23. Sloan

CHAPTER 23

Sloan

S he's giving me a chance. She opened up to me. She doesn't think I'm a complete monster.

Sloan's head spins the entire time Daisy is in the bathroom getting changed and continues to do so when it's her turn. She's going to give her a chance. Sloan will be able to prove she can be more than just a Wilks. That she has abilities beyond her name.

The thrill of anticipation surges through her, electrifying her senses. The room seems to burst with vibrant colors, her skin tingles with heightened sensitivity, and the lingering scent of pastries and baked goods from earlier fills her nostrils as if they were freshly baked.

She ties her hair up into a messy bun and steps out of the bathroom, her heart almost skipping a beat. It's a sensation she's not familiar with. She can't even recall the last time she felt this exhilarated.

Daisy lays on the bed, the magically repaired duvet spread across her, covering her from armpit to toes. Her hands lay on her stomach, and she's picking at the skin on the side of her thumb. Is she nervous?

Sloan moves to the other side of the bed, clasping the pillow in her hand. As she prepares to move away to sleep on the couch again, Daisy nearly whispers, "You… youcansleeponthebedifyouwant."

"Hmm?" Sloan responds, having no idea what any of those words were.

Daisy clears her throat and repeats more slowly, "You can sleep on the bed if you want."

Sloan fights the shriek that wants to escape her lips. This is huge. She has to play it cool. "Are you sure?" she says as calmly as she can manage.

"Yeah. I assume you aren't going to hex me in my sleep at this point."

"Only if you're into that sort of thing," Sloan says. Oh god! Is she flirting with Daisy? She is.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Daisy deadpans. Holy shit! Is she flirting back?

Sloan chuckles as she pulls back the cover and slides in. She scoots down, finding the perfect position and allows herself to sink fully into the plush bed. "This is glorious. No wonder you wanted it to yourself."

"It is pretty comfortable."

Sloan sighs. Content. Spent. Relaxed.

"Do you want to watch something or go right to sleep?"

Pulled from her thoughts and the luscious bedding forming to her body, she looks at Daisy. Her ocean-blue eyes seem to ask her what Daisy can't say herself. Goddess, she's beautiful. "I can stay up for a bit longer. What did you want to watch?"

"There's this true-crime documentary that looked good. We could watch that?"

"Oooh. I love true-crime stuff! I'm in. Do you want to order some room service? Get some late-night snacks?"

Daisy perks up. Her cheeks develop the faintest blush, and there may even be a smile hidden in there, too. "That sounds wonderful. As great as dinner was, I still left the table hungry," she says, laughing awkwardly as she pats her stomach.

Sloan reaches for the phone, dials room service, and orders them popcorn, nachos, and drinks. "All set."

Daisy nods, selecting the documentary on the streaming service. A knock at the door sounds as Daisy pushes play. Sloan bounds out of bed, retrieves their order, and returns to the bed with the tray of food and drinks. "All right, let's find out who kidnapped this witch!"

* * *

Cracking an eye open the next morning, Sloan licks her lips, trying to bring moisture back to them. Clearly, the nachos were a bit too much last night. Her mouth is as dry as a witch's broom from all the salt. As she slowly regains consciousness and the room around her comes into focus, she notices the strange weight over her stomach and up her chest. Looking down, she's nearly startled by the seemingly random limb cast over her. She also notes the warmth along the entire length of her backside. Daisy.

Daisy's arm curls over her midsection, and her hand is nestled comfortably between Sloan's breasts as if she had fallen asleep while cupping one. Her front presses warmly against Sloan's back, forming to her perfectly. The heat radiating from Daisy is welcoming like a cozy fire, and all Sloan wants, at this moment, is to stay here. To remain in this bubble of peace for as long as possible. She curls her arm over Daisy's and interlaces their fingers, tugging her tighter. Daisy sighs sleepily but contentedly behind her and pulls Sloan in. Sloan allows herself a small smile as she closes her eyes and drifts back to sleep, enveloped in the arms of a woman she never thought she'd find herself with.

When she wakes a little while later, the absence of heat behind her lets her know that Daisy must be awake. Rolling onto her back, she stretches her arms above her head and lets out a satisfied groan.

"Good morning," Daisy says from somewhere near the bathroom.

"Good morning," Sloan replies, though as she says it at the end of her satisfied groan, it comes out more like "gwrood mreaning."

A little laugh, light and bright like a songbird, escapes Daisy. Sloan pushes herself into a seated position, resting her hands on her lap; she looks at Daisy and catches the small smile that remains. It's faint, barely a smile at all, but it lights up her face, bringing life into her eyes. And she, Sloan, has the privilege of seeing it.

These last forty-eight hours have been a rollercoaster. They've gone from hating each other and dreading this assignment to seeing a different side of each other and understanding that maybe there is more to each of them than the other thought. When she agreed to work on this event, Sloan sought something to help her feel more herself. Instead, she seems to have found someone who helps her see herself and the person she wants to be.

"Did you sleep alright?" Sloan asks.

"Yeah. It was good," Daisy replies, keeping her eyes on the floor as a hint of blush creeps up her neck. "That bed is ridiculously comfortable."

"It is."

"What about you?" Daisy asks.

"Yeah, it was good. Much better than the couch," Sloan responds, winking at Daisy. So they're not going to talk about the cuddles.

"Sorry about that, by the way. And for all the shit I've given you this weekend."

"It's alright. I get it."

"Yeah." Daisy moves over to her open bag on the desk, packing away what looks to be the rest of her clothes. "Checkout is in about an hour. I thought we could pack up and then maybe go get brunch?"

Sloan does her best to hide the surprise she feels inside. Cuddling and niceties aside, she figured Daisy would want to break free from her as soon as possible. "That sounds lovely." And perhaps most surprising is that she means it.