Chapter 46
JAMES
Who-what-the-where—Oh, I’m fine.
My eyes flew open as an already fading dream propelled me roughly from sleep.
My heart was fluttering like a caged bird, but I didn’t have an urge to hide under the bed or flee Trace’s home to seek sanctuary with Edwin.
Because, I realised as I took a few steadying inhales, buildings aside, Trace was as much my home as Edwin was.
It was such a Big Thought, I needed a cuppa to deal with it. I sniffed at my pits. Eww, not very fragrant. Although, sod it. Tea first. I pulled on my jeans commando, noting absently as I zipped them that I rather liked the roughness of the denim against my balls, and tottered to the kitchen.
Terrance regarded me from the windowsill. “You know everything now,” he intoned solemnly.
I dropped a teabag into a mug. “Guess I do.”
“He is working in the garden unglamoured.” It sounded like a challenge.
“And?” I still found the familiar unnerving, but if he started to bitch about Trace being his true self, I was selling him out to anyone who’d listen.
“You were aware?”
Of course, Terrance hadn’t been in on our conversation this morning. I gave him as sunny a smile as I was capable of. “I don’t want him to be someone he isn’t. Not unless it’s for his safety. It was unfair of me to suggest otherwise.”
“Hmm.”
I decided I was hungry. I began mixing up eggs to make a quick lunch, assuming if the crow had anything more to add, I’d soon hear it.
“You are an unusual human. Adaptable.”
I scoffed as I threw salt, garlic, and black pepper into the mixture.
“Most humans are. Except, I’m not entirely human.
Part Fae, remember? Maybe even half.” Perhaps that was why I gelled with Trace.
Although that didn’t explain why Edwin had.
Who knew? Perhaps it was nothing more than chance and luck.
Terrance flew over to the counter. “Your views on most humans are entirely too na?ve, but that’s not a conversation for today. Will those be scrambled?” He sounded hopeful as he fixed his gaze on the yellow mixture I was beating a little too fiercely.
I eyed him. “They could be.”
“I like scrambled eggs.”
I took two more eggs from the fridge, wondering if birds eating eggs was cannibalistic. “Remind me later to add them to the shopping list.”
He didn’t say any more until I’d dished up; a slightly smaller portion for him and with toast and more tea for me.
“He will be loyal to you forever. He does not give his heart easily.” Then, as if he hadn’t said a word, he made a weird, happy chirping sound and dived into his bowl of lunch.
I ate in contemplative silence, pondering the familiar’s words.
For a bird I’d been told didn’t talk a lot, he certainly had plenty to say.
Maybe Trace had underplayed his talent and his chattiness, unsure if our relationship would last, but now, possibly Terrance himself knew more than any of us did.
I had no real idea what his powers were, or even where he came from, but it seemed I had plenty of time ahead for getting answers to all my questions.
Fed and hydrated, I headed out to find Trace.
He was on his knees pulling up weeds by hand, his waterfall of silver hair unbound and spilling over his shoulders, dragging in the earth.
It didn’t seem to bother him. “Hey, you,” he greeted me with a smile that seemed genuine, but didn’t quite erase the look of worry in his eyes.
I was sure he had to be mulling over what Edwin had said. “Better for a good sleep?”
“And some lunch. Have you eaten?”
“I had some fruit earlier.” Again, barely an answer.
I gestured at the soil under his mud-encrusted fingers. “Isn’t there a spell for that?”
He sat back on his heels and his eyes shone with amusement.
“Actually, no. Plants in my homeland grow with purpose. Weeds as such don’t exist. I could find the right words to use, but it would waste my energy when this is a task that connects me to the land and all the plants in the garden.
I want them to know I care about them. I want them to feel the love and energy I put into giving them the best chances to grow and give me their fruits. ”
“When you put it like that, it was a stupid question.”
“No such thing as a stupid question if you don’t know the answer. How else will you learn? Are you warm enough? It’s shady here this afternoon.”
I glanced down. “Aye. I’ll do.” Truth was, I was enjoying the prickles of goosebumps over my arms as the occasional breeze lifted the hairs and sent shivers across my naked back.
I would have to do some more reading, because I had some weird preferences when it came to my comfort, or lack of.
Eh, it wasn’t like I could outweird either of my boyfriends, so perhaps my quirks were merely a blip if we were comparing what made us tick.
I swallowed around a lump in my throat and tried to sound casual. “Thought I’d see if Eddie was awake.”
Trace gifted me one of his rare, wide smiles.
