by T. S. Snow
It was a feast, and Char didn’t waste any time enjoying it.
Bast sat on the couch beside her, watching with a pleased smile as Char stuffed her face with a bit of everything. I walked closer, joining them, even though Char barely even spared me a glance.
The relief I felt at having my girl back with us was huge. While I’d done my best to get her back to her old self, a part of her healing would only come from Bast, and apparently, his process began with feeding her a whole lot.
“This is so good,” Char complimented after taking a bite out of the heavily loaded pizza.
To me, it looked like Bast had thrown everything in his fridge on the pizza before he put it in the oven, but I had to admit, the smell was amazing.
I went into the kitchen, grabbed two plates, and offered one to Bast before I started piling food on mine.
We sat down and ate in companionable silence. Bast and I had chosen to sit on either side of Char, our legs brushing against hers as we ate. I knew neither of us wanted to crowd her too much, but we needed the reassurance that she was here with us, that she was okay. The past twenty-four hours had been pure hell, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what they must have felt like for her. Still, she didn’t mention any of it, and neither of us were brave enough to ask.
At least not right now. If she wanted to, when she wanted to, we’d be here to listen. Until then, we were happy to let Char set the pace, and we’d do our very best to make sure something like this never happened again.
Char put her empty plate on the coffee table and sat back on the couch, hand over her belly. “Urgh. It was so damn good, I might have gone overboard. I need to lie down so my food baby won’t come out to try to punish me for my gluttony.”
I snorted at her comment.
“Don’t worry, I don’t think little Pizza is going to have the energy to do anything that physically demanding just yet,” I joked.
Bast sent me a warning look, but Char just grinned.
“Actually, I was thinking of naming it Taquito.” She winked at me, and I smiled back.
I loved this playful side of Char.
Bast put his own empty plate on the coffee table and pulled Char’s feet to his lap. “Why don’t I give you a massage while you and little Taquito rest a bit?” he suggested.
Char’s cheeks turned pink, even as she turned on the couch, her back against my shoulder, so Bast could have better access to her feet.
“I was actually sort of planning on playing a game for a little while. I haven’t played in for-fucking-ever, and I miss it.”
“Why don’t you lie down on me? We could watch a movie for now, and then once we get our share of cuddling, we could all try playing something,” I chimed in, already scooching over on the couch so she could lay her head on my lap.
Char turned her head at me, mouth open in shock. “You play?”
Bast started to laugh while he massaged her feet.
“Badly, but he can play Mario Kart at least, and if you’re very patient with him, he can get by in some of the old-school games. But anything from this decade, and he’s basically a lost cause.”
“Hey! I can play Soulcalibur!” I protested.
“Oh yeah. You press every single button on the controller and hope for the best. That’s super skillful of you,” Bast teased.
Char just laughed. “I guess we could always play Mario Kart later, then. It’ll be fun to see you try to survive Rainbow Road.”
I gaped at her. “No! Anything but Rainbow Road!” I really hated that fucking track.
Char winked. “Don’t worry, we’ll play it easy. I’ll even let you pick my car and wheels.”
I stared blankly at her. “Uh. Aren’t they all the same?”
Both Char and Bast groaned at that, but I didn’t see the problem.
“You have much to learn, young grasshopper.” Char all but sang the words.
“Whatever. Let’s go to an archery ring, I bet I’ll wipe the floor with the two of you,” I challenged.
I might suck at video games, but that didn’t mean I had no real-life skills. I was a fucking Battle Mage, after all, and I hadn’t chosen the bow and arrow as my MET for its looks. Though I did have to admit that my bow was completely badass.
I looked down and saw Char staring at me, her face contemplative.
“What?” I asked.
“You ever tried your hand at Horizon Zero Dawn, or any other archery game?”
I frowned. “I’ve never even heard of it,” I admitted.
Char tilted her head to Bast. “Do you still have it? It’s been a few years.”
Bast grinned. “Yeah. I still have it.”
Char’s smile lightened her whole face. “Perfect. Change of plans,” she said, standing up and heading to the TV. She turned it on, as well as one of Bast’s many consoles, and then came back to the couch, bringing a controller with her. “You’re going to play Horizon while baby Taquito rests, Bast massages my feet, and we all watch you. Let’s see how badass of an archer you really are.”
She gave me the controller and lay down in my lap again, staring expectantly at me as the game started on the screen.
Well, I guess I was doing this, after all.
I had to admit, this game was pretty damn good. I mean, I was no brilliant player or anything, and Char and Bast goaded me more times than I wanted to admit, but I was having fun, and not just because of the company either. I’d probably never understand why the two of them seemed content to just watch me play for hours, but I wasn’t complaining.
After all, it meant I had my girl lying on my lap during most of it.
“Okay,” Char said, sitting up. “Your time is up. I want to kill some monsters too.”
I handed her the controller, barely even mourning the fact I wouldn’t get to finish my current mission.
“Nuh-uh. That’s not what I’m playing. No way.”
Bast snorted at Char’s words.
