Chapter Twelve

My students proved more resilient than expected. No. That wasn’t true. They’d always shown strength when faced with information meant to derail their hopes. As the week passed, news about the warlock incursion was announced. The city flooded with intel; damn near every citizen had an opinion, and Gemini had an official stance—something encouraging for those brave individuals involved and the perseverance we as an academy would exhibit moving forward.

While I found the whole thing unsavory, I didn’t despise Headmaster Dower’s approach as much as anticipated. She’d spoken with me before sending out an email to every student, staff member, and family connected to Gemini Academy. She’d talked to my class before going on the morning announcements. It was peculiar feeling her genuine concern, her honest acknowledgment of the situation. Dower had never been my favorite, but all things considered, I didn’t hate how she handled this awful hand we’d been dealt.

I still didn’t know how any of this would turn out, how involved my students would be, how involved I would be. As I got dressed for the evening, I put it out of my mind, along with Milo’s very judgmental thoughts. It was nice to ignore the things I couldn’t control while playfully mocking the things I could.

“ Why don’t you wear that suit I got you? ”

Changing into a long-sleeved casual black shirt, I hummed, pretending I hadn’t heard his thoughts. He wasn’t the only one who could use a melody to dodge telepathy. It might’ve been petty, but I didn’t want to go to a fancy dinner. I didn’t want to go on a double date. I didn’t want to spend my Friday evening in a highly publicized location on the arm of the delightful Enchanter Evergreen.

“This place is a little fancier than ripped jeans.” Milo pursed his lips, fighting off a frown with a twitch in his nose like he was allergic to my bad wardrobe.

“How am I supposed to know? You said we were just getting a bite.”

Milo squinted, taking a long silent pause even in his thoughts. “I know you know.”

“Know what?”

“About Dollop of Desire.” Milo snatched the ripped jeans from my hands and grabbed a pair of dress slacks. “Sorry. I wanted to surprise you with a nice night out.”

“Admitting your faults is the first step.” I chuckled, changing into the something Milo had approved. “Chanelle tell you she spilled the beans?”

“It was half and half you’d find out from her or the students who work there.” Milo rocked his head from side to side. “Enchanter Evergreen making a reservation at a trendy restaurant tends to get attention.”

“Should I be expecting a photo op?” Since going public, I’d landed in more than my fair share of pictures alongside Milo between guild events, Cerberus celebrations, and his inauguration into the Global Rankings.

I sighed. It was part of the territory that came with loving Milo. As much as I loathed sharing him with the world and hated seeing my image displayed publicly to be scrutinized, I couldn’t imagine going back to a life where I boxed my heart away, beating just enough to survive the day. I loved how it beat with Milo in my life, the excitement, the happiness, the contentment, even the annoying events.

“No photos.” Milo slid his hands under my shirt. “Part of the appeal to such an elegant evening.”

“I suppose this is a nice way to kick off dinner.”

“Oh?” Milo smirked, pulling the shirt over my head. “I’m just trying to get you out of this and into something nicer.”

I stood in front of him with the shirt fabric tugged against my upper back, sleeves draped over my arms, while my chest and stomach were exposed. Standing in my saggy slacks that I hadn’t buttoned yet, I pressed my hands on Milo’s shoulders, sending some suggestive imagery between our linked minds.

“We’re gonna be late.”

“And?” I grazed my teeth against his neck, gently nipping. “It’s been a long week.”

“Mmmm.” His mind synced to mine; the tender bite of my teeth registered like the sensation struck my skin. “Suppose we have a little time before heading out. And you do look awfully tense.”

“I’m not that tense,” I said, knowing he was referring to the news he’d shared about the trial, but nothing had come of it. Not yet. And if something did, I’d be ready. Ready for myself and for my students.

Pushing me off, Milo kissed me, soft and sensual. Each smack of our lips came with whispered thoughts and tantalizing desires. Who needed a restaurant that specialized in desire when my boyfriend knew exactly which thoughts elicited the most eager arousal? My skin tingled, warm and enticed.

Leading with his tongue, Milo kept my mind and mouth so distracted I hadn’t even felt the subtle shift in my body. The carpet tickled the heels of my feet as Milo lifted me off the floor just enough to telekinetically position me against the wall. I shuddered from the cool surface against my back and bare ass, pants and boxers around my ankles. When had he slipped them off? Maybe the quake came from anticipation.