“You do that looking and smelling like you do right now and I’ll be sure to put the dinner on for later than usual.
” I made a startled-rabbit type squeak which made him laugh properly.
“Just saying, there’s not a sane man alive who could resist you right now.
Go coax our boyfriend out of his wobble, and I’ll make a casserole so it doesn’t matter what time you surface.
” I still had the feeling he was hiding some considerable anxiety about the way Edwin had shot off last night, but he was doing a bloody good job of pretending he was fine, and I wasn’t sure how to challenge him.
As I opened my mouth to try anyway, Trace’s eyes darted to Bluebell and he licked his lips.
“Next time, I’ll join you. I’m half hard already just thinking about it. ”
“I need a shower,” I bleated. Not what I’d meant to say.
“You absolutely don’t. He’ll forget he was ever sulking when you appear reeking of sex.”
I shook my head at him. “You’re as much of a horndog as he is.”
“Better believe it, beautiful. I’ve been wandering in a near drought of mediocre hook-ups for too long. I have a lot to catch up on.” He made his eyes pop and pretended to swoon. “Go on then. Don’t break any beds. I’ll see you in a bit.”
My neck and ears still heated from his compliment — beautiful, me, when he looked like a character from one of my hottest fantasy games?
— I jostled Bluebell’s front door and found it locked.
I retrieved the spare key from the secret panel under the carriage and let myself in.
Edwin was asleep. I watched him for a few moments, no longer freaked out by his utter stillness in rest, then plonked myself on the edge of the bed.
“Hey, Eddie.” I shook his arm firmly. “Eddie.”
It took a full thirty seconds before he blinked awake. The wariness in his gaze hurt my heart, but he soon sat up and hauled me across the covers where I ended up in an undignified heap on his lap.
“Jeez, warn a bloke.” But I wasn’t upset. I needed Edwin like I needed oxygen, and touching him calmed something in me I hadn’t known was ruffled.
His hands were everywhere, strong cool fingers stroking and digging in, exploring me like I was a new toy. He stroked me with his nose too, sliding it along my neck and across my collarbones, pushing my arm up and taking a deep sniff of my pit. I squirmed.
“Fuck, stop. I didn’t shower and I stink…” Mortification warred with desire. I loved his touch but this couldn’t be pleasant for him, no matter what Trace said. I should have showered.
Edwin stared into my eyes, his bright blue gaze almost too intense at close quarters.
“Pack it in. I adore your smell.” Quick as lightning, he pushed me flat on the bed and held me down while he ran his nose further down my body.
My pulse went wild. He’s holding me down and I’m excited, not scared. Oh my God!
Edwin sat back, his eyes glowing. “You and Trace… You fucked?” His tone suggested surprise.
I nodded, then shook my head, cheeks burning again that he could tell this by my scent. “Not all the way. It just happened. We didn’t mean to leave you out—Mmmfh.” He cut my apology off with his mouth over mine, his tongue demanding and insistent as he rolled us so I ended up on top.
When he let me up for air, I panted, “You’re not upset?
” For all my brave words to Trace, I had known Edwin longer, and in the rare times I’d allowed my daydreams to progress, it had always been him I’d envisaged fucking.
I knew I’d not gone that far with Trace, but I still felt uncertain about, well, everything.
He shook his head. “Not at all. I’m so happy for you. This is a big deal, isn’t it, love, getting off with Trace without me? You’ve conquered a mountain.”
“I guess so.” I buried my face in the smooth planes of his chest. “Just a bit embarrassing you worked it out because I smell of him.”
“Darling…” He held me close and whispered so many words of filth in such loving tones, my sheepishness gave way to arousal as my cock fought for room in the confines of my jeans. I squirmed against his hold, but he chuckled and refused to let me go.
“Remember your safe words,” he rasped. “I want to hold you, and torture you, and smell and feel you getting hot for me. Maybe I’ll let you come, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll beg you to fuck me. Maybe I’ll deny you the right to come for an hour or three.”
“Oh, God.” My whimper was so needy, I’d have died of shame if I hadn’t been so turned on.
“Safe words, James.” Sternly this time.
“Green, yellow, red, mushroom.”
“Good boy. What are you now?”
“Green.” I knew without needing to check in; my heart was hammering, sure, but it was excitement, not terror, driving my responses.
“Excellent. Now, what to do with you?” His murmur was all heated promise and I gulped. Right now he could do anything he wanted to do to me and only one small, three-letter word would stop him. My head swam with the possibilities.