Rylan stood in the exercise room with a pair of black track pants and no shirt.
Correction.
There was a gray shirt, but it was draped over his shoulder.
Was he trying to cause people to lose control of their magic?
The magic spun inside my gut, and the hairs on my arms rose. To distract myself, I looked around and saw many people staring at him, murmuring to each other, faces turning pinker than before.
My hands ran down my sweaty face. “What are you thinking? You’re going to cause hearts to combust in here.” The crackling of magic was felt in the room like someone plugged us all in.
“Oh really?” He smirked, and I shot him a glare.
He was what… forty and looked likethat? He had to know the effect he had on people. I wasn’t the only one squirming in the room.
Thankfully, Remy broke the tension. “I’m heading to the headmaster’s office now. He wants to talk with both of us before class starts.”
Rylan’s smirk fell, and his whole expression shifted into what I’d call business serious. No more playful man to be seen.
“Right.” He lifted his shirt over his head, and it clung to every one of those muscular bumps on his abdomen. Maybe running my hands over his chest (and lower abs) wasn’t a bad idea.
He coughed, and my gaze shot up to his. By the looks of that growing smirk, he liked catching me staring at his bodyagain. I kind of wanted to curl up into a pitiful, humiliated bawl and play dead like Edith.
“I’m gonna shower and head to class,” I squeaked out. “I’ll see y’all there.” I waved to them both and nearly fled to my room.
“Fucking Rylan,” I cursed as I closed the bedroom door behind me. “Oh, sorry, guys.”
I remembered too late that I had another roommate. Well, two more if you counted. Both creatures were thankfully napping and didn’t pay my mutterings any mind.
I quietly grabbed black pants and a sweater, then tip-toed to the bathroom.
As I stood under the shower spray, visions of Rylan’s smile, his body with a dusting of chest hair, and glistening six-pack abs sent tingles down to my sex.
Instead of pushing the images away like I should have, I lowered my hands to my clit, to ease the pressure.
Too bad I didn’t know how to magically make my fingers vibrate.
“I hate that he makes me feel this way.”
With my free hand, I grabbed my breast and kneaded it. I hated he got me so hot so easily. I didn’twantto think about him, but damn if I didn’t have the best orgasm of my life doingexactly that.
Chapter Sixteen
Maybe all I needed were orgasms and magical control to finally feel peace inside
Ibarely looked at Rylan during conjuring class, and I think he knew why. We didn’t talk but his grin was full-on mischievous. How did he know? He couldn’t. I doubted my magic betrayed me by having a flashing “I TOUCHED MYSELF TO RYLAN MCKENZIE AN HOUR AGO” sign above my head.
Putting on a show of innocence, I ignored his knowing looks and listened to Professor Jules teach us how to make a cup appear on the table. It was the first time I’d gotten to use my wand, and the sapphire glowed whenever I tried to conduct magic with it.
Rylan got it right away, but it took me five tries.
Once my classmates had all conjured a basic cup, we worked on transforming the cup into different types: a goblet, a coffee mug, a wine glass.
By the time class ended, my magic felt subdued. There weren’t any tingling or rushes of warmth beneath my skin. I had given it an outlet, a controlled use like turning on a water hose with a nozzle instead of it spraying wildly.
Rylan walked me to class, but my thoughts had shifted from him to pride in myself. For the first time since we arrived, I was finally gaining control of my powers. Like I used it intentionally.
“See you later,” he said, and I waved goodbye.
