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Magic was a funny thing. Each school had its own set of skills and rules, but at a certain point, the effects overlapped. For example, Skye didn’t control air—he manipulated aether. But since aether made up a sizeable percentage of the air around him, stirring it could whip up a breeze just the same. And as he sat on the edge of the bed, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand, he did exactly that—swirling aether, air, and the smell of hot coffee right beneath his sleeping mate’s nose.

Taly mumbled into her pillow, shifting toward the smell. Swallowing a laugh, he inched the cup closer.

One gray eye cracked open. “Whaf’zat?”

“What do you think?”

An arm slithered from beneath the blanket. She grabbed for it—cursing when he pulled it just out of reach.

Again.

Then again.

“You suck,” she groaned, flopping onto the pillow and yanking the blankets over her head.

Taly had never been a morning person.

Skye set the mug aside and climbed over her, pressing kisses to her spine through the thick quilt. “C’mon, Tink. I’ve already chased all the scary morning monsters away.”

She tried to backhand him from under the covers. It didn’t work. “How the hell are you so chipper?”

“Sex,” he said, peeling the blanket down to nuzzle the delicate point of her ear. A shiver ran through her, and she stretched, hips flexing into the mattress. “Lots of sex.”

They might’ve both had a few years of pent-up frustration to work out. Whichmightbe how they broke the bed. Again.And some of the shower tiles, though Skye only took partial responsibility there. Yes, he’d followed her in—how could he not when she’d sauntered off with a sly“boys are messy”thrown over her shoulder? And yeah, he’d had his hands on her the second he could. Butshewas the one gaspingharder, harder,harderwhen he had her up against the shower wall. What was he supposed to do? Tell her no?

In hindsight, he was glad he’d taken the liberty of reinforcing the privacy wards on their floor.

And then after… He wouldn’t say it wasbetter. The sex had been everything he’d imagined, and he’d imagineda lot. But the after—that was the part he hadn’t been prepared for. Hadn’t even realized was something to want.

Because nothing had changed. Not really. They talked like always. Laughed like always. Nudity just added a very,verynice layer to the experience. For all her hand-wringing, they hadn’t broken anything. And now, he was more certain than ever.

He knew it in the way he knew how to breathe. This was it—his place, his happiness. This was his forever.

Skye coaxed Taly onto her back, but she held the sheet over her face so that only her eyes showed, glaring up at him from beneath a tangle of sleep-mussed hair.

“Hello,” he said, grinning. He tried to tug the sheet down, but she held fast.

“I haven’t cleaned my teeth yet,” she mumbled.

“I don’t care.” He pried the sheet from her fingers and kissed her, long and deep. Then, with a grin against her lips: “A little stale.”

A fist connected with his shoulder, but he just laughed and kissed her again. “I was supposed to tell you to get up,” he murmured, mouth drifting along her cheek, dipping to her jaw. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

Taly groaned. “How can it be morning already?”

He nipped a fading bruise on her neck—a match to the dozen or so she’d left on him. Quick study, his Taly. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out how to use her magic to make the marks stick. “You have a busy day.Youget to go with Sarina to try on dresses.”

Taly groaned louder. “You can’t tell me I don’t have a dress somewhere in that labyrinth of junk in the basement that won’t suffice.”

“I don’t know about that. You’ll have to take it up with the powers that be.” Then, pulling back, he dragged away the rest of the blankets, leaned down, and pulled the tip of her breast into his mouth, effectively ending the conversation.

He should’ve been sated. More than. But all he had to do was look at her—or get a passing whiff of her scent—and he was right back where he started. Aching.

“Em?” she breathed as he flicked his tongue over her nipple.

Then again—lower, needier—“Em…” His name was a sigh as he slid a hand beneath the sheets, fingers teasing between her legs.

He still couldn’t believe he was the lucky bastard who got to touch her like this.