Chapter 12- Taz
DOING INVENTORY IN my bookshop is tedious, and I usually dread it. This morning, however, it’s my haven. It keeps my hands and mind busy so I don’t have to dwell on my interaction at the Union an hour ago.
Luther doesn’t want to hang out. We were just Paris hook-up buddies, that’s it. The sting of rejection is never an easy one to swallow, even at the ripe old age of twenty-eight.
I thought we forged a connection. Guess it was simply one night of hot sex, and back to being work colleagues for Taz and Luther.
Sighing, I continue to stack some books when I hear the entrance bell ring. “Welcome to Tome After Tome Books,” I say with as much customer service cheer as possible.
Turning around, I nearly jump―it’s Luther.
“H-h-hey.” His hand trembles as he gives me an awkward wave. Luther wasn’t even this nervous when we found a human sacrifice in a dark barn. But now it would seem my luck is on the up and up. He’s here in my shop!
Attempting to play it cool, I clear my throat and straighten my back. “Luther Westbrook. You lost?”
“No, no, not at all.” His gaze catches the small wooden table at the front. “I came for, um…books. This one is tagged as the owner’s favorite.” His eyes dart to mine, then back down to the small display. “That you?”
“The one and only.”
“So, you really are a shop owner,” he says, scrutinizing the paperbacks. “I thought you wrote hex books.”
“And where do you think I sell them?” I cross my arms and lean on a table. “A boy’s gotta eat, and this place pays the bills.”
“Do mortals read your hex-breaking tomes?”
“I mostly service the magically inclined. The mortals ignore those types of books. Romance makes me the most money.”
“I see.” He picks up my recent favorite book. “A gay romance?”
“Naturally. It’s about a bloke who thought he was bullied by this one big guy in high school.
It turns out, the opposite was true, and the jock was the victim of bullying.
” My eyes travel up and down, soaking in Luther’s body in his pristine blue button-down and sinfully tight trousers.
“Once they clear up their teenage miscommunication, a romance blossoms. It’s really sweet. ”
“Sounds sweet,” he echoes, thumbing through the pages. “‘Redraw Your Hand.’ Cute title.”
“You can borrow it if you like. It’s part of a whole series of single boardgame nerds.”
“I don’t wanna take your stock without paying.”
“I’m offering.” My voice grows soft. “As a…friend?”
He glances at me and freezes up. The man seems so rattled, and it takes everything in me not to jump his bones. We’ve already had hot sex, I’m sure he won’t mind.
But I don’t want that. I want Luther to say what he wants from me, to admit he wants me.
“Speaking of friends, Necia and Girish told me where to find your, uh, shop.” He looks up and around. “Hence why I’m here.”
“Did they bully you into talking to me?”
We share a soft laugh, and he sets the book down.
“No. Neesh did, however, urge me to follow my, uh…feelings.” He has feelings for me?
Luther adjusts his collar, and even I must admit my shop is getting warmer by the second.
My pull to him grows stronger day by day.
This man continues to look sexy and adorable.
“Did you tell Necia that we…you know…” I manage not to let my voice lull into a whisper when I continue, “Had sex?”
Luther winces, and I know the answer. “She’s the closest thing I have to a sister. We gossip all the time.”
“I see.”
“Was that wrong of me to tell her?”
I shake my head. “No. You two have always been thick as thieves.” The insecurity I’ve been trying to bury for hours begins to creep up. Staring at a random shelf, I quietly ask, “Are you like, ashamed that we hooked up?”
He audibly gulps. “No.”
“So then, you regret it?”
“No!” His voice startles me, and I take in his surprised expression. “Not at all.”
“Then what are we doing here? Or better yet, what are you doing here, Lulu?” I glower at him. “Because the way I see it, you’re messing with my head. Is that how you get your rocks off?”
“That is not how I…no, not at all,” he says in a defensive tone.
“Then what is wrong with you?” I step closer, and I’m sure I look just as irritated as him. “Out with it then.”
“Maybe I don’t understand a world where I don’t despise you!” His face is nearly touching mine, and he taps my chest with one hand. Up this close, he smells so good, but I’m not calming down. “And maybe I’m conflicted with the fact that I really like you now.”
“Well, clearly you and I get along in bed. Is that all I am? An easy fuck?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Devries! You know I respect you as more than that!”
“Then I’ll ask you again since you were too slow to answer: why are you here, Luther?”
