by ERIN BEDFORD
"Beth Ann, man, you're really just gonna ignore me like that," Chad grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into a huge hug that had Beth Ann screeching.
"Put me down, you sand sniffin’ bum. Now." She smacked at his shoulders while the rest of us laughed at her.
Chad did as she asked but not before spinning her around several times so fast that it even had me dizzy. When he sat her down, her hands came up to her face and hair, trying and failing to fix what the wind had done to her effortless look. Now, she resembled something close to a hedgehog with the way her hair was sticking out all over the place, and her little hat had come unhooked so that it was now hanging halfway down her curls.
Her friends quickly came to her rescue, trying to help her put herself back together, but Beth Ann either was used to their fussing or didn't care because she glared at Chad as if they weren't there.
"How dare you touch me?” she sniffed. “Just because we’re engaged does not mean you have any right to man handle me."
"Engaged?" Sabrina's brows lifted and then a gleeful expression covered her face. "Why, I didn't know you two were in love!"
"We're not," Beth Ann snapped, adjusting her dress before she let out a huff. "Our parents made the arrangement, and while I had hoped to convince a certain wizard to change his mind..." She gave Ian a side-eye that none of us missed. "... they were impatient to find me a match before graduation. Chadwick was my second choice."
Chad winked and kissed the air in Beth Ann's direction. "Love you too, babe."
The expression on her face looked like she had swallowed something vile, but I was too lost in my own thoughts about the whole mess. I just couldn't understand it. Why marry someone you can't stand? What was the point in it? We were in the modern era, weren't things like that unheard of now?
Then again, Paul and Sabrina's parents had wanted them to get married too, so I supposed it wasn't too out there, but at least they seemed to have liked each other at one point. Beth Ann seemed like she would rather stab herself in the eye with a fork than marry Chadwick. The fiancé in question didn't seem to care one way or the other, but then again, it might just be the laid back persona he was putting on in public. Behind closed doors, he might be a completely different person.
"Well," Paul interrupted, changing the topic, "I'm happy we're hosting the games this year. It's hard to get away from our studies to travel every year. I hope that I get to have a chance to compete against you all."
Ever the team player, Paul beamed at the others like we were discussing the weather and not a big sporting event. When I had first heard about the event, I went to the library and scoured for everything I could read up on it. But like most sports, you couldn’t just learn from the books. I wouldn’t know know about it like they did until I actually went to the games. Preferably competed in them.
What I did know was that it had started around the time the Olympics had and with the humans having their own sporting competition the magical world felt they couldn't be one-upped and started their own.
"I can't wait until next year." Sabrina sighed, popping one hip out as she fidgeted with her nails. "The international games are so much more fun than these kiddie ones we have here. Plus, who doesn't want to go shopping in France?" Her eyes lit up, and her mouth spread out into a wide, toothy grin.
Beth Ann shrugged a shoulder, not particularly seeming excited. "We go to France every summer, don't we ladies?"
Sabrina turned her eyes to me and arched a brow. "Have you been to France?"
I shook my head. "I haven't been anywhere outside of the United States.” I shook my head. “I haven’t even left Georgia, except for the one time I went to tour Brown University."
"Aw, you poor dear," Beth Ann and her friends cooed in unison as she reached a hand out to touch my arm. "Y’all'd think with all your family money, ya’ll’d be able to afford to travel, but then again, it's your grandparents that have it all, isn't it?" She paused and then moved in close. "Enjoy the freedom you have now because once you enter our world, you'll find that what you want..." Her eyes flicked over to Ian and then back to me. "... doesn't matter." Like a switch being flipped, her expression changed to a chipper one, and she waved with her fingers. "Tootles."
As she whipped around, her hair almost smacked me in the face as she sashayed away. The tension around us seemed to melt away the further she walked. It certainly did for Ian as well.
