Free Kiss & Spell by Kris Eton Page B

was’ when we met.” She combed her wet hair with her fingers.
    His gaze met hers. Dark and pained. “I knew you had other . . . men . . . in your life before me. Quite a few, in fact.”
    Her face heated. Never had she been more embarrassed about her behavior. It had never mattered before. She’d never cared what any human thought of her. She did care what this one thought, though. “I’m done with that part of my life. I told you that. I thought you understood.”
    “You didn’t look so ‘done’ with that Thursday night.” He scratched a brow and waited for her reply.
    Thursday? She’d been miserable at home Thursday, thinking she’d ruined everything with him. “Okay, why don’t you spit it out? I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re accusing me of something, just tell me.”
    His gaze shifted to focus on the lake. “I saw you with another man at the pub on Thursday. He kissed you. You left with him.”
    Confusion flooded her brain. “What?”
    His brow furrowed. “Are you telling me you don’t remember that?”
    “I was home on Thursday night.” Her mind explored the possibilities. “Are you sure it was me?”
    He gave a dark laugh. “Oh, yes, it was you. The tight red dress, the l ong dark hair, the smile . . .” His gaze flickered over her.
    “Did you talk to me? Look me in the eye?” Her theory grew more solid by the second. He seemed so sure, and she’d heard rumors of a certain witch with a certain magical cream.
    He picked up a rock and chucked it into the water. “You were a little too busy to talk with me.” The disgust in his voice chilled her.
    “She cheated.”
    “What?”
    When the idea came to her, a weight lifted off her. She didn’t have to live up to the terms of her bet if Demetria cheated. It wasn’t too late to come clean. “That wasn’t me, Justin, I swear to you.”
    He tossed another rock. “Uh-huh. Right.”
    She crossed the sandy divide between them and knelt down. “You need to listen to me. That night in your apartment when I uncuffed you . . .”
    He stared down at her, the fear returning to his eyes.
    “Please.” She clasped his hand in hers. “Hear me out. I’ve never shared this with anyone.” She took a breath. “I’m a witch.”
    He blew air out of his nose and quirked a smile. “Yeah, right.”
    “You saw it that night—the sparks, the handcuffs coming unlocked, and then when I disappeared. In your heart, you know it’s true.”
    H e shook his head and pulled out of her hold. “No.”
    “The reason you’d seen me with those men was because of a spell my mother cursed me with many years ago. When I was too small to make up my own min d. I have a magical kiss.”
    “You’ve got to be joking.” Justin got up from the cooler and backed away from her. “This is how you explain everything? You’re a witch? And you have a magic kiss. God, you’re just as bad as Jana. No, you’re worse.”
    Marissa cringed at the comparison.
    “At least Jana never hesitated to admit she’d cheated on me when I caught her in the act.”
    “Justin. I swear to you this is the truth. I’m a witch; I made a bet with another witch that I could make a man fall in love with me, without using my kiss. And I chose you, Justin. I chose you.”
    He kept shaking his head.
    “I couldn’t tell you any of this, or I’d lose the bet. I’d lose you forever. Don’t you see? Demetria cheated. She was the one you saw at the bar, not me. Think about it.”
    “I did think about it. I saw you. It was you.”
    “Did you look her in the eyes? Just tell me if you did that much.”
    “I didn’t want to. Jesus, Marissa, why did you do it? Am I not good enough for you? Did I not satisfy you?”
    Tears pricked her eyes. Demetria had shattered what little trust they’d built between them. Ruined everything. “All I ever wanted was you.” She shivered. The wind had picked up, and the sun still hid behind the clouds. Her wet clothes and hair clung to her.