Bones grunted, his fingers tightening on my leg. His eyes flickered up, meeting mine for a few seconds as he studied my expression. I saw him relax at whatever he saw there. Some of the defensiveness I’d felt on his magic began to dissipate, too.
Thank you,I thought at him quietly.
I laid a hand on his chest, and his eyes shifted away altogether.
I dusted off the last of the second pink fizzle, and set the empty glass down on the next tray that rotated by. I saw Scarwatching me again, his eyes shrewd where Bones lightly stroked my skin with his fingers. His narrow, ratlike face remained aimed towards us, his dark eyes focused on Bones’s fingers.
I reached out carefully, lightly, the barest touch to his mind with my magic.
I immediately wished I hadn’t.
He’d been remembering a different night with Bones, with a different blonde kneeling between his legs, sucking him off right in front of Voltaire, Scar, Pants, and a few others. I glimpsed Bones’s face, taut with concentration, probably to control his magic. I heard laughter from the mages watching, especially Pants and Voltaire, and then, realizing what I was doing, I jerked out of Scar’s mind, keeping my expression still with an effort.
I looked away from the leanly muscular royal and his black goatee.
I didn’t try to read any more off him, but I could practically feel the puzzlement emanating from his sluggish magic. His mouth pursed as he stared at my hand resting lightly on Bones’s chest. He was wondering who I was.
He was wondering why Bones had brought me.
He’d never seen Bones with a witch who was so standoffish with him.
He was used to getting more of a show from Bones and his “dates.”
I bit my tongue, remembering what Bones had said, about why he brought witches to these things, the impression he wanted to leave with the other royals, and, in particular, the impression he wanted to reach his father.
Without saying a word, in his mind or outside of it, I slid the hand I’d left on his chest down the front of Bones’s body.
I didn’t let myself think about how he might react.
30
A Definite Reaction
Ifelt him jerk under me, startled. Then his body seemed to turn liquid all at once. His back arched as he moved instinctively to meet my fingers.
I slid my palm deliberately over his cock and he choked on the last sip of his drink.
Voltaire burst out in a laugh. “I see she’s remembered where your equipment is.”
I started to pull away, a little alarmed at the intensity of Bones’s reaction, but his hand wrapped around mine before I could, and held me there.
It’s all right,he thought tautly.You might’ve warned me, but it’s fine.
I felt my face warm even before Scar let out a deeper, colder chuckle. “She’s blushing. How absolutely adorable. I think this one might actually be worth more than a one-nighter, Bones. Are you going to let us watch you break her in?”
“No,” Bones growled, setting his empty glass down on the grass.
He looked up at me, and when I met his gaze, I nearly flinched. His eyes turned positively predatory as I watched.
“Go on, love,” he said, quiet.
I explored him cautiously through the black, tailored trousers he wore, and he sucked in a small breath. He was already hard, which maybe shouldn’t have surprised me, given all the half-naked witches around us, but gods, he was big. I’d sort of known that, based on some of his reactions while we were sharing magic, especially when he really leaned into me, but it was different when I actually held it in my hand. When I started exploring him for real, tracing the hard line of his cock through the material, he went totally still.
You said anything, right?I asked, a touch mockingly.Too far, Bones?
He didn’t answer.
I lowered my face by his, and kissed his neck. I felt him tense again, but I only hesitated for a breath. Using my tongue in light circles, I worked my way gradually up to his jaw, lingering on the muscles of his neck. I tasted his pulse, and his fingers tightened where he still held my hand on him. His other hand rose, and his fingers wrapped into my hair.
