Ben tilts his head under the water. “I know you’re watching, you pervert,” he says. “I can feel the magic.”
I let out a huff and tap the crystal ball to end the vision. “Thank you, Mercury.” I try to be polite to the gods, even if I’m not entirely sure I believe in them. But you never know, and someone’s answering the spells, so . . . yeah. I toss a cloth back over the crystal ball and saunter up the stairs to the bathroom I share with Ben on the second floor of Aunt Dru’s house. Maurice rubs against my leg, so I scoop him up as I head toward the bathroom, rubbing his soft, furry head.
Ben didn’t lock the door, so I let myself in and lean against the sink as he showers. “You told me to practice,” I remind him. “You didn’t say when.”
“You’re an absolute deviant, woman.”
“A mongrel deviant,” I correct. “Which means I’m perfect for you.”
Ben just turns in the spray, giving me full frontal. Maurice makes a pained cat sound and squirms out of my arms, running back down the hall. He’s not a big fan of Ben’s nudity, which is hilarious since he constantly tries to sneak into the bathroom to watch me shower. I appreciate the sight of my lover, his bracelet warm on my wrist. I never get tired of looking at his big, naked body. He’s got such broad, delicious shoulders and long, muscular legs that it’s hard for me to remember sometimes that he spends most of his days hunched over books or working on scrolls. Though since he sold his brownstone in Boston and moved in permanently with me and Dru, he’s joined a local gym, and we go running together in the mornings.
“Did Aunt Dru call?” he asks, turning off the water.
I automatically hand him a towel. “Yup. Fiji is beautiful, blah, blah, blah, she’s not coming home anytime soon. The usual.”
“She didn’t want to talk to me?” He looks surprised.
I smile, because it’s adorable how much Ben loves his aunt. “She found a bingo place even in Fiji. Promised to call once she’s out, and I’m sure she’ll talk your ear off then.” I touch Dru’s cuff as he towel-dries his hair, the one I’m still wearing just because. After the big scare—which is what we’re politely calling Dru’s coma—Dru decided it was time for a sabbatical. She and Livia are visiting several islands in the Pacific and have been gone for several months. My job title has changed from “familiar” to “housekeeper” since I’m watching over things while she’s gone, and Lisa is currently tending to her newborn. Lisa swears she’ll be back next spring, so I don’t expect to see Dru return to the States before then. Which is fine. Ben keeps me happily busy. He’s taken over my familiar training and says in a hundred years or two, I’ll be ready to cast on my own. I personally plan on surprising him with it much sooner than that. Maybe fifty years, though I’m in no rush to stop being his familiar. I like being his.
Ben finishes toweling his hair and moves toward me, looming as I lean against the edge of the sink. He presses a light kiss to my lips, then begins to make his way along my jaw, toward my ear. I helpfully tilt my head to give him access, winding my arms around his damp neck. “You’re in a frisky mood.”
“Willem texted me this morning,” he tells me between kisses.
“Oh?” That makes me pause. Penny started working for him as his familiar a month ago, and from what I’ve heard, things have been rocky.
“Yep.” He sucks on my earlobe, sending shivers up my spine. “If I recall, it said, ‘Fuck you, you cold-blooded Magnus asshole.’?”
“So it’s going well,” I breathe. “Poor Penny.”
Ben chuckles. “Poor Willem. Penny’s probably so enthusiastic it wears him out.”
Penny is a happy, excited sort. I still don’t know why she agreed to work with grumpy, unpleasant Willem, but she’s more than happy to finally be a familiar. She’d barely started her classes with Ben when she took on Willem’s bracelet. I personally worry my sweet friend is in over her head, but Ben assures me Willem is all bark and no bite.
Ben’s mouth moves to my neck, licking my pulse point and nearly making my eyes roll back in my head with how good it feels. I can’t let him distract me from my news, though. “I followed up with the police this morning,” I mention as he tugs on the thin strap of my tiny, summery top, easing it down over my shoulder. “Restraining order is in place, finally.”
He lifts his head to gaze down at me. It’s something we’ve talked about for the last week, ever since my parents resurfaced yet again and attempted to guilt me into giving them more money. Ben said he’d support me no matter what I chose, because he knows it’s hard for me to be firm with them. The restraining order was my idea, and quiet approval shines in his eyes. “I’m proud of you.”
“It was hard,” I say softly.
“It’ll always be hard, but I’ll be right here with you.” He kisses the tip of my nose.
“You’re always hard, too,” I joke, even as I ease backward onto the counter so I can wrap my legs around him. He’s still gloriously naked, and I can feel his cock against my thigh, making my insides turn to liquid.
“Can you blame me? My girlfriend is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” He bends over to kiss my shoulder again. “Just look at all these glorious freckles.”
I squirm against him, aroused and yet still obligated to point out, “Your students will be here soon.”
“They can wait.” His hand steals to the front of my shorts. “I’ll tell them I’m giving my familiar a very important lesson.”
“We were late last time,” I pant as his fingers dance over the fabric and ease into my panties. “Same reason.”
“Consistency is very important for warlocks,” he tells me, claiming my mouth with another kiss. “Something else they’ll need to learn.”
I can’t argue with that. Nor do I want to. I’m too happy to be in his arms, always. It’s where I belong, where I’m safe and loved and always, always needed.
Ben’s my home. My wonderful, grumpy Dorothy home.