Milo dropped to his knees, kissing my lower abdomen. His warm hands rubbed my thighs. It definitely came from anticipation. Licking my shaft, Milo teased me. I ran my fingers through his hair, unable to form words, thoughts, a link—only a carnal urge. Without a single word between us, Milo sucked my cock.

I gripped a handful of his blond hair, thrusting my hips in a steady motion with my hand and shoving him further down inch by hardening inch. I lost track of time, lost track of everything except the pleasure his tight throat brought. Every time we were together, it unlocked new sensations, new radiant emotions as fresh as the very first time, continuing to explore every facet of the other.

Milo grabbed my ass, heightening my pace, and looking up at me as he choked. His glossy blue eyes were stunning. Intoxicating.

I continued. Faster. More assertive. Each pump into his warm throat made me throb. Thinking purely on instinct, on what I wanted in the moment, on what Milo wanted, I levitated just a bit, just enough to alter my position. Wrapping both of my hands around Milo’s head, I tilted him back further, hovering above as I buried my cock all the way down his throat, which constricted and only further enticed me.

My breathing tightened, and I slowed down. “ You okay? ”

There was a good chance this struggle to breathe came from the link of my telepathy, and Milo might very well be gagging a little too much for his liking.

Ignoring my question, Milo grabbed my legs and pulled them over his shoulders. With a hand at the small of my back, I obeyed his prompting and squeezed my legs. Here I was, floating in the air, straddling my boyfriend and face fucking him.

The more I continued, the tighter my muscles tensed, everything on the precipice of buckling. My toes curled, levitation waning. My body warmed, and I erupted.

I panted, body twitching, hips bucking with a spasmed pleasure as I came down Milo’s throat. He gurgled and gulped. Running my fingers through his damp hair, I held my soft cock in his mouth, taking slow, satisfied breaths before collecting myself and standing on my own two feet.

“Did you seriously just give me a blowjob so I wouldn’t complain about this evening?” A fantastic blowjob at that.

“Damn straight.” Milo slapped my butt. “Now, get your ass in that suit.”

I was buzzing the entire drive to the restaurant, practically floating by the time we arrived at Dollop of Desire. Milo might not have been a mind reader, but he knew exactly what to do when getting me off. It was so much more than the sheer satisfaction of his mouth around my cock. Residual primal energy radiated between us, washing over me so much so that I barely absorbed the elegant entryway or path leading us to a table large enough to seat ten.

“Told you we didn’t need to rush,” I said. “Could’ve made sure you had a little fun before rushing here.”

Milo tilted his head closer as we walked, his sweat and cologne wafting together and sending my senses right back to the bedroom. “I had plenty of fun, trust me.”

We took our seats in the boxed-off quarters, much like all the tables in Dollop of Desire, where guests had a private experience when indulging in a taste of passion unlike anything Chicago had to offer.

I gagged on the rehearsed motto circulating through the minds of every employee, forced to maintain an enthusiastic demeanor inside and out.

“I swear, Chanelle’s worse than that acolyte of yours when it comes to punctuality.”

“It was one lesson. Hayden’s usually better about that stuff.”

“Not according to your other two acolytes.”

Milo grinned, boyish and cute and irritatingly aloof. “Well, some of the best futures work on a later schedule.”

Our server stepped into our room, speech prepared and already brimming with nods about his magic in case the enchanters dining were looking for an intern next year.

“Mr. Frost.” Harrison clammed up; every thought he had trickled away as he scrambled to point out the history of the dining experience.

One of Chanelle’s homeroom students, a small, wiry kid with a fantastic magic similar to Katherine’s spell craft but a keen interest in explosive potions much like Yaritza’s star shower. He fared well when teamed up with Kenzo during the Spring Showcase. Although, much like most of Chanelle’s homeroom, he got knocked out of the finale in a blink by Kenzo, too.

“ I was hoping it’d be a business dinner. Usually, when they drop the enchanter title, it’s work-related. ” Harrison’s cheeks trembled, forcing his smile. “ I don’t wanna wait on Mr. Frost. He’s probably gonna make me take his meal back and redo it a hundred times over. ”

Oh, fuck off. As if I’d ever. Harrison’s thoughts cycled through every assignment I’d made him redo. I scowled. Maybe he wouldn’t have to go back over his work so much if he didn’t rush through tests, half-assing his explanations all the time.

Annoyed, I tuned him out while he explained the craftsmanship behind our table. The metallic surface was similar to the Teppanyaki grills at a Japanese restaurant where they cooked their meals with a side of entertainment. But Dollop of Desire didn’t cook in front of their guests. I quelled my telepathy, pushing away the enchanted experience coming from every nearby patron. Sigils were etched onto the table, capable of absorbing the effects of any meal heightened beyond what one’s pallet could handle.

