Charms of Attraction by Julia Clarke

Author:Julia Clarke [Clarke, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-01T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The scent of bacon lured me out of a deep sleep, and I awoke with my face pressed to the couch, a blanket draped over me. Disoriented, I needed only a moment for everything to come back to me—the kiss with Elias, Declan’s outburst, using my powers not once, but twice—it was all too much. I squeezed my eyes shut again, filled with self-loathing and regret.

When I finally dared to peek over the back of the couch, Declan gave me a bright smile, and I was momentarily distracted by the sight of him shirtless and flipping pancakes. My traitorous body reacted immediately, thighs clenching as I skimmed his incredible chest, his pajama pants dipping low on his narrow waist.

“Good morning, sleepyhead. Breakfast is nearly ready.” He was way too chipper for this early hour.

“Good morning.” I stood from the couch and stretched. “It smells delicious. Just give me a second,” I said, heading in the direction of my bathroom, “and then I’m happy to help.”

I splashed some water on my face before grabbing my necklace and slipping it over my head. Tucked beneath my pajamas, the cold, hard metal served as a potent reminder of everything I could never have—a night spent in the arms of a loving man, breakfast in bed, a real relationship. Like my enchanted necklace, I would never be anything more than a beautiful ornament.

Mask firmly in place, I rejoined Declan and took a seat on one of the barstools. He set a plate before me, and I attempted to read his face for clues. If anything, he appeared at ease.

I forced myself to take a few bites, sipping my orange juice in silence while I waited. He was a good cook, but I was too anxious to enjoy the meal. Between my uncertainty over the events of last night and the enormous willpower it required not to ogle him, I was ready to snap.

“Did you sleep okay?” he asked.

“I guess I was more tired than I realized.”

“You and me both,” he said between bites. “I don’t know if it was the stress of getting the website back up and running or what, but I had some crazy dreams about Elias.”

I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Finally, I asked, “How are the auction preparations going? I saw some original cover art listed for several hundred thousand dollars.”

“Been checking out my website, have you?” He puffed out his chest, and it took every ounce of restraint to keep my eyes on his face.

“Maybe.” I gave him a sly grin. “My sister gave me an old bottle for my perfume, and I was trying to do some research on it.”

“You still make custom scents?” I was touched that Declan remembered.

“And blog about them, now that I have the time.”

“You always smell so amazing, I should have known.”

“Thanks.” I stared at my plate, my cheeks heating.

“If you swing by my office later this week, we can grab lunch, and I’ll introduce you to one of our art and antiquities experts.

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