I nod, trying to hide my frustration. Every time I get close to useful information, Bast skillfully redirects the conversation. It’s time to change tactics.
“You know,” I say, tracing the rim of my mug with one finger, “I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of magick. The possibility that there’s more to this world than what we see on the surface.” I meet Bast’s gaze, letting a hint of vulnerability show in my eyes. “Have you ever experienced anything…unexplainable?”
Bast’s expression softens, and for a moment, I think I’ve finally broken through his defenses. But then he leans back, a playful smirk on his lips. “Like the way your eyes glow this soft green color, almost like they’re bioluminescent.”
I feel the heat rush to my face, my heart rate spiking.Dammit. I completely forgot about my eyes.
“Oh, I…” I stammer, looking down at my hands wrapped around my mug. I take a deep breath, trying to compose myself. When I look back up at Bast, I force a sheepish smile. “I can’t really explain it. It’s never happened before I came here.”
Bast leans in, his eyes filled with curiosity and something else I can’t quite name. “It’s beautiful,” he says softly. “Like you’ve got the aurora borealis trapped in your eyes.”
Those words. Such pretty words. It almost makes me wonder what it would be like to stick around a while and explore…possibilities.
No.I can’t let myself be truly affected by his charm. Or by my attraction.Dangerous.
“You’re very kind. Most people would find it…unsettling. Or think I was crazy.”
“I’m not most people,” he replies with a wink, and I feel my stomach do another little flip.
I laugh softly, partly to cover my nervousness and partly because his easy confidence is genuinely charming. “No, I suppose you’re not. You’re a pirate. I haven’t met many pirates.”
He laughs then. A deep, rolling belly laugh that starts low in his chest and builds, filling the space between us. It’s rich and warm, resonating through me, and wrapping around me like a cozy blanket on a cold night, unexpected and comforting.
Back in Salem, the presence of men always put me on edge, a constant reminder of the danger they posed to my magick and my autonomy and also they were forbidden by theMathairs. But here, with Bast, I feel…safe. It’s a foreign sensation, this warmth spreading through my chest, the way my own lips curl up in response.
As the afternoon wears into the evening, our conversation flows easily, but I’m no closer to learning anything useful about Meredith or the local witch community. Bast is charming, funny, and frustratingly good at deflecting my subtle probes for information. There’s too many people packed into this place for me to get away with using magick on him. And he never looks away.
What’s worse, I find myself genuinely enjoying his company. I don’t want to end this…date? I enjoy the way his eyes crinkle when he laughs, the passion in his voice when he talks about the community, the gentle teasing that makes me feel like we’ve known each other for years instead of hours. The way he stares at me like I’m the only girl in the entire world.
A single drink has turned into multiple. Plus a basket of chicken and french fries. The pub has grown quieter, the crowd thinning as the day wears on.
“You know, my cabin’s not far from here. It’s a lot quieter than the inn, if you’d like to continue our conversation somewhere more…private.”
My breath catches in my throat. This is it—the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. A chance to get Bast alone, to maybe finally get some real information. But the look in his eyes, and the heat in his voice, suggests he has more than conversation on his mind.
Am I really willing to risk my magick for a night with him? Will it be worth it? Will I find what I’m looking for…or is it just me selfishly wanting to enjoy his company?
I know I should say no. Keeping my distance is safer, smarter. But the pull I feel toward Bast is undeniable, and I finally convince myself the promise of potential information is too tempting to resist.
“That sounds nice.”
Bast’s smile is slow and devastating. “Great. Let me just settle up our tab.”
As he goes to pay, I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s to come. This is just part of the mission, I tell myself. A necessary risk to get the information I need.
But as Bast returns, offering his hand to help me out of the booth, I can’t ignore the thrill that runs through me at his touch. Or the small voice in the back of my mind whispering that maybe, just maybe, this is about more than just the mission.
We step out into the cool night air, the streets of White Fork quiet and bathed in moonlight. As we walk toward Bast’s truck, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m crossing a line I won’t be able to uncross.
But that’s just a lie my nervous system is telling me.
Sleeping with this man isn’t going to change my life.
Chapter Nine
Bast O’Connor
Fated at First Kiss
