flooding my veins with warmth and a sense of rightness that sent tingles from head to toe.
Nothing had ever felt more natural than placing my hand in Blaise’s large, thickly calloused one and letting him pull me to my feet and into his arms. His fingers traced a soft line down my cheek, as though he were memorizing me, his eyes wide with something like disbelief. It lingered there for a heartbeat longer before finally beginning to fade, now that I was safely in his embrace.
A small part of me wondered whether he was still hung up on the mysterious person he’d left behind.
But a much louder part of me rejoiced that he was here—present and ready to explore the fated connection unfolding between us.
And when his lips brushed against mine—
Creep made the entire house creak.
I pulled back, shooting the house a death glare, barely managing to hide my amusement at the sight of it tilting like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as though Creep were trying to eavesdrop on every breath between us. She was clearly beginning to regret driving me out, now that her witch and incubus were exploring their new bond well out of her earshot.
Well. She should have thought of that before betraying me.
And while I’d already decided I would forgive her... she could sweat for a little longer.
“How about we head somewhere a little more private?” I said loudly, gesturing toward the tent.
The moment we turned in its direction, the house let out a splintering groan of pure frustration.
But any thoughts beyond desire dissolved the second Blaise placed his hand at the small of my back, guiding me toward the tent he’d so gallantly erected...
The veryprecariouslyerected tent.
I had to bite back a giggle. I’d been so grateful when Blaise took over camp-making duties—freeing me up to focus on my potions—that I hadn’t actually looked up from my cauldrons to assess whether he’d managed to create something remotely resembling a suitable living arrangement.
Blaise grinned as he held the tent flap open with exaggerated care and gestured for me to go inside.
“I hope you and Creep make up soon,” he said lightly. “I’ve recently discovered I’m not a natural when it comes to the outdoorsy way of life.”
The giggle escaped me then. “So I can see.” I ducked my head into the tent, hopeful that the inside was more livable than the exterior suggested. To my surprise, Blaise had clearly gone to great lengths to make it comfortable. A large blow-up mattress sat in the center, piled with duvets and pillows. I wasn’t sure when he’d disappeared into the woods at the back of the field, but he must have—two cut tree trunks flanked the bed as makeshift bedside tables, each topped with a flickering LED candle.
But the sweetest touch of all was the neatly folded set of pajamas waiting on my pillow.
A shame, really, that the tent itself looked as though it might collapse around us at the slightest provocation.
As if reading my thoughts, Blaise said, “I doubt it’s going to survive a night of your snoring.”
I slapped his arm playfully. “That is not what you say to a lady.”
“Well, I hope the inside is up tomylady’s standards,” he said, pulling me into his arms and guiding me toward the bed.
I couldn’t help but giggle again. “It most certainly is.”
