“You’re not going to try and get me to fall in love with you, are you?” he joked, looking into the pot. Though, if he was going to be honest with himself, he was already starting to, love potion or none. It had been the way she felt in his arms earlier, in bed. And how she looked when she blushed at his comments. How she avoided his eyes sometimes. Something about her, no, everything about her was starting to wake something up within him.
Marie could feel his eyes on her as she stirred. This was going to be a long night, she thought. Her body was aching for him. William, as if reading her mind, took off his hoody and draped it over the kitchen chair. He was looked incredible in the fitted black V-neck she had gotten him.
“Just let it cool for a second,” she said softly before handing him the hot cup.
“You know, I’ve been thinking. When we get to Vegas, maybe we should get married,” he said, looking at her to see what her reaction would be.
“What? Why?” she asked, crossing her arms. She was completely taken aback by his suggestion.
“You could just inherit everything I have. I could take some time to make a will, get someone to fabricate a death certificate. And you get the money without taking it as a profit.” He spoke passionately, feeling excited.
Marie smiled as she shook her head. “William, we can’t just get married. Witches have to marry for—” she trialed off, remembering her reaction with Christina in the bathroom. She looked at him, surprised at herself.
William laughed. “Marry for what?” he asked, wanting her to finish her sentence.
“Nevermind. Look, let me at least think about it?”
“Yeah, sure.” She turned around, smiling as she stirred the mulled wine in her cup with the cinnamon stick she had added. To be honest, it really didn’t need stirring. She just couldn’t look at him anymore.
“Your friend was sweet. How do you know her?” William asked, changing the subject.
“She was a client and had come to me for help to land the job she has now at the elementary school.”
“And you helped her? That’s interesting. What was it that worked for her?”
“A potion of confidence for her interview. She nailed it. We’ve been friends ever since.”
He took a sip of the spiced wine and smiled. Then looked up at her in awe. “How do you do it?” he asked when she turned around to face him. “How do you keep and make friends in this life?”
“It’s not that hard, William.”
“No, but in this day of technology and all that bullshit and noise. How do you do it?”
“Well, I use a smart phone like everyone else, but I don’t use social media or any of the other apps where you have to keep in touch. And then, I just move. I say goodbye and I leave. I change my number, and everyone moves on.”
“Someone must have recognized you after all these years.”
She shook her head as she took a sip. “No, but I think this will be the last time I come back here. I’ll have to head over to Los Angeles and be closer to my mom and probably start the next phase of my life there.”
She looked at him as he took another sip. He closed his eyes. “God, Marie, this is so good,” he said.
She agreed with him and led him into the living room. Instead of putting in a Halloween movie, she popped in a DVD from large boxed-set.
“Before you leave this planet, we are going to watch Season One of Kings and Queens of Winter.” She looked at the boxed set in her hands. “Okay, maybe season two as well.”
William shrugged. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you want,” he said. They had to do something to pass the time, after all. And he could only think of one thing he wanted to do, so having a distraction was much needed, he thought.
Marie set up the player and settled onto the couch. After William poked at the fire, he joined her, mugs of mulled wine in both of their hands. He sat down close to her, their legs touching. He could hear Marie’s heart start to beat faster.
William only smiled knowingly.
AFTER THREE EPISODES, William started to ask questions about the show. He was clearly interested.
Marie only laughed. “See, this is what you’ve been missing.”
He followed her into the kitchen, where she started making their dinner. He helped her chop up some onions for some spaghetti and meatballs. They talked and laughed together in the kitchen as they cooked.
William brought out the small kitchen table and moved it close to the fireplace so they could eat and be warm.
After dinner, which was delicious, William washed the dishes while Marie took a shower to get ready for bed.
She came out of the bathroom wearing a short black nightgown, feeling a little silly now that she had done it, but it was too late to back out now. He had already seen her as he came in looking for a spot for his suitcase.
“That’s a nice dress.” He cleared his throat. “Er, nightgown, I mean. Are you going to be warm enough?”
“I have plenty of warm blankets.” And one hot body sleeping next to mine, she thought but decided to keep that information to herself.
William turned away and distracted himself by throwing his suitcase on the bed. He took out a dark blue dress shirt out. “By the way, I forgot to tell you. I love this one. It fits perfectly,” he said.
“Oh, I like that one, too.” Marie put on a silk robe and pulled her hair back into a pony tail. “I’m just going to make some tea. Need anything?”
William shook his head. “No, I think I’ll take one of these books and read for a bit before bed,” he said, and eyed the books she kept in her room.
When she came back, she took out her copy of Dracula out and set her tea on the nightstand. William was already in bed and shirtless. Marie avoided looking at him as she got under the covers.
William turned to her. “Hey, why were you at the library that evening I met you?” he asked, his voice deep and sexy.
Marie kept her face in her book. “I need to get out of here every once in a while.” She dimmed the light and looked around her room, loving the ambient vibe as she spoke. “And I like the library. It’s always looked the exact same, you know? For as long as I’ve been alive. I like that it doesn’t change.”
“You’re never going to meet the future Mr. Marie there, though. You should get out more.”
She finally turned to look at him. Damn, he looked incredible. “You don’t know that. I could meet the future Mr. Marie there. In fact, I believe I met you there, and if I recall correctly, you did ask me to marry you.”
Now that she thought about it, she wondered how she’d be able to fall asleep tonight with him by her side and debated on throwing a sleeping mix into her tea. “Are you backing out of your decision to marry me?” she asked, deciding to go with flirty banter instead of getting out of bed.
“Not at all, sweetheart. In fact,” he closed his book and turned to her. “I’m hoping you’ll agree to it. I’ve always wanted to get married. I’m hoping to cross it off my bucket list before I go.”
“A bucket list? That’s incredibly romantic and the best reason I can think to get married,” she said, being sarcastic. “Look, I’m going to read for a bit,” she said and opened up her book. “Our flight is at six p.m., so we’ll have to get up early.”