“So you lived here your entire life?”
Rowan shook his head. His chopping speed increased a bit. The good vibes between us completely disappeared. I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Instead, he frowned at his tray of perfectly-chopped tomatoes.
“Not square enough,” he said, sliding a tray of tomatoes into the trash.
My heart lurched. I’d upset him. Of course, if he was an orphan, talking about his parents would upset him. That’s what normal people do when they lose their parents. Not cold, unfeeling bitches like me who could barely muster a tear until a guy kissed her.
“I’m sorry, Rowan. I didn’t mean to bring it up.”
He shook his head again, and started lining up more tomatoes on his board. I stared down at my own, unsure of what to do next.
“Mmmm, something smells delicious,” a deep Irish brogue rumbled against my ear, breaking the tense silence. Flynn stuck his head over my shoulder, his cheek pressed against mine as he peered down at the pot. My face tingled where his skin touched mine. How could a guy that fit and toned feel so smooth and soft?—
Get a grip, Maeve.
It must be the grief causing me to lose my mind. Only a minute ago I was thinking about how hot Rowan was, and now I’d jumped to Flynn. I had sex on the brain 24/7. I ducked under Flynn and swatted him with the spatula. “Out of the kitchen unless you’ve washed your hands.”
“Or I’m in for the caning of my life, eh?” Flynn grinned, darting out of reach of another swing. “Sign me up, Miss Maeve. I bet you’re handy with a cane.”
“Take your dirt out of here,” Rowan said softly. “Maeve, thanks for your help, but I can finish up. You should start on your research.”
I started to protest, not wanting to leave things with Rowan strained, but Flynn grabbed my hand and dragged me into the small informal living room opposite the kitchen. The guys had turned it into a rec room with a huge pool table, a TV only slightly smaller than the enormous one in the great hall, and a set of vintage arcade games.
“You’ve been here one day and Rowan’s allowing you to help him in the kitchen? We’ve been friends for ten years and he won’t let me even fry a bloody egg. He thinks I don’t get them circular enough. Love, you are all kinds of magical.”
I held up my clean hands. “Clean hands, that’s the trick.”
“Ah, then I’ll be out of luck.” Flynn held up his palm, which was smudged with black coal dust from his forge. “I hope you keep talking to him. It’s good for Rowan to talk to girls.”
“I think I might have upset him. I was asking about his parents and Briarwood?—”
“Never mind Rowan. He’s a little messed up about some stuff.“ Flynn’s eyes brightened. “Did you get my gift?”
“I did. I loved it like you wouldn’t believe. You’re really talented.”
“I know. And devilishly handsome, too, don’t you think?” Flynn struck a pose, and I laughed. “I told Corbin you win a lady’s heart with art, not with stuffy books about science, but he wouldn’t listen.”
My pulse raced. Ishe trying to win my heart?
“Ilikestuffy books about science, but I like art, too.”
“And you like sword-wielding warriors?” Flynn lifted a cheeky eyebrow. My cheeks flushed.
He knew about me kissing Arthur.
Or course he did, they probably all knew. Guys always talked about that stuff.
“Um… yeah. I am multifaceted in my interests. People can like all sorts of different things.” I thought about the four different guys in the house, and how I already liked each of them for different reasons. The flipping in my stomach and the way my skin tingled suggested it wasmorethan like. “Sometimes you don’t have to choose.”
“If only everything were that simple.” Flynn gestured to the pool table. “Do you want a game? I’m bloody hopeless. Corbin tells me it's all about math and angles or some shite, so you’ll probably be brilliant.”
I shook my head. “As much as I’d love to hit your balls around a table—” Flynn snorted and my skin glowed, knowingI’d made the trickster laugh “—I actually want to do some studying.”
“It’ssummer.Birds are singing. The river bank is warm. Pints are being pulled at the pub. Why in the name of the Blessed Virgin would you stay inside studying when you’re not even at uni?”
I know he didn’t mean it, but his words stung. I remembered the cold letter from MIT informing me that my scholarship had been rescinded. Right now I should have been meeting my roommates in my dorm and finding my way to my first classes instead of bumming around inside an English castle.
The option of selling Briarwood was still open to me, but after only one night I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to part with it. Plus, there was this whole fae thing to consider. Either way, I didn’t want to mention the possibility of a sale to the guys just yet. “I actually wanted to see Corbin, but he’s not around. Maybe you can help me? I’m looking for some more information on these fairies. In particular, about the gateway between their realm and ours.”
