dash across the street, his arm slipping around her from behind. The heat of his palm cupping her hip and the solid press of him against her entire right side was a constant, heady reminder of his presence. She curled her fists, sinking her fingernails into the fleshy heels of her palms to keep from nestling into Max and licking the tanned column of his throat. Without thinking, she made the mistake of eyeing the spot where she’d nibbled him the night before. Sure enough, an incriminating red patch that looked suspiciously like a hickey rode just beneath the underside of his jaw. She grimaced. Great. Apparently my inner slut has the smooth moves of a horny teenager.
They joined the small queue of people gathered in front of the deli’s takeout window. The delicious, tantalizing smells of roasting meat wafted in the sultry air. Her stomach rumbled. Man, she was starving. Ravenous. Odd, since she hadn’t really noticed being particularly hungry before now. It was almost like the instant the deli’s scrumptious aromas surrounded her they stoked this powerful need to eat everything in sight. The sensation reminded her of how she’d hungrily gobbled her steak last night as if it were the only meal she’d ever partake in. It also made her uncomfortably aware of how that ravenous need had spilled over into her desire for Max.
Oh goddess. She definitely didn’t need her horniness meter to skyrocket while scarfing down a pastrami on rye in the middle of a public square. Max’s fingers meandered a little farther inland on her hip, brushing over the thin wool of her dress slacks. She squeaked. Feeling like an idiot, she lifted her head and met his innocent smile.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, but the line’s moving.”
She shifted her attention and noticed he was right. So he hadn’t been looking for an excuse to grope her. Embarrassed, she shuffled forward. Two minutes later they reached the window and placed their orders. While they waited for their number to be called, Max led the way to an empty bench beneath the shade of a towering oak. She obediently took a seat and tried her best not to stare at his groin as he stood in front of her.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said. About the bite vanishing.”
Okay, not exactly the topic she’d been expecting him to rehash. “You have?”
“Yeah, and I think I know what triggered it to disappear.”
She blinked up at him. “Wasn’t it the antivenin?”
“Doubtful. I’ll have to double-check with Boone, but I’ve never heard of an antivenin actually making puncture wounds disappear.” He dropped onto his haunches and cupped her cheek. “Sweetheart, if you and I hadn’t had sex, I don’t think the bite would have cleared.”
Max’s preposterous insinuation forced a strained laugh from her throat. “That’s ridiculous. How could that have anything to do with it?”
His thumb brushed over the dip in her bottom lip, his eyes following its path. “The way I see it, you accepted my energy into you and used it to help you heal.”
From seemingly nowhere, a remembered phrase shuffled into her mind. He possesses what you truly need . No. The notion was beyond fanciful and just plain absurd. “There must be another explanation.”
“Willa, I saw the light show that erupted from you when you came. It was our energies merging.”
“I’m a witch. Sometimes my magic manifests at inopportune times.” Such as when I’m screwing my brains out, apparently.
“I don’t think that’s it.”
She glared at him. “Oh, you know me better than I know myself now, huh?” She shoved aside the annoying voice reminding her that lately her psyche was a big honkin’ mystery. Probably he did know her better than she did.
“Like it or not, there’s something drawing us to each other. A force bigger than both of us.”
His choice of words echoed her own worried suspicions, stirring her panic. She bolted to her feet the same moment their number was
They joined the small queue of people gathered in front of the deli’s takeout window. The delicious, tantalizing smells of roasting meat wafted in the sultry air. Her stomach rumbled. Man, she was starving. Ravenous. Odd, since she hadn’t really noticed being particularly hungry before now. It was almost like the instant the deli’s scrumptious aromas surrounded her they stoked this powerful need to eat everything in sight. The sensation reminded her of how she’d hungrily gobbled her steak last night as if it were the only meal she’d ever partake in. It also made her uncomfortably aware of how that ravenous need had spilled over into her desire for Max.
Oh goddess. She definitely didn’t need her horniness meter to skyrocket while scarfing down a pastrami on rye in the middle of a public square. Max’s fingers meandered a little farther inland on her hip, brushing over the thin wool of her dress slacks. She squeaked. Feeling like an idiot, she lifted her head and met his innocent smile.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, but the line’s moving.”
She shifted her attention and noticed he was right. So he hadn’t been looking for an excuse to grope her. Embarrassed, she shuffled forward. Two minutes later they reached the window and placed their orders. While they waited for their number to be called, Max led the way to an empty bench beneath the shade of a towering oak. She obediently took a seat and tried her best not to stare at his groin as he stood in front of her.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said. About the bite vanishing.”
Okay, not exactly the topic she’d been expecting him to rehash. “You have?”
“Yeah, and I think I know what triggered it to disappear.”
She blinked up at him. “Wasn’t it the antivenin?”
“Doubtful. I’ll have to double-check with Boone, but I’ve never heard of an antivenin actually making puncture wounds disappear.” He dropped onto his haunches and cupped her cheek. “Sweetheart, if you and I hadn’t had sex, I don’t think the bite would have cleared.”
Max’s preposterous insinuation forced a strained laugh from her throat. “That’s ridiculous. How could that have anything to do with it?”
His thumb brushed over the dip in her bottom lip, his eyes following its path. “The way I see it, you accepted my energy into you and used it to help you heal.”
From seemingly nowhere, a remembered phrase shuffled into her mind. He possesses what you truly need . No. The notion was beyond fanciful and just plain absurd. “There must be another explanation.”
“Willa, I saw the light show that erupted from you when you came. It was our energies merging.”
“I’m a witch. Sometimes my magic manifests at inopportune times.” Such as when I’m screwing my brains out, apparently.
“I don’t think that’s it.”
She glared at him. “Oh, you know me better than I know myself now, huh?” She shoved aside the annoying voice reminding her that lately her psyche was a big honkin’ mystery. Probably he did know her better than she did.
“Like it or not, there’s something drawing us to each other. A force bigger than both of us.”
His choice of words echoed her own worried suspicions, stirring her panic. She bolted to her feet the same moment their number was
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