“I don’t think that’s an option for us.” He chuckled. “But we’ll have fun trying. Once again, I find myself struggling to control myself around you. I’m looking for a flat surface to press you against.”
A knock on the door broke his trance over me.
“Brynn? You okay?” Kyle’s voice.
Ian raised his eyebrows.
“Sometimes it’s better to face your demons,” I said, nipping his lips. “I want you to meet Kyle and put your insecurities to rest.”
Ian’s eyes narrowed, but he let me go.
I walked to the kitchen and opened the door. Ian followed, standing at my shoulder.
Kyle glanced at Ian, and then at me. “After what happened with Daria, I wanted to make sure you didn’t have other uninvited guests.”
As if I needed more proof I should sell the house. “I’m fine.”
Ian moved to my side. “You’re the man who answered her phone when I called the other night?” His voice, low and threatening, sent a shiver through me.
Kyle’s eyes grew large. He took a step back. “Uhh...”
I couldn’t imagine Kyle being intimidated by anyone. More often than not, I’d seen swagger when someone challenged him. I’d never seen him back down. The two men were close to the same height, and I knew for a fact Kyle had more muscle mass than Ian.
“I didn’t mean to give you the wrong impression when you called,” Kyle said.
“You did, but that impression has been corrected.”
Kyle shot me a glance. “Are you okay?”
“I am.”
He returned his gaze to Ian. “Sorry to have intruded.” He turned and left.
I set my hands on my hips and looked at Ian. His eyes glittered. “What did you do to him?”
Ian blinked and smiled at me. “Me? Not a thing.”
I laughed. “I don’t believe you.”
He closed the door. “Nothing every little boy doesn’t learn the first time they’re bullied. You have to stand up for yourself.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, staring into my eyes. “Is there something more I should know?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
Chapter 38
I led Ian to the living room and sat beside him on the sofa, holding his hand, my head bowed. Where to start?
“I told you my products don’t seem to be working the way they should,” I began.
“And I told you I suspect that’s a result of interfering with someone else’s magic,” he said. “When is the spell fulfilled?”
“Madeleine said she canceled it.” I shot him a dark look. “I didn’t have a problem with my magic until after I’d met you.”
He pulled away. “You think I’m responsible?”
I blew out a slow breath. “In a way...”
“Brynn, I’m as surprised by how quickly we’ve connected as you are, but I promise you, I haven’t cast a spell on you.”
I held up a finger to silence him. “Let me finish.”
He leaned into the sofa. “Go on.”
“It didn’t occur to me until I was at dinner with my cousins tonight.” I winced. He didn’t care about my cousins, but I wanted to explain how I’d come to the conclusion I had. I gave Ian a brief history of how Jason had stopped at my house last year when he was worried his daughter had inherited the family legacy, with a stern admonition that my aunt and I were not to encourage her differences.
“Then his wife stopped into the shop,” I went on. “I didn’t see the magic in her right away. She was very pregnant.” Chills jumped over my skin as I remembered how LeAnne had wanted my help to raise her child prodigy. I met Ian’s gaze, hoping he’d follow the logic, but he might not know pregnancy suppressed our gifts. The concerned look on his face didn’t indicate he understood what I was telling him.
“How does this relate to your problem?” he asked.
My hands were shaking. I didn’t even know for sure if I was pregnant.
I knew.
“When we met in Gupta’s. You knew I was like you, right?” I asked.
He nodded. “I saw the glow in your eyes, yes.”
I returned his nod. “And then we went into the woods.”
His pupils dilated and his lips quirked into a smile. “We did.”
He hadn’t even asked about birth control. A renewed sense of outrage shook me, and then I reminded myself I was a willing participant, and equally at fault. Then again, I’d been led to believe, as he was, that I couldn’t have children. I fought to control my shaking hands. “I suppose the first thing I should ask you is if you’re healthy. We might have shared diseases that day.”
“I’m healthy. Are you telling me you aren’t?”
“I’m telling you there are consequences for unprotected sex,” I said bluntly.
He straightened and blinked. “I’ve been told the legacy is never passed directly, that people with our talents are unable to conceive.” His voice trailed away.
Tears threatened again, fearing his jealousy would assign another man the role of father. I rushed ahead. “My cousin’s wife had talents. She enchanted my cousin with the intended goal of combining his latent genetic make-up with her direct genetic link to the magic to create a child with enhanced talents. The result was my niece, who did, in fact, exhibit extraordinary talents. She’s four years old.”
Ian’s face lit up. “Seriously?”
I nodded. “Unfortunately, once LeAnne gave birth to my nephew and her gifts were restored, she tried to cast a spell to take my gifts away. Georgia intervened, even at three years old, and they both suffered as a result. I’m not certain Georgia’s powers were completely canceled, but it’s a reflective spell. LeAnne lost her gift.”
“Brynn, are you telling me your magic isn’t working because you’re pregnant?”
I pushed off the sofa, walked into the kitchen and came back with the bag from the drug store. “I don’t know for sure, but all indications point that way. I bought a test on my way home. That’s why I stopped outside the folly. I was debating whether to tell you. I haven’t taken a test yet. I was planning to in the morning.”
“The baby’s mine?” he asked. “Are
