I AWAKE TO SUNLIGHT streaming across my face. I know it’s the sun because I can see it through my eyelids, and I can feel it’s warmth. Wait. The sun doesn’t breathe or feel heavy on one’s body. My eyes spring open to see a sleeping Cash next to me. Not that I mind, in fact, I like the weight of his arm thrown across my waist. Gently, I lift the blanket to check if he’s naked. He is not. I lay my head back onto the pillow and stare at him with a soft satisfied smile on my lips. Why the smile? I have no idea. Cash doesn’t come across as the type of man to take advantage of someone passed out, and he has his clothes on, so I can rule out that we had sex. Maybe it’s the fact that another human has willingly laid beside me, something my ex refused to do in the last two years of our marriage.
“Stop wasting your thoughts on the douchebag that you called a husband,” Cash murmurs.
“How do you do that?” I scooch closer to him. “Will you show me how?”
He opens his eyes, props his head in his hand and scans my face. “No. It’s not something I can teach you, it’s just something that happens.”
“Oh...” I look up, trying desperately to not bat my eyelashes at him. “...what will you teach me?”
He takes hold of my chin and runs his thumb along my jawline. Inches away from my lips he murmurs. “We will teach you the magic and art of lovemaking...”
Now, if you have ever seen Kristie read_between_the_wines on TikTok,, she makes this face when she talks about a spicy hot book. That’s how I’m feeling right now. And if you haven’t seen her, I suggest you go look it up. Because when his lips capture mine, a rapturous delight sends shivers from my toes to the roots of my hair. There’s no tongue, just his lips. And my blood is pounding, POUNDING, in my veins and it all seems to pool directly into my vagina like molten hot lava. But it’s not blood, it’s just me creaming away.
I swear to all that’s holy if I don’t get to have sex with this man soon there’s going to be murder and mayhem in England. I say that as my brain finally kicks in. I flatten myself into the mattress, enough to break off the kiss. Panting as if I just got done building a house or something, I look into his eyes and say, “WE?”
Cash groans in pent up sexual tension and rolls off the bed. Standing, he gazes out the window. “Get up. We, as in, you and me, are going for a walk. We need to talk.”
I scurry out of the bed, grab some clothes, and head off to the bathroom. As I use the toilet, I quickly change into my fresh clothing. When that’s done, I squirt toothpaste in my mouth and vigorously start to brush my teeth. I freeze when I hear a tap on the door. “Yeah?” I ask around a mouthful of minty suds.
“When you’re ready, meet me in the front lobby.”
“Hold up.” I spit into the sink and rinse my mouth. Opening the door, I smile. “I’m ready.”
“Here.” Cash shoves a jacket into my hands. “Put this on.”
“It’s ninety degrees out?”
He nods. “Yeah, I know. But until you learn how to conceal your identity you need to hide.”
I hurriedly put it on and flip the hood over my head. “Can’t I just wear a wig? Or you cast a spell or something on me?”
He shakes his head then opens the door and ducks his head out. Grabbing my hand, he pulls me into the hallway and shuts the door then waves his hand over the lock. A sliver of a lightning bolt exits his palm into the keyhole.
Eyes wide, I ask, “What did you just do with your hand?”
“Sealed the lock.”
He tugs on my sleeve, and we walk the short distance to the staircase. I start descending first but then he grabs my elbow. Next to my ear, he whispers. “Keep your eyes down and don’t look at anyone.”
I’m getting a little concerned at this point. Cash is starting to freak me out and not in a good way. He takes my arm and hooks it through his and we go down the stairs together and out the front doors of the lobby. Once outside he glances down at me and says, “Don’t say anything till I tell you it’s safe.”
In silence we cross the gravel driveway onto the front lawn and make a beeline for a wood lot. The closer we get, a feeling of peace settles over me. Has he cast a spell on me or is it the outdoors that is making me feel this way? I soon find out as we enter onto a path and the trees seem to welcome us under their umbrella.
Cash lets go of my arm. “Okay. You’re safe now, feel free to talk and take off that jacket.”
I whip my head around to look at him. “Safe now?! You mean I wasn’t before?”
“Cassidy, you will always be safe around me. I’ll protect you with my life. But there are forces that are out there that want you. Strong forces that will stop at nothing to prevent you from learning your powers.”
“Do they come disguised as bugs?” I laugh, remembering his thorough search of my room.
He nods. “Yes, amongst other things.”
I look around at the ground and see a ton of bugs going about their bug life. “There’s bugs everywhere in forests. How can this be safe?”
“They aren’t really insects, but conjured and they can’t come into your home unless invited.”
“Vampire bugs?” I start laughing when he nods. My home? What the hell is he on? “Can you just tell me from the beginning? Because I don’t like this ride that I’m on anymore and I’d seriously like to get off it.”