Chapter 7 Surprising Calligraphy Skills
Juniper
No mysterious magical selkie marriage could explain how my magic went crazy when Caspian touched me. My entire body ached to touch him again and try using all of that magic flowing between us.
The feeling was addictive, but since I planned on getting rid of him as soon as possible, it didn’t seem prudent, so I folded my hands in my lap and forced myself to look out the window instead of at the gorgeous selkie beside me. But I still felt his eyes on me like a caress.
Back at the condo, I ordered a late lunch for us to be delivered and then carried the booklets in, letting Caspian handle the boxes of totes.
He arranged everything on the dining table without me asking, and a warmth bloomed in my chest at how considerate he was and how he anticipated my needs.
He really would be the perfect partner in any other circumstance.
Maybe, just maybe, he’d consider going on a date once we dealt with the whole magical husband thing.
My stomach flipped.
No, he’s nine years younger than me.
That was ridiculous. He’d never look at me normally, and once he was free of the accidental bond, he’d probably get away from me as fast as he could.
My ex-husband loved to tell me how undesirable I was and how I was lucky he married me. And he was an absolute troll compared to Caspian. So there was no way someone like Caspian would be interested in me.
Shoving those depressing thoughts aside, I focused on everything we needed to accomplish that evening. Caspian watched me with furrowed brows, like he sensed my mood darkening.
“Let’s do the luggage tags first,” I said, retrieving the box filled with fifty plastic hangers and cardstock rectangles. “I can write the names and you can stuff them into the sleeves.”
“Sure,” he said, shrugging.
I gave him an incredibly boring job, but he didn’t hesitate.
“Pick something for us to watch? I’ll die of boredom if we have to do this without some sort of entertainment,” I said, nodding at the television.
Unwrapping the brand new markers, I lined up my list of names and the pile of rectangles.
The television played the opening music of a popular rom-com movie—probably not his first choice of movies, but it was sweet of him to pick something that would cheer me up.
Smiling, I scrawled out the first name in my best cursive and pushed it toward Caspian. He slid it into a sleeve and set it aside. Soon we had a neat pile of completed tags, my hand hurting to prove it.
On screen, the couple fought over a job promotion, shooting banter back and forth.
Caspian frowned as I shook my hand out. “Here, let’s take a break, or let me take over writing the names.”
“They need to look pretty,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek.
He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. “And you don’t think I can write nicely?”
He took the marker from my hand and slid the list of names over, writing Juniper across the top in a lovely script. My hand tingled from where our skin had brushed.
“Are you serious? How do you know calligraphy?” I asked, covering my mouth to smother a disbelieving laugh.
“Maybe I just have really nice handwriting,” he said. “So want to swap jobs? Or you can go watch the movie and I’ll do both parts. ”
“I’m not abandoning you,” I said, rolling my eyes as I pushed the entire pile of cardboard tags to his side of the table and took the hangers for myself.
“Good,” he said softly, his gray eyes vulnerable in a way that pinched my heart. Pursing my lips, I focused on cramming the first tag he handed me into its sleeve.
The doorbell chimed. Caspian slid out of his seat and crossed the room before I could process what happened. By the time I caught up, he’d paid the delivery woman.
“Would you stop doing that?” I chided him.
His answer was a smug smile. “I’m not just arm candy, Mrs. Rafferty.”
My feet froze at the name. His last name, not mine. A flush crawled up my neck and warmed my cheeks. I fought the urge to press my palms over my face and hide.
“That’s not my name,” I said weakly, trailing after him to the sofa.
He harrumphed and started opening takeout containers. “Agree to disagree. Want me to get plates, or should we eat out of the containers?” His expression turned wry at the suggestion.
“I don’t care,” I said, sinking down beside him and folding my legs under me. Grabbing chopsticks, I reached for the container of lemon chicken. He copied my movement and popped a bite of beef broccoli into his mouth.
“So, you saw my immediate family. Tell me about your brothers.” I glanced up at him .
The movie chattered in the background, the couple stuck together on a silly task that brought them closer together, but all of my focus was on Caspian.
He chewed and swallowed, looking up at me. Heat pooled low in my stomach every time he stared at me like that.
“I’ve got two brothers, Adrian and Malik. They’re both older than me.”
“Are they like you?”
“What do you mean? Tall? Handsome? Funny?”
“I was thinking selkies, but of course they are,” I muttered.
He grinned. “Yeah, they’re selkies.”
He didn’t mock me for asking a dumb question the way my ex-husband would have, just answered genuinely. “The whole family is selkies except my cousin’s wife, who is a wolf shifter."
