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"Of course, sweetheart. What is it?"

"Well…" I hesitated, feeling my face turning pink again. "Do you think maybe you could stop calling me woman while we're doing this? I mean, I know you don't mean anything by it, but it's not exactly romantic."

For a moment, he looked surprised. Then a slow smile spread across his handsome face.

"Very well, Lady Celeste," he murmured. "I shall endeavor to restrain myself."

"Thank you," I said primly.

"But I make no promises about afterward," he added, his eyes twinkling. "Especially if you insist upon breaking my house rules."

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, for heaven's sake! Are we really going to talk about your house rules right now?"

"Certainly not," he said, smiling. "I have something far more pleasant in mind."

And with that, he drew me gently towards him, his big hands settling warmly around my waist.

For a moment, I just stood there, looking up into his handsome face and marveling at how solid he felt when he touched me. His chest was broad and warm beneath my palms, and I could smell that wonderful masculine scent of leather and wood smoke and something dark and spicy that seemed to belong to him alone.

I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be held by a man who genuinely wanted me. But now, standing in Garrik's arms, I was beginning to remember.

And I had a feeling I was about to discover that being cherished was even better than I imagined.

18

GARRIK

For a long moment, I simply stood there with Celeste in my arms, scarcely able to believe what had just happened. The lovely woman had actually agreed to attempt the spell! And what was more, she'd made it quite clear that she wasn't doing it merely because she felt sorry for me. Apparently, she found the prospect of being intimate with me rather appealing, which was something I hadn't dared to hope for.

Of course, I had a great many questions about how the spell was supposed to work. For one thing, I was still a spirit, and although I became solid whenever Celeste touched me, I had no idea whether that would be sufficient to complete the enchantment. But I supposed there was only one way to find out.

And I certainly wasn't going to complain about the method! I hadn’t wanted to be crass or to frighten her, but the truth was, I loved tasting a woman. I could spend hours between her thighs, kissing her soft little pussy and making her come with my tongue. But I had been worried that if she knew exactly how much I liked it, she might be a little shy of letting me do it. My dear Lucinda had been shocked when I first asked her to let me taste her—such things were not done when we were in our youth. And yet, it was a hunger I had always carried within me—the desire to taste a woman and give her pleasure.

Celeste was looking up at me with those enormous green eyes of hers, and I could feel her warm little hands resting against my chest. I had forgotten how wonderful it was to be touched by a living woman. For a hundred years, I'd existed in a world where I could see and hear everything around me but couldn't participate in any of it. I'd watched the seasons change, listened to the rain beating against the windows of Blackthorn Manor, and wandered through the empty rooms of my house without ever being able to feel the warmth of another person's hand.

And now here was Celeste, standing close enough that I could smell the sweet fragrance of her skin and hair and feel the softness of her body against mine.

It was almost more than I could bear.

"Well?" she asked after a moment, raising her eyebrows at me. "Are we going to stand here staring at each other all night, or are we actually going to try this spell?"

I cleared my throat.

"Forgive me, sweetheart. I was merely considering the extraordinary nature of our circumstances."

"Uh-huh." She gave me a knowing little smile. "You mean you're nervous."

"Nervous?" I repeated indignantly. "My dear woman, I assure you that I've faced down trolls, demons, and all manner of dangerous Creatures without the slightest hesitation. I hardly think a little magical ritual is going to frighten me!"

"Okay, then." She folded her arms and looked at me expectantly. "So what's the holdup?"

Confounded woman! She had a remarkable talent for making me feel like a schoolboy who'd been caught doing something he oughtn't.

"There is no holdup," I informed her stiffly. "I was simply attempting to behave in a gentlemanly fashion."

"Well, you can behave like a gentleman while we go upstairs," she pointed out. "Unless you think we ought to do this right here in the library?"