by Maya Nicole
He put his phone away with a smile on his face and looked at me. "Was just texting Asher."
"Oh really? What's going on with you two? Did I miss something?" I asked, pulling out my notebook and Flair pens. I was glad I had remembered to put them in my bag today; usually I left them in my room.
Olly shrugged. "I've been sleeping on the couch with him. He thinks he's ready to try the bed with us."
My eyes widened and then teared up. Asher never slept in the bed when any of us were over out of fear of having a nightmare and hurting one of us in his sleep. If Olly could help him with his magical soothing touch, I was all for it. "That's really sweet of you. So, you two cuddle?"
Olly let out a laugh and opened his binder to the section we were on. "I guess you could call it that. Why? Does that bother you?"
"No. It's kind of hot thinking of you together like that." I leaned over and looked at what page he opened to and opened my binder. "And if you two wanted to take things further or whatever, I wouldn't be opposed."
"I'm not sure Asher likes me like that." Olly cleared his throat and looked at his binder. "We're onto the good stuff in the binder now. Before the end of this school year, you'll take an aptitude test to see which guardian path best suits you. Healer, warrior, intellectual, or spiritual. Asher and Tobias were both warrior guardians, but when Asher fell, Tobias requested a transfer to intellectual."
"What kind do you think you are?" I was trying to stop the worry from eating me alive. I was really more curious at what the test would say about me since I wasn't an angel. I felt like I was just biding my time at the academy until they figured out what to do with me.
"I don't take the test since I'm an archangel; I'm all of them. Although sometimes I don't feel like it." A flash of sadness passed over his eyes. "Everyone is disappointed in me because I lost that stupid cup."
I suppressed a smile that threatened to come out at the mental image of a wave crashing into him and sending the Holy Grail to the depths of the Pacific Ocean. It was a harsh punishment to be cast out of heaven for such a trivial occurrence. After the conversation with my dad about him being some kind of balance, I wondered if the cup was the only thing that led to his arrival on Earth.
We finished up the section on different types of guardians and packed up our belongings. It was time to face Dean Whittaker, who'd had it out for me from the beginning.
We arrived at the administration offices before Tobias and waited in chairs outside the dean's office. Olly seemed calm and collected, while I was a nervous wreck. If I hadn't just painted my nails, I'd have been chewing on them again.
Tobias walked in right as the minute hand clicked straight up and sat down on the other side of Olly. None of us spoke and Tobias was bouncing his knee. He was just as nervous as I was. It occurred to me he might lose his job over this. Then what would he do? Work on Asher's construction crew gutting kitchens?
"Dean Whittaker will see you now," the secretary said from her desk, gesturing to the closed door.
We stood in unison and I opened the door, walking inside first. Sue Whittaker sat at her desk, pen tapping on the surface, frown on her face. She was not a very inviting person to say the least.
The three of us sat down in chairs in front of her desk and waited for her to strike. If I had learned anything over the past several months, it was to bite my tongue, especially with people like her.
"I'm sure you are all aware of the pictures that surfaced overnight of your clandestine rendezvous outside the staff living quarters. Care to explain?"
"I-" Tobias started to speak but Olly cut him off.
"It's my fault, ma'am. I asked Danica to go to a party with me and we got drunk. I couldn't fly back with her and I called Mr. Armstrong to come get us."
"Are you and Ms. Deville seeing each other now?" She set her pen on her desk and crossed her arms over her ample chest.
"I really don't think that's of your concern, Sue." Tobias crossed his arms over his chest to match her posture and looked between Olly and me. "What they do with their personal time is their own business."
She laughed, but not because it was funny. It was a pissed off laugh. "There is no 'personal time' as you put it, when it comes to being a guardian. Need I remind you that Ms. Deville is not even technically an angel and that relationships with humans are strictly forbidden. Not to mention that she herself is a product of a human and angel indiscretion."
"If you'd like to discuss this further, I suggest you speak with Michael." Tobias stood and looked at us. "We're done here. Let's go."
I was grateful he was taking the lead because I was bound to say something stupid and get myself into trouble. I stood and followed Olly out the door with Tobias trailing behind. He slammed the door behind him and I flinched.
We walked in silence out of Ariel Hall and Olly split away from us, heading back to his room to study.
"Why don't you go change and then come to my room. I'll help you study and cook dinner so you don't have to eat in the dining hall." Tobias finally spoke when we were mere feet from the staff's building.
The longer I lived in the staff building, the more I hated it. At first I liked living down the hall from Tobias, but now I felt I was always sneaking around in order to not be seen by the other staff members. When I did run into them, they weren't exactly friendly, instead pretending I was invisible. Well, all except Tobias.
"I'm really tired. I think I might just call it a day." I walked ahead of him to the door and he grabbed my wrist, stopping me. I turned back towards him and looked around, hoping no one was looking. "What?"
"It's barely four o'clock. You're coming over." His head tilted slightly to the side and the smallest of smiles turned up the corners of his mouth.
"You aren't the boss of me, Mr. Armstrong." I had the impulse to stick my tongue out at him and run, but held it in. I was eighteen years old, not eight.
