In that moment, it certainly looked possible.
Flynn darted around, his arms flying everywhere as he spun Maeve in circles and pointed out his various projects. Flynn’s art brought in a decent amount of income – he could sell a large piece like the dragon and make enough to pay his bills for theyear, but he got distracted easily and often abandoned projects unfinished.
“What’s this?” Maeve asked, pointing to the stepped fountain in the corner of the room. Flynn had fused together three giant cauldrons we’d found in one of the outbuildings and a stone and iron frame to create a series of cascading pools.
“Prepare to be astounded.” Flynn reached around and flipped a switch. Maeve squealed with delight as water trickled into the first cauldron, which overflowed into the second, the pressure of the water causing a tiny iron windmill to spin lazily as the water cascaded down into the third cauldron.
“I like to have water flowing when I work,” Flynn said. “It drowns out the voices in my head.”
Arthur glanced at me and rolled his eyes. I resisted the urge to roll mine back. Typical Flynn, hogging the spotlight. Time to get Maeve out of here. We agreed – we all get a fair chance.
We entered the kitchen next – Rowan’s domain. Arthur and I hung by the door, giving him this small window to shine. Even Flynn stepped back a bit and kept his stupid comments to a minimum.
Rowan squared his shoulders. I could see him mentally counting the spice jars on the shelf as he took Maeve by the arm. None of us – not even Rowan – expected Maeve to pick him, with his strange tics and quietness and obsessions. But he deserved a chance, the same as the rest of us.
No one ever picked Rowan. Except me. Part of me wished Maeve would be different, but not at the expense of losing her for myself. This was too important.
Rowan showed Maeve around the space, pointing out the spice racks and explaining his comvoluted fridge-stacking system. Maeve listened attentively, and she didn’t laugh or poke fun of any of Rowan’s tendencies. The tension slipped from his shoulders.
She was affecting even him.
“What are you making here?” Maeve peered into the baskets of produce and empty preserving jars on the island.
Rowan’s face reddened and his shoulders hunched back up again. I winced. That didn’t last long. Maeve looked at Rowan’s face as his jaw locked. He stared at his feet and twirled the end of a dreadlock around his finger.
“Rowan, is something wrong?” Maeve’s voice tightened with concern. She reached out a hand to him, but he stepped back, leaving her arm hanging in the air. The awkward tension in the air ratcheted up a notch.
Time to save this situation.
I stepped forward and grabbed Maeve’s arm, doing my best to ignore the tingle of energy that shot through me when our skin touched. I’d have to get used to ignoring it. I dragged her across the room.
“This is really cool,” I said, opening a door at the back of the kitchen to reveal a narrow staircase. “This was installed when the castle was a grand stately home so the servants could rush meals up to the bedrooms without being seen in the main part of the house. It comes out near the staircase that goes up to your bedroom, so it’s a good shortcut down to the kitchen if you fancy a nightcap.”
“Duly noted.” Maeve sashayed across the room and peered up the narrow staircase. “Are the bedrooms upstairs? Can I see?”
At the wordbedroompassing through her red, pursed lips, my cock tightened in protest.Don’t think about it.But that was like telling Obelix – the pudgy castle cat – not to think about all the delicious birds sitting in the tree outside the window.
“Sure.” I gestured to the staircase. “After you.”
Maeve started up the narrow steps, her gorgeous arse hovering inches from my face. I made to follow her, butsomething heavy slammed into my side, knocking me against the wall. I cursed as my elbow scraped against the rough stone.
“Sorry mate,” Flynn flashed me his devil’s grin as he leapt past me and followed Maeve up the stairs. “I didn’t see you there.”
“I believe you,” I mumbled as I followed them up. “Millions wouldn’t.”
At the top of the stairs, Maeve pressed her hands against the wood panel. “How do you get this open?”
Flynn tried to reach around her to unlock the clasp at the top of the door, but this time, I beat him to it. As I reached around Maeve, she turned slightly to press her back against the wall and her breasts brushed against my shirt, setting off a fire beneath my skin.
Her lips formed an O of surprise, and I couldn’t help but mentally fill in that O with the shaft of my cock.
Why am I thinking like this? This isn’t me.
I blinked, trying to stop thinking about her like that, trying to remember that it was the magic making me into thisanimal.
The air between us thinned, and an invisible force drew my body forward so that my arm brushed hers. A few inches more, and my lips would be pressed against hers?—
No. You can’t do this. You can’t encourage her to choose you.
