People were floored and I got a few looks, but it was Rita who made it clear that people were asking me left and right and some rather pushy that they had tokeepasking me. That it had gone over the line and it was overdue to handle, but I was young and hadn’t wanted to start trouble.
Except I wasn’t the problem. The adults asking favors of teenage employees—asking a teenage employee to break the rules and risk herjobwere the problem.
Yeah, they settled after that.
So life was pretty close to perfect.
Now if I just did well on my midterms I could keep going with liking my life.
15
The stress of what happened with Conrad and everything after—trying to get my life back after all of the chaos after leaving the Shaw estate made my period come early. Actually, it could be a damn list of reasons, but even I knew it was common that stress messed with a woman’s cycle. That was fine. I didn’t care about a few days.
What Ididcare about was that the timing actually worked out for me for once. It was over when I was ready to move forward and really be touched—liketouched. I wanted more than the sweet kisses and the three men I was involved with letting me cuddle with them.
I honestly needed more. I’d used a lot of magic and even a long soak hadn’t been enough to settle me. It probably was more working with trying to harvest using other people’s familiars with Wyatt.
And him. Him being so gentle with me and supportive. I’d lost focus several times and just wanted things I shouldn’t.
But harvesting and putting magic into vessels, using magic for work and sessions—it was a lot. Great magical exercise even. Mrs. Reid and Wyatt were impressed.
The soak just hadn’t been enough. So yeah, I didn’t want to do homework or worry about midterms for the study date I had with Sergey.
Not unless it was biology.
I was waiting for him when it was time, against the far wall of my room so no matter how far he opened the door, no one else in the hall could see me. I was in the corner now, so it was more like ducking in because of where the door was placed.
“Come in, it’s unlocked,” I said when he knocked. I kept brushing my hair and acting like nothing was off.
He did with a smile and glanced around for me, doing a double take and tripping over his feet when his eyes landed on me. His bag slipped off his shoulder when he recovered but then froze simply staring at me.
Staring over my naked body as I brushed out my long blonde hair.
“Foxy?”
“Yeah?” I smiled at him. “Should you maybe close the door?”
He flinched and hurried to do it, locking it behind him and apologizing.
I gave a half shrug, finding his reaction endearing. “Mind if we don’t jump right into studying?”
“Fuck school,” he growled, tossing his bag by the desk and making his way over to me.
“Wait,” I instructed, thrilled when he immediately froze. I licked my lips and met his gaze. “Someone suggested if I was going to be with—if I was going to really try being with more than one man when I always feel…”
I didn’t feel as confident in the speech I’d thought of in the tub as I had minutes ago. But Sergey was amazing as always, understanding filled his eyes.
“You were doing your own homework into what you want to try and what you might like? Is that what you’re telling me, foxy?” He smiled when I nodded. “Tell me. Please. I want to know. Ilovedlooking up how to please you better and ways we could explore. You know I did.”
“Which was why I knew I could come to you with this,” I told him honestly. I finished my hair and set down the brush before walking over to him and giving him a soft kiss. “It’s kind of embarrassing, but she lookedsointo it. I mean, I know it was porn, but I got wet at the idea of doing this with you after you did that research for me. Like it seemed—”
“Tell me,” he begged but also growled which made me shiver.
“I might not like it,” I warned him, glad when he nodded. “Sit on the edge of the bed and leave room for me between your legs.”
He went to do it but then hesitated. “Are you sure you’re ready? I don’t want to push you. We can—”
“I feel ready. I want to try, but I might need—”
