were magnificent, like hummingbirds but much larger. Their feathers were bright and shimmering like a peacock’s, and a rainbow of glitter graced the air as the birds took to the sky.
Nero watched the birds fly away with a look of wonder. When his eyes turned to Tiffany, his expression held even more awe.
“Those are beautiful,” he said, letting out a deep breath.
Happiness glowed from deep inside her bones. “I’m trying to become more purposeful with my magic. Trying to really focus on the details instead of just having it leak out at odd moments.”
He pulled her close to him again, wrapping a massive arm around her waist, so he could crush her to his chest and kiss her hard before letting her go.
“You’re amazing,” he said.
Tiffany was so affected by his words, electric shivers danced across her skin.
Amazing. He thinks I’m amazing.
Every time they touched, whether it was a kiss or simply a squeeze of the hand, she was pulled back into memories of their lovemaking. How his rough palms skimmed her skin so softly, how gently he used his strength when he took her. He was completely aware of her at all times, and she knew that with him, she was safe.
“We should get moving,” he said, giving her a playful pull. “It’s almost nine.”
“I suppose it wouldn’t do much good to get here on time and then be late.”
They turned back toward the admin building again, keeping their hands locked together. Every time she squeezed, he immediately squeezed back. It was almost as if she could feel a tie between their hearts and she felt every single beat of his.
Is this what it means to be Beloved?
It was wonderful. It was beyond any conception she ever had of love. She was accepted, she was cherished, and she was safe to give her heart in return.
As they got closer to the building, her breath became tight with anticipation. They were going straight in to officially inform the administration of their relationship status. They wanted it to be official from the start, so there would be no chance for gossip or misunderstandings.
Tiffany couldn’t stop a smile from spreading, thinking that any possible reason they had for doing this all paled in the face of the biggest one. They both simply wanted to stamp a great big “TAKEN” over their names for the whole world to see.
The foyer was cool and the side hallway carpet muffled their steps. They came to the main admin desk where a thin woman in wire-rimmed glasses peered at her computer screen.
“Good morning,” Nero began.
The woman held her hand up without taking her eyes off what she was working on. Nero smirked at Tiffany and waited as she tapped a few keys before turning to him with a smile.
“Oh! Hello, Professor Baines. What can I do for you this morning? I’m still working on release forms for that field trip you want for your students.”
That sounded just like Nero, getting his students some real hands-on experience with nature. She never thought he could be fully comfortable in a classroom.
“That’s not what I’m here for, Mavis, but thank you. I have found my Beloved, you see. She’s an OCU student and we’re here to fill out any paperwork required, so we can be formally recognized as a couple and release the institution from any liability.”
Mavis looked between them, a frown deepening on her face as she looked back and forth.
“A professor can’t date a student!” Her voice would have been a screech if her throat weren’t closed from indignation.
“She’s not my student,” Nero clarified, taken aback by her reaction.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s still against our rules.”
Mavis stood up, her hands slapping the desk as she glared at them. There was nothing personal or judgmental about it, just an intense frustration that these two had arrived so early in the morning to drop such a horrible puzzle on her lap.
“Harry!” Mavis bellowed all of a sudden. She kept swiveling her gaze back and forth between Tiffany and Nero, as if they might simply disappear if she looked hard enough.
“What’s happening?” A short woman in a very neat suit paused by the front desk.
“They are a couple,” she spoke the last word in a hushed whisper. “They want to put in official documents.”
“Nero?” the woman asked. “But you’re a professor. And aren’t you a student?”
“She’s not my student,” he protested again.
The short woman said nothing. She just shook her head and moved away, clucking her tongue at them as she