Page 69 of All's Fair in Love and Magic

I gave him a small smile. “Would it hurt anything to decide that’s the truth, even if I’m not?”

He studied me for a moment before finally shaking his head.

“Here you go.” I handed it over. “I’ll need you to describe how your magic interacts with it when you try to shift.”

He helped me to my feet and handed me our nearly-empty cup before we headed outside.

fourteen

SAGE

Liam let outa long breath and stretched his shoulders. I drained the rest of the sugary drink, watching his muscles flex.

He was insanely strong.

“Stay there. I have to move further so you don’t interfere with the magic,” he told me.

I gave him a thumbs-up, and watched his ass move as he walked away.

The warmth I was feeling grew worse when he went farther.

Probably because I was checking him out. And thinking about touching him again.

Liam stopped a few yards down the beach. There were a couple of other people around, but they didn’t try to talk to him.

He turned toward me, and I watched closely as a burst of fire magic rolled through his body. His shift was as sudden as the blaze of magic, and his thick, muscular body was replaced quickly by a massive bird. His feathers were red, orange, and gold, and fire dripped off of them constantly.

He'd been able to turn off that fire when he flew me to the tower, but now he had no reason to.

He squawked at me, and I figured a loose translation was something along the lines of, “STAY THERE”.

I gave him another thumbs-up, and he spread his monstrous wings.

They were gorgeous, and dripping flames wildly.

It was fascinating to see.

And it was a really good thing I’d factored a fireproofing rune into the dog tag.

With one fierce motion, his wings propelled him into the sky. Sand blew everywhere, and I closed my eyes against the barrage.

At least I’d finished the drink. I wouldn’t have been able to stop sipping the thing even if it was full of sand. It was that good.

I looked up at the sky as soon as the sand died down, and a wave of pride hit me when I saw Liam soaring over the island.

I’d done it.

My runes worked.

Iwasn’tas weak as everyone always said. Fuck them for making me feel bad about it, and fuck me for letting them make me feel bad.

Liam was on the sand again two minutes later. His clothes were gone when he shifted back, but I should’ve expected that.

He strode toward me as soon as he landed, capturing my face in his hands and kissing me hard.

I clutched his arm with my free one, returning the kiss just as passionately. He tasted like smoke and chocolate, and I doubted I could ever get enough.

Liam lifted me off my feet as we made out, taking the coffee cup from my hand and tossing it aside. He wrapped my thighs around his waist and walked me back toward our bungalow.