Spring Rain (The Witchling #4)(56)

“I don’t give a shit.”

She faced him.

“Do you?” he challenged. His smile seared through her. “C’mon. I got my bike.”

The bad boy of her dreams had walked through fire to return to the Light and wanted to take her on a motorcycle ride.

Why was this not the best day of her life?

She suspected it had something to do with Sanjay and Dawn.

“Did you say Morgan?” Lanky, dark-haired Connor McCloud approached from the direction of the boys’ dorms, gaze on Noah.

“Yeah.”

“My dead sister.”

Noah faced him. “She’s not dead, Connor.”

“You conniving Dark bastard!” Connor flushed, his eyes glittering, and he clenched his fists. “How dare you –”

“No!” Biji snapped and approached, pushing her air magick between the two. “Don’t you pick a fight, Connor. She’s alive. Summer told me.”

Connor stared at her, wild emotions flashing across his face. “Biji … you would never lie to me.”

“I wouldn’t,” she confirmed. “Morgan is alive. Go find Beck and talk to him about it.”

“Beck knows?” The words were a growl.

“Yep. Go get ‘im,” Biji said, aware the Master of Light could take care of himself. If he hadn’t told Connor yet that his sister was alive, he deserved an angry water witchling showing up on his doorstep anyway. “Try their cabin.”

Connor bolted towards the parking lot.

“Coffee?” Noah asked her once more.

“Did you really let Morgan burn you up so you could ask me out on a date?” she asked skeptically.

“We needed to test it out first before we try it on my sister, too,” Noah replied. “But … you are one of the reasons I let her.”

“And she really did set you on fire?”

Noah flinched. “Yeah. Melted me into a puddle.”

The admittance he’d suffered even a small amount like she had over the past few months soothed some of her anger. Biji’s arms dropped, and she searched his gaze. The sense of danger, of great depths of emotion, remained, and she sought some reason why she was attracted to someone she shouldn’t be and bored with Sanjay, the ideal man.

He held out a motorcycle helmet. “I dare you, Biji.”

Being with Noah was a thrill, an adrenaline rush like nothing else, and kissing him had sent her air magick soaring into the sky. It was the reason she hadn’t been able to look at any other guy without comparing them to Noah.

“I have a fiancé,” she said aloud to remind herself as well as him.

“And I think you should make your own choice about your life.”

“Why? Because you think you’ll win?” she retorted.

“I already have,” he replied without hesitation.

Biji was speechless.

“Look, things aren’t ideal. I know this,” he continued, a troubled expression crossing his features. “There are a lot of issues with Dawn, my family, money. I probably shouldn’t even be here asking you out, but … I’ve liked you for a while, Biji. Things are rough, but you’re one of the few good parts of my life. I don’t want to lose that.”

She did her best not to sigh wistfully.

“Please? Give me a shot?” He held the helmet up higher.

This is not going to be easy. She gazed at him one moment longer before snatching the helmet and marching past him towards the parking area. But he’ll be worth every minute of grief my parents give me.

Noah trailed, close enough for her to feel his heat and smell him. Her insides were fluttering, her attempt not to squeal replaced by the steely determination to make him beg for her to give him the time of day.

Storm clouds were moving in, black thunderheads that lined the western sky. Her air magick tingled at the approaching storm, but she paid it little heed, too aware of Noah’s presence and everything he’d said. Adrenaline was racing through her, too, and she sensed it was as much because of the fact she was defying her parents as because of Noah’s affect on her.

She’d hear him out, then decide what to do and whether or not he could be forgiven for the three-month absence.

Before they reached his bike, he took her arm. “Do you feel that?” he asked, eyes on the clouds closing in.

“What?” She shook off her addled senses to focus.

“That’s a really weird storm.”

Biji looked up once more at the clouds. They appeared normal to her, like a fast moving spring thunderstorm approaching the town. Noah’s arm went around her instinctively, and she did everything possible not to melt against him, to feel his solid strength wrapped around her the way she had in December.

“We’ll stay close,” Noah said and moved with her towards the motorcycle.

Their sides brushed together, and her breath caught audibly. Biji sneaked a look at him to see if he’d heard.

He was smiling.

She cursed herself quietly.

They reached his bike. She stood back while he straddled it and lifted the kickstand. Biji texted Summer first letting her know where she was going then tugged on the helmet and climbed on behind Noah. After a moment of silent panic about where to hang on, she slid her arms around him and almost sighed.