Rest up,I text back instead, doing my best to keep things light.I’ll be waiting for you in the morning with tea and pancakes. Naked pancakes, if you’re lucky. :)
I stare at the screen, waiting for the little dots to appear, waiting for the usual flirty banter or innuendo or even the slightest smiley-face indication that he’s okay.
But after a full two minutes, nothing comes.
Biting back a sigh, I turn over to check on Kirin, surprised to find him already awake and watching me intently.
“Baz?” he asks softly, and I nod, holding up the phone to show him. “It doesn’t even sound like him. Not really. I know it’s just a text, but he just seems so… so down.”
“He’s been through a lot, Stevie. Whatever he dealt with in the realm, we need to let him work through it on his own.”
“I feel like we’re abandoning him.”
“We’re just giving him a little space.”
I nod, but I can’t hide the worry in my eyes. Not from Kirin.
“Tell you what,” he says. “You stay here and relax, and I’ll make us breakfast in bed.”
The sweetness and sincerity in his eyes finally coax out a smile. “Kirin. I think it’s a little late for breakfast in bed.”
“Brunch, then.” Kirin crawls out of bed wearing nothing but sweatpants, the muscles of his broad chest rippling as he talks about cooking for me, like the sexy man-servant of my dreams. “Do you have eggs in the fridge? I do a killer Greek omelette.”
“It’s nine-thirty at night. Might as well call it dinner.”
“Call it dunch and you’ve got a deal.”
* * *
True to his word, Kirin and his killer Greek omelettes do not disappoint, and it’s not long before we’ve demolished the entire tray full of deliciousness.
“So that was dunch?” I say, giving my stomach an appreciative pat. “I’m definitely a fan.”
“I should’ve made desert though,” Kirin says, setting the tray of empty dishes on the dresser before joining me back in bed. “Now I’m craving something sweet.”
“Can I interest you in some chocolate body powder? It’s all I’ve got on hand at the moment.”
Kirin’s glasses slide down his nose, his jaw dropping. “Wait. Seriously?”
“Top drawer, nightstand. There’s a whole pouch of goodies.”
I watch with a satisfied smirk on my face as he rifles through the drawer and pulls out the gossamer pouch, peering inside it. “Chocolate body powder—oh, vanilla too, good, good. Lavender massage oil. Feathers, okay then. And… wait. Warming personal lubricant?”
“Hey, a girl needs to be prepared for anything.”
He swallows audibly, nearly dropping the pouch. “What exactly are you preparing for here? The sexpocalypse?”
“No one wants to be caught without the essentials at the end of the world, Kirin.” I crack up, taking great pleasure in his awkwardness. “Professor Broome gave it to me with my birth control potion. She said, and I quote, ‘all witches and mages should be encouraged to freely explore their sexuality and sensual pleasures.’ Apparently she’s like the magickal Dr. Ruth. She’s got a whole stash of goodies in her office.”
“Good to know.” Quickly looking away, Kirin sets the pouch back in the drawer. “What else have you got tucked away in this drawer of iniquity?”
“Hey perv,” I tease, reaching over to smack him on the butt. “Make an appointment with Professor Broome if you want in on the fun.”
“No need. This is purely academic curiosity, I assure you.” Laughing, he pulls out a small bottle of silvery, milky liquid and holds it up. “Let me guess. Body paint?”
“That’s the dream potion I made in Broome’s class when I wanted to connect with the Dark Arcana. Silversword root, witch’s cauldron, and moonstone elixir. But trust me—from now on I’m sticking with the anti-dream stuff.”
I lean across him and fish out another bottle, unscrewing the cap to show him the black, viscous contents. “Professor Broome gave it to me last night. She said it would encourage a deep, dreamless sleep.”
