“Tacos without me, love? I'm a bit hurt,” he joked. “I thought we had plans. Me, you, your grandmother, the butler. She is bringing the butler, right?”
Caroline laughed for a moment. Then, after an awkward pause asked, “Um, well. She did ask me whether she'd be able to meet you. I told her I wasn't sure. Would you want to spend the evening with us? You can totally say no if it's too strange. I wouldn't blame—”
He touched a finger to her lips. “Caroline. Shh. You're rambling, love. I wasn't angling for the invite. I was just making a joke. So if it makes you uncomfortable, then don't worry about it.”
“No, no! It's not that,” she explained. “I just feel weird asking you to meet a member of my family. Is it too soon for that?”
He shifted underneath her, until he lay stretched out on his side, facing her. Tilting her chin up with his hand, he gazed at her. “If you want me there, just ask. I'll tell you if it makes me uncomfortable, love.”
She let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. “You're right. So, uh. Wanna go get tacos with my grandmother and I on Sunday night?”
“Oh. I think it's a bit too soon for that. Don't you?” Magnus asked, giving her a mock frown. At her poke in the ribs, he wiggled. “Kidding, love. Kidding. Yes. I'd love to. It won't be too late for her? It stays light out for so long during the summer here.”
“Nope. She's a night owl too. She lives in Orillia near my parents. I get the impression she gets bored. She'll be excited to have the company.”
“You don't think she'll have an issue with my being Transfigured?”
“I'd have heard about it by now if she did. She's quizzed me several times so there's been ample opportunity for her to object.”
“Quizzed you? About what?”
“Just some practical stuff,” she said, glossing over it quickly. “Oh, I got an informative lecture on sex, too.”
“Uh, does she understand it's a little late in life for the birds and the bees talk?”
Caroline laughed. “Not that kind of lecture. She went on and on about sampling the merchandise before I buy it. I finally broke down and told her I was sampling it quite extensively so she'd stop.”
Magnus snorted. “Oh God. I can't wait to meet this woman. She sounds amazing!”
“This was a tame discussion in comparison to the time that I told her I was becoming a nun. I had just broken up with a guy in college and I was a total wreck. She just looked me in the eye and suggested that I join a convent that had a cucumber patch.”
He snickered, “Now I know where you get your filthy mind from, love.”
“She's something else,” Caroline agreed, as she relaxed against him again, tucking her head under his chin.
“I must admit, though. Some of the practical questions have occurred to me,” he said, quietly.
She sighed. “Me too. I keep telling myself that it's too early to worry about them, but I've never been very good about going with the flow.”
Caroline felt the unmistakable press of his lips against the crown of her head a moment before he said, “This is an entirely unique experience for me. I've never felt like this before. I... I crave you, Caroline. I know there are things that we'll have to talk about as we move forward, but I very much think they're worth discussing.”
She exhaled the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Caroline leaned back and looked at him, her hand moving up to the side of his face. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that I'm not the only one who feels that way.”
“I know I'm not the most expressive, man. I'd blame it on my upbringing, but it's been nearly half a century. I suspect the ball is firmly in my court at this point. I'm trying, though. You're the first person that's ever made me want to try.”
She blinked back the tears that were forming in her eyes and kissed him. She tried to show him without words what she was terrified to say. There was no telling whether he was ready to hear it but Caroline was pretty sure she'd just fallen completely in love with him.
Chapter Eleven
“This was a great idea,” Caroline said, smiling up at him as they walked toward the restaurant. “Thanks for suggesting it. Both of us are kind of tired after all the walking today. The thought of hiking through Exhibition looking for tacos seemed a little much.”
Magnus relinquished his grip on Caroline's hand and held the door for them. As she passed, he said, “Of course it is, love. Any evening I can spend with two beautiful women is definitely a win, I'd say.”
Beverly gave a derisive snort as she walked past him. “It's getting deep in here. I didn't bring my boots, Magnus.”
“Now, now. Don't fish for compliments. You know you don't look a day over fifty,” he joked.
At Caroline's laugh, Beverly reached up and gave his arm a squeeze. “He's good for my ego, Caroline.”
“And that's what's really important,” Caroline quipped, dryly.
Beverly responded with a raspy laugh, but before she was able to comment further, the hostess greeted them. Once they were seated at the table, Caroline immediately excused herself, leaving them alone at the table.
The silence as she studied him was nearly deafening. Magnus braced himself. He had a feeling he was about to get a talking to.
“My granddaughter seems to really like you, and I understand why. You're a good-looking man. That charming accent doesn't hurt either,” Beverly said bluntly.
Frowning, he noted, “Wow. That doesn't exactly feel like a compliment.”
“It wasn't. Why my granddaughter? Why not someone of your own kind?”
“I'll admit that it would certainly be easier if she were Transfigured or if I weren't. That would have been my first choice, honestly. I didn't exactly have a choice though. The moment I met her, I was drawn to her in a way that I've never been to another person. She's brilliant, beautiful, funny, kind. She's everything I needed that I didn't know I was looking for. I'd be bloody stupid to let her go.”
