Page 33 of Finding Closure

That confused me until he cleared his throat and glanced at me with worry in his eyes. “Oh, your hookup spot?”

“Something like that,” he mumbled.

I snickered. “Yeah, I could see this working.” I glanced around. “Build a fire. A couple of blankets. On the prince’s land.” I nodded as I stared out at the gorgeous view. “At sunset with a bottle of fairy wine would definitely get you laid. The sunrise must be killer from here too.”

“It is,” he confirmed.

“We’re so not having sex here. You get that, right?”

“Yes, thank you,” he drawled. “I’m not that much of a fucktard.”

“Sometimes,” I teased. “So what is this? Reminding me how popular you are? That normally doesn’t end well for guys, and I certainly never rub it—”

“Closure,” he interrupted before I got too petty.

Which I appreciated.

“It’s closure and letting you in when you’ve made several comments—validcomments that I can be closed off and I know everything about you. I want to make it clear that this is all behind me and I wouldn’t want it back if things were different. I love what we have.” He turned and took my hand in his. “And I want to find a spot with you.”

Like I had with Hudson. That was what he wanted without making it about my other mate or him being jealous. He wanted us to have something special too.

I bobbed my head as I glanced out at the ocean. “I’m open to you scouting locations. It’s going to be hard to find one this cool.” I gave his hand a squeeze and pulled away. “But you’re not getting laid tonight, Nel.” I winked at him when he seemedshocked. “I don’t have sex on the first date, and I’m not an idiot that you just snuck in our first date.”

I laughed when he winced and opened a portal to get home. Silly fairy. He really thought he’d pull a fast one onme?

Not anytime soon when it came to our relationship.

9

Break ended and Izzy and I headed back to school, but I was pretty much done with the semester. My master’s project was finished and graded since it was about reforming the government, and my people were overwhelmingly supporting my changes. It was all graded by Sontar and Edelman, so it was basically a rubber stamp since they both knew how hard I worked.

I probably should’ve been nervous given the final vote of confidence before my coronation was finalized was next week, but I wasn’t. It was obvious I would get over half of Faerie to vote for me. I didn’t care about being the most popular queen ever.

I cared about protecting my people and making their lives better.

And Izzy’s was done early too mostly because she was Izzy. But also because she’d had her paper on auras published in a magical journal, and her council wanted her at the center of their program to have underperforming witches and warlocks team up with a fairy. Magically underperforming witch or warlock.

For now, it was going to be a summer camp, and only one student was to be nominated from every teacher for grades four through eight. They had to be driven students and do well academically, so the position couldn’t be bought or the teacher and school would be excluded from any future programs.

Still, people would bastardize it or test us, but it had potential. That was all I really cared about, and Izzy was always for helping people especially those like her who had been in rough spots.

My meeting after classes had been canceled for one reason or another—I’d honestly forgotten and simply been relieved because it was a boring one. So I decided to take the afternoon for myself and my dogs.

Only to be greeted by their super horrible breath.

I huffed at them that they were gross knowing that they’d been chewing on cows and their bones. I lectured them that they needed more veggies and fruits or I wouldn’t give them love anymore. And definitely mint. Then I told my detail we were going shopping instead, ignoring their laughing and all the puppy eyes pointed my way.

Fine, we were going shopping for dog toys and breath treats but whatever.

We did the portal dance and arrived at a pet chain store. I went to the correct aisle and started looking at options trying not to laugh how ridiculous it was that I was looking at breath treats for fae dogs that were hellhounds of legend.

“Please don’t do this,” a woman whimpered from the next aisle over.

“I said shut up,” a man hissed.

My feet were moving before I even made the decision. I noted the audience the scene had before stepping up next to the woman but partially blocking her. “She said to leave her alone. Do you need it said in a different language or just translated to asshole?”

He didn’t even spare me a glance. “This doesn’t involve you. Butt out, bitch.”

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