Magical Seclusion

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  “Seriously?” he asked.

  “Seriously.” I leaned closer to him. “Dance with me.” I lowered my voice, willing to share some of my emotions. “I’m lonely.”

  His eyes flickered over my face, taking in my expression. I wasn’t sure what he saw, I just knew I needed time with him. If he was here working, why not get something more out of it? I got company, he got a better view of his target. It was a win-win.

  “Fine.” He got up and held out his hand. I didn’t hesitate and grabbed it, dragging him with me to the dance floor. I finally had a chance with one of the guys, and I wasn’t about to waste it. I spotted Ami still at it with the stranger. She met my eyes and then grinned when she saw Elliot, nodding in approval.

  I rolled my eyes before turning to Elliot. My heart fluttered looking at him. The flashing lights danced across his skin and highlighted all his features. The slight curve of his nose—broken once upon a time—the broadness of his jaw, defined cheekbones, the softness in his face that most beings never had, that only he could have because of his humanness. He wasn’t baby-faced, he was handsome, manly, but the lack of otherworldliness made him come off as softer.

  Elliot shifted closer and leaned in until his lips were by my ear. “You’re staring,” he said, resting his hands on my hips and pulling me closer.

  “I can’t help it,” I replied. “I haven’t seen you in over a week. I haven’t really seen any of you guys since we got back.” My words held a bitter bite to them.

  Elliot pulled back with a frown. “No dates?” he asked, and I could barely hear him over the music.

  I shook my head. “No, so dance with me.”

  His frown deepened, but he caved and moved. I matched his movements until we were one, pressed against each other. His heat seeped into my skin, and I enjoyed the fact that there wasn’t any magic or energy coming off him. It was all him, making my body come alive.

  Elliot’s hands slipped lower on my hips, his fingers finding bare skin where my shirt had risen, and I grinned up at him. He glanced at me briefly with a goofy smile before returning his focus to his target.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you weren’t interested,” I said.

  His eyes met mine. “I’m always interested.”

  I narrowed my eyes in challenge. “Really?”

  He moved us, no doubt to keep eyes on his target. “Laila, you’re an attractive person and your confidence draws men in, including me. It’s like your complete belief in yourself knows no bounds.”

  I had to keep from biting my lips because his description of me didn’t feel right. I was pushy, I knew that. The world I grew up in demanded that I be pushy in order to survive.

  “I’m surprised Davies or Venni hasn’t taken you out on a date yet,” he said.

  “Yeah, well, all of a sudden the company got hit hard with requests and everyone’s been working since.”

  “Including you,” Elliot said.

  “Now who’s nosing around the company?” I asked.

  He snorted. “I care about you, Laila. Of course I’m going to keep tabs on you, make sure you’re at least taking care of yourself.” His hand went to my right arm, fingers skimming my bare skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps following in his wake. He trailed down the length of my arm before stopping at my hand. He lifted it and turned it over so we could see the slight redness. I didn’t feel any pain, and by morning, there wouldn’t be any signs left of my stupidity.

  Elliot kissed my palm with a feathery light touch.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” I asked.

  “You haven’t been taking care of yourself.”

  “I’ve been doing fine.”

  He pressed his lips against my palm again, adding a little more pressure. “This says otherwise.” As he talked, his lips moved against my skin and lit it on fire. I shivered, wanting more from him, needing more. He made me feel alive with such a simple move.

  “And are you going to be the one to take care of me?” I asked, moving closer to him until my breasts pressed against his chest.

  The strobe gave me enough light to see the way his eyes darkened as he focused on me. “Always.” He leaned forward, but paused when something in my expression clued him in. “You’re angry.”

  I opened my mouth to lash out at him and paused, reassessing. My heart twisted, and I looked away from him, unable to meet his eyes. “I am. I’m also hurt. But I’m so used to it, to not feeling wanted or needed, that I can’t even face those emotions properly. You guys told me what you wanted and then everyone disappeared.”

  His hand cupped my face, and he forced me to meet his eyes. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

  “So you say.”

  “I’m sorry, Laila. That shouldn’t have happened. I know some of the guys had plans to go out with you.”

  I glared. “If they did, then they went without me. I haven’t seen anyone in weeks, Elliot. Weeks. If I even get a moment with someone, it’s while they’re running out the door.” I swallowed hard, and not wanting him to see the pain in my face, I pressed my head into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight into him. “You’re all liars.”

  “We aren’t. I promise we aren’t,” he said, kissing my forehead as we swayed, not caring about the beat of the song anymore. “I want you, Laila. I’ve only been thinking about you and when I’ll finally have time to take you out on a date. Believe in us, please. This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Frustration slipped into his voice. “We had a plan and somewhere along the way it got fucked up. Let us fix it.”

  “Fine,” I said, relaxing into him. I tilted my head up and pulled away so I could see the sincerity in his expression. It was there, deep in the regretful lines framing his mouth and eyes. If he said it hadn’t been intentional, then I needed to believe that.

  They wanted me.

  Now I needed to feel like they wanted me because I hadn’t felt that in a while. As if sensing what I needed, Elliot moved closer.

