Page 52 of Once Upon A Bear

It was as if their roles had reversed. In the beginning, she had been the cheerful one, promising that she could help him, and now he was the one with all the faith in her while she grew increasingly agitated.

Where had the grumpy man gone? He was still here, except now he was being inconveniently helpful and charming.

It was going to change.

She would give him the potion.

She would go to the ball.

And then she would be done with Gideon Rendon.

Guinevere watched as Gideon tipped his head back and chugged the potion in one go.

It didn’t matter that this should have been a simple one. She was still anxious as she watched and waited for it to take effect.

He grimaced a little, but then he cocked his head and nodded. “That was definitely better.”

“Sorry,” Guinevere said, wincing.

“I’m not,” he said brightly. “Do you think you can add more honey without making it ineffective? I think perhaps you could make them much more palatable that way. Besides, this will be it. I can feel it. You’ve got it right this time.”

If only she had his enthusiasm and belief that everything would work out. Perhaps she shouldn’t be so gloomy. After all, her spells usually worked.

But there was something about this one that was different.

Perhaps it was the fact that Gideon had more to lose than her usual patients, or perhaps it was the fact that she was falling for him—and she knew that as soon as she broke his curse, she had no reason to see him again.

At the thought, she closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

She didn’t want to think about it.

She didn’t want to think about the fact that soon she would have to say goodbye, whether or not he wanted to, because she knew better than to think that she could be with a lord’s son.

But oh, how her heart ached at the thought that soon she would have no reason to see him.

She opened her eyes just in time to smile as hair began to grow across his body. Not too much, not too little, but just the right amount.

She had done it again.

It was as if his curse was a little lock, and she had just found the right key.

“I think we’ve done it,” she said, smiling up at him.

Gideon looked at himself in the mirror, then let out a whoop and leaned forward to pick her up and spin her around.

Guinevere let out a shriek, throwing her arms around his neck for balance as he twirled and twirled.

“You did it!” he exclaimed as he spun. “I knew you could. I knew you would.”

Then he slowly set her down and reached up to cup her cheek.

“Thank you,” he whispered before leaning in and kissing her.

One of her arms was still around his neck, so it was only natural for her to hold him closer.

She could worry about what was happening later.

For now, she would just enjoy being thoroughly kissed by the man she was definitely in love with.