Page 20 of Back in the Hunt

“Very telling,” Merlin concurred, then cleared his throat. “How are you feeling, Everly? How do you like beinginBippity Boppity Books?”

“I love it here! It’s warm and smells nice like Nox’s,” Everly said to his new baby.

“There’s a lot of iron in here,” Merlin noted with a raise of his brows and Howard hummed as he pushed his glasses up his nose and leaned in for a closer look at Everly.

“Isn’t it remarkable? The iron should repel him, but Mr. Wells doesn’t seem to mind at all.”

Merlin reached for Everly’s hands and the quartz. “You’re very remarkable. Why don’t we put this by the register so it cancome home with us?” he asked, brimming with grandfatherly pride.

“Okay!” Everly nodded and searched around them. “A journal?”

“Over there.” Howard pointed at the other corner of the store as Nelson returned.

“I put everything away while I was back there. Did you ask Howard about any other missing changelings?” Nelson asked while retrieving his notepad from inside his coat.

Merlin made a sad sound. “I was waiting until Everly was distracted. The journals,” he said to Bryn.

“Right!” He pulled Everly along. “They’ll fill us in later. Let’s see what else we can find,” he suggested and Everly took a deep breath and brightened.

“Nox is going to teach me how to journal and he said that we can journal together while you’re off on your morning runs.”

“That’s good…” Bryn said, smiling when the tarot decks caught Everly’s attention. “Those are perfect,” he chuckled when Everly selected a wild animal-themed deck and added it to the basket. There was a journal nearby for tarot beginners and that went in too. On a rack nearby, Everly found a bracelet set with moon and star charms.

“I wish my ears would stay pierced so I could wear the earrings. But they just heal right up.”

Bryn made a dismissive sound. “My ears are pierced. I’ll wear them so we can match,” he said and Everly looked like a cartoon, visibly swooning as he nodded up at him.

“I’m glad I can’t wear earrings now.”

The bell over the door chimed, startling Everly. A young woman asked about the jewelry and he was like a trapped rabbit, bouncing and dodging as he avoided shelves and displays. “This way,” Bryn said as he left the basket and hurried Everly to the back and into the storage room, turning the lock behind them.

“Good thinking!” Everly whispered, scanning the darkened room around them. The shelves were neatly arranged and freshly dusted and the earthy smell of incense and scented candles made the space even more soothing. “I like it!” He snatched the halves of Bryn’s cardigan and kissed him before he could object.

Not that Bryn would.

He wasn’t thinking as he scooped Everly into his arms and kissed him, starving as they stumbled into the door. Neither was Everly. He wound an arm around Bryn’s neck and his leg was hooked around a hip as he hung on, lapping wildly and whimpering like a siren. And, gods above, he felt like heaven in Bryn’s arms, so light and warm and made just forhim.

“Now, please?” Everly huffed when Bryn licked along his jaw and sucked on an earlobe. His legs kicked and he clawed at Bryn’s shoulders as he writhed and arched, desperate for more friction.

“Now,” Bryn agreed as his hand pushed into the back of Everly’s jeans and gripped a perfectly tight, round cheek. “No!” Bryn peeled Everly off and set him down out of arms’ reach, panting and throbbing as he took stock. They were so far out of line, getting off in sweet, old Howard’s storage room and it was still too soon. “Do you want to turn into an incubus?”

He’d meant to scold Everly but the halfling’s dark eyes swept upwards as he considered. “I’m not sure if I would mind anymore if I was your?—”

“No.”Bryn pointed sternly. “You deserve more.”

That’s what Bryn’s mouth said but hethought about it.Thankfully, the sound of Merlin and Howard approaching had them moving. They fixed each other’s clothes and hair before Bryn peeked around the door to make sure the coast was clear.

“Can we come out?” he asked and Merlin scoffed.

“Not a soul has any doubts about the two of you or what was going on back there.”

“Very clever,” Bryn replied dryly, glaring at Merlin. “Learn anything useful or did you spend the whole time working on that joke?”

Merlin shrugged. “I excel at multitasking.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“And I’m sure you were just guarding Everly in there,” Merlin countered and raised his brows, daring Bryn.