Our voices are rising, and he’s breathing rapidly now. “Maybe I’m really shit at asking guys out, did you ever think of that?”
“What? You’re a grown man who can cast spells and wrestle with demons but can’t bloody talk to a guy you fancy?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m SAYING, Taz!” He’s nearly shouting as he holds my shirt, and our noses almost make contact. I let his passionate words linger in the air of my tiny shop.
My heart hammers in my chest, and I come to one realization: I have Luther right where I want him.
A slow grin spreads on my face as he steps back, still holding my shirt. His eyes dart to my mouth, and I slowly bite my tongue and drag it across my bottom lip.
“You can only open up to me when I piss you off, huh, Lulu?” I say softly.
“Don’t call me that,” he murmurs. He wipes my shoulders and gives my deltoids an unnecessary squeeze. “But yes. I’m…not the best at expressing how I feel when it comes to…men.”
“As entertaining as that is, that’s going to be a problem on our date.” My hands travel up his chest, and I recall the miles of sinewy muscle and chocolate skin underneath his shirt.
His eyebrows jump. “Date?”
I roll my eyes and put my arms around his shoulders. “I’m not letting you off easy, Westbrook. Ask me out.”
“Huh?”
“Be a big boy and say the words.”
He chuckles and leans in again. “Taz Devries, would you like to go out on a date with me tomorrow night?”
My heart wants to take off like a shooting star. “Mm…no.”
“What?”
I pull him in, crashing his lips against mine. “Not tomorrow. I have errands and shit here. But how about today? I know you don’t have SPELL duties.”
He giggles and pecks my mouth. “You ass.” We both laugh as he runs his hands up and down my back.
“I gotta keep you on your toes, Westbrook. There’s a sweet coffee shop in town where we can get acquainted.
” I smooth out his shirt, grazing his nipples only once, and I grin before letting go of him.
“And since we’re working together, we can coordinate our time off so we can have private you-and-me time any day or night. ”
“Mmm,” he replies in contentment. He bites his grin, and I relish the hungry look in his eyes. “That’s a pretty damn good plan. Let’s go now.”
“Nuh-uh, Lulu.” I walk behind the desk. “I gotta run the shop, do inventory, and play work catch-up. Besides, I wanna take my time looking good. I need another shower and to put on something nice.”
“Have it your way, Devries.” Luther gets to my desk and leans forward. I’m powerless to resist meeting him halfway, my mouth almost on his. “But for what it’s worth, I always think you’re beautiful.”
Cauldrons, that was smooth. My knees nearly buckle, but before I can kiss him, he hops back and strides away. Once he’s out of my shop, I let out a swoon like a lovestruck schoolboy. Luther and I have been teasing each other for years, and it seems that part isn’t going to change.
***
After retrieving our drinks, I saunter to the corner booth of the Brew-Ha, my favorite coffee and food spot in town.
Between the kitschy witch-theming along the walls year-round and the plants hanging by the windows, it’s a comfy, cozy atmosphere.
I suspect magic is in play, but there is no greater sorcery than good coffee.
And that’s what I have in hand as I arrive back at the table. Instead of sitting across from Luther, I decide to sit next to him on the couch against the wall. No one is sitting too close to us, so we can chat wizard business if we so choose.
“Anything wrong with the chair across from me?” Luther asks with a smirk.
“Relax. I’m not gonna get handsy here in public,” I reply, bumping my thigh against his. “I just like being close to you. Is that so wrong?”
His eyes flare with heat for a moment before he calms down.
With his free hand, he gently takes mine and strokes the back of it.
“Not at all.” His boyish grin was so rare when we were kids, but it’s all I can think about now.
“Though I might not be able to refrain from getting handsy myself,” he murmurs.
The only way I can hide my amused and aroused smile is by sipping my decaf coffee. The heat gives me something to concentrate on in an attempt not to get hard. Why did I insist on taking things slow? We should be in my bed, shagging nonstop, not out in public talking.
“And here are your sandwiches,” the brunette woman says, placing our food on the table. She shoots Luther a look of recognition. “Hey, I know you.”
“Lisbeth, hi.”
“Luther. Son of the councilman!” She beams at him and puts her hands on her hips. When she looks at me, she must read my surprised expression. “Oh, hello.”
“Lisbeth is part of the Union,” Luther explains.
