Page 12 of Two Who Live On

I froze. All he cared about above any potential future was if accepting or rejecting this singular moment would affect me. If he declined, would I think he took things too seriously? If he accepted,would I be jilted? If he shared this with me like an anecdote, would I get angry? If he withheld it, would I be bitter?

Milo cared too much, and my crippling self-worth forced him to consider our relationship with more attention because he worried I didn’t care for it enough to stay.

I did care. He wouldn’t need to find the right words or reason. I didn’t want to play games or consider anyone’s future but ours.

The music sped up, and Enchanter Campbell extended a hand to invite him onto the dancefloor. “Well? Your thoughts?”

“I wish you the best of luck, Enchanter Campbell.” I stepped forward, burying all my doubts. “Sounds like you’ve been dealt an incredibly unfair hand.”

“Dorian.” His smile wavered into a boyish grin, the same anxiously excited teen I’d met what felt like a lifetime ago. Shock filled his expression at my arrival. The witch who’d seen a million potential possibilities could still stand slack-jawed and stunned by possibilities he’d never dreamed of considering. His eyes watered joyfully as he allowed himself the briefest opportunity to question this outcome, curiously awaiting the words on my lips.

“You’ll have to find someone else almost as charming because Enchanter Evergreen already has a date.”

Milo was as concerned by what might follow as I was simply showing up, but his doubts didn’t guide my steps toward him. His hope did. I wanted to cement those feelings, prove I could be a part of his world.

I grabbed Milo by the jacket and kissed him in front of everyone in the ballroom.

“Well, damn.”“What’s he wearing?”

“Who’s that with Enchanter Evergreen?”

“Go, Dorian. About time.” “He’s so…”

“Frumpy.”“Isn’t he that teacher that nearly let his students die?”

“Guess, if incompetent is your type.”

“Suppose I’ll find a different dance partner.”

Silencing all their words, I synced to Milo’s mind. He pressed his forehead against mine, grabbing me by the back of the waist and pulling me in closer. “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Dorian?”

“I told you, I want to be with you and see what our future has in store.” I gripped his biceps as he directed us out onto the dancefloor, which admittedly was the literal last place on the entire planet I wanted to be backed onto.

“It’ll put you in a much different spotlight, and we both know how much you loathe the attention.”

“For you…anything.”

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

What had I done? Of course I couldn’t make a grand gesture at the end of the party. No, I had to sit through the entirety of this ceremony and all the speakers, applauding Enchanter Evergreen before and after his speech, answering questions from curious guests, and navigating my way around others with far more intrusive thoughts than they vocalized.

Somehow, I survived the event, and when Milo dragged me out through the back doors, I gladly ran with him.

“I can’t believe you did that.” Milo kissed my neck, backstepping and guiding my every step. “I mean, I can. I saw it once, tucked within a dozen different outcomes to steps you were definitely going to take when we officially announced we were dating. You slapping a kiss on me in front of the entire Cerberus Guild was not a potential future I entertained, though.”

“Don’t tell me I’ve gone and ruined the happiest ever that ever aftered.” I yanked his tie to slow his eager hands from working their way under my tucked shirt.

Milo quirked an eyebrow, stumped by my lightheartedness, and honestly, so was I. But embracing him and this decision, boldly declaring my love for Milo, Enchanter Evergreen, The Inevitable Future, in front of everyone had propelled me higher than any magic I possessed.

“I’d say we’re still very on track,” he said.

The slightest touch of his fingertips against my waist sent a flash of images. Everything he envisioned us doing right here and now. His surface thoughts painted his desires. In a matter of seconds, his channeled telekinesis would have me pinned against this wall. Milo would end up on his knees before I knew what to say.

My breath hitched, equally exhilarated and nervous. Countless images looped from our previous encounters. Every time he’d run his hand delicately along my back, when he’d wrapped his thighs around my hips—all these stirring memories carried our lust as Milo debated which sensation he sought to elicit. My back hit the wall, and I shivered. A primal vibration eager for what came next. But in myperipheral, the neon exit sign tempered my cravings.

“Not here.” Two simple words that proved almost as challenging to say as it was to contain myself before slipping into a very public display of affection.

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