by ERIN BEDFORD
Alone with Ian, I didn't know what to do. Well, I knew what my body wanted to do, but like I’d told Dale, I wasn't so sure that was a good idea.
“So, you wanted to talk to me about something?” I shifted away from Ian's intense gaze to where my blank notebook sat.
I could feel him moving behind me, and I forced myself to relax and not show how much being alone with him affected me.
“Can't I just come by to see you?” His breath brushed along the back of my neck making me regret the ponytail I’d put my hair in. His hands slid around my waist and drew me against him.
My heart raced at his nearness, and I gulped. “Sure, you can. I needed to talk to you anyway.” I grabbed my notebook and shifted around, pushing it into his face. “I need ideas for my booth.”
“Booth?”
“Yeah I’m entering the contest at the Spring Fair. I have to make a booth depicting my major.” I lifted a shoulder before dropping it with a disgruntled sigh.
“What's your major?”
“Political science.”
Ian frowned. “Not that I don’t want to help you, but why don't you ask your grandparents for help?”
I quirked a brow at him. “This coming from the guy who doesn't even talk to his own parents?”
Ian tilted his head back and sighed. “Understandable. So, what do you need me to do?”
Moving out from under his arms, I sat down on the edge of the bed. “Really, I just don't know where to start. I had plans for when I was going to go to Brown, but I don’t know much about magical politics.” I grinned at him. “Do you guys have a bunch of old people sitting around a cauldron, discussing the economic impact of toadstools in the day to day market?”
“I can explain the basics of our political system, but I don’t know much about the economic effects of toadstool sales.” Ian's lips ticked up at the sides, and then he snapped his fingers. “You know who would be great to ask? Paul. He's the one our parents are grooming to take over, not me.” I didn't miss the slight bitterness in his tone, but I didn't address it.
Before I could comment one way or the other, he whipped out his phone and put it to his ear. “Hey. You busy? ... Good. Come to Max's.” Hanging up, Ian explained, “He'll be here in two minutes.”
“Who?”
“Paul, of course.”
I gaped at him. Both of them here? In the same room with me. That sounded like a bad idea waiting to happen. Not only because of the tension still going on between the two of them, but because I wasn't sure I could have that much hotness in one room.
What are you gonna do when all your guys want to hang out together?
I shoved that nagging thought away. I hadn't really thought that far ahead. Here I was, enjoying my time with all of them individually, but I never really stopped to think what it would be like to have them all in one room. Were any of them even friends?
“How do you know Dale?” I asked, curiously. They had acknowledged each other on my first day of school, but it hadn't necessarily been a good interaction.
Ian lifted a shoulder. “Most of us around here pretty much grew up together. Went to the same elementary and everything.” He started opening one of my drawers and lifted a pair of my sexier underwear out.
“Stop that.” I snatched it from his hand with a scowl. “But I thought Dale was a more normal wizard?” Ian gave me a strange look, so I quickly added, “I mean, you know, not magical royalty or whatever.” I waved a hand in his direction.
Ian snorted. “Honestly, you’re more royalty than any of us, not that you'd know it with your scandalous ways.” He tugged on my ponytail with a mischievous grin.
Jerking my ponytail of his hands, I jabbed a finger at his chest. “I don't see you complaining considering you’re part of that scandal.”
Ian wrapped his hands around my waist, pulling me toward him. “And you won't because I don’t mind sharing.” He dipped his head down and captured my mouth in a searing kiss.
I broke the kiss before it could go much further. “Not as long as you get an equal share, right?”
“Right.”
“Knock, knock.” Our heads turned in unison to where Paul stood in the doorway. His expression was cautious as if he wasn’t certain if he was wanted.
Releasing Ian, I went to the door. Opening it further, I ushered Paul inside. “Hey, you got here fast.”
Paul stared at Ian for a moment, before turning to give me one of his knee buckling smiles. “Yeah, I was heading this way anyway.”
I could feel the tension in the room. None of us knew how to react to all three in one space, just like I had worried. Eager to break the tension, I acted as if it were no big deal as I popped up and kissed Paul before taking a seat at my desk.
“So, what was the big hurry for?” Paul asked, taking my lead and asking as if it were all normal.
“Max needs help with her booth for the fair,” Ian explained, leaning against Trina's desk.
“Why me, though?”
Ian locked eyes with me, grinning like a fool. “Max has decided to take on the big bad world of magical politics.”
“I see.” Paul stroked his jaw before turning to me. “Well, what do you know about our society so far?”
I shrugged. “You have some council that regulates the use of magic and what humans know about it. Things like that.”
“That’s it?”
“I mean, I took History of Magic, and I’m taking Etiquette of Magic now. What more really is there?” I straddled my chair so I could see them both, leaning my face on the back.
Paul's voice filled with excitement as he took a seat on my bed near me. “That's just the tip of it. You really have to cram yourself all the way in to get the depth of it all.”
I tried to hold back my laughter at his analogy, but one look at Ian and I couldn’t hold it anymore. As Ian and I laughed, Paul just stared at us in confusion.
“What? What did I say?”