“Haven’t formally met you. I’m Taz.”
“Nice to meet you. Witch or wizard?”
I look around, squirming in discomfort; no one appears to be in earshot still. “I’m a wizard. New to the Union.”
“Just like us witches,” she remarks with a grin.
“I thought this place was magical.” I raise my cup. The owner being a witch certainly explains the name of the coffee shop. “Turns out your brew really is enchanted.”
“No, we save our magic for normal things, like turning unsuspecting men into toads.” She pauses for a heavy moment. “I’m kidding!”
We all laugh, and Lisbeth continues, “Luther trusts us. We did save all of the Union’s geo arcanum together.”
“That we did. How are Seb and Kai?”
“The chosen duo? Probably out fixing up their new house. I’m gonna need to find some witches to fill their vacancy in the coven.”
“Do you even need a coven anymore? You have access to solo magic,” Luther says.
“I suppose not. But it’s more of a family thing,” she explains, looking around at the café patrons. “Call me sentimental, but being surrounded by people you care for is kind of important. Community, you know?”
“For sure.” Luther’s words pull my attention. As I gaze into those chocolate eyes, I touch his hand under the table.
“Well, I’ve been bothering you for too long. I’ll let you boys get back to your meeting.”
“Not a meeting,” I reply. Without looking up, I give Luther’s hand another squeeze and say, “First date.”
“Ah!” Lisbeth throws us a knowing look before tapping her nose. “The best kind of meeting. You boys have a good evening.” With that, she’s gone, and we proceed to eat our sandwiches.
“So,” I say, after two bites. “First date stuff. I know you grew up in New York.”
“Yeah, but I moved to Virginia for college and never left.”
“You went to Uni?”
“Yeah, got a generic business degree. Never gonna use it since I intend to be at SPELL for a while.”
“Say, how do you get paid? It’s not like we can be part of mortal payroll or something.”
Luther chuckles and sips his drink. “I’m not sure the specifics, but we get a stipend.”
“Your taxes claim that you fight magical crime?”
“No.” We share a laugh. “They state that we work a generic industry job. It’s a cover so we can all get some money, and some world governments know about the magical community. We keep them safe, they give us funds, and the rest of the mortals remain none the wiser.”
“Wow. Not even sorcery can permanently trounce the evils of capitalism.”
Luther laughs. “Here, here.” After another bite, a small smudge of mayo drips down his chin. I wipe it off with my thumb and slowly lick it off, all while maintaining eye contact.
His hungry, flustered look is priceless. After clearing his throat and looking away, he says, “So, other first date stuff. How about you? I know you grew up in London, but were stateside by the time we were in high school.”
“Yeah. I needed to reboot life after Vik disappeared when I was thirteen.”
His smile falls, and I instantly regret my brutal honesty. “Taz…”
“It’s fine,” I say, waving a hand through the air to dispel the awkwardness. “I mean, it’s not fine, but it’s not exactly a first date convo.”
He takes my hand. “You can talk to me about the heavy stuff. Not just the light stuff. That’s what a relationship is about.”
Affection blooms in my chest. Now that we’re not fighting, I find him to be charming in all the right ways.
Luther keeps saying all the words that I want to hear.
“Right. Well, after doing odd jobs around the states and meeting up with smaller wizard covens, I wrote some books. Then one day, I had a tarot reading that told me to buy the shop. And now you’re all caught up. ”
“It’s wild how we’re both in Cosmo,” he says, sipping his drink.
“This place must be a hub of mystical activity, because I didn’t even know that Lisbeth and other witches lived and worked here.
I mean, Girish runs the portal in this city, but I stayed because of all the monster sightings nearby. And now you.”
“Huh,” I reply after a bite of my sandwich. “My tarot was right that this place would be important. Fate led me here. Us here.”
Luther’s smile falls, and a shyness creeps over him. “I’m…glad we’re here, Taz.”
Chasing the moment, I pull him in for a light but sweet kiss. “I’m glad we can talk things out like adults.”
“And that we’re not fighting anymore.”
I grin and stare at him over my cup. “Yeah, but I think I’d let you wrestle me for a bit,” I purr.
A blush creeps over his light brown skin. He hides his face behind his drink and replies, “Is that a threat or a promise?”
My hand lands on his knee under the table. “Take me home, Lulu,” I murmur. “I’m down to go a few rounds with you.”