“What do you read?” I challenged.
“Anything and everything. I even have a blog.”
“You’re so full of it.”
“You know how you girls have loads of book boyfriends? Well, I have my book girlfriends.”
I snorted.
“Laugh all you want but a real man likes to read.”
An image of Theo relaxing in a leather chair in front of a fireplace with a book in hand assaulted my mind. I could picture him with dark-framed glasses and a small smile playing on his lips as he read a particularly interesting part. His hand would flick up and push his dark hair from— What the hell was I thinking?
I shook my head and turned to find Theo staring at me.
“Having a fantasy, Mara?”
I blushed scarlet, pretty sure somehow he had known exactly what I was thinking thanks to his freaky protector powers.
It was after midnight when we finally had all the books put away. I was ready to collapse and my arms were aching from lifting so many heavy books.
Theo’s keen eye inspected the books. He stood with his hands on his hips appraising the shelves. “I think we’ve got them all put back where they need to go.”
“Thank God.” I sank into one of the chairs. I crossed my arms on the table and rested my head on top. Immediately, my eyes began to close.
“Don’t fall asleep there, doll face. That’s what your bed is for.”
“I can’t move,” I mumbled.
He came over and shook my shoulder.
“Leave me alone,” I growled at him and sent out a zap to shock him away.
He hissed and waved his hand through the air to lessen the sting. “That wasn’t necessary.”
“Apparently, it was.”
“Come on, you have to go to your room.”
“The table is comfortable.”
He snorted. “Doubtful.”
Before I knew what was happening I was lifted from the chair. My stomach dropped out from under me from the sudden change.
“Put me down,” I demanded and smacked his chest.
He smiled, completely unbothered. “I’ll put you down in a bed.” His lips quirked with amusement at his own words.
My eyes widened. “You’re disgusting.”
“No, Mara, I think you’re the disgusting one for finding something suggestive in my simple statement.”
“I swear,” I huffed, “you should come with a warning label.”
He started down the steps. “And what would it say?”
“Cocky, arrogant, pig-headed, egotistical. Should I continue?”
“No, I think you’ve got it covered.” He laughed.
“Aren’t you sleepy?” I asked. His gray eyes were bright and alert as if he’d only woken up while I’m sure I looked like a hot mess.
“Yeah.” He shrugged, which jostled me up and down in his arms.
“You don’t look like it,” I snapped.
“I guess I’m lucky like that.” His face darkened and he became serious. “Actually, it’s something protectors can do. We can go without food, water, and sleep when we need to. Not for that long, but certainly longer than what’s normal.”
“Interesting,” I murmured as we reached my room. Without setting me down, he swung the door open. I felt like a bride being carried over the threshold.
Although, I was definitely not his bride.
He laid me gently on the bed. Nigel meowed and came over for both of us to pet him before he plopped down and began snoozing once more.
Theo met my gaze and murmured, “Goodnight, beautiful,” before bending down and placing the most delicate kiss on my forehead. Before I could begin to analyze the sweet gesture and the fact he called me beautiful, I was asleep.
Chapter 21
YOU LOOK EXHAUSTED,” WINSTON NOTED at breakfast.
I yawned and went to use my hand to stifle it but a shot of pain stabbed up my arm and had me wincing.
Stupid, heavy, books.
“It was a late night,” I supplied.
Winston looked up at Theo across the table. His brown eyes narrowed and he turned back to me. “What were you doing?” His tone was slightly accusatory.
“Nothing important.” I waved my hand and dismissed his words.
Winston huffed and ran his fingers through his hair. With a sigh, he picked up his plate and muttered, “I’ll see you later,” before disappearing out of the dining hall.
“What did I do?” I asked Adelaide.
She rolled her eyes. “You’re so na?ve, Mara, that it’s downright irritating.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
She ripped apart a piece of toast. “You two have been spending an awful lot of time together … alone,” she added for good measure, nodding toward her brother. “Winston would be stupid if he hadn’t noticed. And I would think you’d have the decency to break up with the poor guy before you started dating my brother.”
I looked at Theo and back at Adelaide before I snorted in disbelief at the serious look on her face. “You’re mad because you think we’re dating—” I waggled my finger back and forth between me and Theo “—and I didn’t tell you?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe.”
“Ade. We’re not dating.”
“Then what are you two sneaking off and doing?” she accused, pursing her lips.
Theo growled and hit the table with his hand. My plate rose up and clattered from the force of it. “Damn it, Adelaide! Mind your own fucking business!”
Adelaide paled. Theo never talked to her like that. Her bottom lip quivered. “You know what, Theodore? You really are a jerk.”
She grabbed her bag and left.
I slowly turned back to Theo. “Geez. We sure know how to clear a room.”
He sighed. “I was too harsh but Ade won’t leave anything alone and I can’t have her interrupting our sessions. It’s too dangerous.”
“Why not? It seems like you would want her to be prepared.”
He bit his lip, drawing his lip ring into his mouth. “The magic you need to learn is far more dangerous and powerful than anything she’ll ever be capable of. I don’t want to see her get hurt trying to do something that’s beyond her abilities. It could kill her and you know how she is. She wants to do it all.”
I sighed. “I hate lying to her, Theo. Everyone lied to me and I really don’t want to do that to my friend.”
He swallowed. “Believe me, I understand. But it’s for the best.”
I looked him straight in the eye. “Lying is never the best option.”
“It may not be the best option, but it’s the only way to survive.”
Adelaide and Winston ignored me for the rest of the day. Frankly, I couldn’t blame them and I deserved their silent treatment.
I hated lying to Adelaide and Winston … I truly did care about him, but it was becoming obvious to me I couldn’t force my feelings for him into something more. I saw him as a friend, nothing less, and nothing more.
“I want you to light the candle.” Theo tipped his chin at the tapered white candle on the library desk. “Like with the book, I want you to look at it and think of what you want it to do—but please, for the love of God, don’t burn the place down.”
I frowned at him, unsure. “This doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. Maybe we should keep working on the whole summoning thing.”