  He leaned down and I shifted so I pressed up against him again. Our lips met and nothing else mattered. Elliot took charge with his kiss, moving his lips against mine, nipping at me, tasting me. I followed after him, desperate for more. His hands moved to my lower back and pulled me closer as I groaned into his mouth. The benefit of making out with a human was that it was all real; the tingles I felt didn’t come from magic or energy, just from him kissing me. There was a reassurance in knowing I could feel sparks without the assistance of magic, and I needed all the reassurances I could get. I pushed into him, wanting more, my body flaring to life. I ran my hands up his shoulders as I opened my mouth.

  Elliot didn’t hesitate as he dove right in and deepened the kiss. I responded fervently, wanting more from him, needing more. This. This was what I missed, what I needed. The hardness of a man against my softer body. The taste of him. Knowing I drove him mad with a touch.

  My hand went to the back of his neck, and my fingertips trailed against his skin. He shuddered against me as his kissing turned insistent. He so easily stole my breath, claiming it as his own.

  When we pulled apart, both of us had to catch our breaths as we stared at each other, the strobe lights flashing across our faces. Nothing mattered, not the music or the bodies around us. I just saw Elliot and possibilities. It both scared and excited me. I could have something with him and I wanted to. I really did.

  Fear tried to claw its way out, but I managed to smash it down. Now wasn’t the time to run away from commitment.

  Elliot rested his forehead against mine and moaned. “Laila, the things you do to me without even trying. I’m completely at your mercy right now.”

  I smirked, pulling together all my confidence. “Then maybe we should continue.”

  He shook his head and pulled away. “Not tonight, we shouldn’t. That’d be a really bad idea. I’m in this for the long haul, and until you understand that, we can’t go further.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He sighed. “
I mean no rushing. Let’s take our time with this.”

  I tried to understand his words, but for some reason I couldn’t quite grasp what he was saying.

  “You won’t have sex with me because you want to take this slow?” I asked.

  “Exactly. I want what we will do to mean something, really mean something. I refuse to be just a fling with you.”

  “I don’t get it,” I said. “I don’t understand this devotion you have, this need to go so slow. We like each other, why can’t we enjoy each other then?”

  “Because, Laila, you’re used to fast, and we want to teach you there is more than just jumping into someone’s bed.”

  I winced at his words, a sharp stab of pain going through my heart. Without using such words—because he’d never use that kind of language—he’d called me a shallow whore.

  “Shit,” he said and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m saying this all wrong.” He glanced into the crowd and frowned. “And now I need to get moving.” He turned back to me, his expression insistent. “Dr. Laila Porter, I want you. Don’t ever doubt that. I want you now, and I’ll want you months from now. That isn’t going to change anytime soon.”

  “How can you be so sure?” I asked.

  “Because I paid attention to you. To what you show the world and what you hide from it. I like you, with all your faults, and all your strengths. I love your need for control, to understand everything, to always challenge yourself. I love that you can walk into a room and so easily demand attention without really asking for it. People willingly want to give it to you. I love how you fight for what you think is right, even when you’re wrong.”

  I snorted, and his grin widened.

  “Don’t doubt us, Laila. I’ll fix this. Just enjoy the ride. For now, I need to go before I lose my target. I’ll call you later tonight, and we’ll make plans for dinner.”

  He gave me a quick kiss on the lips before squeezing me to him and then letting me go. By the time I collected myself, he was lost in the crowd and most likely already out the door.

  “Damn, that was hot,” Ami said, coming over with a wide grin. “That man knows how to turn up the heat.”

  I smiled back, my lips still tingling. “That he does.”

  She laughed and pulled me deeper onto the dance floor until we were completely surrounded by other dancers and then we let the music move us.

  We went through another two songs before someone wrapped their hands around my waist. I reacted and slammed my elbow back. Whoever grabbed me grunted and let go. I turned to glare at the idiot who’d decided to just grab me from behind and blinked a couple of times.

  “Davies?” I said and then began apologizing. He leaned over slightly as he rubbed his stomach.

  “Damn, Babe, you know how to throw an elbow,” he said before straightening and grinning at me.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked. “Are you working too?”

  I pulled up everyone’s schedule from my memory.

  “I just finished and rumor said you were here, without a male companion. I’m surprised Elliot left you hanging.” Davies shook his head.

  “He’s not the only one who left me hanging,” I said, some of the anger slipping through. He was one of the guys who had insisted on having a date soon after we returned. He winced and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I deserved that. Why do you think I’m here now?”

  He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close until my nose brushed his chest. I looked up at him as he swayed us to the music, not quite on beat since we were moving too slowly, but still, this moment was up there with the dancing with Elliot.

  “Do you think Ami will hunt me down tomorrow if I take you away from here?” he asked.

  I smiled. “Depends, why are you whisking me away?”

  “So that I’ll have you all to myself, with no interruptions.” He squeezed me tighter. “And you won’t be able to get away from me.”

  My body heated, and my brain briefly sputtered as all the dirty thoughts flashed through my mind. I liked the way he thought. Elliot got me worked up, but it seemed Davies had no problems alleviating the need for me.