I watched him out of the corner of my eye, searching for any longing he might have had for her. She clearly still had a desire for him, that was plain in Beth Ann's face whenever she looked at him. But Ian wasn't even glancing her way. He was talking to Aidan in low tones about something to do with Potion Ball, which reminded me...
"Hey, weren't you going to gear me up for Potion Ball and teach me how to shoot?" I slipped out of Paul's arms and shifted between the other two men. "I mean, now's as good a time as any, right? Besides, this whole bet thing is making me antsy to get in some target practice." I mocked shooting a gun at the back of Beth Ann's head from across the way and laughed.
The others laughed with me, and Aidan took my hand, pulling me closer so he could press a kiss to my forehead. "Whatever you want."
"Well, then," I beamed up at him, "I want to learn how to shoot because I have a sudden need to blow something up."
Ian threw his head back and laughed. "Okay, hold on there, Rambo. Let's start with something small first, like some regular paintballs. Then we can work our way up to potions, but first," his gaze slid provocatively over my form as his hands came to settle on my hips, we have to get you out of these clothes..."
I gaped at him as my body screamed yes, yes, yes!
"... and into some gear," Ian continued. I laughed and smacked his chest as he winked at me. "But I wouldn't say no to some naked fun time later."
I cupped his face with my hand and pushed up on my toes as if I was about to kiss him but stopped just a hair's breadth away. "Only if you can beat me."
Ian grabbed me by the back of the neck and closed the distance between us with a toe-curling kiss. When he released me, he smirked.
"I'll take that bet."
Chapter 7
Unfortunately, I still had classes to attend before I could get outfitted for Potion Ball. I had to say that day, in Political Studies of Magick, I didn't hear a word the professor said. I was too excited about shooting a gun for the first time.
Okay, so I'm not one of those people who approved of having guns in your house. My mom and dad never owned one and so I figured I didn't need one either. However, thinking back to it now, having a gun in our house when my mom was a badass witch seemed a bit redundant. Even hilarious.
Could you imagine?
Someone breaks into our house and my mom goes for the gun rather than snapping her fingers and making them forget what they were doing in the first place. Or even worse, snapping your fingers and they're in their underwear in the middle of the police station with a sign around their neck saying, 'I'm a thieving bastard, arrest me.'
Okay, okay. So that last one was a bit far fetched but still, a girl could daydream. And I was. Daydreaming that is. About guns. Potion Ball guns. I wondered if they were anything like paintball guns, not that I'd ever used one of those either. I did do a quick online search for paintball guns. What came back was so much information I didn't know what to keep and what to throw away. What I did get from it was that getting hit by one of those little balls of paint without protection hurt like a bitch. So, that was my main goal now. Don't get hit. Easy enough right?
"Hey," I grinned and waved at Aidan who waited in the quad for me after class.
Aidan had changed into a pair of black cargo pants and a long sleeve skin tight shirt, showing off all of those rippling muscles and making my knees feel like jelly beneath me. Over his shirt, he had something that looked like a Kevlar vest but more straps. Aidan had a black gym bag in one of his fingerless-gloved hands that he sat on the ground when I approached. As I stopped in f
ront of him, I saw he wore a pair of black combat boots that were laced tight and had residue from something pink and green.
"Here," he unzipped the bag and handed me a mask. The mask was hot pink and had a slight visor over the eyes and would cover my mouth and nose with a few slits in the front for breathing.
"What's this for?" I held it in my hands, turning it over. There were so many straps on the back I wasn't sure I could get the thing on my face, let alone get it off by myself.
Aidan's lips quirked up at the side. "To protect that pretty face of yours."
"I know that." I rolled my eyes, blushing at his compliment. "I meant, I thought we were going to go get me some equipment of my own. Where'd you get this from?"
Shifting from one foot to the other, Aidan didn't answer right away. Then without warning, he took it from me and put it back in his bag. "Forget it. We'll get you another one."
"Hey," I argued, trying to grab for it. "I liked it. Why did you take it back?"
Aidan rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and had a guilty look on his face. If I hadn't been so close to him I wouldn't have caught it when he muttered, "It was my ex's."
