Chapter 20
TWENTY
“ F air warning,” Clover said, leading Rook to her private workroom at the back of the shop. “Some of these ingredients have minds of their own. The star peppers especially get snippy if you handle them wrong.”
“Snippy?” His eyebrow rose.
“They sneeze fire when offended. Which happens... frequently.”
A shelf of colorful bottles caught his attention. “Are these your signature scents?”
“Some of them.” She pulled her hair back into a messy bun, trying not to notice how his gaze tracked the movement. “The blue ones are protection blends, the purple for emotional balance, gold for energy enhancement.”
“And the red?”
Heat crept up her neck. “Those are... experimental.”
“Experimental how?” He picked up a crystal vial filled with swirling crimson liquid that seemed to pulse with its own heartbeat.
“They’re attraction enhancers,” she admitted. “But they’re too unstable to sell. Last test batch made everyone in a ten-foot radius start spontaneously serenading each other.”
His laugh rumbled through the workroom.
She busied herself gathering ingredients, painfully aware of Rook’s presence as he moved around the room. His tiger energy filled the space, making her magic practically purr. “Right. Let’s start with your base formula. Walk me through the components.”
For the next hour, they worked side by side, blending scientific precision with magical intuition. Rook’s methodical approach complemented her more instinctive style. Where he measured exact proportions, she added pinches of magical herbs guided by the way they sang to her power. When she wove protection spells into the mixture, he suggested molecular structures that would bond better with the enchantments.
“Try this,” she said, passing him a vial of shimmering liquid. “Moonflower essence mixed with your stress-relief base. But I’ve added a twist.”
He sniffed cautiously. “Is that... silver sage?”
“Good nose.” She grinned. “It anchors emotional healing spells. Combined with your formula’s natural calming properties...”
“It would target both physical and spiritual tension.” His eyes lit up. “Brilliant. Though we should probably stabilize it with...”
“Dawn-touched rose oil?”
“I was going to say crystallized sundrops, but that’s even better.” He stared at her with that intensity that made her magic dance. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Know exactly what each formula needs. It’s like you speak their language.”
She shrugged, trying to ignore the warmth his praise sparked. “My mother always said magic has a voice if you learn to listen. Especially plant magic. Everything growing has its own song.” She stirred the cauldron three times, watching golden threads of energy weave through the liquid. “Your formulas already have strong healing properties. I’m just helping them harmonize with natural magic.”
“We make a good team.” He stepped closer, ostensibly to examine the potion but definitely invading her personal space in a way that scattered her thoughts. “Your magic, my science...”
She breathed deeply, very aware of his warmth at her back. “You’re starting to sound a little like you’re all for this hanging out thing.”
His hands settled on her waist, and her breath caught as he murmured near her ear, “You’re my mate, Clover,” he said in a low tone. “I’m definitely all for us being together.”
The way he spoke made her entire body heat and her heart stumble. Did he really want her to be his mate?
A loud pop from the cauldron made them jump apart. The potion had turned a lovely shade of pink.
“That’s... not supposed to happen.” Clover quickly adjusted the flame, adding a pinch of grounding herbs to calm the brew. “Though it does prove Madame Zephyrine’s point about our magic responding to each other.”
“You mean we’ve created a matchmaking potion?”
“More like our magic decided to play cupid.” She stirred carefully, watching the color fade to a more reasonable lavender. “We should probably focus on the protection formulas before we accidentally enchant the whole inventory.”
His chuckle brushed warm air across her neck. “Probably safer. Though I have to admit, the idea of everyone in Mystic Hollow suddenly breaking into romantic ballads has entertainment value.”
“Down, tiger. We have work to do.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon creating and discarding various formulas, searching for the perfect blend of science and magic that couldn’t be corrupted by dark energy. By the time they needed to leave for dinner, they had three promising candidates and one spectacular failure that had made everything in the workroom temporarily float.
“At least, we know what not to do,” Clover said as they cleaned up. “Though I still can’t find my favorite stirring rod.”
“Check under the shelf. I think I saw it skulking there earlier.”
“Stirring rods don’t skulk.”
“This one definitely was. It looked guilty.”
She threw a cleaning rag at his head, which he caught with irritating grace. “You’re so silly.”
“Don’t tell Sabine. She’ll never let me live it down.”
“I may not either. This is a side of you I didn’t expect.”
“But you like it.”
The simple statement delivered with such quiet certainty made her pause. Because... yeah. She did like it. She liked how he could shift from intense alpha to playful banter, how he matched her magic step for step, how he made her feel simultaneously safe and excited.
The realization must have shown on her face because his expression softened into something that made her heart flip. Before either of them could speak, however, her phone chimed with a text from Romi: If you’re done making googly eyes at each other, dinner awaits! And I have SO MANY embarrassing childhood stories to share...
“We should go.” Clover quickly gathered her things, trying to hide her blush. “Before my cousin decides to start the storytelling without us.”
“Afraid of what she might reveal?”
“More worried about what Xabir might share about your college years without me.”
His mock groan of despair carried them out to the car.
Golden Lotus occupied a corner of Mystic Hollow’s restaurant district, its pagoda-style roof adorned with actual golden lotus flowers that bloomed eternally. Inside, paper lanterns floated through the air like curious fireflies, and the scent of ginger and exotic spices filled the space.
Romi waved from a corner booth, her smile bright enough to rival the magical lighting. Xabir sat beside her, his usual alpha authority softened by the besotted way he watched his fiancée arrange and rearrange the table settings.
“Finally!” Romi bounced up to hug Clover. “I was about to send out a search party. Though from the magical residue clinging to you both, I’m guessing you were busy with... formulations?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Actual formulations,” Clover corrected, sliding into the booth. “For the spa project.”
“Uh-huh. Is that why you’re both practically glowing with mate energy?”
“You told her?” Clover turned accusingly to Xabir.
He raised his hands in surrender. “Didn’t have to. She took one look at you two at the picnic and declared it ‘obviously destiny at work.’ Though I have to admit, the magical light show during that kiss was pretty convincing evidence.”
“Speaking of evidence,” Romi’s grin turned wicked, “I remember a time in high school when Clover tried to enchant her hair and accidentally made it green.”
“We’re not doing this,” Clover groaned.
“Oh, we absolutely are.” Romi signaled for drinks. “Especially since Xabir has some great stories about Rook’s college adventures. He told me about that time with the enchanted karaoke machine...”
“Don’t you dare,” Rook warned, but his lips twitched with suppressed amusement.
“What’s wrong, tiger?” Clover bumped his shoulder. “Afraid your scary alpha image might be tarnished?”
“I think that ship sailed when you saw me knock over three different displays in your shop.”
“Four,” she corrected. “You forgot the one behind the counter.”