“Did they find your cousin's coat like I did?” I asked.
Chuckling, he shook his head. “Nah, they’re fated mates.”
“Oh, selkies have those?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
“Yup.”
“So you haven’t met your fated mate yet?” I tried to keep my expression neutral as I waited for his answer, but the moment turned very still.
His tongue pressed into his cheek for a moment.
“They’re pretty rare,” he finally said. “Do witches have anything like fated mates?”
“Some people say they’re soul mates for whatever reason. It’s controversial, so who knows?”
I reached forward to steal a bite from the container in his hand. His gaze tracked my movement, catching on my mouth as I closed my lips around it. Swallowing the bite, I made a show of leisurely licking my lips.
“You’ve got a little drool there,” I teased, reaching forward to swipe my thumb over his lip. It was the same move as my dream, and the memory of him painted with moonlight and touching me under the water made my next inhale a ragged gulp of air.
I could lean in and kiss him.
From the way his eyes fell to my lips again, he wanted it, but he was too much of a gentleman to initiate it.
My heart pounded so loudly I knew he must be able to hear it. My hand still touched his face, and magical energy ran down my arm.
Eyes on me, Caspian placed a delicate kiss on the pad of my thumb. My mouth fell open. Slowly, deliberately, his lips closed around it, pulled the digit into his mouth, and gently sucked.
“Fuck,” I gasped, pulling my hand back as soon as he released my thumb.
“You can’t just go around doing stuff like that,” I muttered breathlessly, squirming in my seat to relieve the ache between my legs .
“Sorry,” he said with a smile that showed he wasn’t the slightest bit sorry. After a stretch of silence, he said, “I just wanted you to know that whenever you’re ready, I’m ready.”
I knew better than to ask ready for what?
“Um, we should finish the luggage tags,” I said, my voice shaking.
“Whatever you say, little witch.”
My knees were jello as I walked back to the dining table. Caspian made quick work of closing the takeout containers and moving them to the fridge.
We worked in silence as we finished the task. I couldn’t get his salt-and-sage scent out my nose, and the ache between my legs wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this turned on, but the selkie across the table was a constant temptation.
It was impossible to get his voice out of my head. Whenever you’re ready, I’m ready.
It took the rest of the night to fold the booklets in half. My hand ached from the effort. Caspian finished far more than I did, and he didn’t complain once. As we shoved the last one aside, I groaned.
“Okay, we can stuff the tote bags tomorrow. I’m freaking tired. But thank you for your help. I’m sorry it kinda sucked.”
“I’d be happy doing anything with you,” Caspian murmured. He reached across the table and took my right hand.
I stiffened, but he gently drew my arm forward so he could cradle it in both of his. His thumbs pressed into the meat of my palm, one smoothing across the line between my thumb and fingers, and the other rubbing at my wrist.
“By the goddess,” I moaned as he pinched a pressure point between his thumb and index finger, making my entire arm tingle.
His beautiful mouth curved into that smug smirk that I grew more obsessed with as we spent more time together. My entire body pulsed with need with each beat of my heart. I needed him to either stop touching me or start touching me all over.
He continued to massage my hand, slowly working out all the ache, until I was a limp mess.
If he applied that diligence to other parts of me—fuck! I am not going there. What is wrong with me?
“Thanks,” I said, my voice hoarse.
“Anything for my wife,” he said, winking. An actual wink.
I couldn’t string together a single argument to his brazen flirting. He released my hand, and I tried to stand, swaying on my feet for a few seconds.
“Okay, goodnight.”
“Goodnight, little witch,” he purred, staying seated.
I could feel his heated gaze roaming my body as I grabbed my phone and clumsily walked down the hall to my bedroom .
Hecate’s shades, he’s irresistible, but I can’t indulge. It wouldn’t be right. He wouldn’t want me if it wasn’t for the fact I picked up his coat. That’s what I need to focus on.
He was the only thing I saw as I got ready for bed. Throwing myself into the big fluffy bed, I couldn’t stop replaying the feel of his hands working mine. The feel of his lips on my thumb. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
Groaning, I pulled the covers up higher and slid my hand under my waistband. I needed to relieve some of the tension or I’d throw myself at him before I knew what happened.
I was so freaking wet already. It shouldn't have surprised me. My selkie husband had sucked on my finger! I was so sensitive, it only took a few soft touches to make my legs shake. I lost myself to the pleasure.
My eyes squeezed shut, and I could easily picture Caspian touching me, instead of my own hand, with his smug smirk in place as I writhed under him. I detonated, my body twitching as I stifled a moan.
It wasn’t until I came down from my high that I realized my moan had held a name—Caspian.