Page 28

I took another sip of my chai tea as I stared through the crystal sun-catcher in the window with unseeing eyes. It was a blur of color and light, a perfect complement to the lack of focus I was feeling this morning. I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep last night, and they were restless.

A chime from my phone startled my mind back to the present. A shiver ran through me, and I hesitated to see who’d messaged me. Alicia had already called an hour ago to get more details on what happened last night. She’d told me to take the rest of the weekend off and assured me the job would be waiting.

Heaving a sigh, I grabbed the phone and turned on the screen. Again, I stared until my vision went a little fuzzy. Warmth flooded my chest and trickled through me. I hadn’t saved his number in my phone yet, but the first text in the thread was the one I’d sent to myself last night.

Unknown

Hey Blue. Making sure you’re feeling alright this morning.

My cheeks flushed, and I could feel my mouth twitch into a crooked grin. I’d never had a nickname before, but this one was growing on me. I hadn’t expected it to make me feel so…gooey. My magic hummed in approval, the golden thread that led to Bellamy buzzing pleasantly.

Hi. I’m good I guess. Are YOU ok?

I watched the dots bounce and stop and start again, my heart rate slowly climbing. What if he wasn’t okay? What if he regretted touching me? What if he’s— Orion jumped into my lap, pulling me from my what-ifs.

Bellamy

I’m great! Told you, can’t hurt me ;)

The vise around my lungs loosened when the words popped up on the screen.

Maybe we can grab some lunch and talk?

We definitely needed to talk. I had so many questions, and he had to have at least some answers. Like why he could touch me and not feel the effects of my curse. Or why I felt like I was still missing pieces.

My chest squeezed at the thought of Rami, the heroic bouncer, and how he boldly touched me last night. I was scared, even though Bellamy promised that his friends were immune to my curse too. But it had felt completely different when Bel touched me, and my magic looped this heartstring around him. I didn’t feel Rami like that, and for some confusing reason, that absence was crushing.

It made no sense, defied any rationale or reasoning. How could I have possibly ended up in the right place at the right time to tumble into the lives of these men who stirred up my magic and left me dizzy with desire? It had to be bigger than me, right? Bigger than chance. Deva had told me to follow my heart and trust where it led me. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that it led me to Glenoakes. To them.

Sure. What time?

I chewed on my lip a little and convinced myself that this was good. This was what Deva wanted for me—a life un-alone. A life with someone who understood. A tingle of excitement prickled over my skin.

I’ll be there at 1.

And that’s how I came to be stepping out into the sunshine to join Bellamy on the sidewalk two hours later. The airy maxi dress I’d put on floated around my ankles in the light summer breeze. It had gauzy bell sleeves that cinched at the wrists to keep my skin covered. Bellamy’s eyes were a warm gold as he smiled wide and let his gaze slide down my body to the deep-v neckline of the dress.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” he breathed in admiration, stepping close and twisting a lock of my dark hair around his finger.

God, this man. His caramel-brown hair was perfectly mussed, like he just rolled out of bed looking this good. He was wearing a burnt-orange henley with the sleeves shoved to his elbows, those tattooed bands on display. My magic glowed, strumming the cord that linked us and sending vibrations straight to my core. Bellamy’s eyes darkened to bronze, like he could feel it too.

I’d been trying not to think about it, but now that he was right in front of me, his scent floating around me, I couldn’t think of anything else. Bellamy was immune to my curse. I could touch him without fear. All of those things that my magic imagined, I could do them.

I suddenly felt very hot, and my breath slipped out in a shaky whisper. “This is a bad idea.”

“Nah.” Bellamy gave me a sexy grin and reached down to take my hand, intertwining our fingers. “This is lunch. The bad ideas come after.”

My gaze shot up to him, and he winked. I was entranced by his perfect face. His perfect…My fingers flew to his brow and circled to his cheekbone.

“Wait, what happened to…?” I swore last night he’d been hurt. There’d been blood.

He just shrugged, amber eyes glittering in the bright sun. “It looked way worse than it was.” He squeezed my hand before giving me a gentle tug. “Come on. There’s a new gastropub on Main that I’ve been dying to check out.”

“‘Gastropub’, huh? Are you a foodie?” I gave him an amused grin, easily keeping pace with his leisurely stride. He laughed, and the sound wrapped around me like a hug.

“I like good food,” he said. “And since the collective cooking skills of the rest of the guys don’t extend far past box mac and cheese, I sometimes get to have fun with it.”

“Rest of the guys?” Did he live in a frat house or something?