Page 61 of Unmarked Magic

He shrugged. “It was on the windowsill in my room.”

I smiled, remembering the stash of candles Jade kept around the house. She must have left this one behind. My eyes closed as I inhaled the scent once more. “It smells delicious.” Placing it back on the table, I eyed the ice bucket off to one side, full of two more cherry cola bottles. “This is nice,” I said.

Reid threw me a hesitant smile. “Thanks.”

Hovering over the tray, he selected a small, beautifully wrapped treat, passing it to me. “I found this in the cupboard.”

“What is it?” I eyed the wrapper in my hand, and my fingers fumbled as I opened it.

He picked up the box, scrutinizing it. “It’s butterscotch macadamia brittle.”

“Oh wow, this looks so good.” I broke off a piece, offering it to him, and tried a piece of my own. “Damn, that’s insanely good,” I said, moaning as the flavor exploded over my tastebuds.

Reid nodded, swiping a thumb over his lip. “It is.”

We sat on the couch, naturally gravitating to each other. The fire cracked loudly, filling the room with comfortable silence.

“You were going to tell me what you remembered from the night we met?” I reminded him, as I settled in beside him.

A nostalgic look passed over his face. “Honestly, I liked the bite on your tongue. You had this confidence about you that’s rare to find.”

I laughed. “I don’t know about that. I was really bummed that night.” I clearly recalled how shitty it felt being dumped on my birthday over the phone. What a douche that guy had been.

“Maybe, but you owned it. You told me how it was, said the guy was a dick, and still kept your chin up. I liked that about you.”

“Even when I told you to get out of my seat?”

A bellow left him. “Especially when you told me to get out of your seat. I thought you were such a brat. You made me smile.”

“A brat!” I punched him in the arm and he feigned hurt.

I loved this. With Reid, everything felt so natural and easy — until I broke his only rule and kissed him at the bar. It was nice to have that easy feeling creep back again.

I stared up at his damp hair, and the subtle scent of men’s body wash suggested he had also had a shower. Maybe I’d taken longer drying my hair than I thought. “So, what was your reason for being out there alone that night?”

He took a drink from his cherry cola, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Honestly? I was new to town and just found myself there. I got lost walking.”

“And then I showed up. Lucky you,” I said with a grin. “What a meet-cute.”

Reid put on a whimsical tone. “On a typical Cutters Cove night, surrounded by mist...”

I laughed. It had been misty that night. And chilly. Just the thought of it sent a shiver through me.

He frowned. “You’re cold.”

Before I could protest, he pulled off his hoodie and helped guide it over my head. The oversized fabric swallowed me whole, carrying the warmth of his body and the familiar, musky scent that had become my favorite.

Something fluttered low in my stomach. It was only a hoodie, yet it felt like so much more. I felt different. I’d never worn someone’s hoodie before, never had someone notice I was cold without me saying a word. Such a small act of care. It settled around my heart as comfortably as the fabric settled around my shoulders.

When I looked up at him, he was already watching me. My insides stirred, my heart blossoming with warmth. My face obviously didn’t hide the way such a simple gesture had affected me.

A slow smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before his expression softened. “I like seeing that on you,” he admitted quietly.

I put my cherry cola between my thighs, tugging the sleeves over my hands. “It’s so cozy. You might never see it again,” I joked.

“I wasn’t planning on asking for it back.”

“What?”