“There are so many ways that this can fail. She'd have to make so many sacrifices. Living her life in the dark. And what if you had children?” she asked, seeming slightly mollified by his intentions at the very least.
“So this is the portion of the evening where you warn me off?”
Beverly watched him with shrewd eyes. “Would it work if I did warn you off?”
“Not for the reasons you'd think, ma'am,” Magnus said, a pit forming in his stomach. “I know her parents aren't exactly... the most supportive. I've gathered that she considers you more of a mother figure than her own. I don't want to be the cause a rift between you. I've not spoken to anyone in my family for nearly forty years. They essentially checked out on me the moment it was determined I wasn't normal. That's a hell of a lot for anyone to handle. It happened when I was young, so I adapted but, I don't know if she could stand to be a disappointment to you. I'd sooner walk away than let that happen. You mean too much to her.”
“Our relationship isn't without its potential issues but I suspect the sacrifices would be worth it in the end. They wouldn't only be hers. I hope you'll believe me when I tell you that. Beverly, I care for her a great deal.”
Her eyes softening, she asked, “It's hard not to love her, isn't it?”
“Impossible,” he agreed, ignoring the pang in his chest. “I'll be good to her. I promise you.”
“There isn't anyone who deserves it more,” Beverly said, her eyes suspiciously damp. Picking up her menu, she asked, “What would you recommend?”
And just like that, the subject was closed and the tension between them dissipated. Relieved to be back on solid ground again, talking about something he understood, Magnus spoke. “The tacos al pastor are amazing. They marinate the pork with chiles and orange juice. It's a little bit spicy but worth it. If you'd like something less spicy, I'd try the carnitas. Felipe does wonderful things.”
“Felipe? Is he the chef?”
“Owner, too. He used to be one of my line chefs many, ma
ny moons ago.” Magnus answered. “We were working at Le Plat Exquis at the time. His heart wasn't in the whole upscale French cuisine thing, so I was thrilled to see him open this place.”
“Who?” Caroline asked, sliding into the booth next to him.
“Felipe,” he responded. “The owner of this place. Used to be one of my line chefs once upon a time.”
“Small world,” she said, opening her menu. “So what's good?”
****
Other than laying his soul bare at the dinner table while Caroline was in the loo, the evening went pretty smoothly. After their little talk Beverly warmed up significantly toward him. It turned out that they had similar taste in movies and music. Which wasn't exactly a shock considering that he was actually closer in age to her than Caroline.
He worried that Caroline would grow bored with him. He didn't like to go to clubs. Drinking did nothing for him. Literally. His body metabolized the alcohol too quickly for it to matter. In his downtime he enjoyed relaxing at home. Spacing out to a movie or getting lost in a book was his idea of a good time.
Caroline was a self-admitted homebody too, which he appreciated. She seemed more than content to curl up on the couch with him but he wondered if that was enough. He'd never be able to spend the day at the beach with her, or … do anything that involved being in the sun. Would she be content in the long run only being together at night?
In spite of his certainty earlier, Beverly made some excellent points. It wouldn't be entirely fair on her, or on their children if it ever got to that point. He couldn't expect for everyone to cater to his needs constantly, could he?
On a deep sigh, he closed the book he'd been trying to read and rubbed a hand across his eyes. He knew there was the gene therapy thing. He'd heard of a few people going that route. He couldn't ask her to do that, though. It would irrevocably change her life. It didn't seem fair.
He allowed himself to lie there for a few more minutes more. As he rolled out of bed and headed toward the shower, his cell phone rang. It was after two in the morning on a Sunday.
Picking it up, he saw Caroline's picture flash across his screen. He couldn't help but smile, in spite of the dark turn his thoughts had taken. He answered, “Hello?”
“Magnus, hey. I was just calling because... I wanted to apologize for my grandmother.”
“Why? She was perfectly polite,” Magnus answered cautiously.
“Except for that whole scene at the table. She told me about it after you dropped us off. She felt guilty.”
“It was fully expected, Caroline. I didn't think that she'd be entirely comfortable with the idea of us together,” he admitted.
“For what it's worth, whatever you said to her changed her mind. I got an official seal of approval before she went to bed.”
The weight in his chest lessened. “Good. I'm glad to hear it. I didn't want to create an issue between you. I know how close you are.”
“You're a really sweet man, Magnus,” Caroline said. “I don't think it would have come to that, though.”
Magnus sighed. “I didn't know for certain either. I haven't talked to anyone in my family in over thirty years. It's a hard thing to deal with and I didn't want that for you.”
Her voice was very soft when she said, “I'm sorry about your family. I wish...”
“Thank you,” he said. “It's not something that I think about constantly, but it's difficult not to carry it with me. I think it's part of the reason that I focused so much on work for so long. You can't really be abandoned if you never let anyone close to you.”
He had no idea why he was even sharing this with her. It wasn't something he particularly wanted to talk about. Perhaps he just wanted her to understand where he'd been coming from. It was a little bit freeing, though.
“That's a lonely existence.”
A smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, he said, “It hasn't been lately. There's this woman I've been seeing.”
