Page 111 of Gemini Wicked

He’s playing it up casual for our Unseelie viewing audience. So I follow his lead and drop the knapsack carelessly at his feet.

“Best have a care, love,” I say lightly. “You’ve getting a bit sunburnt.”

“Darling, I’m working on my tan.” V lowers his arm and sits up to sulk. “Took you long enough.”

His high cheekbones are flushed with sun, he has the palest sprinkle of freckles coming out across his nose like fairy dust, and his petulant pout’s too yummy to resist. I hunker down and run a rough palm over his damp hair.

Ah. He’s sticky with salt, that’s what’s got him all pouty.

“Had to round up Xiao and Skyler, didn’t we?” I remind him. “Left that lot in detention with Aggie in the crypt. Between them, Cleo and her crew have crushed half the rules in the Codex to rubble. Your sweet cousin Skyler’s looking at suspension for attacking our girl on Academy grounds. Could be Sky will miss her finals and have to take a do-over for the term.”

“Too bad.” That little nugget sparks my beau’s malicious grin in a way that shows off his pretty fangs. “It appears Cleopatra doesn’t trouble her head over the academic welfare of her minions.”

My reply’s lost when he winds an arm round my neck and pulls me close for one of his snakebite kisses.

Now that’s what I’m talking about.

His lips taste like salt, but his fist clenches in my hair with a ruthless insistence and his tongue licks into my mouth with a hunger that makes me forget all our troubles. Makes me forget everything, in fact, except the consuming need to climb on top of him and straddle his hips and dry-hump him till he spills all over my uniform trousers. Till I paint his sleek chest and smooth abs with a load of my own spunk.

Of course we’re linked, same as always. So he’s got the filthy fantasy from my mind in a blink. He hums with approval and cups my still rampant and quite interested boner through my trousers.

So much for him being half-drowned.

“Thought it was a blooming crisis,” I grumble, though I’m not really whingeing. “Lucius yanked me out of class for this, you know.”

“Poor you,” he purrs against my lips. Even after his immersion, he smells like vetiver and he tastes like vodka. I’m getting sozzled just kissing him. “And, for your information, I nearly did drown. Now I need conditioning rinse and a hair dryer on an emergency basis.”

I grin and nudge the knapsack closer with my foot. “I’ve brought your duds and a few other bits and bobs.”

“Hmm.” That’s his way of saying thanks. But he’s distracted, and what he says next proves it. “Truly, we really must do something about this plague of Faerie magic running amuck at our fair Academy.”

“Uh huh.” I navigate his deadly fangs (not that I’d mind getting nicked, but he’s self-conscious about his fangs and he’d be bloody appalled) so I can deepen our snog.

Of course, knowing Zeph’s watching gives the whole experience an edge that’s keen enough to cut. That royal prick’s definitely not immune to the sight of me getting some from my pretty boyfriend, who happens to be sunning in the nude.

And Zeph’s not immune to me either.

I was his first.

Just like he was mine.

That shit gets under a bloke’s skin.

Not to mention, he’s always been territorial and possessive as fuck.

“Okay, guys, listen up.” Zara’s insistent voice breaks our kiss and swings us all round to where she’s sitting on the dive boat gunwale with her stockinged legs swinging like a Hollywood pinup girl. She’s swigging from a bottle of water to rehydrate and flashing a good handspan of suntanned thigh, with Neo tucked up tight at her side.

When we all look at her with appreciation for that naughty schoolgirl vibe she’s giving off in her plaid skirt and teal pigtails, she grins at us and waves a hand toward our headmaster. He’s lurking nearby, clearly drawn to her pending fertility, but fighting like blazes to keep his rut in hand.

“Lucius has something to say,” she tells us.

Obediently, we all look toward Lucius. He’s rocking that vibe Zara calls his Gary Oldman look, still sporting his silk tie and seersucker suit, with his eyes hidden behind violet-tinted specs. The harbor wind’s tugged his mane of chestnut curls loose from their tidy knot to spill down his back.

Of course, I’ve sensed him holding something back.

But it’s telepath manners not to pry.

Now Lucius slips off his shades to give us all a sober look. “Thank you, Ms. Gemini. Here’s the reason I was late arriving at the dive shop. I was summoned by the Dean to account for this morning’s unfortunate altercation.”

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