My brows lifted and I glanced down to the bag and back to him. "Oh, so?"
Aidan's eyes met mine and his brows furrowed together. "You're not mad?"
For a second, I had to think about why he would think I was mad. It's just a mask. I mean, sure his ex had worn it but what did that have to do with me now? I wasn't the type of girl who would freak out over something like that. Besides, it wasn't like he was giving me hand me down jewelry or something.
I chuckled and shook my head. Which only made Aidan even more confused. Stepping closer to him, I pushed up on my toes and pressed one hand to the side of his face. "I'm not mad. It’s just a mask Aidan." I kissed him softly before pulling away. His arms came out and wrapped around my waist.
"You're such a cool girlfriend." His lips curled up in a genuine rare smile that made my body warm and my thoughts drifting from Potion Ball. I wanted to see what he had under all these tight-fitting clothes and I wanted it now.
"Sorry, I'm late," Ian called out as he jogged toward us, wearing his own similar outfit to Aidan except his were tinged green and he had his face mask sitting on top of his head already.
Fuck, if I thought one of them in their gear was hot two of them was sensory overload. My mouth watered, my tongue darting out to wet my lips as I eyed the two of them. Ian caught me look and gave me a lopsided grin.
"Keep looking at me like that, lovely and we won't ever make it to the store let alone the practice field." Ian moved in close to me and Aidan, tipping my chin up to kiss me thoroughly. I moaned into his mouth, my fingers curling into Aidan's shirt. Aidan's hands pushed me closer so I could feel how hard he was beneath his pants just from watching us kiss.
"Get a room!" someone yelled as they moved past us.
Ian and I parted with a laugh before Ian lifted his bag and brow, gesturing with a thumb behind him. "Ready to go?"
"Yes," I hopped in place. "Show me all that you know. I am ready to learn."
Aidan and Ian exchanged a look before Ian smirked. "Oh, Maxine. There are so many things I would love to say to that but first, let's get you fitted. Then we'll see about letting you play with some balls."
I giggled along with them as we walked out of the quad and toward the parking lot. I had one arm through Aidan's and my free hand in Ian's. It was an interesting sight to see so it wasn't too surprising to see people staring. Well, not as many as usual and the ones who were mainly staring were those students here for the games. I could see them looking at us and then whispering to each other, pointing fingers in our direction.
"Ugh, I thought we were old news." I tightened my grip on both guys and tried to walk faster.
Ian snorted. "We'll always be news. Regardless of who we're dating. It's part of being who we are. Might as well get used to it, Mancaster." Ian bumped his shoulder against mine and winked. "Everything you do will be scrutinized and dissected."
I groaned and threw my head back. "Can't I just be one of those hermit people, who never goes to parties and only shows up for like funerals and the occasional birthday?"
Aidan grunted in response.
Ian laughed and shook his head. "Not if you want to date all of us. Just worrying about your grandparents is one thing but Aidan and my parents are not that laid back. You should have heard the earful we got after taking you out on a double date together."
I frowned at him. I hadn't thought of that. I guess I'd only thought about how my actions would affect me with my family, not really about all of them. I had only met Aidan's parents so far but from what everyone has said, I should count my blessings the Broomsteins traveled so much for work. I wondered if Dale's parents were that uptight? He wasn't from an elite family so they didn't care as much about the image aspect of it. Or at least, I hoped.
While I contemplated a future meeting of the parents, the guys had brought me through the parking lot and up to a large black Jeep with silver rims and a bumper sticker that said ‘Wood or Die.’ Aidan and Ian threw their bags into the back of the jeep before Ian opened the passenger side door for me and Aidan took the driver seat.
As I slid into my seat, I glanced around the inside of the Jeep. "This is yours?" My fingers moved over the smooth interior and the total lack of a roof. "What do you do if it rains?"
Aidan threw me a sideways smile as he cranked the Jeep. "Put the roof on."