He yanked my arm and pulled me to his chest. He bent his head so his mouth was right next to my ear. My heart was hammering from such a public display of affection, especially after the picture fiasco.
"What did you call me?" His lips barely brushed my ear and a zing went straight to my clit.
"Mr. Armstrong. Ow!" He bit my earlobe before pulling it into his mouth. "You're naughty. I need to find my ruler to keep you off me."
He pulled away, his eyes simmering with an unspoken promise of what was to come.
"Is that a threat?" he asked, taking his keys out and opening the door. "Because I'm the only one who will be doing any spanking."
We walked quietly through the common room together, my face heating up as a few sets of eyes landed on us. Tobias was a well-liked teacher among students and other staff. I doubted any of them would say anything even if they did see something. Or maybe they would since it was me.
I changed quickly, throwing on a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top. Only the best for Tobias. I grabbed my bag and headed down the hall to his room, letting myself in.
Tobias was already in a pair of gray sweats with no shirt and was watching the Dodgers. I dropped my bag on his coffee table and sat next to him.
"Why do you like the Dodgers so much?" I looked over at him and resisted the urge to run my fingers along his muscular stomach. His abs were just barely peeking through his skin. And those sweatpants. Good god, a man in gray sweats was sexy as hell.
He put his hand between my thighs, resting it there. "My dad took me to games at Ebbets Field. Used to cost about a dollar. I was never able to take my sons to a game."
"Tell me about them," I said softly. "You never talk about your past."
He grunted and looked over at me before turning back to the game. He was quiet for several minutes before deciding to speak.
"I don't talk about my past because it hurts. Unlike Asher who willingly enlisted, I didn't. I ended up being one of the unlucky twenty-percent of those in the draft and left a wife and three small children behind." He looked down at his right arm. He pointed to the woman. "Margaret,
everyone called her Margie. I called her Sugar Hips. It drove her crazy, especially when we were out in public. We were high school sweethearts, got married the summer after we graduated."
I ran my finger along her portrait. "She's beautiful. You were a lucky man."
He smiled and pointed to the twins. "Jeffrey and Charlie. They were both precocious and kept us on our toes. I think I got a few gray hairs because of them. Jeffrey became a lawyer and Charlie a history teacher."
"Like you."
"Like me." He cleared his throat and moved his hand down to stroke the portrait of the baby girl. "Sarah. She was the sweetest baby. I wish I would have had more time with her."
I put my head on his shoulder. I wanted to know more but could hear a slight tremor in Tobias's normally steady voice. I was surprised he told me as much as he had.
"Are you going to study?" He leaned forward and grabbed my bag off the table, changing the subject and breaking the tension. "You're doing decent in your classes. A very reliable source says you have an A in Demonology."
"The only A I've ever gotten was in PE. I hope I earned it." I didn't mean for it to come out like it did. I hoped he graded me just like he did everyone else.
"You've earned your A. You know more than I do. I'm starting to feel a little concerned about my job. You should be the one teaching Demonology."
If he only knew just how close I was to the demon world, he'd probably have re-thought his comment about me teaching at an angel school.
Chapter Eight
By Wednesday, I was beyond exhausted. I texted Asher before he got off work and told him I was staying with him that night. Since I had a key, I drove the thirty minutes to his place with music blaring. I shouldn't have been driving, but I was desperate.
Pulling into the small lot next to the building, there was a motorcycle parked in the spot I usually pulled into. It was one of those crotch rockets that thought they owned the road. I made a face at the bike. They scared the crap out of me when they came zooming between stopped traffic.
It wasn’t that I owned that spot, but when you get used to always parking in the same space, you do kind of feel like someone stole it. I pulled into the next available spot, although I was very tempted to park where Asher parked his truck. I'd never hear the end of it though.
I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and made my way to the stairs. I stopped short at the 'For Rent' sign in the window of the front unit. I backed up and peeked into the slightly open blinds of the window.
From what I could see, it held the same industrial look as Asher's place, but was more of an apartment style with separate living and sleeping spaces. It was the perfect space for a young woman.
An ill-formed plan took hold in my head. I didn't really need to think about it. I took out my phone and dialed the administrative offices at the academy.
"Judy speaking, how may I help you?" I cringed at the secretary’s nasally voice.
"Hi Judy. This is Danica Deville. I have a question for you. Am I allowed to live off campus?" I bit my lip and pleaded with heaven above that it was possible. This was too perfect being right downstairs from Asher. I practically lived here anyway.
"Let me speak with Dean Whittaker. Just a moment." She put me on hold. The music playing sounded like it was composed in heaven and I rolled my eyes.
It wouldn't be so bad driving to campus every day and I would finally feel a bit of relief from always being under a microscope. Tobias and Olly wouldn't be happy, but they had wings and could get here in no time.
"Danica?" The secretary came back on the line. "She said she will approve it. She thinks it is a great idea." Of course Sue Whittaker would think it was a great idea, she hated my guts. She'd have hated me even more if she knew I had demon blood in me. They probably wouldn't even let me attend the academy.
