good place to start.”
“Okay, magic boy. You’re on. First person to cry mercy folds the laundry.”
“After you.” He stepped aside so I could walk past him, and I did too, without freaking out or even having to hold my breath even though there just wasn’t enough room in the hall for me and him in the same place.
Of course my bathroom was even smaller.
And it was currently filled with a half ton of living rock who was flushing my toilet and watching the water circle the drain, his wings quivering in excitement.
Great. When had he learned to flush the toilet? My water bill was going to be sky-high.
“Stone,” I said. “Out. Go play with a lathe or something.”
He swiveled his head and looked at me over his shoulder, one five-fingered hand still resting on the tank plunger.
“Window, boy. Go to the window. It’s dark out. Nighttime. You could go. Out. Go fly.”
He clacked doubtfully and looked back down at the water.
“Need some help?” Zayvion asked.
“I got it.” I walked into the bathroom, squeezing around Stone, and giving myself the willies.
I put my hand on Stone’s head and stared straight into his intelligent, round eyes. “Out.” I pointed my other hand at the door, and tipped his head that way.
He cooed happily at Zayvion, who leaned one wide shoulder against the doorway and took up all the remaining space and air.
“Getting out of the way would be nice,” I said to Zayvion.
“Oh. Sorry about that,” he said, clearly not at all sorry.
He backed into the hallway and snapped his fingers twice. Stone’s ears flicked back, then pricked up when Zay snapped his fingers again. Stone looked at me, clacked, in a why-didn’t-you-say-so way, then lifted up on his two back legs and waddled out of the bathroom.
He clattered like a bag of marbles being shaken, and Zayvion treated him to another head scratching and told him he was a good boy.
Fine. Let him play with the statuary. I was taking a shower.
I started the water and stripped, throwing everything but my bra—which wasn’t wet, wonder of wonders—into the hamper. I did not look at myself in the mirror, because right now I didn’t care how many scars I had, nor if my father was going to be looking at me through my eyes. Hot water was calling me and nothing was getting in between me and the steam.
I shut the door so Stone wouldn’t wander back in, took off the void stone, and put it on the sink, then stepped into the shower. I dunked my head under the strong, hot spray and moaned. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to shower at the gym this morning.
“No fair starting without me,” Zayvion said.
Man was too damn quiet.
But I did hear him taking off his shoes, and then just one clack of his belt buckle being undone.
The thought of him, of his body, in the shower with me, made me wish I hadn’t agreed to this little bet.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” I called out.
He pulled back the curtain at the head of the shower, caught my arms in his wide, strong hands, and pulled me in for a kiss.
I sputtered and laughed against his lips as he manhandled me to one side so he could step into the shower. He tried to pull me out of the water so he could get in and soak, but I planted my feet.
“Get your own hot water, cowboy,” I said, holding my own under the showerhead.
Zay drew his hands down my arms, his fingers leaving my wrists to caress my stomach and hips. He stroked back over my ass, and pressed against me full-body.
Yum.
“What if I like your water?” he asked.
“Then you’re going to have to work a heck of a lot harder for it.”
“Fair enough. I think I’ll start here.”
He leaned down again. This time his mouth found my shoulder. He kissed me there, his tongue licking over the marks magic had left on me, stroking and urging the magic inside me to rise to his touch.
I bit my lip on a groan. Magic flared in me, licking hot, and I didn’t even try to hold it back. Thought, for just a moment, that I should have left the void stone necklace on. And then I didn’t think about anything but Zayvion, and what he was doing to me.
Zayvion’s other hand slid up my butt, pressed at the small of my back, while his mouth moved down to the edge of my breast.
Okay. I was