Page 35 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy
“Where are we?”
“I’m starving,” I reply from the driver’s seat. I shoot him a soft smile and continue, “Let me treat you to dinner.”
“I can conjure up something.”
“No, please. You’ve been conjuring for us for weeks now. The ladies will be fine getting dinner on their own.” I catch his gaze when I stop at an intersection. “I want to take care of you, Kai.”
An adorable smile gradually grows on his face, and then he nods. I’ll do anything to get him to keep smiling.
Twenty minutes later, we’re at the local drive-through burger place. Kai has never had a good ole-fashioned American cheeseburger, a sin that we have now corrected. We eat in silence at one of two plastic tables, sitting side-by-side. Cars drive past us on the highway we’re facing, lights streaking in the dark. The autumn air isn’t too cold or uncomfortable. Like always, being with Kai, even when we’re quiet, just feels right.
I study the french fry in my hand. “My parents used to get this meal for me when I was in elementary school,” I say, breaking the silence.
“Oh?”
I grin and take a bite. “They were busy working, so they didn’t cook most weekdays. I loved it, but I think it inspired me to take up culinary skills.”
“Really?” Kai asks.
“Yeah. First it was my own french fries. Then omelets, pasta, and my one true love, muffins.”
We share a chuckle. “You should consider pursuing education in the culinary world.”
I nod. “Maybe, someday.” We let the silence descend upon us and continue eating. After a minute, I say, “Listen, Kai. I’m sorry your wizard group did that. No one deserves a fate like that just because they’re speaking their mind.”
Kai stares at his now-empty burger wrapper. “Thank you. As awful as those memories are, I am glad that I remember my life now. I was betrayed by a group of wizards, so why should I join the Union?”
My smile falls. I think about the rift to the Other Side and that horror that blinked at me with several eyes. Everything in me believes that the Union is legitimately protecting the world from harm. They could use someone like him. I want Kai to help join the wizard cops to stop these threats, but not at the cost of his sanity.
He’s my friend, after all. And he’s important to me.
“I think you should mull it over and take it into consideration. These guys are not the ones who imprisoned you.” I look at him, and his precious brown eyes twinkle with the streetlights. “But whatever you choose, I got your back.”
“I know you do, Sebastian.” Him saying my name sends a chill down my spine. He looks at me with such longing, like I’m a precious treasure. Since the moment he popped out of that statue, Kai Zhou has always held me in such high regard.
And he’s so damn attractive, I want to kiss him senseless. Screw whatever rules I came up with, I want to comfort himwith my mouth and my body, whatever he needs. And I think he wants it, too.
“Thank you for dinner.” He stands up, and the moment is lost. That’s for the best— who wants their first kiss with their crush to be with a mouth full of burger? “Shall we head home and sleep?”
I nod. “Sleep sounds good.”
We go through our nighttime routine, washing up separately. I don’t bump into anyone at the house, which I’m grateful for. I’ll tell them about our adventure, but not today. These past twenty-four hours have been too dramatic.
I’m curled up in bed, mindlessly scrolling on my phone, when Kai walks in. He shuts the door and locks it. Huh. I’m so used to doing that, it’s funny to see him do it. It’s nearly pitch black as he walks to the side where he usually conjures his cot, right between me and the window.
This time, however, he sits on the edge of my bed.
I sit upright. “Hey, man,” I say. “What’s up?”
“I…have something I need to tell you.”
“Oh, sure,” I say, putting my phone away. I go to turn on the light, but I’m stopped by Kai’s hand on my shoulder.
A moment later, he’s lying on my pillow facing me.Cauldrons. The temperature in my dark room just went up a hundred degrees because, I repeat,Kaiis lying on my pillow.
At this point, I realize he’s only wearing pajama bottoms. Kai is shirtless, in my bed, and now I’m semi-hard.
“H-h-hey,” I stammer. I’m sure he can tell I’m nervous, but he doesn’t react. “Wh…what did you wanna say?”