Not answering Paul, I asked Ian, “Does he do this often?”
“More often than you'd think.” Ian shook his head. “How he ended up the heir, I’ll never know.”
That comment caused the laughter to die and the tension to return. Paul stared down at the ground his voice low. “I never asked for it, you know.”
My eyes jerked to Ian who seemed to regret his words.
“I know. I didn't mean to imply—"
“I know,” Paul interrupted him, standing from the bed. “It's fine.” I could see where this was going, and I fought to find a way to stop them from storming out of here in a huff.
“You know what I wish?” I hopped out of my seat and placed myself between the two of them. They watched me expectantly, and I grinned coyly. “I wish you'd ask me out for Valentine's." The necklace in my pocket warmed, signaling it had heard my request.
Immediately, Ian and Paul asked at the same time, “Will you be my date for Valentine's?”
While they tried to figure out what had just happened, I kissed them each on the lips before skipping toward the door. “I'd love to.”
“Hey, I see what you did there.” Paul pointed an accusatory finger at me but smiled none the less.
“Too late. You already agreed.” I giggled and winked as I darted out the door.
Chapter 13
“So, let me get this straight. The Magical Council called the Watchers monitor all of the magic in the world, and they put the smack down on those abusing their powers or threatening to expose us?” I read from the paper in front of me and then looked up at Paul who sat across from me in the library.
Ian had to go do something mysterious in the basement level, so it left Paul to help me with the booth. We'd been going over the structure of the magical community for well over an hour, and I was ready to put a wand through my ear, into my brain, and wiggle it around a bit. Maybe then it would make sense.
“Not quite.” Paul winced. “The Watchers only monitor this area. There are different factions for each district.”
“In the US? Thirteen, but that’s counting the ones who cover Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska's usually lumped in with Canada and Hawaii with Mexico.” He drew a picture of the district set up on my notepad, circling clusters of states as he explained.
“Why is Texas by itself?”
Paul grinned. “Because everything is bigger in Texas and that means the attitudes. Plus, most of the people are spread out, not to forget about the fairy colonies that take up a good part of it. They kind of need all the regulation they can get.”
“Fairy colonies? Hold up now.” I slammed my hands down on the table and leaned over it. “You’re saying fairies exist, and you are only telling me this now?”
Paul chuckled at my reaction. He reached up and tweaked my nose, making me scowl and sit back down my hand rubbing my nose. “If I had known you were so interested in mythical beings, I’d have mentioned it before. Most of us learned about them growing up.” He shrugged an apologetic smile. “I guess we just assumed you knew.”
Letting out an aggravated growl, I leaned back in my chair with my arms tight over my chest. “From now on let's just all assume Max knows nothing. Just call me John Snow and get it over with.”
Throwing his head back, Paul laughed loud enough we got shushed by the librarian. I couldn’t bother to feel contrite with how gorgeous he sounded doing it. I mean, give a girl some warning or at least a fresh pair of underwear afterward.
“Okay so ...” I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, my thighs pressing together to subdue the throbbing there. “You think I should make the focus of my booth combining human and magical life together?”
“Yes.” Paul nodded, moving closer to the table. “You have been saying how you didn't know anything about our world until last year and now you're playing catchup. I mean, we have a twelve-year advantage on you. How do they expect you to catch up so fast?”
The way he said it made me depressed. How was I going to have any chance of catching up? Yeah, I had a good amount of powers, but no knowledge behind them. “It's like I need some kind of spell to catch me up,” I muttered to myself.
“What was that?” Paul angled his head toward me.
I growled in annoyance. “I was just thinking how right you were. There's no chance for us human-raised witches. There needs to be some kind of spell or something to catch us up with you all.”
“That’s a great idea! You should make your booth about that.” He pushed his chair back and came around the table, kneeling next to me. “You can make it your platform. The magical community is doing a disservice to those coming in late—"
“By no fault of their own,” I pointed out as he scribbled on my notepad.
Paul nodded vigorously. “And explain the pros of having such a spell. Obviously, they'd have to regulate it somehow, giving it only to those who need it, or everyone would use it.”
I sniffed. “Can’t have that, now, can we?” I could just imagine all the kids who would clamor to skip out on the school portion to learn it all at once. It was a lot of information to absorb, which meant a lot of years of schools missed.
“Well, I think you’re set now.” Paul placed his hand on my chair, his fingers brushing my skin as he stood. “Now all you need is a sponsor.”
I groaned and laid my head back against my chair. “Any chance your parents are charitable and looking to get in good with my family?”
Chuckling, Paul bent over and pressed his lips to my forehead, causing my eyes to flutter closed. “As much as they would be delighted to help out, I have a feeling, in this case, they would be gaining an enemy rather than a friend.”
I stuck my tongue out at him, but he was right. My grandfather might not care, but my grandmother who had already offered would be pissed to find out I went somewhere else.
“Are you leaving?” I caught his hand as he moved away.
Amusement covered his face as he leaned his hip against the table. “I was thinking of going to get some of my own work done. I have a ton of papers to grade.”
Wrinkling my nose, I leaned into him. “Isn't that the teacher's job?”
