Page 91 of The Soulmate Bakery

Orion gave me a sardonic look. ‘You think kicking my seat while I was out with Celine at the cinema was, what? A sign of normal, unbothered behaviour?’

‘You were testing me?’ I asked, disbelievingly.

‘You were going on and on about how Silas was your soulmate. I had to see if I had a chance, even if it was tiny.’

‘But you left,’ I said, my voice quiet.

‘And I came back,’ Orion replied, stubbornly. ‘I will always come back. Understand this, Reverie – you’re not getting rid of me. I’ve been a part of your life since I was eight years old, and I intend to stay for as long as you’ll let me.’

My heart was loud in my chest, so loud that I was sure Orion could hear it. He stepped closer to me. ‘Tell me I’m right, Maya.’ Hearing my name from his mouth made my heartbeat tick up. ‘Tell me I’m not alone in feeling like this. Put me out of my agony.’

‘I would tell you you’re right,’ I whispered, unable to find the right words to give him even half of what he’d given me. ‘But I’m afraid of making your head bigger.’

His smile was blindingly bright, rivalling the moon above us. ‘Fine then. Don’t say the words; cast the spell. Prove us both right.’

‘But what if – what if it doesn’t work?’ I asked, frenzied. ‘What if someone else is my soulmate?’

‘It won’t fail,’ Orion said gently. ‘I know it.’

‘Orion –’

‘Spell me, Maya,’ Orion said, and this time, he said my name like it was something tender. Like he was cradling my heart in his hands and knew just how fragile it was. ‘Make one last risky decision tonight.’

I raised my fingertips to graze them against Orion’s chest. I had my eyes screwed tightly shut, like I could block everything out when this blew up in my face. I couldn’t bring myself to speak louder than a whisper, keeping this moment and this spell between us.

‘To pierce with love and bind my heart, Cupido please find your mark.’

I felt a sudden warmth erupt across the skin of my wrist, and, when my eyes snapped open, I was faced with the sight of a silver string connecting Orion’s wrist to mine. I grazed the threads of the string with my fingertips, and it was stronger than I’d imagined, like a thick rope. There were knots to unravel the two of us on either side, so if I wanted to pull it free I could. If he wanted to pull us free, he could.

‘Told you it would work,’ Orion said, and there was pure elation colouring his smile. His eyes glanced upwards. ‘And just in time too.’

I looked up to the sky, heat climbing my neck in anticipation of what was coming next.

True love’s kiss.

I took a breath before looking back down, and, this time, Orion wasn’t wearing any of his usual smiles. Not a smirk or a grimace either. His gaze glimmered with silver as he stepped closer to me, his warm palm sliding across my cheek.

‘You ready to end this, Maya?’ Orion asked, his thumb stroking my skin.

Chills ran down my spine, and my hand went to the sleeve of his sweater, clutching it tightly. I nodded once, too tangled up inside to speak.

‘Look at that: Maya Reverie, speechless,’ Orion said, a little smugness entering his gaze.

I rolled my eyes and rose to the challenge like always. I stepped up to my tiptoes, just as he bent down to meet me halfway. His lips pressed against mine, his breath becoming my own. The rope around my wrist glowed brighter, and every part of my body was flooded with liquid warmth. The scent of a campfire filled my lungs, and the sound of our heartbeats filled my ears.

In truth, I wasn’t thinking of the curse. I wasn’t thinking of anyone. I existed only in that moment with Orion.

When we broke apart, his hand rested against my jaw for a moment before he moved it so our fingers were entangled. A fluttery laugh left my lips as I took in the horns that had popped out of his curls, and the scales that had erupted on his neck.

‘Someone’s feeling a little out of control,’ I teased, entirely too delighted.

‘Cut me some slack,’ Orion said, and his body curved towards me, making me tilt my head to look up at him. ‘I just found my soulmate. It’s a big deal.’

I let my grin drop softly into a smile. ‘I like the sound of that.’

His gaze was burning into mine, and I wanted the moment to never end. So, of course, it had to be then that everything went haywire.

‘You are under arrest.’