“Hmm. Do I know her?” Caroline asked him coyly.
“Let's not bother with pretense. You've got to know that I'm completely in love with you, Caroline.”
He heard her intake of breath, and it was followed by dead silence. Eventually he said, “I didn't mean to blurt it out quite like that, but—”
“I love you too. I do. I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you but I kept chickening out. I didn't want to scare you off,” she babbled nervously.
“You don't know how frightened I was that you were going to just make some excuse to get off the phone. Or even worse, thank me.” Relief flowed through him. She loved him too.
She winced. “Ouch. That's brutal. And you don't give yourself enough credit.”
Now that the anxiety of the moment was past, he wanted nothing more than to sink himself into her and fuck her senseless, but there didn't seem to be a way to make that happen. He swiped a hand over his face and said, “Christ. I really wish you were here right now.”
Caroline made a displeased noise and said, “Me too. I feel a bit cheated, actually. I was hoping that if we ever got around to this, it would immediately be followed by post-I-love-you orgasms.”
“I'm sorry. The timing is off, I'll admit. I couldn't help it though. I don't think I can handle coming over to have sex with you while your grandmother sleeps down the hallway, though,” he admitted, mortified at even the thought. Especially since her approval had been so hard won.
“God no! I'd be way too worried about being caught. It's one thing for her to joke about sampling the merchandise and quite another for her to catch me doing it. I'd never hear the end of it!”
“I believe I might have a compromise to hold us over until tomorrow evening, though,” he murmured, his grin stretching wide.
He could hear the matching grin in her voice when she carefully said, “Tell me more.”
“Take your sexy self into your bedroom, love. It's certainly not my preferred method, but we'll do this via phone.”
“I've never done this before,” she said, her voice laced with interest. After a short pause, she said, “I'm in my room now. The door is locked for good measure.”
“Neither have I. Desperate times and all that, though,” he said, an edge of need in his voice. “And what do you have on right now? I want to get a picture in my mind.”
“Panties, a pair of shorts and a tank top,” she answered.
“Slide the shorts down,” he ordered. “And lie down on the bed for me.”
“Panties, too,” she asked.
“Not yet. One step at a time,” he chided.
“Sounds like someone's feeling bossy tonight,” she accused. “Tell me what you're wearing. Are you in your room?”
Magnus grinned. “I am. Just my boxer briefs, love. And I've been lying in bed since you rang. I was reading and feeling a bit lonely.”
“If I didn't have company I'd be there. Probably riding your cock this very moment.”
He let out a groan, reaching down to palm his erection through his boxer briefs. “I don't know about that. Remember. I'm feeling bossy. I suspect that you'd be bound at the wrists and tied to my headboard. I'd be sucking on those pretty pink nipples of yours. Circling them with the tip of my tongue, biting them until you cried my name.”
He heard her soft moan and said, “Slide up your tank top and play with your nipples, love. Make them nice and hard for me.”
“Magnus,” she whimpered.
“Are you doing what I've told you?” he asked, barely recognizing his own voice.
Caroline's voice was a breathy sigh when she spoke. “Yes. It feels so good, but I wish it was your hands on me.”
“Christ, me too, love. Not just my hands, though. My mouth, too. If I was there, I'd have my mouth latched on to one of your nipples. I love the feel of you underneath me, writhing when the pleasure is getting too intense.”
“I'm getting so wet,” she told him softly. “I didn't think I'd be so turned on by this. What are you doing right now? Tell me.”
“Oh god, Magnus,” she said softly. “Can I touch my pussy now?”
He let out a soft groan. She seemed to understand that he wanted total control and that made him unbelievably horny. “Not yet, baby. Wet your fingers and keep playing with those nipples. I want you dripping. I need you to be as desperate as I am right now.”
When she let out a whimper, he said, “Shh. You don't want to get caught now. That's part of what makes it so exciting for you, though, isn't it? Knowing you could be caught at any moment? Answer me.”
“Fuck yes,” she admitted, her breathing heavier now.
“I thought so. You're a dirty girl. You're my dirty girl, aren't you?”
“Magnus,” she panted. “I am.”
He felt a small surge of victory, but still he demanded, “Say it then. Tell me.”
“I'm your dirty girl. I'm all yours,” she assured him.
“You're god damned right you are,” he ground out.
Magnus could picture her hips rolling involuntarily now. She was so fucking responsive that it drove him wild. “Rub your fingers along your slit for me, through the panties. Tease your pussy like you know I would if I was there now.”
Another soft whimper left her. It sounded like she was biting down on her lip to keep quiet. Her voice strained when she spoke again. She asked, “Are you stroking your cock now? Knowing I'm so fucking desperate for you? I'm so wet, Magnus. You're making me so fucking wet. Don't stop talking.”
“Did you do what I told you to do? Are you rubbing your fingers against that beautiful cunt through your panties? Are they soaked?”
“Yes. Please let me rub my clit. It aches. I ache for you.”
“Slide your panties to the side and fuck yourself with one finger. Don't touch your clit until I give you permission, baby.”
Bite Me (The Transfigured Ones Book 2) Page 9