Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
He lightly nipped her pulse and then lifted his head. “I’m not above using sex to coerce you to agree, but I’d rather I didn’t have to.” He brushed her nose with his. “Say yes, Wynter.”
A smile lit her eyes. “Yes.” The word was low and soft yet a solid vow all the same.
Satisfaction curved his mouth. “That’s my girl.”
“You should totally reward me. Like right now. With orgasms.”
“Hmm, I don’t see why not.” So he did exactly that.
Closing the gate of her front yard the next morning, Wynter looked up at the cozy, magical cottage where she and her coven resided. She loved it. Loved the thatched roof, the angular lattice windows, and the ivy that climbed up the walls. Loved the little touches they’d given to the yard—the hanging baskets of overflowing fern, the wicca-themed welcome mat, and the little outdoor lanterns.
Wynter used her key to unlock the heavy front door and then pushed it open. The interior of the cottage was just as charming, especially with the arched brick fireplace, the wooden beams on the ceiling, and the columns that looked like tree trunks.
Again, they’d added plenty of their own personal touches. Particularly here in the living area. Cute throw pillows adorned the sofa and armchair. A crescent moon mirror hung on the wall, along with triangular vases of fig and ivy. A Moon tarot card rug lay beneath the coffee table. A triple moon trunk was tucked against the wall not far from the corner altar on which candles, a bell, an athame, and a small cauldron were set.
The cottage wasn’t merely their home, it was the location of their business. A one-stop shop for those looking for baked goods, bespelled cosmetics, tarot card readings, weird and wonderful potions, and also to have their weapons enchanted. Their store did exceptionally well, which didn’t please many of the local business owners who saw them as competition, but tough shit.
As Wynter began to cross the living area, she heard voices coming from the country-style kitchen.
“I’m just saying that those kind of books should come with a warning label,” said Hattie. “Then I’ll know to avoid them.”
“I don’t see how people need to be ‘warned’ about them,” said Anabel. “It’s not like such books are offensive.”
“But there should be a whole separate subcategory for them,” Hattie insisted. “Like . . . fade-to-black-sex romance. When I pick up a romance novel, I want to know in advance if there are no raunchy scenes. I’m all about the raunch.”
Feeling her lips twitch, Wynter walked through the archway that led to the kitchen. The smells of herbs, spices, fresh bread, and coffee beans laced the air.
Her coven members were spread around the room. Xavier sat at the table sipping coffee, an empty plate in front of him. Anabel and Delilah stood at opposite ends of the countertop, each looking into a bubbling cauldron and prepping vials of potions.
Hattie carefully took a tray of hot bread from the oven as she said, “You can’t call a book Carnal and then exclude sex scenes. It’s false advertising.”
Xavier chuckled. “You sound so put out.”
“I am,” Hattie told him. “At first, I thought it was just a slow burn when no sex scenes came along. That would have been fine with me. Do you know why I like a good slow burn, boy? Because it makes it a little more satisfying when the characters finally give in and get naked. But if I’m going to be deprived of the sex stuff and have to use my goddamn imagination—which isn’t very good—to know if the hero has some bedroom skills and likes to talk dirty, I’m not going to be a happy woman.”
“Yeah, we got that,” said Wynter, snatching everyone’s attention. “Good morning.”
They returned her greeting, flashing her warm smiles.
Wynter took a seat at the table. “How’s everyone today?”
Delilah regarded her carefully. “For someone who was almost killed yesterday evening, you’re sure in a good mood.”
Well, she’d been thoroughly ravished an hour ago. There really wasn’t a better way to wake up. “Cain has the kind of skills that Hattie likes her book heroes to have.”
“Then he’s a keeper,” the old woman declared.
Wynter was of the same opinion. “Which is why I agreed to his request.”
“What request?” asked Xavier, sitting up straighter, the height of intrigued.
“To be his consort,” Wynter replied.
Delilah’s mouth curved. “Well, well, well, the Ancient’s making an official claim on you.”
“I figured he would.” Xavier took another swig of his coffee. “You two aren’t just sex. A man as possessive of a woman as he is of you does not harbor casual feelings about her.”
Anabel tilted her head at Wynter. “Does this mean you two shared all your secrets with each other?”
“No,” said Wynter. “We’ve both agreed that we’ll do it later on. His opinion is that this is the perfect time for us to make such a commitment; that it’s our way of promising each other that we don’t need to know every little thing in order to fully give this our all.”