Free Witch Weigh (A Paranormal Romantic Comedy) by Caroline Mickelson

of those who have come before you.”
    Tessa plopped down on a chaise lounger. She leaned back and closed her eyes. “I give up. I have no idea what you want from me.”
    Her aunt sat on the end of Tessa’s lounger. “Tell me what you think you’ve learned that you think changes everything.”
    This she could do. “I’ve figured out that if I do something nice for someone, or even say something nice, my body shrinks.”
    “And from this you surmise precisely what?”
    “That by acting nice I can get whatever I want.” But as she spoke the words Tessa realized they hadn’t come out right. The look on her aunt’s face confirmed this. “I meant to say --”
    The other woman held up her hand. “I know what you meant.” She shook her head, looking more remorseful than Tessa had ever seen her. “I came to see you too soon.” She stood.
    “Wait, Aunt Trudy, don’t go.” Tessa got up. “I want to hear what you have to say, what you think.”
    “You know, my dear niece, this is the first time you’ve ever said anything like that. I leave you, then, content knowing that you’ve made some progress at least.”
    Before Tessa could stop her, Aunt Trudy was gone in a tiny puff of blue smoke. Tessa coughed and waved it away with her hand. “Good riddance,” she called out, her trembling voice belying her words.
    She flopped back down on the chaise, feeling more than a little sorry for herself. Why would there be two fairy godpersons here if neither one of them was doing a thing for her? Hadn’t Cinderella’s fairy godmother helped her score big time? It wasn’t fair. Why hadn’t the council given her a genie instead? Three wishes would be exactly what she’d need and, assuming her genie were half as handsome as Liam, she could have handled rubbing his lamp to see what he could do for her.
    ***
    Liam stood in the shadows and watched Tessa. She sat on a chaise lounge, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. Her long fingernails tapping on the arm rest gave her restlessness away. Did she have any idea how attractive her new curvaceous figure was? He doubted it. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. It was her feelings, not her curves, that he should be concerned about.
    “Cute halo. It suits you.” Liam stepped around the front of her chair. Her startled expression was priceless. “A penny for your thoughts, Angel.”
    “Never mind what I was thinking.” Tessa swung her legs around and stood to face him.
    Not one for backing down, his Tessa. His Tessa. The words rolled through his mind but he couldn’t believe he’d ever be so fortunate. Especially not after she found out.
    They stood facing each other, a crackling sexual chemistry surrounding them like a force field. Liam let his gaze unabashedly wander over Tessa’s face, caressing her features. Her full lips entranced him, and when she wet them with her tongue he couldn’t contain his desire. He slipped one arm around her back and drew her closer. He used his free hand to tip her face up. When her eyes closed, eyelashes dark against her creamy skin, he lowered his mouth to kiss her but then stopped, reason pulling him back from the very edge of desire.
    This woman was a witch. A witch who practiced silent spells. And damn, but she was a powerfully seductive creature who had nearly ensnared him. He loosened his hold on her. “You’re no angel, Contessa.”
    Her ever so hard to read eyes stared up at him for a long moment before she pulled back and slipped out of his arms, breaking the spell.
    She took a deep breath. “Where’s my dog?” she finally demanded in an uneven voice.
    Liam let out a low whistle and a moment later Jinx came running through the open doors, his leash dragging behind him. Liam reached down to pat the terrier, which only caused its tail to wag harder, which in turn only caused Tessa to look more put out.
    She held out her arms. “Jump.”
    Jinx stayed put, cocking his head sideways to signal his confusion.
    “Sit.”