Before Harrison could continue, the host brought the rest of our party. I forced a smile on Milo’s behalf, bracing myself for a fucking double date. Milo and Chanelle were exhausting enough on their own.

“Mrs. Whitehurst?” Harrison straightened up, a squeak in his voice. “ Seriously? I can’t catch a break tonight. ”

You and me both, kid.

Chanelle sauntered to our table, wearing a strapless red dress that accentuated her deep brown complexion. She’d already taken out the braids she’d had the first week back to school, sporting a short, spiky pixie cut that highlighted her high cheekbones and helped frame her face, along with the gold earrings among other jewels she’d adorned this evening.

Her husband trailed behind. If she had a train to her shortly cut dress, he’d be carrying it on her behalf. Truly. In his mind, she was a queen, a goddess of beauty and love and lust and charm, all things that captivated him every day. It was fascinating—and nauseating—seeing the passion burn so brightly between them even after ten years of marriage. Not so much as a subtle sign of boredom or loss from either of their surface thoughts.

“This is Kyle.” Chanelle beamed, introducing her husband to Milo.

“Nice to meet you.” Milo shook his hand, and Kyle let out a low grunt in response. “You ever been here before?”

Kyle tilted his head and shrugged.

“A few times for work,” Chanelle answered, patting her husband’s chest. “I’ve never been so lucky, though.”

I’d met Kyle a handful of times over the years at staff outings Chanelle had dragged me to, where Kyle had gladly attended despite having a limited understanding of the teacher lingo. Well, teacher bitch sessions. Looking back, I couldn’t recall once where he’d actually spoken. Sure, I’d heard his thoughts often; even now, he was reciting some statistics to some game or event or work—between the numbers and my tired telepathy, I couldn’t be certain. Still, he was a quiet, lanky man, towering over his wife and silently observing us all.

Harrison took orders for our drinks and left us to mull over the menu for a bit.

“It’s always so awkward seeing my students out in the wild,” Chanelle whispered to Kyle.

He nodded.

“More so for him.” I sipped my water. “Pretty sure ‘cringy’ crossed his mind about a hundred times in the minute since you’ve arrived.”

“Liar.”

Not a lie. She’d hinted about the Heywood restaurant on more than one occasion, and Harrison had dodged every single not-so-subtle inquiry about the waitlist.

“Milo, dear, thank you again for setting up that meeting with Guild Master Campbell.”

“Anytime.” Milo smirked. “The more meetings she’s in, the less time she has to hound me about paperwork.”

Unlike his previous guild master, Campbell didn’t like Enchanter Evergreen shirking his duties onto acolytes, despite his many protests that it’d help prepare them for life as an enchanter. He was just too lazy to sign all those documents.

“What are you meeting with Campbell about?” I asked.

“Arranging for more acolytes coming to Gemini. Though, I’m not gonna teach my kiddos how to fail with grace during the first lesson.”

“You can save that lesson for when they land subpar internships their third year.”

“Oooo, someone’s feeling feisty tonight.” Chanelle grinned, perusing the menu. “Can’t wait to see what a few cocktails brings out.”

I gleaned Milo’s mind while everyone read over the dishes. Turns out, Milo had pitched the idea I suggested to Campbell, who immediately leapt at the PR opportunity. That and the tax exemptions Cerberus would get by providing free labor to an educational institute. A double win since acolytes were paid in experience and professional recommendations, not cash.

“ So, you took my idea? ” I linked to Milo’s mind.

“ Did you want credit? ” He squinted at the menu, avoiding reaching for his readers. “ I’ll gladly let Campbell know right now. ”

“ Absolutely not. ” I scoffed. “ Guessing you didn’t see an outcome with me being pleased about my involvement being revealed? ”

“ Don’t need to be clairvoyant to know you’d be unhappy with all those eyes. ”

He was right. I definitely wanted the academy and guilds who worked with us to implement more of my suggestions, but the idea of actually sitting through curriculum meetings and stroking egos while filling out a detailed analysis on all the reasons it’d benefit our program made me want to hurl. Milo could gladly take the credit. Plus, when the state inevitably altered an already perfectly functional model and made its tweaks, I could blame Milo instead of myself.

Milo scrunched his brow. “ Why do you look so happy? There’s a twinkle in your eyes. ”

“Divine Diet.” I pointed to the menu. “Sounds delicious.”