I hung up and then dialed the number for the rental agency that was listed on the window sign. The woman that answered was enthusiastic and said she had just rented out the other unit the day before. That explained the motorcycle.
She arranged to meet me in an hour for a tour and I let out a squeal after hanging up with her. It would be amazing to have a place of my own where I didn't have to worry about eyes being on me.
As I turned and headed for the stairs, I saw the curtains next door fall back into place and stopped short. I guess I had been a little loud.
An hour later I was touring the downstairs unit with the rental broker. It was one bedroom with a large open concept living space. It was a beautiful space, which I knew it would be since Asher had remodeled it.
I filled out paperwork, gave her a deposit, and headed back upstairs. Asher's truck was parked in his spot. He was probably wondering where I was.
I opened the door and smelled the familiar scent of his shampoo—pineapple and coconut—wafting through the air. He was standing at his dresser, his towel in a heap on the floor at his feet. Asher after a shower was always too much for my libido. It was an instant turn on, the small droplets of water were still sitting on his skin. I wanted to lick them off.
"There you are. Where were you? You missed out on a shower." He pulled a pair of basketball shorts out of a drawer and slid them on.
I licked my lips and kept my eyes on his chest as he pulled a shirt over his head. With a body like that, he shouldn't be allowed to wear a shirt, ever.
"When you look at me like that, it's like you've never seen me naked before." He picked up his towel and made his way towards me. "Are you going to answer me or just stand there and stare?"
"What's wrong with staring? I'm making up for lost time." I sometimes found myself staring at him, still not believing he was actually back and alive.
He pulled me in for a quick kiss before hanging up his towel in the bathroom. I followed him into the kitchen where he got out a beer.
"I was downstairs getting a tour and filling out papers for the front rental," I finally said, answering the question he had asked me when I first walked in.
He paused with the bottle halfway to his lips and stared at me for a moment before taking a drink. "And why is that?"
I rolled my eyes and took the beer out of his hand, putting it on the counter. I stepped into him and put my hands on his chest.
"I can't stay on campus anymore. Please support me in this because Tobias is going to flip the fuck out."
"As he should. Did you even think this through all the way?" His expression was neutral as he examined my face, his eyes lingering on the dark circles under my eyes. "We are all worried about you. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be on your own."
I stepped away from him and gathered my hair in a pony tail, wrapping the elastic that had been on my wrist around the handful of hair. In a way he was right, but what if being alone was exactly what I needed?
"I'm eighteen years old, and I've had plenty of experience being on my own. Summer break is only a few weeks away anyways and I don't plan on staying on campus or in Montecito all summer by myself. This is the best move for me." I folded my arms across my chest.
"You can stay here. With me." He put his hands on my hips and looked at me seriously.
I raised my eyebrows. "You can't just sleep on the couch all the time. Besides, you have no walls. I need walls."
"Walls are overrated. So you're saying you wouldn't want to live here with me?" He stuck out his bottom lip in a mock pout. "You wound me."
I was shocked he would even suggest me moving in with him. That would completely change the group dynamic if I decided to live with one over the others. Plus, even though I loved him, I still needed privacy.
"What about Olly?" I propped my hip against the counter and watched as his face twisted in surprise at my question.
"What about him?" Asher grabbed his beer and took a long drink.
"Don't you want him to move in too?" He tensed up slightly and walked over to get another beer, even though he wasn't completely done with the first.
"Do you want something to drink?" he
asked, avoiding my question. I shook my head and watched him open another beer. He had been drinking less lately, but still drank more than he probably should.
"I fully support anything you and Olly feel towards each other. Or do with each other."
He leaned against the counter and examined the label on his beer bottle. "It just kind of snuck up on me. I don't want to be unfaithful to you. Not that I'd have sex with him or anything."
I furrowed my brows. "You wouldn't be unfaithful. You don't feel I'm cheating when I'm with Olly or Tobias, do you?" He shook his head, a chunk of his hair falling in his face. I brushed it behind his ear. "I'd be okay with any of you hooking up with each other. No one else though. Makes me feel like a hypocrite since I'm with three men."
"Really what it makes you is one hell of a lucky woman." He held his beer bottle by the stem and traced his index finger around the rim, his eyes focusing on his movement. "What has Oliver said to you?"
"Maybe you need to talk to him. Figure things out. Life's too short to have regrets," I suggested, placing my hand on his arm.
"It might make things complicated between us. We have a good thing going right now. Why add that into the mix?"
"Because it's what you both want. If you're worried about whether you’re top or bottom, I'm sure you're a top." I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at the mental image. "Just make sure you stretch him out beforehand."
I pushed it too far and watched as he visibly shut down, his hand gripping his beer. "Jesus Christ, Dani," he bit out, moving towards the stairs leading to the roof. "This is a big deal and you're joking about anal."
I watched his retreating back as he made his way up the metal stairs and stopped at the door, his hand on the handle. I can't say I was surprised our conversation had led to him escaping. It was what he did when his feelings got too intense or uncomfortable. It was as if he had reached his quota on intense emotions and couldn't stomach anymore.
It had to be a lot to process, the idea of being with a man when for so long he had only been with women.