Page 53 of Oohs, Ahhhs, and Orbs

I picked out a pair of my favorite red heels and sat on the edge of the bed to slip them on. As I sat there, I glanced over to the pillow that Logan used and couldn’t stop myself from hugging it close and inhaling deeply. I could have sat there all day, just enjoying the comfort of being surrounded by his scent, but I forced myself to stand up and head into the bathroom.

I chose to stay light with my makeup. After applying just enough mascara to my nearly invisible lashes, I swiped on some lip gloss. My bandaged hand caught my attention in thereflection, and I frowned as I held it up. It was already beginning to seep blood through the fabric.

Knowing I couldn’t delay any longer, I headed downstairs, going straight for the makeshift first aid kit I’d put together the day before after a quick run to the nearest pharmacy. Logan had wanted to know how I’d gotten hurt after seeing my hand bandaged. Right after that, he’d demanded that I heal myself. All I could do was play it off like it wasn’t a big deal.

I awkwardly unwrapped the gauze and avoided looking too closely at the deep cut, then dropped the bandage in the trash can on the floor. Using a craft stick, I dipped one end into the small jar of healing salve that really didn’t seem to be doing a damn bit of good, and smeared a dab over the raw cut. Once done, I rewrapped, tucking the end under, then tossed the scraps away.

With that done, I stepped through into the shop and headed straight for the front door. Halfway there, I stopped in my tracks and looked around in awe. Everywhere I glanced, I saw dragons and fairies. It looked like they’d had a full on party. Placing my hand over my heart, I let out a sigh of happiness.

I hadn’t noticed how subdued the vibe in the shop had been over the last couple of weeks, but now, looking around at the dragons laying in the piles of gemstones, and the fairies on every shelf but their own, with bits of glitter on the ground, it was clear that the mood had shifted since the athame had been removed. Deep inside, I knew the danger wasn’t over, but I was thrilled that my friends could be themselves again.

I began moving around the shelves, collecting fairies, and placing them where they belonged while laughing at some of the locations I’d found them. A hint of iridescent green caught my eye, and I saw one of them up on the shelf, snuggled in with my guardian crow. Frank was puffed up, with his chest out. For all his intense watchfulness, he had a relaxed air about him.

Using air magic, I lifted the fairy and guided her into my hand. “You silly girl,” I said as I gently ran a finger over the rim of her shimmering green wing. “It’s dangerous to be so high up there. What if you had fallen?”

Her tinkling laughter made me smile, and I placed her on the shelf with the others. Making my way over to the dragons, I paused, seeing how content they looked with their tails wrapped around their chosen piles of colorful stones. “Why don’t I leave you gentlemen where you are today. As long as you promise to stay put and not cause any trouble?”

One of the shimmering black dragons blew out a tiny stream of fire that ended with two perfect circles of white smoke drifting up from his nostrils, making me giggle. “Very nice. I’m impressed.”

I finally turned to go to the door and unlocked it while flipping the sign around. My eyes lit up when I caught sight of Shayla coming down the sidewalk, holding two paper cups from our favorite coffee shop. I held the door open and waited for her to enter through the door to squeal in happiness, and threw my arms around her.

“Hey, friend!” Shayla laughed as she held the cups out to her sides so they wouldn’t become casualties of my over exuberant greeting. She held out one of the cups, and I took it gratefully, immediately inhaling the delicious scent of sweet peppermint and white chocolate mocha.

“Oh, goddess. Have I told you how much I love you lately?” I peeked up at her from over the rim of the cup and glared. “As a matter of fact, no, I haven’t because I haven’t seen you in days. What the fuck, Shayla? Has the hotty professor been keeping you busy?” I demanded, then widened my eyes as the tips of her ears went pink. “Holy shit!”

I grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her through the shop to the register where we always rested and chatted, notcaring if I made her spill her coffee all over her power suit. I pointed at her chest. “Spill it, ma’am.”

Shayla blew out a breath and leaned against the glass. “Girl. I don’t even know where to start. The man is just too much.”

I raised an eyebrow. Doing the math in my head, I thought about how much time she had left until her semester was over and came up with another couple of weeks, give or take. “Have you two actually…”

“Not exactly,” she began. “I’m still working in his office. With the door closed and locked, I might add. The man loves to watch every move I make. But let me tell you—over the last few days I’ve learned he has a filthy, dirty, sexy mouth. The things that man says, Bridge. Half the time, I have to run to the little girl’s room so I can mop up the wetness dripping down my thighs.”

I fanned my face as I pictured what she was saying. “Oh, I bet you are wearing out the batteries of your vibrator every night.”

She turned to face the window. “I do, but not in the way you’re thinking. I’m not allowed to O. He says on the day of my final exam, he wants me to head straight to his office and wait for him. Bent over and pantyless.”

I gasped. “Does he know you’re a virgin?”

She nodded slowly. “He said he would be gentle, but there is no way in hell he can wait to get me in a bed. Months of foreplay, Bridge.Months. Honestly, I don’t think I could wait another minute either.”

“I’m both thrilled and a little scared for you,” I admitted. “The man definitely puts off big dick energy.” I glanced out the window and immediately straightened up. “What the fuck,” I muttered. I slammed my coffee cup down on the glass and took off for the door with Shayla hot on my heels.

“What’s wrong?” she demanded as she watched me head for the street. I barely looked both ways before marching straight over to the flower shop across the way. “Who’s that?”

“That’s Logan’s ex-wife,” I muttered angrily.

Kristy was crying, trying to pull her arm from a man who looked like he could have been a banker or a lawyer. He was dressed in a navy blue suit jacket and slacks with brown loafers that probably cost more than the heels I was wearing, and my shoes weren’t cheap. He had a solid grip on Kristy’s arm, and I could tell that it was going to leave a mark.

“Please, Jake. Just let me go,” she begged as she used her free arm to hold onto her baby bump over the bright red dress she was wearing.

“You heard the lady,” I called out as I reached the couple. “Let her go.”

The man barely spared me a glance and scoffed before turning right back to Kristy and hissing at her. “I know you’ve been trying to call your stupid meathead ex-husband.” He did a double take, looking back at me standing there with my hands on my hips with a fierce scowl on my face, and started laughing. “Holy shit. Isn’t this the bitch your ex has been fucking?”

Kristy blinked her teary eyes and glanced at me, a pleading look on her face. I turned back to the man. “It doesn’t matter who the fuck I am or who I’m fucking. Get your greasy hands off of her. Or does your tiny dick grow only when you are mistreating women? She’s fucking pregnant you jackass.”

He sneered down at me and tugged Kristy even harder until she crashed into his side. “Fuck off bitch,” he snarled. “This is between me and my woman. She thinks that she can ditch me with my baby growing in her belly? Never going to happen.” He leaned in close enough that I could smell the stale cigarette smoke on his breath, nearly making me gag. “Now get lost.”

---