  “I think she’ll be fine with it,” I said

  “Good.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowd. We walked right by Ami, and she grinned as she gave us a wave and knowing smirk. I rolled my eyes as I waved back, and then we were gone.

  We exited the club at the front and only had to walk a block before we reached his car. He opened my door for me.

  “Milady,” he said with a slight bow.

  I held in a giggle. How did he manage to so easily make me feel like one of those annoying preteen girls? While I buckled in, he got into the driver’s seat and turned the car on.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “Since this is unplanned and all the best dates usually are, we’re going for a late dinner at my favorite place. I think it’s time I introduced you to Auntie.”

  “Auntie?”

  He nodded. “Not by blood, but if I try to call her anything else, she tends to start hitting, so she’s Auntie. You’ll have to call her that too.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “This isn’t a prank, is it? She won’t hit me if I call her Auntie, will she?”

  He chuckled. “No, you’ll see.”

  We drove for about ten minutes, conversation light as we talked about what we’d been up to the last few weeks.

  “I swear,” Davies said. “You’d think the company had got as busy as it was going to get, but you came into the picture, and we hit a new level. Then you went and made friends with a dragon, and blew the company’s limit to hell.”

  “I’m sorry?” I said sheepishly.

  He snorted. “No, you’re not. But that’s why we’ve been so damn busy. People keep flocking to us to fix all their damn problems. I’m going to scream if I have to do another babysitting job.” Davies’s face scrunched up. “I don’t do kids.”

  I grinned. “You’re good with kids. Don’t think I haven’t seen you mess around with them at the park during lunch breaks.”

  He smirked. “Stalking me, Babe?”

  “Shut up,” I said and laughed.

  Shortly after, we pulled into a driveway in front of a small diner with a twenty-four hours sign flashing green in the window and bright lights showing the booths and tables set up inside.

  “This is where Auntie works?” I asked and got out of the car.

  After closing the door, I went around to the front to meet Davies.

  “She’s going to love you,” he said, flinging his arm around my shoulders. We walked with me tucked into his side. When the door opened, a bell rang to announce our presence.

  “Just sit wherever,” an older woman called, her voice smoky as her eyes stayed glued on the customer she was talking with.

  “Will do, Auntie,” Davies called out.

  The woman’s head swung and widened when she found Davies. Her dark eyes flickered from him to me, and then back to him.

  Davies ignored her scrutiny and led me over to a booth away from the other customers. I glanced at Auntie, who was still staring at us. When I sat down, I did everything I could to prevent fidgeting. She was burning a hole through me all the way across the diner and I could practically taste the disapproval from there.

  I sighed. I hadn’t even talked to her yet, and she didn’t like me.

  “Relax,” Davies said and passed me a menu that had already been on the table.

  “She hates me.”

  “You haven’t even met her yet. She’s awesome.”

  I looked down at the items on the menu, not reading anything. A few minutes passed before she finally came over. Her skinny frame was wrapped in a red shirt and black pants, gray-blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun.

  She scowled at me before focusing on Davies, her expression transforming instantly into someone kind and loving.

  “Davies, why has it taken you so long to come visit me?” she asked.r />
  “Been busy at work,” he replied, grinning up at her. “Nothing else can keep me away from your delicious lemon tart, you know that.”

  She huffed. “Same old, I reckon?”

  He nodded. “Laila, what do you want?” he asked, looking at me.

  My gaze went to Auntie, noting the way her lips thinned. Her smile faltered when she met my eyes.

  “Just a turkey club with water,” I said, reading the first thing I saw on the menu.

  “Chili fries too,” Davies said.

  Auntie didn’t write anything down. She only nodded her acknowledgment before disappearing. When she got behind the counter, she shot me a dirty look.

  “Why are you looking like that?” Davies asked when I faced him. His smile slipped away into a worried frown.

  “Like what?” I asked, trying to push away the dirty looks.

  “Like you just ate something sour.”

  I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Just my own hang-ups.”

  He leaned forward. “Tell me”

  “No.”

  “Laila.”

  “No,” I said.

  He looked disappointed and leaned back, staring out the window for a moment. “I need to do this right,” he mumbled.

  “Do what right?” I asked.

  “You.”

  Both my eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?”

  He blinked in surprise and then laughed. “No. No, that isn’t what I meant. I just meant wooing you. I can’t fall behind.”

  “Now you lost me. You don’t woo.”

  “Exactly, but don’t worry. I’ll fix that.” He grinned and leaned back when Auntie brought our drinks.

  “Thank you,” he said to her. She smiled back, her expression soft, and patted his shoulder.

  “Stop being a stranger, hun,” she said. “My old bones missed you.”

  Davies reached up and grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it. In his hand, hers looked so small and frail, the blue veins sticking out. “Your old bones are stronger than ever. You’ll live to be a hundred and fifty,” he said.

  She laughed. “I’d rather see Bennett instead,” she said. “Your food will be out in a couple of minutes.” She walked over to another customer and Davies sighed.