“Mhm!”I squeak, loosening my collar.
Taz seems perfectly calm as our trio walks out of the meeting room.“So, no missions right now, huh?”he asks.
“No news is good news when you’re tracking magical terrorist attacks,” Necia remarks.“We have some time for ourselves.”
Taz looks at me expectantly, but my mouth is suddenly sandpaper.Even if Necia wasn’t here, what would I even say to Taz?“Great fucking, let’s do it again?”I’m not smooth as a gay guy.
After a long pause, Taz puts his hands in his coat pockets and says, “I should probably head back to Cosmo.I have a ton of laundry to do at my place.”
His blue eyes study mine, but I simply nod.“That’s totally fair.I’ll um, text you if we need um, hex-breaking help or something…” My voice is nearly a mumble as I scratch my ear and look away.
“You do that,” Taz says.“Necia, always a pleasure.”
“Bye, Taz,” my best friend replies, and Taz saunters down the stairs.In moments, we’re alone, and Necia tugs on my arm.“So?”she says with barely contained giddiness.
“So, what?”
“Don’t play dumb, Luther.What did you guys do?”
“We secured the gauntlet.”She lightly slaps my skull.“Ow!”
“Quit beating around the bush.What else?You stayed overnight in Paris, right?”
There’s no fighting my best friend’s hunger for gossip.Rubbing my forehead, I reply, “I’m gonna need more coffee for this conversation.”
“Fine.Let’s go down to the cafeteria and get some tea.You know why?”
“Because you need me to spill the tea,” I mutter.
“Because you need to spill the tea,” she sings with delight.
Ten minutes later, we’re in a secluded corner of the massive cafeteria.The Portuguese egg tarts here are fantastic, but my breakfast isn’t appetizing with the boy troubles blurring my mind.
“Okay.Spill.You.Plus Taz.Equals…?”
“We…we had a good night together.”
Necia wipes her mouth.“So, you finally had sex with Taz Devries.That’s great.About time.”
“Would you keep your voice down?”I hiss.“How did you know?”
“I didn’t.You just confirmed it.”She gives me a cocky shrug, and I roll my eyes.
“Fine.But it was a one-time deal.”
“Really?Were you that bad?”
“No!I just…” I huff in frustration and tap my coffee cup.“I just…don’t think he likes me.”
When I look up, her incredulous stare makes me want to melt.“I’m sorry, were we in the same meeting just now?Upstairs in the hallway, Taz was all butbeggingfor you to ask him out.”
“Really?”
“Ugh, you boys are so oblivious.”She leans forward.“Did he say you were bad in bed, or that it was a one-and-done?”
“Gay guys don’t ever say that.We just ghost each other, like adults.”
She scoffs.“Well, Taz was looking at you like a hungry man looks at cake.He obviously hasn’t ghosted you and is waiting for you to make a move.”