“Uh-huh.”

After we all ordered, Kyle and I took the socializing back seat while Chanelle and Milo bantered about… I honestly stopped paying attention. Something funny. They both cackled enough, that was for sure.

Harrison came back with a round of appetizers. Given his parents provided the best enchanted food in the city, I sort of expected the dish to look more appetizing. It was gray and mushy, sitting inside a seashell.

“Don’t make that face, Dorian.” Chanelle grabbed a shell and slurped up the goop in a big gulp. “It’s a taste of deep-sea diving with just a hint of a lazy beach day.”

“So, they’re like oysters?”

Kyle nodded, then slurped up his own right about the same time as Milo.

I followed suit, then quickly wiped my mouth with a napkin and spit out the sludge along with the sensation of sand between my toes, sun on my face, and wind blowing through my hair. Guess my slug shell had an extra serving of lazy beach day.

This was going to be a long meal. I didn’t even want to come here. Why the hell would I want to experience another outing on top of this?

“Here, try my drink.” Milo eyed the crumpled napkin on my lap.

“I’m good.”

“Trust me,” he pleaded. “You’ll love it.”

I wouldn’t. Nothing about these magical meals was to my liking, but I took a sip anyway.

Euphoria washed away all the stress like I’d stepped through my front door, dropped my satchel, and escaped into my house after a grueling day.

“It’s called A Quiet Night In,” Milo said. “Thought you might enjoy it.”

“It’s pretty nice,” I said. “But I could enjoy an actual quiet night without spending fifteen bucks to drink the experience.”

“As if Charlie or Carlie would ever offer you a quiet night.”

“Touché.”

It turned into a pretty fun evening, with me sipping A Quiet Night In while Kyle lost himself in some skydiving salsa, mountain climbing poppers, and anything else on the menu that sent his adrenaline surging along with his acid reflux. Chanelle and Milo favored bites that allowed them to experience events neither had time for with work. Concerts long since passed, tourist attractions at the peak of the season, championship games flooded with cheering audiences, and so much more, it made me queasy every time I considered taking a bite.

I brushed my fingertips against the etched sigils to mellow out the experiences my food sought to offer, content simply indulging in Milo’s happiness.

“ What the hell is going on with Cassidy? ” Milo turned his head. His eyes fluttered, lashes flitting as his thoughts vanished, tangled between shifting futures. “ Why’s her future so grim? ”

I twisted my lips, trying my best not to frown, while Milo joked with Chanelle about some random nonsense. But I found it frustrating how Milo was scouring his mind, searching through visions tucked away behind the deepest workings of his inner core, during our double date. And for Cassidy, of all people. She peddled dangerous products illegally, compromising citizens to make a profit. Whatever dangers lurked in her future were of her own making. Honestly, Milo needed to stop helping people who caused their own problems. It’d allow him a few moments of peace.

“ Something’s stalking her…but not? It’s like they’re right on the cusp of her potential pathways, hiding or… ” Milo bellowed, loud and obnoxious, giving Chanelle’s joke far too much credit, so much so even she quirked an eyebrow, questioning. “Sorry. It’s just that it reminds me of the time…”

There he went, saving face and remaining fully engaged in the conversation while his thoughts weaved behind future events that even my telepathy couldn’t sense. How he did it was beyond me.

“Okay, you gotta try the Singing Tayters.” Milo handed me a plate of crispy tater tots, each with a grilled imprint of one of his favorite songbird entertainers.

“You all right?”

“Always.” Milo smiled, big and goofy and unwilling to spoil our night out.

He’d share later—or not, if the future’s best interest dictated he keep things to himself. I was okay with that. Milo’s eyes bounced between me and the plate, smile growing increasingly irritating.

I frowned, fighting a smile because, for once, despite everything, I wasn’t obsessing over the worst. Milo’s mind often drifted toward terrible fates, exhausting cases, and potentially dangerous futures, and yet that need to search for more answers, that side of me, faded. The part always gnawing to chase and solve and fix what I couldn’t control. That piece had slowly fizzled away, so subtle, so slowly, I didn’t recognize its absence until now.

Mostly, I wanted to make sure Milo had fun tonight, pushing every other thought away with ease in a way I’d never been able to do before. Maybe this was what unconditional love felt like. Maybe this was what emotional growth meant. And maybe none of it mattered because life had finally gravitated toward simple joys.

Reluctantly, I grabbed a Singing Tayter and popped the fried potato in my mouth, savoring the salty crunch before a concert enveloped my mind.