Page 18 of Amber: Deja Brew

“Don’t you have to do a lot of writing for your job?” Julian asks.

“I don’t mean a book on writing copy. Violet gave me one on...” Chase’s cheeks flush, and then he mutters, “writing romance.”

“Why would she do that?” I ask, which only makes Chase even more flustered. I know there’s a story behind it, but he shrugs and quickly looks away.

“No idea,” he says gruffly and pretends to examine something on his laptop.

“So, you’re going to write romance?” Rose perks up. “There really aren’t enough guys writing it.”

“Actually, I was just going to return the book,” Chase says, but I don’t miss the blush that burns across his cheeks. Or the way he avoids looking at us.

“Too bad.” Rose turns to me. “Can I get a hot caramel coffee with cream and sugar?”

“Of course, Rose.” I mix her drink, and Julian rings her up.

After Rose leaves, Chase offers to fix up the Jewels Cafe social media accounts, and Julian pulls up a chair next to him. The two get to work, occasionally taking turns helping me at the counter when it gets busy. Watching them work together and get along warms my heart, and I find myself relaxing more and more.

The only thing—or in this case, person—missing is Wes. But just as I’m about to go check up on him, the upstairs apartment door opens and I hear footsteps coming downstairs.

“I have a surprise for you,” my bear shifter says as he rounds the counter. He takes my hand in his, and I can’t help but notice how large and warm it is. Tingles shoot up my arm at his touch, but Wes doesn’t seem affected as he starts to lead me upstairs.

“What kind of surprise?” I swallow hard. Because the only surprise I can think of involves the two of us. In my bed. Naked.

My pulse spikes. Then, I remember that Chase and Julian are right there, watching us. We pass right by them as we head toward the stairs—and I can’t help wondering what they’re thinking. Are they picturing Wes and me in bed, too? Are they upset? Jealous? Turned on?

My cheeks heat. I wait for one or both of them to say something, but they don’t. Neither guy tries to follow, either. And then, it’s just Wes and me upstairs in the apartment.

“What do you think?” Wes asks, and that’s when I stop thinking about how close he is—and how my other two guys might react to us getting physical—and finally look around.

“How? What? Where did it all go?” I gape around the living room.

The couch, coffee table, dining table, and four chairs are still there, but everything else is gone. The stacks of furniture piled high against the window. The chair Chase broke earlier today. The two extra couches that we were never going to use. Even the garbage bags that had been propped against the wall on both sides of the door. All of it. Gone.

“I heard what you told Chase, about this stuff being too heavy to carry all the way to the junkyard. So, I took care of it.”

“Took care of it how? Wait, did you move it all to the bedroom?”

“Nope.” Wes starts to smile.

“Then...” I wave my hand toward the spot where all the furniture used to be. “How, Wes?”

“Magic.”

“Magic...” I repeat slowly. That is the only logical explanation. Because aside from the missing, broken furniture, the living room’s sparkling. The floors are recently washed, the walls freshly painted, and the remaining furniture even has a shine to it. “...but Julian never left the cafe.” If he had, I would have noticed.

“That’s because this magic didn’t involve Julian.” Wes smiles more widely and then suddenly scoops me up and starts carrying me across the apartment.

"Wes!" I gasp and instinctively wrap my legs around his waist. Wes cups my ass and my skirt slides up as he takes a step. His hard body rubs against my core, and heat shoots through me. Then he takes another step and I can’t help it. I let out a moan.

Wes chuckles, and the sound vibrates against my core. Wetness pools between my legs and I rub against him, sending more pleasure shooting through me. This time, Wes groans. Then, he suddenly lowers me onto the kitchen bar and steps away from me.

“You can't keep picking me up and setting me down places. I'm not a doll,” I complain, though I’m more upset at the sudden loss of his touch.

"Never thought you were," Wes says softly, placing his hands gently on my thighs and slowly spreading them. "I just like being between your legs."

“Oh.” My inner muscles clench as my bear shifter takes a step forward.

“Do you want me to tell you about the magic, Ambear?” he leans in and murmurs softly against my ear. His warm breath a gentle caress and I shiver in response.