Chapter 16

I ris was drunk. There was no doubt about it. As someone who probably had two or three glasses of wine a year, if that, she had no tolerance for alcohol. She felt dizzy, her head was spinning and she felt bone tired. She'd never liked drinking because she never liked feeling like she wasn't in control. She had deliberately only added a few drops of rum to her potion because she didn't want to get drunk so why had she let herself get badgered into drinking Star's and Erin's potions too?

She wondered if the potions had worked. It wasn't exactly a surprise to see that Lynx was the thing she wanted most in the world. She knew she was falling in love with him. But while there was a part of her that was excited about that future she'd seen – marriage, children, the happy ever after – it still felt like a big scary step to go from dating to the whole caboodle. He was so calm and unfazed about it all. She wanted to wrap herself in his arms and let that laid-back attitude seep into her, fill her bones and her heart. He wasn't worried about any of this and she would love to share that ‘what will be, will be' philosophy in life.

He'd told her to come round after potions club so she would do that, wrap herself in his arms and not worry about the future for a while. And then maybe she'd sleep in his bed for a hundred years. That sounded like the perfect plan. She smirked because maybe Star's potion was kicking in too.

Everyone was getting up to leave but she barely had the energy to do that.

Ashley turned round to look at her, slumped on the sofa.

‘Iris, I'm really sorry,' Ashley said. ‘I didn't realise how much rum Erin had put in her potion. And I didn't realise you don't normally drink, I should have given it to Kianga or Maxine to finish instead.'

‘It's OK.'

‘I promise, next week, there will be no alcohol in the potions. There rarely is actually, I just thought it would be fun to try this one.'

‘The night has been fun, I'm just feeling a little worse for wear now.'

‘Come on,' Erin said, hauling her to her feet. ‘I'll walk you back.'

Iris wasn't going to argue, she wasn't even sure she would find her house on her own.

They waved goodbye to everyone and walked out onto the street, Erin guiding her back towards the village green with her arm through hers.

‘I can't believe you made me drink your sex potion,' Iris said.

‘Do you have any desire to go and find Lynx, climb him like a tree and have the greatest sex of your life?' Erin said.

Iris laughed. ‘We've already done that. We made love today and it was magnificent. I definitely want more of that.'

She clamped her hand over her mouth. She wasn't sure Lynx would appreciate her sharing details of their sex life.

Erin let out a squeal of excitement which made the inside of Iris's head throb.

‘Oh well, this is wonderful news and if you demand more hot sex next time you see Lynx, I don't think you can blame me for that.'

‘Probably not.'

They turned into Iris's road.

‘I'm going to Lynx's house,' Iris said.

‘I'm not sure you turning up at his house in this state is a good idea,' Erin said.

‘I'm in this state because of you. Besides, he's expecting me.'

‘For a night of hot sex?'

‘No. I don't want hot sex.'

Erin looked at her in confusion. ‘You want crappy sex?'

‘No.'

‘You want damp squid sex?'

‘Definitely not.' Iris was confused by the way this conversation was going. ‘I want great, earth-moving kind of sex. The kind of sex that would be completely life-changing. But not now. Maybe after I've slept for a few hours first. Lynx said he just wants to hold me in his arms.'

‘You two do have it bad for each other if you just want to cuddle. Oh look, there's Storm,' Erin giggled.

Iris quickly clamped a hand over her eyes.

‘What are you doing?' Erin asked.

‘What if I see him and, thanks to your potion, I want to climb him like a tree?' Iris said.

Erin burst out laughing. ‘Well, most of the village women do, so you won't be alone. But I really don't think the potion works like that. Go on, have a peek, see for yourself.'

Iris looked over at Storm as he walked towards them but thankfully for her she still wasn't attracted to him. Erin, on the other hand, was blushing bright red, and as he approached she let out a little gasp.

He glanced at her before diverting his attention to Iris.

‘Iris, are you OK?'

‘I'm a bit drunk, Erin made me drink her rum potion and there was a lot of rum.'

