Page 135 of Poet & Protector

“That’s weird,” Ansel muttered.

“It was weird,” I agreed.

“Do you think he’ll ask you to come over again?” Ansel asked, then quickly added, “I know I’m being annoying. I’m sorry, but I don’t like this at all.”

“Neither do I,” Nev murmured.

When I glanced at him, he was staring at his hands. They were balled into fists.

“He’ll ask again,” I said. “But hopefully not for a while. He said he’d be busy leading up to the union and that after he’d be traveling a lot. Part of his new Keeper responsibilities or something.”

Ansel perked up. “That’s good news. Isn’t it?”

“I’d like to think so,” I replied, offering him a weak smile.

“Okay.” He dug through his bag and pulled out a phone charger. “Here. I have a spare.”

“Thanks.” I took the charger. “An, can you give Nev and I a minute? You should get to first period anyway.”

He nodded, casting me one last worried look before he left the lounge.

Even after Ansel was gone, Nev kept quiet.

I let out a long, uneven breath. “I really am okay, Nev. But I missed you last night. So much.”

Without warning, he lunged at me and I was on my back, his weight pressing me into the couch cushions. His mouth found mine, his kisses feverish.

“You smell like him.” Nev spoke in a pained whisper. “I can’t stand it. I need to get rid of it.”

His teeth scraped over my skin. He rubbed his cheek against my jaw, my throat. His hands were everywhere. I could feel his heart racing.

“It’s just soap, Nev.” I tried to soothe him. “He didn’t do anything to me.”

“He brought you to his house,” Nev snarled. “He kept you there all night. He kept you away from me.”

“I know.” I closed my eyes as Nev’s scent surrounded me, familiar and wonderful, but also a bittersweet reminder of what I was so afraid I would lose.

No matter what did or did not happen last night, it wasn’t good that Logan had brought me to his home to stay with him. He was staking a claim.

Like Nev, I wanted it erased.

But this was so dangerous. If someone walked in and saw us, it would be bad. If that someone was a Keeper, it would get back to Logan. It could not get back to Logan.

I kissed Nev hard before I grasped his shoulders and pushed him away. “We can’t do this here.”

“I know.” He sat up, shaking his head and growling, not at me, but in frustration. “I didn’t mean to lose control. I shouldn’t have let that happen.”

“It’s okay,” I said.

He gave me a long look, his tone growing cautious. “Logan’s scent is stronger this morning than after the commons…and you said he kissed you that day.”

“He did.” I understood what he was getting at. “But not last night. Nothing like that happened last night. The scent is probably stronger because I was in his house, with him, for so long. That, plus the shower…” I paused, then sighed. “And the clothes.”

Nev’s eyes ran up and down my body. “What about your clothes?”

That neither Nev nor Ansel noticed the difference in my clothes proved how meticulous Logan had been with his selections.

I dragged my hands through my hair and decided I needed to tell Nev everything, despite how unhappy it would make him.