Witch In Charge - Celia Kyle Page 0,53
give him a real shot, Kelly, and don’t ghost him like you usually do. I think he could be really good for you.”
The other girls murmured their assent and Kelly smiled. She could never ghost Ronun. It would be impossible. Not only just in the physical sense, because he was always near, but she also couldn’t stand the idea of never talking to him again. The idea of leaving him hanging gave her cold sweats. She would never, ever hurt him like that. Now that she was seeing everything from a new perspective, she had to wonder how she'd ever done it in the first place—to anyone.
Even though these feelings were becoming as solid as Ronun’s daytime form, she couldn’t admit to them yet. Not to her friends or to Ronun. She was still struggling with the depths of her emotions and since she wasn’t used to caring so much, saying it out loud was damn scary. They hadn’t really been together much as a couple and had only had sex that one time. It was still early days and Kelly didn’t want to jinx it or put herself out even farther on a limb.
Maybe one day… Hopefully soon, she would find the courage to tell Ronun that he was the only guy that had reached beyond her flaky exterior and found the real woman underneath. She liked who she was becoming—reliability and integrity felt good on her. Instead of figuring out how to get out of things, she was thinking about making a better effort to be good at things. Sara was right—Ronun was good for her in so many ways.
“We’ve lost her again,” Trinity said, waving a hand in front of Kelly's face. “She definitely needs medical attention.”
Kelly grinned. “Oh, shut up. I haven’t changed that much.”
Hazel almost snorted cocoa out of her nose. “Kelly, have you seen your outfit today?”
“Of course, I have!” What was a ridiculous question. She dressed carefully every day. Choosing clothes was fun. Making herself up to polish the look only added to that fun. She glanced down at herself, then looked back up in complete confusion. “What's wrong with what I'm wearing?”
“Well, for starters,” Hazel began, “I see a blouse buttoned demurely right up to the collar bone. Your skirt hits you mid-calf. Conservative shoes. Minimal jewelry and your hair is swept back into a neat bun.”
“Oh. My. God,” Trinity breathed, as if seeing it for the first time. “Not a short skirt, plunging neckline, or dangerously high heel to be seen!”
“Actually,” Sara said with an appraising look, “I like your hair like that. Very mature.”
Kelly's mouth felt full of sand. When she dressed that morning, she’d wanted to look pretty, but not flashy. Only now did she realize she had never paired this top and skirt together. Ever.
“Jeez,” she said, not a little defensively. “So I picked a different outfit today. Big whoop. I want to be taken seriously, is that a crime?”
“Medic!” Trinity almost yelled. “This is some outrageous shit right here. Who are you and what have you done with the real Kelly Holloway?”
Kelly laughed with the rest of them, trying to think of a really clever comeback. Before she could, the waitress dropped the check on the table and, without thinking, Kelly grabbed it.
“Trinity, you’re right,” Hazel said in mock horror. “Get a doctor.”
“Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?” Sara gasped.
“Girl, you've got it bad,” Trinity announced. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you pick up a bill in your entire life.”
Kelly glared as she grabbed her purse. “Shut up, before I change my mind.”
The other girls continued to exclaim in disbelief as she headed to the counter to pay. Kelly knew she wouldn’t change her mind, not about Ronun or the changes she was making to herself. And changing meant giving. Giving herself to everyone, not just Ronun.
She had spent most of her life unapologetically taking anything she wanted as though it was her right. Now it was time to give back.
Twenty
“If I’m late again, the old buzzard might just flay me alive.”
As much as Kelly let the joke hang, she wasn’t in any hurry for Ronun to let her go. If anything, it was like a five-minute warning. And it had the desired effect—he squeezed her just that little bit tighter.
“Let him try.” Ronun’s voice rumbled low in his chest, and her eager body drank in the vibrations. “Stahagan would have a lot to answer for if he did.”
Kelly laughed lightly and nuzzled into