Storm glowered at Erin. ‘You got her drunk?'

‘Yes, although not deliberately. But I'm taking care of her.'

‘She's taking me to Lynx's house for hot sex,' Iris giggled.

Storm looked furious. ‘You're taking a drunk woman to a man's house for sex?'

‘It's not like that,' Erin said.

‘What if he takes advantage of her?'

‘This is Lynx we're talking about, he's a perfect gentleman. I would trust him with my life. You, on the other hand, I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you. Which let's face it, wouldn't be very far,' Erin said.

‘What's that supposed to mean?'

‘Look at the size of you, what are you, seven foot tall? Eight? I doubt I could even lift you, let alone throw you.'

‘I meant, why wouldn't you trust me?'

‘Because you're angry, grumpy, rude to everyone, including me. I wouldn't trust you to be kind and sympathetic to anyone.'

‘I can be kind. To the right person.'

‘He's been pretty kind to me,' Iris said.

‘Oh, I see what this is,' Erin said, glaring at Storm. ‘You don't want Iris to go and see Lynx because you fancy your chances with her. Well, let me tell you, she can do a lot better than you.'

Storm frowned. ‘Iris and Lynx are fated to be together, there's nothing that can stand in the way of that. Nor would I want to.'

Iris sighed and, seeing Lynx's front door, decided to leave them to their argument.

She walked up to the door and opened it, letting herself in and leaving Storm and Erin still arguing in the middle of the street.

Lynx had just got into bed when he heard a bump downstairs. He sat up and, with a wave of his hand, turned the light back on. He could hear someone, probably Iris, coming up the stairs, but by the sounds of it she was really struggling.

He got out of bed and went out into the hall, leaning over the banister to look. He smiled to see Iris staggering up the last few steps.

‘Hey,' Lynx said.

She turned to look at him. ‘Oh, I was going to surprise you.'

She wobbled down the landing towards him and then gave him a big hug. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady.

‘So you had a good night at potions club?'

‘There was rum in the potion. Rum. I don't drink. Apart from a glass of wine on special occasions. But I never drink rum. And I only put a teeny-tiny bit of rum in mine but Star didn't want to drink hers because she's pregnant and Erin didn't want hers and they said I had to drink theirs to make my potion triply effective and there was a lot of rum in theirs and I didn't realise until I'd drunk it and then you can't undrink it.'

‘What was the potion?'

‘How to get what you really want. And here I am because you're the thing I want more than anything.'

He smirked and kissed her head. ‘I see.'

‘Erin said I should come round here, climb you like a tree and have hot sex.'

Lynx suppressed a snort of laughter. ‘Is that what you want?'

‘I definitely want more of the sex we had this afternoon. But probably not tonight.'

He bent down and scooped her up, carrying her into his bedroom.

He sat her on the edge of the bed and removed her shoes. To his surprise she stood up and pulled off her jeans so she was standing there in just a tiny t-shirt and her knickers. He quickly reached out and magically extended her t-shirt down to her knees.

‘How did you do that?' Iris stared at her t-shirt in disbelief.

‘It's magic, baby.'

She giggled. ‘You called me baby.'

He shook his head with a smile. He really bloody liked this woman.

She scooted back into the bed, flashing those beautiful legs before he covered her with the duvet.

‘Stay here, I'll be back in a second.'

Lynx went downstairs and, with a few waves of his hand, made a quick potion. When he took it back to her she was already snoozing.

‘Hey, wake up for a second and drink this.'

She sat up sleepily and took it. ‘What is it?'

‘It's my special anti-hangover potion.'

She downed it in one and then lay back down. He got into bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She immediately snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes.

‘I love you, you know,' Iris said, sleepily.

He smiled at that drunken declaration of love.

‘I don't need a potion to tell me that I love you or to show me that I want a child with you because I do. Just not yet. It doesn't mean I don't love you.'

‘OK,' Lynx said, kissing her head. ‘We can talk about it tomorrow.'

Seconds later she was fast asleep. As he stroked her hair he wondered if she would remember any of this in the morning.