“It only felt like a few minutes,” I say, my mind still not completely free of the kissing haze he apparently put me under.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“You should.”
He laughs again, and I get a peek of my mom’s red coat through the trees behind him.
“Do I look okay?”
“You look beautiful,” he says, sincerity shining from his eyes that makes me melt inside.
His words bring a smile to my face. “Thank you. But I mean, do I look like—um,” I say, suddenly embarrassed.
How to tactfully ask if I look like we were just making out?
“Do you mean to ask if you look like you’ve been thoroughly and sufficiently kissed? Ruined for any male that may come after me?” he asks with absolutely no shame.
“That’s not exactly how I would have put it, but yes.”
“Well, in that case, yes,” he says with a self-satisfied grin.
“Becks, seriously?” I start immediately trying to fix my hair, which is covered by a hat, so I don’t really know what I’m accomplishing.
With a chuckle, he reaches out and stills my hands. “You’re fine,” he says. “I’m mostly teasing you. You’re a little flushed, but that can easily be explained away by the chill in the air. And your lips . . .” he starts, but then seems to get a little distracted when he glances down at my mouth. His pupils dilate and he absently licks his lower lip, making my stomach dip.
He shakes his head, like he’s trying to refocus himself. “They’re a little swollen, but I don’t think anyone’s going to notice but me.”
My gaze dips to his mouth too, noticing that his lips also appear a little plumper and red. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything more tempting. I’m leaning toward him before I even realize what I’m doing. Then a voice calls out, snapping me out of it, and I take a quick step away from him. The look in his own eyes tells me he knows exactly how I’m feeling right now.
“We made it,” my dad calls out as their small group steps into the tiny clearing with us.
Brushing past Becks, I jog over to meet them.
“Was the walk too much?” I ask my dad, looking closely to make sure his coloring is normal and that he doesn’t appear winded.
“No. It was exactly what I needed,” he says with a smile.
“I’m really looking forward to this,” my mom says with an encouraging smile.
I give a nervous laugh, keeping the information to myself that I haven’t even tried to access my magic yet.
Talon and Locklyn are standing hand in hand next to my parents. I give them a little wave hello. Talon nods in greeting, but Locklyn’s attention drifts past me, her gaze locking on Becks behind my shoulder. There’s a small frown on her face as her eyes flick from him and then to me and back again.
My stomach flips.
Can she somehow tell what just happened? She is his best friend. If anyone can read Becks, it’s probably her.
As the silence lingers, my stomach starts to knot.
Her frown makes me wonder if she doesn’t want me getting close to Becks. Is she worried I’m going to take him away from her?
I’d never do that. There’s clearly a special bond between the two of them I’d never get between.
“So,” Talon says, grabbing my attention. “Are you all warmed up?”
I peek over my shoulder at Becks, who couldn’t look more pleased with himself. He winks at me with a smug smile on his face. I give a small shake of my head and roll my eyes before turning back to the group.
“You could say that,” I answer honestly, even though I haven’t so much as created a spark of magic.