“Yes, and I’m the teacher's aide.” Paul smiled down at me, pulling on my hand until I came out of my chair. He shifted us, so I stood between his thighs, his hands resting low on my hips.
“Still, I would think they would at least grade our stuff. I put so much effort into making sure there is just enough error to hide the fact that most of it came from Wikipedia. I feel like it's all gone to waste on an assistant.”
Paul chuckled darkly, his fingers slipping down past my hips to settle on my butt. “If you’re getting your answers from the internet, we have a much larger problem than cheating.” He arched up to grab my lip between his teeth, urging me down to kiss him.
Our tongues barely had a chance to taste one another before an unseen force shoved us apart. Startled by the interruption, I searched around to see the librarian with an annoyed glared.
“No fraternizing in the library.”
“Sorry,” I grumbled and turned to my bag. Paul lingered by my side as I gathered my things. Pulling my bag over my shoulder, I turned to him. “I better get out of her before another rumor gets spread.”
Paul took my bag from me and slung it over his shoulder. “Meh, what’s a life without a bit of drama?”
“Especially if that one happens to do with you, huh?” I bumped my shoulder with his as we strolled out of the library.
“I'm not the jealous type, but there's not a picture of us circulating around.”
“And there isn’t one with Aidan either,” I reminded him.
“But there's one of you and Ian.” The pout to his tone made me laugh.
“Alright, the next time the vultures descend, I’ll make sure to dry hump you for the masses.”
Paul stopped us at my door, pressing me up against it. “How about just for kicks?”
Swallowing thickly, I nodded dumbly. “I think that would be okay.”
However, once again before his mouth could touch mine, the door behind me opened. My world tipped over, and Paul came with me. At the last minute, his hands came out to stop himself on either side of me, keeping him from crushing me.
A dark shadow hung over us, and I angled my head to see around Paul, revealing a beaming Ian. “Seems like I got back just in time.”
Paul muttered something under his breath that sounded like ‘damn cockblocker’ before inching to his feet. He offered me a hand which I gladly took.
“How'd the lesson go?” Ian asked all nonchalant-like as if he hadn’t just interrupted something.
“Well enough, until we got kicked out of the library for making out.” I grinned mischievously at Paul before another person cleared their throat. Spinning around to face the room, I scowled at Trina sitting on her bed by Aidan. “So that’s how you got in. And do I need to ask why you’re here? What did you see this time?”
Aidan didn’t answer, his eyes sparkling with laughter.
“About that.” Trina slipped off her bed and waved a finger at me. “I am not your secretary or pimp so keep up with your harem, or I’ll lock them out next time.”
“Harem?” I sputtered and blushed. “Who said anything about a harem?”
Trina turned in a circle and counted. “I count three guys, and that's not even including Dale. That's the start of a harem if I ever saw one. In any case,” Trina fluffed her hair with a sniff, “I have a date.”
“With Libby?” I clapped my hands together and grinned.
“Wouldn't you like to know?” Trina pursed her lips and winked. “Don't screw on my bed. I’ll know.” She pointed her finger as she scanned the guys in the room before ending on me with a sing-song voice. “Have fun.”
Alone in my room with three guys? Okay, this isn't too bad. I haven’t slept with any of them yet. Haven’t even kissed Aidan yet but the hooded expression on h
is face made me think that might be happening pretty soon.
“As much fun as this situation is,” Paul waved a hand in front of him, “I do have work to do. So, I’m going to go.”
“Okay,” I said as he angled toward me to give me a chaste kiss. “I’ll talk to you later and thanks again.”
“No problem.” His eyes went to Ian and Aidan, and he nodded. “See ya.”
After he left, I started to close the door but hesitated, not sure if I wanted to put myself in that position. A warm body pressed against the length of my back, breath brushing along my neck.
“Close the door, Max.” The husky tone of Ian's voice sent a shudder down my back and settled low.
I knew what I did next would be a defining moment in our relationship, not only for Ian and me but for Aidan as well. Was I ready to move forward with them? Did I want to?
“Max?” Aidan called out my name softly. “Nothing bad will happen if you say no or if you say yes.”
I didn’t know how much I needed reassurance at least from one of them. I needed to know that I wasn’t going to ruin everything by not being ready. Several parts of me were very ready, but I was afraid. The same way I’d been afraid with Dale. Aidan's powers of foresight helped calm those fears.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door closed the last few inches, closing it with a resounding snap.
Mouth dry, I licked my lips and slowly turned around. Ian stood inches from me, his eyes dark with the promise of what was to come.
“So,” I blinked up at him and then over to Aidan, “what’s going on?”
Ian's chest rumbled, reverberating against me. Repressing a moan, I slipped away from him before he could answer.
I needed space. Everything was happening so suddenly.
“Relax,” Ian commanded but didn’t come after me. “We’re not here to jump you.”
I laughed nervously. “Could have fooled me. How do you know each other anyway?” I tried to steer the conversation away from the big, lingerie-covered elephant in the room. It was doing its best to sashay and give us a peep show, but I was the good girl in the corner who needed a few before I could get into that.