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“You know who else hadn’t touched anyone in a hell of a long time?” One of Ro’s ginger eyebrows rises. “Constantine.” She nods as if to confirm her own story. “The day he told me you’re his mate, he said that once fate has chosen a mate for a Minotaur, they literally cannot be attracted to anyone else, even if they haven’t located their fated mate.”
Uneasy as the constraints and repercussions of fate make me, my heart picks up speed, knowing I’m that one special person for him. Because there’s no denying his attraction to me. Or mine to him. “Did he mention how long he’s been waiting for me?” It’s a question I should ask him directly, but I’m too curious to wait.
“He said it’s been a decade and a half, Nat. That man has gone without for fifteen years.”
“Holy shit!” I clap my hand over my mouth, but not before every head in the place turns in my direction.
Across from me, Dela giggles. “For once, it’s not me blurting something out and turning red because of it.”
“So, last night…?” Ro makes the gimme motion with both hands. “Did you put an end to his long-ass drought? Tell us everything.”
Dela makes a lighthearted pouty sound while pushing her chair back from the table. “It’s been forever since I’ve had girl time like this, but I think I have to take a page from Shay’s book. I can’t be blushing and averting my eyes every time my boss is around.”
“Oh, don’t go. Please? We’ll talk about something else.” I give Ro the stink-eye. “Right?”
A bubbly laugh rises from Dela’s model-perfect, luscious lips. “That’s sweet, but you two need to roll with this convo. Plus, I always call my mom on Saturdays, and I found out she has plans later, so I need to catch her before I miss a day. Believe me when I tell you that you never want to take a single day for granted.” Coming around the table, she leans in and gives me a quick hug. “It was so nice to meet you. Text me anytime and no pressure, but I vote for you to stay in town after the wedding.”
“Thanks, it was great meeting you, too.” I smile until she leaves the coffee shop, then it’s just me and Ro, finally. “Your friends seem nice.”
“Everyone in town is nice. I’m probably the least nice person here,” Ro says with a snort. “You’re way better suited to the vibe than me.”
Talk about a perfect segue. “Um, on the subject of vibes, is there a store here that sells them?”
“Heck yeah, there is.” She’s out of her chair before the last word has left her mouth, hauling me up along with her. “You are going to lose your freaking mind when you see the stuff Lexi sells.”
I toss my empty cup in the trash on the way out of The Brew, the brilliant morning sun blinding me when we step out onto the sidewalk. I was more than a little distracted with Constantine on our walk over here. Now that I’m taking a good look at the downtown, I see all the things I didn’t notice earlier.
The main street is a hub of bustling activity. No empty or rundown stores; everything is pristine and eye-catching. Manicured trees and raised flowerbeds dot the edge of wide, well-maintained sidewalks. Angled parking lines both sides of the street—hatred of parallel parking must be universal. In the center of it all, there’s a large parkette with lush green grass, gardens, and benches. A beautiful fountain sits in the middle, and there’s a large raised gazebo near one end, its wide stairs facing the length of the park.
I point at it, asking, “That’s where the wedding’s happening?”
“Yup. But we can talk about the wedding stuff later. Right now, I want to hear the Natalie stuff.” Ro hooks her arm with mine, guiding me down the street. “Especially the parts that include you getting your mate bond on. Or not getting it on, since you want to buy a new vibrator.”
“Why can’t it be both? Are you telling me you haven’t used a vibrator since moving out here to be with Dak?”
“Damn straight. He insists on being the giver of all orgasms. Literally, all.” Grinning at me, she wiggles her eyebrows in a hubba-hubba motion. “Even those times when I just want a quick little release O, he takes care of it. The man knows his place, Nat, and that place is between my legs.”
Well, I can’t say that sounds horrible. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Constantine offered for things the same way, though I think he’d be less intense about it than Ro’s orc fiancé.
Ro halts in front of a small, green-and-purple shop with a gold window decal that reads Every Witch Way. “This is it.”
“Are you sure? With a name like that, it sounds like an occult shop.”
“Oh, there’s magic stuff—for getting you magically stuffed,” she says, tugging the door open and essentially shoving me inside.
One glance is all it takes for my eyes to feel as if they’re going to pop out of my face. There are dildos everywhere. All kinds of sizes, shapes, and colors. “Holy—” I snap my lips closed before embarrassing myself. Again.
“Not so holy, though I do have an angel’s cock model that I guarantee you’ll find quite heavenly, and some incredibly realistic angel-wing feathers which are fantastic for sensual touch play.” The response comes from behind a counter, then the voice’s owner pops into view. “Oh! New girl alert! And Rosetta, hi!” The young, green-skinned woman hurries out to greet us up close, thrusting her hand forward. “I’m Lexi, the person to see for all things sexy and wonderfully bewitched.”
My gaze drops to her green hand with slim fingers and long, purple nails, waiting for me to take it. “You don’t mind shaking hands?”
“Of course not.” She grabs hold of my fingers the instant I tentatively raise them. “Why in the realms would I mind shaking hands?”
“She met Shay this morning,” Ro says.
“Ah. Well, Shay is a seer, and I’m not, so no visions for this witch.” She gives up pumping my hand to gesture at her face, tilting it this way and that, the way a cosmetics model might. “Plus, this is Goodwin green, whereas Shay is a Winterlock. Totally separate covens. Different styles of magic. Mine is more fun.” She winks. “What brings you ladies in this morning? Shopping for something magical to spice up the bedroom, or just touring around?”
“Just touring.” I jump in before Ro can throw me under the embarrassment bus.
