It wouldn’t happen to me.
But it was.
Because of her.
I dragged a hand down my face, muttering under my breath, “This is ridiculous.”
The more I thought of Rune and the way her body had been pressed against mine, the more unbearable the pressure in my body became.
My stomach tightened, and my breath went ragged.
I looked down in utter fucking alarm.
Oh.
Ohno.
I had…anerectionbecause of another. For the first time in my long,long,life.
My panic was instantaneous.
I shoved back from the workbench, nearly spilling three different toxins. My fail-safe runes alerted and handled the mess as I fumbled for my damned tablet and called Rowan.
Rowan’s voice crackled through as he answered. “Drecken? Using the tablet, howsensible.”
“I’ve never—” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat. “Rowan. I’ve never had a boner due to attraction before.”
Rowan coughed, a little too close to laughter. “…I’m…sorry,what?”
“I know how attraction works,” I snapped, pacing in a tight circle. “I’ve read every book. I know the biological processes. I’ve seen porn. Did nothing for me at all. I’ve had boners, but they would just go away with time. They were never a problem.I don’t know, but I just…never had one of significance. Untilnow.”
“Do I want to know what triggered it?”
Rune’s body flushed against mine when she wore one of those tight academy-issued suits.
My throat bobbed. “…No.”
He was still struggling not to laugh, that bastard, when he changed the subject. “The twins agreed to attend Blezen Academy in four years, after basic schooling. Very polite, actually. Oh, and Ted’s granddaughter has apparently come out of hiding.”
I latched onto the change of topic like a magic-deprived warlock. “Excellent. Though—wait. Ted had a granddaughter? Since when?”
“Apparently, his child hid her from him. It’scomplicated.” Rowan’s sigh was audible. “Kalista grows more complex every day.”
I grunted, shaking my head, but he kept me talking until the edge of panic dulled.
“Before I hang up, are you good?” Rowan asked, tension in his voice. “Do you…know how to handle the situation you’ve landed yourself in?”
“I’m fine,” I told him, not entirely sure if I was telling the truth or not. “I know.”
When I finally hung up, the tension was still in my body, simmering, but it wasn’t unbearable.
My relief lasted until my communicator crystal flared.
Lake Bloodwyne’s voice carried through my lab,urgent.“Drecken?”
My erection was long gone. It shut down the second I heard her father’s voice.
Interesting yet helpful.
