“Yes, I am,” Ezra murmured, a smile playing at his lips. He stopped next to me, and I stilled as he bent, kissing my mouth softly — right in front of Antonio and Cahal. His lips curved as he leaned back a smidge, staring into my startled eyes. “I knew you’d end up getting me something with cartoon characters on it if I let you pick out my clothes.” Again, he brushed his lips against mine. Just the sweetest touch of heat. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
Breath escaped me in shock and desire, and I barely managed to whisper, “You’re welcome.” My eyes held his gleaming gaze. And that quickly, love and happiness overrode any emotion as we both started grinning. We were together, like, together-together. In love. And goddamn, if I wasn’t as happy as a clam right now.
“Jesus Christ,” Antonio muttered quietly off to my right, and then more loudly, “You two are going to have to cut that shit out before you get caught.”
We both turned to them, trying to regulate our faces.
Cahal began taking up Antonio’s action, rubbing his temples. “Jesus, this is going to be a trial.” He glared at Antonio. “How long have you known this was going to happen?”
Antonio only shrugged, then turned all business. “Which Elder are you taking?”
My head cocked. “Taking?”
His eyes crossed. A heavy sigh. “To find your Prodigy.”
“Oh,” I said, chipper, sitting on the golden chair and placing my arm fully on the floor, Ezra following suit, sitting next to his dad. Clyde and Bonnie instantly moved back together, lying between us, and snuggled around each other as we put our boots on. “I’m choosing you.”
He nodded, smiling, appearing damn pleased. “I thought you might pick Elder Kincaid.”
I rolled my eyes, ignoring how Cahal was glaring at my cute socks before I could cover them with my boots. “You knew I would pick you.”
“Actually, I didn’t.” A pause. “But I had hoped.” Yeah, he looked a little smug.
Ezra elbowed his dad, lacing up his boots. “I’m picking you.”
Blunt words, no fanfare. “I know.” He wasn’t overconfident or anything. “And we were talking with you two. That’s why you’re so late.” Ezra nodded, pulling his hoodie on and zipping it until only the words YUMMY were visible. Cahal glanced back and forth between us. “And try to not look at each other. You two aren’t hiding shit right now.” A direct, gruff order.
My gaze turned predatory as I scrutinized Ezra and his dad. They were too recognizable even if Cahal had put on jeans and layered t-shirts instead of his robe or his suits he usually wore. A quick glance at Antonio. “Can you change Elder Zeller’s hair color to the same as Ezra’s? And maybe make their facial hair grow?” It would hide their features somewhat. Cahal and Ezra both blinked at me in surprise. “You know your pictures have been flashed all over the news.” Any previous Rulers were of high interest in any country right now.
Ezra shrugged his assent, but Cahal glared at Antonio, only finally agreeing when Ezra nudged him. Cahal’s hair was suddenly a boring brown, and both of them jerked and started moving their jaws, their noses scrunching, as their beards started growing.
I waved a hand at Antonio. “Do it slowly. I’ll tell you when to stop.”
Black whiskers shadowed each of their jaws, and I noticed Antonio did an excellent job of keeping them trim and lined fashionably. Head cocked, I watched Ezra’s closely, knowing Cahal’s needed to be longer since his group was at the top of the watch list, thanks to their history in the war. I waved a hand when Ezra’s was just past a quarter of an inch long. “Ezra’s is done.” Staring at Cahal, I waited until his was a half-inch. “Elder Zeller’s is good.”
And then I sat back and stared at Ezra. The beard was sharp and angled in jagged lines, highlighting his jaw and cheekbones even further. The silver glasses didn’t hide his rugged beauty, only enhanced it with a splash of color. I blinked. “I didn’t think it was possible.”
Ezra rubbed his chin, feeling the beard like his dad was doing with his own. “What wasn’t possible?”
I glanced at Antonio, who was fingering his own hair, and stared at it while he put it through a variety of different shades, trying to pick which one he liked best. “Antonio, you’ve outdone yourself.” He grunted, his eyebrows puckering as he altered his hair colour between dark brown and sandy blond.
My eyes went back to Ezra, again shocked at the difference the beard made. Ezra raised a questioning eyebrow, so I waved a flittering hand, mumbling, “It’s, like, you…but, not you. A whole different version of hotness.” Rugged-geek-badass, if there was such a thing. His shirt’s words pretty much summed it up. Yummy.
Antonio jumped up, moving farther into our room, back to where our bed was and where the room veered to the right — out of sight — mumbling, “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Ezra grinned, drawling, “You like?” He rested back, laying his arms on the back of the couch.
I managed a nod, but quickly cleared my throat, rolling my eyes. Wouldn’t want to pant too much. “You look good.”
The cocky bastard’s grin only increased.