sideways. Two birds, one stone, as the saying went.
Not to mention he could keep an eye on his patient. Alice, he had a feeling, was the type to pick at a scab. Which, in this case, would not do. Not at all. He might have to smack her good hand now and again.
Ravi sent a text first thing the next morning to Sora.
Have breakfast with me.
Should he have done so when he’d only gotten the man’s number the day before and still hadn’t made him that promised drink? Probably not. Was Ravi wise? Hell no. He avoided wisdom on a religious basis, and he had to say, that was working out well for him so far.
The answer came back within thirty seconds.
I’d be delighted.
See? Wisdom was totally overrated.
Ravi bounced into the shower with a wide, shit-eating grin on his face. Breakfast had never been so enticing.
Even as he washed his hair, the water sluicing over him, Ravi tried to figure out what it was about Sora that appealed to him. There had been other mages who’d come into the clan, after all, and all of them attractive in their own ways. But he’d never felt inclined to flirt with any of them. It was as if some part of him could sense they were meant for other people.
Which, good instincts, they had been.
But Sora—something about Sora appealed to him. Was it his too-sexy voice, so smooth and low, like a fine cognac? Was it the intelligence in those dark eyes? The competency the man radiated just standing there? Sora had that air about him, as if he could handle whatever shit was thrown at him without flinching.
Ravi had a serious weakness for people like that. He adored the competent. He also liked doing things to shake them out of that calm, get them laughing. Was it years of doing it to Alric that had made it a habit? Ravi shrugged, not really caring to psychoanalyze himself on that level.
Anyway, he liked the look of Sora. He enjoyed the man’s company. Sora struck him as a touch shy, but he’d readily joined in on the teasing Tori had started yesterday. So, he had a good sense of humor, he just wasn’t the type to readily show it. It’s alright. Ravi would give him lots of openings.
He popped out, dried and dressed, then was out the door again in a flash. The clan had often bemoaned that Ravi was the only one who didn’t need coffee in the mornings. He couldn’t help it. He was a natural Energizer Bunny. Someone had to be, right? Who else would start the coffee machines if everyone was anti-mornings?
Sora beat Ravi to the dining hall, but only barely. Sora stood near one of the tables, clearly waiting on him. He even looked awake! Most impressive. Ravi normally had to pour three cups of coffee down people at this hour to get them upright and sensible.
“Good morning,” Sora greeted with a smile.
Aww, such a cute smile. The man should smile more often.
“Good morning! Let me introduce you to a German breakfast.”
“It smells very enticing,” Sora agreed as he followed him to the buffet.
“Oh, we have great cooks. Except Gunter, he can’t be trusted. He walks off and forgets things are still cooking. He’s burned many a pan, let me tell you. Wait, have you met Gunter yet?”
“Yesterday, while I was treating the new mage’s burned hand.”
“Ahhh.”
Ravi regarded him, intrigued at this reminder. He’d been told what Sora did yesterday. The mage had said a few times in his hearing that he was trained as a healer, and clearly those claims were not exaggerated. He’d known precisely what to do. Lisette had been absolutely enthralled after spending the evening picking Sora’s brain.
She hadn’t yet ordered someone to seduce Sora. But it was coming. Ravi could see the writing clearly on the wall. Lisette absolutely did not want Sora walking back out of their gates.
Ravi had sooo many questions for Sora. About the man’s family, how he was raised, was he part of a clan like Tori? But Sora clearly didn’t want to discuss that yet. It was hard not blurting out questions. Ravi’s nature was to get his questions out there, satisfy his curiosity. But he held his tongue.
He was actually rather proud of his restraint. Rare moment.
Instead, he responded with, “Good, we missed Gunter during the tour. You need to tell me more about all of that, as Lisette was singing your praises and volunteering you for