Page 24 of Surge of Fire

"Right," I sigh, my thoughts running wild. "But is he ever going to stop being the vagina police?"

His brows rise. "I'm sorry, did you sayvagina police?"

I nod, then gesture toward my lady bits. "The gatekeeper to my sex life?"

He smiles uncomfortably. "Uh, no. He's going to be, uh, standing guard permanently."

"Like, I'm going to have to marry in secret or else risk his wrath?" I tease.

"Marry?" He gives me a look like I just said a dirty word. "We haveyearsbefore we have to worry about killing some guy, don't we?"

I laugh and punch his shoulder. "Just tell him to ease up."

He kisses the top of my head. "I'll do what I can, but Aydan is as stubborn as you are."

I punch him again. "Liar! I’m not the least bit stubborn!"

"You're like irritating twins!” he exclaims dramatically.

I glare at him. “I’ve never hated you more.”

We both laugh, and then I sigh. “You off to class?”

He nods. “There’s so much science here. I’m in heaven.”

“Science and girls?” I wiggle my brows. “You going to hook up with some of them?”

He blushes, then coughs. “Uh, I’m not sure any girl can handle all of this.” He gestures to his body, but there’s a little sadness hiding behind his words. Like he doesn’t think he can get a girl.

I grab him by the shirt and pull him closer, so our faces are inches from each other. “If you weren’t basically my brother, I’d be all up on that.”

His brows rise so high they disappear into his hair. “Really?”

“Really.” I draw out the word.

He licks his lips.

I release him. “So, you better bet some girl is going to be handling that and handling ithard, all summer long.”

His face turns deep red. “Is it suddenly hot out here?”

I laugh. “Go enjoy all your science for now. Tonight? I’m going to start the search for the girl who's going to be riding you all summer, and you better bet she has to be this,” I do an hourglass figure, “hot to ride that.”

He shakes his head laughing. We hug, and then go in opposite directions on the path.

Relieved, I walk with a little more purpose. Not only am I going to the class I’ve been waiting for, taught by the professor that I’ve been dreaming of, things feel a little more settled with my friends. Granger is right that I don’t want to spend the entire summer fighting, but I’m also right that Aydan has to take a step back.

So I’ll adjust things.MaybeI don’t have to be as in-his-face about the guys I’m interested in.MaybeI’m throwing my sexuality in his face a little because I’m jealous that he’s banging everything that moves at his college. It doesn’t mean I’m not going to have any fun this summer, but it does mean that I can maybe find a middle ground to deal with the grumpy, protective wolf-man.

“Sam!” Dahlia comes running up behind me on the path, and I grin. Wildlife is the only class we have together, and with her making friends left and right, most of the male variety, we haven’t had a lot of time to hang out.

She catches up with me, and I smile. “You didn’t make it back to the cabin last night.”

Her lips twist into a smile. “I met someone. Probably not someone I’ll talk to after the summer, but still someone hot enough to pass the time with.”

“Which is exactly what we need this summer.”

We exchange the cheesiest high five ever, and we keep walking to class, enjoying the sun on our faces and the feel of the wind at our backs. It’s nice to finally be in our element. After school, we should, hopefully, spend the rest of our lives in nature.

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