“And why is it that you refuse to play that game, my love?” Bast teased Char, and I watched in amusement as she crossed her arms in front of herself and gave him a dirty look.
“It was one time,” she defended, pouting.
Oh, there was definitely a story there, and there was no way they would be keeping it from me. Especially when Bast was laughing that hard.
I grinned, even though I was clueless. Their laughter was infectious.
“What happened that one time?” I asked.
Bast opened his mouth to answer, but Char made a dive at him, trying to physically keep his mouth shut. There was an oomph as Bast fell backwards on the sofa, Char on top of him, her hand covering his mouth.
“Buruuhhuh ruhuh,” Bast tried to say, but his muffled words made no fucking sense.
“Ewww,” Char said, taking her hand away from Bast’s mouth and wiping it on his cheek as he laughed.
“As I was trying to say, the first time she started to play it, she—” His words were cut off when Char put her hand over his mouth once again.
“You keep your mouth shut, or I’ll tell Blair who really messed with her social media,” Char threatened.
The way she was on top of him, with her hand on his mouth and sounding all stern, was cute as hell. She was probably going for fierce, but she was failing miserably.
Especially when her hair was all over the place from her having spent the last couple of hours on my lap.
Bastille’s eyes widened, and he raised his hands in surrender.
Char stared at him a minute longer, as if considering whether or not it was okay to release him, and then finally let go.
Bast sat up, gave her a quick kiss, and then trapped Char against his chest, making it so she couldn’t move her arms.
“The first time she played, she was distracted killing one of the lesser robots and got stomped to death by the Tallneck. Then, when she came back, she did her very best to kill it, even going so far as to climb him to attack. Except she fucked up, fell from up above, and got stomped on
again.” He laughed as Char tried to struggle against him, and I started to laugh too at the mental image. It did sound like something Char would do.
“Anyway, she’s sworn never to play it again out of spite. But she made me play it because she wanted to see how the story progressed. There was a lot of her cursing me too, when I didn’t get stomped on by the damn thing.”
Having had enough, Char tried to headbutt Bast’s chest, but he just maneuvered them so she couldn’t do any actual damage. Char released a frustrated hmmpf, and pretended to settle.
The minute Bast took his eyes off her, she went for the kill.
“Ouch! Did you just… Did you just bite me?” Bast asked Char, stunned.
Char moved back, and I could see the wet patch on his white shirt.
“This is punishment for running your mouth! Just be grateful I didn’t bite you lower. Then again, if I did bite you down there, I’d probably end up mourning the loss too, so not the best punishment. I mean, great punishment, but I don’t want to go without either. So, yeah.” She then turned to me, and I lowered my hands to cover my dick.
“Don’t you dare, Char!” I warned, narrowing my eyes at her. “I did nothing to deserve such a punishment. In fact, remember how you said doing that would be bad for you too? Well, don’t you go changing your mind on me.”
Char had this fucking terrifying glint in her eyes as she stared at me, but then a smile broke on her face and I sighed in relief.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and all three of us exchanged a look.
“Not it,” both Char and I said at the same time, turning to stare at Bastille expectantly.
“It is your house,” Char added.
“You know, at first I thought having Andres join your harem was a great idea, but now I’m starting to realize having the two of you together will probably cause world destruction or something. I really did not think this thing through.”
Char and I grinned at each other with matching looks of mirth, and Bast just sighed and went to open the door.
I loved that I had a partner in crime.
“I’m just saying, your next harem member could be someone a little more mature, like that Nightshade guy. He looks like he could keep you two under control,” Bast said from near the door.
The thought of Logan Nightshade with someone like Char would’ve made me laugh, except… Except I’d seen the way he’d looked at Char when we rescued them from the resistance.
There had been more than simple lust there.
Char was silent after Bast’s comment, and when I looked at her, I saw not only her cheeks were pink, but so were her ears.
There was definitely something going on between the Nightshade heir and our Charisma.
Now, whether that something would progress into more or not, that remained to be seen.
17
Charisma
“Char, there’s someone here to see you,” Bast called from the entrance of the living room.
I turned my head and saw Blaze hovering behind him. Blaze had done more than shower since the last time I’d seen him only a few hours ago. His short mohawk was styled and a little wet from whatever hair products he used to keep it spiky.
Probably just hair gel or whatever guys used. Soap, maybe.
I swore living with Bast had taught me that for some guys, soap was the only product they needed for hair and body. But oh boy, when it came to keeping a beard properly fixed, it was a whole process.
He probably had more beard stuff than I had hair stuff.
But anyway, I digressed. The point was Blaze looked good. Really good. In jeans and a dark gray shirt, he was positively edible.
I didn’t know if it was the way he was looking at me, the weather, or if it was just the memory of the kiss we’d shared in the heat of battle and the things Blaze had said, but…boy.
It was hot in here. Like, really, really hot.
Hot enough that I’d have dropped my pants…if I’d been wearing any.
“Soooo, are you two just going to keep eye-fucking each other, or is there something you want to say to Char, Blaze?” Andres’ words broke whatever spell I’d been under, and I blinked back to reality.
