With his free hand lifted to my chin, he nudged my head upwards to where our lips could meet. The kiss was sweet, short, but telling. Something about this moment felt dreamy. Maybe it was the castle, the decorations, and the magic surrounding us.
“I’m not going anywhere, Temperance. I’m here to stay by your side for the rest of the school year.” He kissed me again then turned me in his arms. “Then we go on our next adventure together.”
“You mean…”
“Living to—”
“Swinging?” I joked at the same time he spoke. I’m pretty sure he was trying to say live together, and I didn’t have any issues with that. Piper was at college. I was on track to have myself figured out for now. Moving back to my hometown didn’t have the same level of comfort it did upon arrive at the McKenzie Institute.
Rylan laughed and placed his hands against my hips while I swayed them back and forth.
“I love you, Star,” he said, as those stormy eyes I’ve always been drawn to watched me. Then something blurry floated between us.
I looked up curiously and gasped.
“Snow?” Tiny snowflakes sprinkled down from the ceiling and the whole room lit up with a collection of gasps, giggles, and other various noises of delight.
The flakes weren’t cold as they landed on my nose, and my magic tickled where each flake touched me. Like my magic and the magic in the snowflake were talking to each other.
“You’re amazing. I can’t wait to live the rest of my life with you.” He kissed my nose right after another snowflake landed on it. He was such a fool. Better yet, a charming fool.
“I love you!” I launched myself at him and pressed him lips to his harshly. I so fucking loved this man. He was everything I wanted even before I knew what my desires were.
“Keep the fridge stocked with carrot cake and I’m yours forever.” I didn’t care if we were being cheesy like teenagers in love. We might as well have been by the way we made out on the dancefloor.
The music shifted and we finally parted. Our friends made their way over to us with their own dance partners. Imogene’s man had his hands on her ass while she leaned our way.
“Make sure your mansion has a suite for me to visit, darling.” she said, then returned the grabbing of asses to which her partner hooted.
“A wing for me too. I need space and a spot to park my car,” Remy chimed in before her partner dipped her. When she came up, her eyes sparkled at the man before they started grinding to the beat as one.
I’d probably need to swing by my room and grab Edith before she gets traumatized by Remy’s sexy times again. At least in her doll house she has a door to close and a sound machine to drown out Rylan and my love making.
“Did you get the gift Russel brought you?” Rylan asked and I refocused from my dancing roommate to his curious face.
“He brought me a bottle cap this time.”
He shook his head. “He must have brought you the one I instructed after you left.” He rubbed my left hand, and my heart picked up a few beats.
“He’s been bringing me a lot of extra gifts lately.” I coughed, trying to bring my thoughts down. He didn’t give the crow an engagement ring to give me, did he?
He wouldn’t.
He would.
He so would.
I just said forever, right?
“You saved his person, crows never forget. He’s showing his appreciation,” he answered, and I nodded. I did know that. Remy told me a bunch of facts about crows after Russel dropped off the first trinket.
“Is it an engagement ring?” I was impatient and needed to know. Oh goodness, was there a big ass engagement ring sitting on my window ledge?
“You know I’m not going to tell you the future. Where’s the fun if I can’t surprise you?”
“You know, I’m getting better in divination class. Maybe I’ll just look ahead and see for myself,” I teased, even though divination wasn’t my best subject.
“Go for it.” He called my bluff.
