Page 34 of The Librarian’s Familiar

So far, he hadn’t appeared to notice his shoelaces unraveling or his buttons falling off. That had been his magic spiraling out of control. There was no rhyme or reason to that either. Sometimes it just happened, and things got broken.

In the bathroom, he wiped his stomach, listening for the rustle of clothes and the closing of doors that would indicate August had changed his mind and was slipping away without saying anything while he had the chance. That was another reason to hide in the bathroom for a few moments. If August wanted to sneak out, Charlie wasn’t going to stop him.

Sure, it would be awkward when they saw each other around town, but unlike Sinclair, he expected August to leave town. And neither he nor Sinclair had expected it to be anything serious; they’d both needed to get laid.

This had felt different from the start. He enjoyed August’s company, and he didn’t want him to leave or for this to be awkward. He wanted to be able to do this again. But if they did, at some point, August would realize what was going on with his magic, and then there’d be questions he didn’t want to answer.

He tossed the washcloth over the edge of the laundry hamper and stared at himself in the mirror. A narrow slice of light from the bedroom cut across the bathroom, leaving him mostly in the shadows. Some might argue that’s where he belonged.

Out of sight, hidden away where he couldn’t be dangerous. Or where he’d be less dangerous. He was sure some would prefer that he be stripped of his magic and locked away, not too far from where he was standing.

He pressed his lips together.

He was a long way from the problem he’d been. The one his parents had sent to the Coven for training because they were so worried about him. So what, his magic was unusual. He wasn’t the only one, or even the first to have it. Although potentially historical mentions of his magic were different incarnations of him.

He pressed his lips together, his eyes dark.

August was just another fated mate. No big deal…except it was because he’d never slept with a fated mate a second time, and he really wanted to sleep with August again. He wanted to fuck him and hear him moaning. Lick the cum off his well fucked hole.

“Fuck,” Charlie said under his breath.

“You okay in there?”

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Damn sensitive shifter hearing. “Yeah…trying to find the lube in the dark.”

August laughed. “Turn the light on.”

Now he’d have to, then return like round two was definitely going to happen. He flicked on the light and quietly opened the cupboard under the sink and located the lube in under two seconds. He knew exactly where it was. He didn’t need the light. His entire house was so well ordered, he could tell which tins in the pantry were which without reading the label. “Got it.”

He turned off the light and returned to the bedroom. August was sitting with one leg on the bed, and one off as if caught between staying and leaving…except for the fact he was still naked. “Sorry, did you need the bathroom?”

“Yeah. I’m fine without light.” He winked and got up.

Charlie placed the lube on the bedside table and got in on his side, which was the side where August had been sitting, which made the bed nicely pre-warmed. When he glanced up, August was leaning against the bathroom door frame. He was completely at ease as if he didn’t care that he was naked, leaving nothing to the imagination.

Charlie’s gaze skimmed over August’s body. From his thick, hairy thighs to his dick, which was clearly an uncut grower—every shifter he’d slept with had been uncut—up his happy trail and over his abs, to where the hair spread over his chest, before finally landing on his face. “Problem?”

“No, I was watching you. You sleep on the same side as me…though I do tend to move to the middle.”

“That’s going to be a problem. Because this is my side.” And he wasn’t switching for anyone.

“I figured that when you got under the blanket.” He smiled. “I don’t usually sleep over, but I guess I can make it work.”

“You’ll be the first person to stay over.” Here, anyway. He didn’t want August to think that Sinclair had stayed over. They hadn’t even made it past the living room.

August nodded as if considering the fact. “I should’ve asked before, but do you ever worry about the fated mates bond? Clearly, you’ve slept with shifters before…before coming here?”

Fuck, that was a loaded question that he really didn’t want to get into. A dozen lies formed and died on his tongue as his fingers curled into the blanket—which was better than unraveling the threads and making a fist-sized hole.

Instead of answering, he tossed out another question; it was easier than telling the truth. “Why? Are you worried about getting caught with a kiss?”

Did he feel something? Is that why he was asking?

August gave a half laugh that made his stomach muscles ripple. He didn’t have the six pack of a model, but it was clear he was fucking fit. “No…but since you work for the Coven, you know more about that stuff.”

“Yeah.” And he’d never slept with a fated mate twice. What if the bond stuck, and they were mates forever? “I do, but it’s one of those things where the magic of the witch and the shifter determine a lot about the bond. Anything to do with magic is complicated.”

“Does that include witches?”