Of course, the first thing I did was use my elbow to hit Andres’ stomach, but he had it coming.
Andres curled up on himself with an oomph, and I got up, feeling triumphant.
Then I just stared at Blaze, waiting to hear what he had to say.
“Hey, Char, how are you holding up?” Blaze asked, giving me a small smile. His eyes traced me from head to feet, lingering on my exposed legs before coming back to my face.
“I’m okay. Tired, really. But I’m okay.”
Blaze’s gaze didn’t let up, as if he was trying to make sure I really meant what I’d said, but he wasn’t going to find anything different.
Yes, I knew I’d just gone through a pretty traumatic experience, even if to some extent, I’d been prepared for all kinds of scenarios when I joined AMIA, and being captured had been one of them. I’d also had my fair share of combat training at Arcane Academy, even though I’d enrolled as a Magical Engineer. After all, it wouldn’t do for engineers to not know the basics of battle and become liabilities. I knew I’d probably have nightmares about all the things that could’ve gone wrong for years to come. However, I didn’t want to spend my life in fear, and more than that, I didn’t really want Cara and her evil scheming to affect me any more than it already had.
Besides, denial was my middle name, and I’d gotten pretty good at postponing my worries. Future Char could stress and be anxious about all of it and whatever the hell else might come our way, but present Char was going to enjoy her men and her video games.
And if there was some ice cream involved and maybe some dessert, then I’d truly be in heaven.
Blaze closed the distance between us, cupping my chin. “You really okay?”
Oh boy. Oh. Oh, oh boy.
If I were a robot, right now, all my systems would’ve been in overdrive. There would probably be smoke coming out of my ears and nose. Hell, even my head.
I…did not…know what to do.
I mean. Yes, we’d kissed, but did that mean we were a couple again?
Were we together together? I’d thought he wasn’t okay with the whole sharing me thing.
If Blaze could, like, spell things out for me, preferably also in writing so I could make sure I understood it and him, that would be great.
I wasn’t too proud to admit I just stood there, frozen in place, trying to understand whether or not I should act couply or not.
In the end, after a long, awkward stretch of time, I nodded and stepped back from him.
Fuck that. If he wanted to be one of my boyfriends, I was honestly going to need him to step up his game and actually say it. Anything else would be disrespectful to me, and to Bast and Andres.
I really had no business pining after a guy when I already had two who I loved and who made me incredibly happy, even if both of them ganging up on me was less than ideal. I’d get my revenge.
Something flashed in Blaze’s eyes, and he pulled himself to his full height, looking around the room.
“Right. I’m glad you’re okay. I’m sorry…” Blaze trailed off, making a face. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, any of it. But the reason I came here today… I was wondering if we could…talk?”
Never in my life had I seen Blaze looking more uncertain of himself. Something stirred inside my stomach, and I resisted the urge to put a hand over it.
Probably just indigestion or something, Charisma.
Right. Yeah. Indigestion.
“I…uh…sure?” I replied, looking at both Bast and Andres to see if they had an idea of what the hell was going on.
I mean, I thought I kind of did know? But at the same time, what if I was just getting my hopes up and then he wanted to, I don’t know, make a report or something?
That would suck so very bad.
“Why don’t Andres and
I go out for a bit…buy some ice cream or something, and you guys can talk?” Bast said, sending Andres a look.
“But I want to see him grovel,” Andres protested. “I even have popcorn!” he added, picking up the bowl from the coffee table and waving it around as if to illustrate his point.
Bast crossed to Andres in three steps, knocked him on the back of the head with an open palm, messing up his hair, and then took the popcorn away from him while Andres protested.
“We’re going.” Bast’s firm order and his whole alpha vibe was doing things to me that were probably inappropriate right about now.
Later though, I’d have him speak to me just like that as we did all kinds of naughty, naughty things to each other.
And if I was feeling generous, I might just let Andres join the fun too.
I was magnanimous like that.
“No. Actually, this concerns the two of you as well. So if you don’t mind, you should stay.” Blaze’s awkward words managed to break through my horny brain fog, and my eyes flew to his.
Oh.
This was happening.
It was happening, wasn’t it?
Be cool, Char. For fuck’s sake, be cool.
Nothing to see here folks. Just my little possum heart getting its hopes up.
Bast and Andres exchanged a look before they both nodded.
“See? Told you we could watch. Now give me my popcorn back,” Andres demanded.
Bast just rolled his eyes and walked to one of the high-back chairs, taking the popcorn with him, while I wrung my hands.
My heart was speeding up, and I was both super excited and kind of nauseous, which was not ideal, but I was determined to see this out, one way or the other.
The problem with love was that it made fools out of all of us. It didn’t matter that Blaze had already fractured my heart more than once, that he’d rejected me. Or rather, he’d rejected the whole sharing me thing, which I understood. I wouldn’t have wanted to share either, in his shoes. But he’d come here. He’d asked to talk to us. He’d even asked the guys to stay.
It could only mean one thing, right?
Goddess, I hoped so, because I would not ask him again.
