Jaded Jewels (The Coveted Saga 2)

Everyone had left to go into town, leaving me alone with the blazer. They felt confident that there would be no threat, especially with Jared there with me. Amelia had given me an approving look that insinuated too much before leaving.

I had just rolled my eyes. It was hard not to feel something for Jared, though. I suppose it was just nice to have him filling the void that Tallis had left behind. Even though it was selfish of me.

Jared plopped down on the couch beside me and kicked his feet up on top of the table. "All right, love. I got us a chick flick and some seriously cool movie snacks."

My laughter came out hard and unexpected as I looked at his grinning face.

"Funny."

"That's just the start of things. I also got us a horror movie for after the tear jerking love story." He waggled his eyebrows at me. "You might end up in my lap after getting all emotional and terrified."

I rolled my eyes. "I thought you said no tricks."

He laughed and shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a man with a plan."

I laughed again. Then I look at him as my stomach growled. "Any popcorn in that bag of snacks?"

He smiled very big as he pulled out a bag. "As a matter of fact, there is."

Snatching the bag of kernels from his hand, I stood up. "I'll heat it up for us."

He took it away from me as he pulled me back down to the couch.

"No need for that. I got it." He placed the bag in the palm of his hand and I watched the bag rising, the sound of pops creating a rapid melody.

I couldn't help but find that pretty awesome. "Well, I'm officially impressed."

He just chuckled. "That's the blazer in me. If that impresses you, then I bet I could rock your world with the real thing."

"Yeah, I bet you could," I murmured, unable to stop grinning.

Maybe I needed this. A night without drama or a heart-wrenching obsession.

He popped in the first movie and sat down as it came to life on the screen. I propped up on the back of the couch as he sat down right beside of me. Our sides were touching, which I'm sure he did on purpose. He pulled my legs into his lap as he grabbed some popcorn. Though I should have drawn away, I didn't.

"So, obviously you grew up in Ireland, but tell me something I don't know about you."

He shrugged while feigning interest in the beginning of the movie. "Well, you're right about me growing up in Ireland. I left the guardianship at sixteen, and moved back into my coven.

"My coven was actually not too far away from the guardianship, which is unusual. I transformed at nineteen, as you know, and then I traveled for a bit. I made London my home for a few decades, and adopted some really bad habits."

He smiled at what I could only assume was fond memories. Then he continued with a more serious tone. "After my parents died, I joined the Corpus family, and then the light militia shortly after. Gear and I were quite the pair while he was part of the militia. When he met Olivia, he became a lover instead of a fighter. It happens with everyone eventually. We're a team of stags."

He snickered lightly as I settled into the couch a little better, adjusting my feet in his lap.

I frowned as I processed his last words. "So no women are allowed to be a part of the militia?"

He chuckled, finding humor where there wasn't any.

"You want to join? We could really have some friendly fun on the road." He raised his eyebrows and smiled provocatively, daring me to take the flirtatious bait.

I stared expectantly, doing well not to bare my stupid grin as I crossed my arms under my chest. Finally, he answered me.

"Yeah. There are women. By stags, I mean that none of us have found our mate."

I reached into his lap to get some popcorn, feeling better about the militia now. "What else is there? What about all the women?"

He blushed. Hmm. A blazer blushes prettily.