Ian took the backseat up sitting in the middle so he could lean forward between us. "Plus, don't tell the humans but Aidan has an anti-rain charm on his Jeep." He reached forward and flicked a medallion hanging from the rearview mirror. It had a man on it dressed in a long robe and water falling around him.
"Weird." I stared at it for a moment until it stopped spinning and then turned to Aidan with a grin. "So, what kind of music do you like?" I didn't wait for him to answer before turning on the radio to see what he had the station set on. Classical music came pouring out of the speakers. I arched a brow at him. "Really?"
Aidan lifted a shoulder. "It's soothing."
I exchanged a look with Ian before flipping the channel to something less headache inducing. "You know, I figured you more for a heavy metal or maybe even grunge kind of guy, not a classical music guy."
While he drove us to where we were going, Aidan gave me a sideways look.
"What?" I lifted a shoulder. "You have that broody suffer in silence look about you. How am I supposed to know what you are like if you don't tell me?"
Ian chuckled and patted me on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we've been friends since elementary school and still I don't know all this guy's deepest and darkest secrets."
"But you can tag team a girl just fine," I pointed out and flushed as both of them gave me a heated look. Shifting my seat, my panties becoming increasingly more uncomfortable by the minute, I asked, "So, have you done that a lot?"
"Done what?" Ian arched a brow, his lips quirking up at the ends. He was obviously screwing with me. He wasn't that dense. He knew what I was talking about.
I stared hard at him for a moment waiting for him to give it up but it seemed like he wasn't going to budge and really wanted to hear me say it. The pervert. "You know, uh," I cleared my throat and ducked my head. "Had a threesome."
Aidan watched me with amusement while Ian grinned and said, "If you can't say it then you can't do it."
"Not fair." I pointed a finger at him and pouted. "Just because the thought of doing it with both of you at once is hard to verbalize doesn't mean that I am incapable of doing the actual act."
"And do you?" Ian prodded.
"Do I what?"
Ian inclined his head with an eagerness in his eyes. "Want to have a threesome with us?"
My brows furrowed. "Didn't I already do that before?"
Ian shook his head. "Not really, not with Aidan."
"Oh." My eyes shifted to the quiet man and lingered on him. I
wondered what was going through his head right now. Did he want to have a threesome? Was that something he enjoyed? We hadn't quite gotten to the point where we'd had physical sex in the way that Ian was talking about. We'd done a lot of foreplay and flirting but not the actual act itself.
I reached over and placed my hand on Aidan's leg. He looked away from the road for a moment to meet my gaze. Chewing on my lower lip, I watched his face. Searching for some sign of him wanting to do what Ian had suggested or if he would prefer our first time to be with just one another.
"I just want to be with you." Aidan's low voice moved through me and settled between my thighs making it unbearably hard to stay in my seat and not jump him right that second. For one, we're in public. For two, moving vehicle. Bad. Bad. I didn't want to die just for an orgasm but I was sure Aidan could give life-altering ones all on his own.
As we drove we made idle chitchat about the coming year and the games, but not even talking about what kind of magic I might learn this year could distract me from where we were going. First, to get me some snazzy clothes like them and then c. I didn't know why but I was itching to get my hands on one of those guns and shoot something.
"Here we are," Ian smacked the back of my seat before hauling himself up and out of the Jeep before Aidan had even parked the vehicle.
Aidan and I waited until he stopped before a large shop on its own smack dab in a sad looking parking lot and a rundown front. The sign was hanging by a wire and it looked like the place wasn't even open let alone running anything to do with Potion Ball. Despite its outward appearance, the parking lot had tons of cars in it, making me even more confused.
"Uh, not to be a buzz kill," I started my nose crinkling up against my face. "But are you sure this is the right place? It's not exactly what I had in mind."
Aidan came around to my side of the car opening the door with his hand rather than magic. I liked that about him. While he had magic he didn't use it for frivolous things. Preferred to do them the human way.
