Fuck.
“You’re welcome to walk away, Saros, but I’m not.” I refused to smother out a flame that’d barely kindled. “If I have to steal time in the dead of night to have a chance with her, I will.”
“I’m not walking away.”
“Then it’s settled.”Thank Goddess.“Now, do you want to open the package or not? I know the suspense is killing you.”
“Yes. Open it.”
I moved to the desk, grabbing my keys and swiping them down the tape, before I pulled the sides of the box apart. Peeling back the layers of black shimmering tissue paper inside, I found two long chains with chunky rose quartzes hanging from them. Picking up the note and reading it to myself, my heart rate kicked up with each word. “Damn, Wicked.”
“What is it?” Saros asked, sitting upright on the bed. He lifted his chin, probably in hopes of sneaking a peek.
I reached into my back pocket to retrieve my phone, but it wasn’t there. “What time is it?”
“9:02 p.m.”
Finally, I spotted my phone on the nightstand but decided to grab my laptop instead. I propped it up in front of the TV screen and dialed Oakley, pressing the small video icon. Praying under my breath that she’d answer, I listened to it ring over and over.
Saros sat there, bewildered.
“Hey, Wicked,” I breathed out, my voice an octave higher than usual.
“Hey there.” Her auburn hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and she was in her fuzzy black robe, the neckline slightly askew, giving a peek of cleavage at the bottom of the screen.
The bed rustled, Saros scooting to the edge before planting his heels firmly on the floor next to me to get a better look at our beautiful witch.
“How are you?” This was exactly what I needed after today.
She grinned back at us, dissolving any tension I still carried with me after leaving Aleander’s office. “Good, just been sketching out ideas for a new line now that Aspen’s down.”
“How is the wildling?” I asked. The thought of that little pumpkin had me smiling wider than a jack-o’-lantern.
“Great.” She sighed, gaze drifting in the direction of the nursery. “Just started crawling, so he’s keeping me on my toes.”
“I bet,” I chuckled.
“How’s everything going out there?” She yawned, obviously exhausted but still just as stunning. My heart ached, wishing we were there with her. With them both.
“It’s…going,” I replied, then scooted a bit to the side so she could see Saros better. He gave her a single awkward wave, which she returned.These two.“Looking forward to getting back there.”
“Can’t wait.” She smiled, then bit her bottom lip and damn if it didn’t make my zipper suddenly much too tight. It had been way too fucking long since our night in the pines.
“Well, we don’t want to bother you if you’re busy getting stuff done but…we finally got a chance to open your care package,” I said, nodding down to the box in front of me.
“You did?” Her chest flushed pink, along with her cheeks, a coy smirk arching the corners of her lips.
“It’s cute that you’re blushing about somethingyouset in motion, Wicked.”
“I can take a break.” Her eyes darted around, and she started moving quickly through the house until she made it into her bedroom and shut the door behind her. “Umm…Do you think you can get it to work?”
“I make no promises, but I’m eager to try.” I grabbed the quartzes and pushed some of my gift into the talismans, following the instructions Oakley had sent along with them. “So is Saros.”
“What—”
Before he said anything else, I threw one of the talismans to him before looping the other around my neck. The instant it was set in place, my dick went from six to midnight. “Damn, Wicked. What’d you put in this?”
“Just a little magic,” she replied, bowing her head and looking up through her lashes.
