Desirable.
It was as if I was staring at someone else in that photo, as I stood here in a stretchy bra stuffed with nursing pads that was held together by snaps under a shabby sweatshirt that, if it didn’t have stains on it already, would within the next hour.
I shook away the shiver creeping up my spine, walking over and grabbing the monitor to lay it next to me while I inventoried my supplies.
Rubbing my face with the palms of my hands, I opened up the small jars of herbs, sniffing each one to see if it was still good enough to use and setting aside the ones I’d need to eventually replenish if I opened the shop back up.
If.
There were still a few days left until the full moon. In order to reopen, to offer anything, I’d have to recharge my magic. Which meant feeding my Desire. Which meant…
A pit lodged in my stomach at the thought before I flicked it away. That was a problem for future Oakley. Today’s Oakley had enough shit to tackle.
* * *
I was already upand dressed when the black SUV rolled into the driveway the next morning, its copper crest containing symbols for each of the supernaturals circling its hood: a pair of wings, a paw print, a spell book, a shell, and a heart.
A watercolor emerald tunic was strategically draped over my stained tank top, paired with some leggings and leather combat boots. I’d dressed Aspen in a black playsuit, tiny constellations scattered across it, but he’d managed to pass out right before his father was due to arrive. Of course.
From the moment Atlas stepped out of the car, I had to continually remind myself why I had turned down his proposal. His aqua eyes glinted like they always had as he combed back his near black hair with his palm. He walked up the driveway slowly, adjusting the collar of his black button-down.
He was handsome, his power spreading from him like an energetic beacon, catching the gaze of every witch who was out. Some of the neighbors were even peeking over their fences, and a few gawked out their kitchen windows. Their curiosity made me uneasy, and I shifted uncomfortably before waving him inside, away from prying eyes.
The last thing I needed was to give the neighborhood something to talk about.
“Great to see you,” he said, with that grin that nearly had me falling into old habits: pulling him in for an all-consuming kiss, pushing him against the wall, exploring each other in every way while my Desire drove him wild.
“You too.” I croaked out, my resolve already weakening at the nearness of him.
His chest brushed against me in the doorframe, and the moment our bodies touched, I was transported: watching us lying on the grass under the full moon after one of our monthly midnight picnics—the few times I would get Atlas all to myself with his busy schedule. Half-empty jars of moonshine sat off to the side, along with picked-over plates filled with cheeses, fruits, and breads. My hands threaded through his hair, tugging as he traced crescents up my thigh with his tongue before licking up my center. Hips bucking to meet him, I jerked against his—
“Stop that,” I said, my underwear becoming damp at the mirage he’d created and the memories it brought up.
“Stop what?” He chuckled with amusement, looking down at my crossed legs, his vision vanishing just as quickly as it’d appeared.
Fucker.
“You know what.” He shifted toward me, but I took a step back before he could touch me again, accidental or otherwise.
“You used to enjoy when I pulled out our little time capsule.”
“I did.” I crossed my arms. “But please don’t make this any harder.”
“If I remember correctly, you also enjoyed when I made things harder.” He sighed. “In fact, I’m pretty sure that little highlight kicked off the Goddess-blessed night of Aspen’s conception.”
“Yes.” It was all I could manage to choke out. My eyes darted to the nursery. Too bad there wasn’t a spell to make a baby cry when you needed an escape.
Atlas had a rare gift.Illusion.If he could imagine it, he could manifest it in your mind. As long as he was touching you. A visionary of sorts. It would feel real, but only temporarily. And he was using it to take me down memory fucking lane.
It had a fun side, which sometimes equaled mind-blowing sex. We could be on a beach somewhere without the messy sand clean up. Or spread across a paint-covered tabletop in a cabin. Or in a stadium with crowds of people watching—
A cry rang out from the other room.Thank Goddess.Aspen was awake. At least this would give Atlas a distraction so I didn’t have to be taunted with the reimagined highlight reel of what I had given up when I’d rejected his proposal and broke things off with him months ago.
He didn’t even fight me on moving across state lines with our son. An argument he could have easily made—and probably won, knowing his connections.
It would have been better to hate him. But I didn’t. I knew this witch loved both of us. Would do anything for us.
But I needed to keep my distance.
