Couldn’t have.
The cost wasn’t worth it.
“I see.” He remained quiet a few moments, as if processing what I’d said.
Then, kneeling next to me, he grabbed some more of Aspen’s clothes, holding up a tiny sock and digging through the basket for its twin. We worked in silence, folding up playsuits and onesies before Lynx handed them off to me in piles to place in the sable dresser set against the wall, copper foxes jutting out from its drawers for handles.
Lynx’s phone lit up, and he grabbed it, quickly swiping to see the message. “I texted my contact at APD after I left here. He’s filing a missing person report and will keep us updated.”
A pebble’s worth of weight lifted off my chest. “Thank you so much. I know I probably sound crazy.”
“Not at all. You just sound concerned,” he replied, typing into his phone before slipping it back into his pocket.
I grabbed my own phone, checking for any messages. 12:04 a.m. shown on the lock screen. “I can’t believe I kept you here so long. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Lynx replied, standing up. “I’m glad we were able to make a good dent in things. If you need more help over the weekend, I can come by tomorrow or Sunday after the full moon.”
“That won’t be necessary.” My gut clenched at the reminder that Atlas would be here and that I’d be spending the weekend working especially hard to avoid my gift’s lusty lunar demands.
“You okay?” Lynx asked.
I forgot he could sense my emotions. That was going to take some getting used to. Well, if we spent more time together. Not saying I wanted that, or that it would happen but—
“You’re spinning out again,” he said, lips pursed and hands clenching his gray sweats, leaving even less to the imagination.
Woof.
“You didn’t touch me this time,” I replied too quickly.
“Doesn’t mean I didn’t want to.” His eyes darkened, voice so low and husky I could have sworn it licked me right in my most magical spot. I took a step closer and drifted my free hand along his jaw, half convinced this wasn’t real.
But he didn’t pull away.
Aspen’s shrill wail sliced through the moment, demanding little demon that he was. Blinking a few times, Lynx pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead and started toward the door. “I better get back home. Goodnight, you two.”
“Goodnight,” I replied, still trying to catch my breath.
Grabbing Aspen from the swing, I took him to the rocking chair, my mind now racing with even more than it had before. While I desperately craved to see what would have happened without his untimely interruption, I was grateful for it. If by some insane stroke of luck Lynxwasinterested in me, he still had no idea of the consequences involved if I ever gave in.
Chapter7
Oakley
Iwatched Aspen snooze in his crib, enjoying his first night in the nursery. Staring at the staticky green-and-black image on the baby monitor screen made dozing off near impossible. Every time my eyelids fluttered closed, they’d inevitably pop open to make sure he was okay. Between that, thinking about Hazel still being MIA, Atlas’s arrival, and my budding attraction to Lynx, my mind whirred in every direction.
Sleep wasn’t happening tonight. What else was new?
Rolling out of bed, I tiptoed to the corner of my room, gently taking out some supplies from the partially unpacked box. Grabbing the tasseled throw off my bed, I laid it on the ground, setting out the various crystals and herbs in front of me before pulling out my mortar and pestle.
Just like my gift, they’d become dusty.
I’d had to shut down my online shop. Temporarily. Well, at least I’d planned for it to be temporary while I was on maternity leave for a few months prior to and after Aspen’s arrival.
Now almost eight months after fulfilling my last orders, people probably didn’t even care about Full Moon Emporium anymore. I’d stopped posting on social media because who wanted love potions, sex and fertility tinctures, and spell-infused crystals from a magicless postpartum witch? My feed was full of sexy lingerie and alluring boudoir shots peppered with products. The last shot was a cropped image of my belly about six months pregnant, strands of crystals draped over its swell with Atlas’s hands strategically beneath it.
Where was that confident witch now?
How was I supposed to feel sexy?
