Page 15 of Festive with a Grumpy Fae

“Are you truly distressed about the book?”

I’m so busy obsessing about how our physical distance right now could double as a metaphor for how I feel emotionally that it takes me a second to register what he’s asking.

“What book?Oh.Uh… no.I was just… curious.”

He takes a step closer, and even though we’re still not touching—nowhere near—having him close enough that Icouldtouch him makes me almost giddy with relief.I’m so down bad for him.

“Please tell me what’s bothering you.Is it… me?Do you wish you hadn’t summoned me?”

The question is so ridiculous that I would have pissed myself laughing, if not for the naked vulnerability on Cillian’s bearded face.I forced him to come and hang out with me this month without him getting any say in it, so the least I can do is not laugh at him.

“Never,” I declare.Something in his gaze compels me to add, “I know it’s not fair to you, but having you here has been the most amazing gift.”

He frowns.“I don’t understand.How is it not fair to me?”

“I summoned you,” I remind him.“You didn’t get a choice about being here.”

His lips part, and he stares at me for long seconds, his expression so utterly stunned that I wonder if we have some kind of language barrier after all.

“Lachie,” he says finally, “what exactly do you think that spell is for?”

“Companionship,” I reply promptly.“I wanted company for Christmas, and now you’re here until then.”

Cillian closes his eyes and sighs.When he opens them again, there’s a rueful kind of resignation there.“I knew you didn’t understand the spell, but I didn’t realise it was this bad.”

“Huh?”

“This particular summoning spell is voluntary, Lachie.I cast it myself a long time ago, and I’ve been waiting for someone with matching energy to cast it too.It’s not a spell forcompany, but forcompanionship.” My face must be reflecting the blank ignorance I feel, because he adds, “Partnership.Love.”

His meaning hits me like a freight train.“Wait, I cast a spell that’s the magical equivalent of Bumble?”Oh my god oh my god oh my god… does this mean he’s into me too?

“Bumble?”

I shake my head, not ready to explain dating apps to him.Then I realise something else.“But what’s the point of that if you have to leave after a few weeks?Is it just, like… for hookups?”Or did he get here, take one look at me, and decide he wasn’t going to hang around.

Cillian swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing.“You wanted me to go back,” he reminds me.“It was one of the first things you said after you believed that you summoned me.I… lied.”

“What?”The word is barely a breath.

He looks away.“I wanted time to know you, even though you clearly weren’t interested in knowing me.So I lied and said I couldn’t go back, but I didn’t want you to just walk away.I thought if I put a time limit on it, you’d… let me stay with you.”He shrugs.“It worked.”

Holy motherfucker.We’re both such colossal idiots.“So… you don’t have to leave after Christmas?”

Cillian presses his lips together, then shakes his head.“Not unless you— Ooof!”

My mouth on his prevents him from saying anything else for a very long time.

epilogue

Slowly,I come awake.The cacophony of birdsong outside is nature’s most effective alarm clock, but it’s Boxing Day, and though the day after Christmas might be a huge retail event in the city, Godfrey and I agreed long ago to keep the store closed.I don’t need to get up for ages, and I fully plan to go back to sleep.

But first, I roll over and study the sexy faerie sleeping beside me.Here, in my bed, even though Christmas is over.I get to keep him.

I fucking love the festive season.

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