Page 97

“Well, you did,” I mutter, my hand lashing out to smack him again on the shoulder. He grins and my hand lingers on the soft fabric of his shirt, finding a comfortable spot somewhere on his forearm. Neither of us mention it.

“Oh, come on,” he murmurs, smirking. “There’snothingappealing to you about the possibility of magic in the world? Nothing at all?”

I exhale slowly, letting the sight of his pretty face fill my gaze, considering the question. I shrug one shoulder, narrowing my eyes. “I could curseyou,” I whisper. “For being a jackass.”

Cole laughs softly and nods. “And you’d be well within your rights, considering I came along and destroyed your entire worldview.”

I laugh and sigh, shaking my head, letting my eyes fall shut. “I’d want a Pegasus. To ride through the sky.”

I can nearly hear him smile. “Veryappealing.”

“And,” I whisper. “Maybe…I’d want to be able to help people. Heal them, you know. Just…take away pain or illnesses, do it instantly. That would be…such a benefit to the world.”

He’s very quiet for a long moment. “You have a good heart, Nadia.”

I scowl as I blush, turning my face down against his covers.

Cole laughs. “But I don’t think that would be good for you. We’d never get you out of the hospitals –“

“So what!” I return, the words all muffled.

“You’d spend your entirelifehealing everyone in the nation and then the world, you’d barely sleep – and then when everyonewas healed you’d be all depressed that there wasn’t moreworkto do –“

I turn my face back, frowning at him, my brows knitted. “Again,” I say, feeling contrary. “So what?”

“So, I intend for you toenjoyyour life alongside working to save everyone,” Cole says, his hand raising to brush my messy hair off of my cheek, his fingers lingering there. “If you’ll let me have any say in it.”

My eyes narrow further. “No. No say.”

He smirks, fingertips moving over my cheekbone, down my jaw. “We’ll see.”

“We won’t!”

“We will.” He nods, holding my gaze –

And – god damn it – I believe him. I kind of…want that. Him to have a say.

I stare at Cole’s gorgeous face, those deep green eyes, feeling like I’m drowning in them and happy to sink even lower.

And so I inhale sharply and bolt up straight.

Cole laughs and stays in his spot, watching me.

“Okay!” I say, completely freaked out, my voice tight. “Time for bed!”

“You’re alreadyinbed, Nadia. Just curl up –“

I whip my head so hard to glare at him that my ponytail spins around, smacking me in the face.

Cole grins, clearly feeling wicked, suppressing a laugh.

“Oh, you brat,” I mutter, getting to my feet.

“Seriously, Nadia, youcouldstay here if you –“

I laugh, whipping out hand up between us, palm flat, and shaking my head at him. “Not a chance! I will sleep in my own bed, thankyouverymuch!”

Cole shrugs, easily appeased as he sits and then stands. “All right,” he says, bending slightly to snatch at the covers of his bed, hauling them up into his arms.