Page 137 of Pixie Problems

"What do I have to do to stop this bullshit between me and him?"

"That," Wilder said, "is the real question. See, I'm pretty sure it's Rain."

"She's my friend."

"Please," Wilder groaned. "She's your crush. She's always with you, has kissed you how many times now, and if she's not with Aspen, she's with you. That's a lot more than a friend."

"Still a friend," I assured him.

"Also a friend, not only." He flashed me a smile. "I just want to know what you'll do if someone else catches her eye - or lips."

"I got the whole low-down on the atrium make-out session," I assured him. "I also know which bed they’re in each night. She's fucking adorable when she gets going about Aspen, you know?"

"A guy," Wilder clarified.

I waved that off, dismissing his concern. "Wilder, there is one guy I'd have a problem with, and not for the reasons you're thinking."

"Then which ones?" He shifted upwards so he could recline on my pillows. "Why do you hate Tor so much you'd cut him - and only him - out of Rain's life?"

"I did not say cut," I pointed out. "I said have a problem with, and that problem is the way Torian keeps trying to chase me off. You and Hawke donotdeserve to get caught in the middle of that. Hell, just look at the shit Harper caused. And with Rain?" I shook my head to make the point. "There's no way he'd accept me spending time with 'his' girl, so I'm glad Rain isn't letting him think of her that way."

"But it's different for you, hm?" he teased. "Just fine for you to be thinking she's your girl?"

"No, no, no," I muttered, turning so I could see him easier. "Wilder, I'm not Rain's. She's not mine. We're friends because we haven't made it past that, and I'm not in a hurry. She's Aspen's, because they have. The partyou're missing? I like being included. I enjoy having Aspen as a friend. She's pretty amazing as a person."

"She really is," Wilder agreed. "She also has a temper, but her fuse is a lot longer than her brother's."

"And tends to be deserved," I reminded him. "Torian? The guy's gorgeous, knows it, and expects everyone else to be blinded by it. He doesn't worry about whether he's considerate, polite, or anything else. He's like a magical bulldozer, destroying everything in his path simply because he can."

"More accurate than you know," Wilder agreed. "But beautiful? That isnotthe description I would've expected from you."

"Still fae," I said. "Trust me, it's hard not to see how perfect he and Aspen are. Almost too perfect."

"Just perfect enough," Wilder said. "But don't worry about Torian. Aspen has him on a leash. As soon as she hears about this, he'll get a squealy little lecture that won't crush his pride too much, but will sting. That will be enough to keep him in line another week."

"I feel like I'm pulling the court apart," I told him. "Wilder, you and Hawke have been cool with me. I mean..." I flopped a hand towards the bathroom - and the empty room on the other side. "You made sure I could handle that."

"Can you?"

I shrugged. "I think so. I won't say yes, because it feels like it might burn."

"Yeah, thought so." And he sat up. "So stop hiding in here."

"And go where?"

He smiled deviously. "My room."

"Oh, it's gonna be like that, huh?" I flicked both brows up in some fake-flirtation. "I'm down for it."

"Shit, Hawke would be thrilled," Wilder admitted. "I'm also not saying no, but I meant to hang. Torian can't constantly demand my boyfriend's time because he's having a tantrum and expect me to just wait around. Believe it or not, I don't answer to him."

Jokingly, I leaned in. "Should I call you Dukey-poo?"

"Fuck off!" he laughed, shoving me back up. "I was actually going to convince you to help me give Hawke a push."

"Why are we pushing him?" Because I was already on board. If Wilder needed my help, he had it.

Yet the guy groaned, lifting a hand to his face. "Rain, Keir. He's intoRain, doesn't know how to talk to her, and keeps backing off. She's not intimidated by him at all, but that's all he knows."