Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up 4)

He rubbed my back, humor in his eyes. “They aren’t coming because of you. They don’t know anything about you until they get here and see you…working on your magic.”

“Bumbling around with yer magic, more like,” Niamh said.

“God you’re surly,” I told her.

“Well, aren’t ye slow on the uptake tonight?” she replied with a grin.

“Jess, you’ll make this territory stronger,” Austin said. “And I will make that house stronger. Together, we’ll create something that hasn’t been accomplished before, and we’ll both be stronger for it. And if it doesn’t work out that way, Kingsley will get to say, ‘I told you so,’ for the rest of my life.”

Kingsley just grunted and averted his gaze.

“Okay, well…” I pushed the half-filled glass away.

“Here, wait, get one for the road,” Niamh said, raising her hand.

“No. No!” I pointed at her and pushed to my feet. She leaned away from my jutting finger. “No more. I am an ab…solute mess.” I hiccupped. “That was timely.”

“I’ll walk you home.” Austin waited by the chair.

“Ulric and Jasper are out there. One of them can walk me home while the other keeps their dates warm. They apparently don’t mind sharing. Or you could just set me free, and I’ll blast anyone who tries to bother me.”

“Ye’d probably accidentally blow up someone friendly and mistakenly get captured by Elliot Graves,” Niamh said. “Or whoever’s using his name, if that’s what’s going on.”

“Well…” I shrugged. “That might be true.”

“Alpha.” Donna leaned over the bar. “There’s a problem to the south. They need some direction.”

Austin paused, frustration and urgency roiling within him. He looked at Kingsley, who nodded.

“Sorry, Jess, I have to go,” Austin said. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? We need to do more planning for the mage visitor.”

“Sure, yeah.” I clung to his arm for a moment before peeling myself off again. “Sorry. I am not exactly all hands on deck right now.” I grimaced.

“Kingsley will take you home. I’ll text you later.”

“Oh no, I don’t need him—” His fingertips on my jaw stopped my breath. I parted my lips, wondering if he would kiss me. Wondering if I’d be able to peel myself away a second time if he did. Instead, he ran his fingers down my throat, and the heat in his eyes made me shiver.

“Let him take you home. I want to make sure you get there safely,” he whispered.

“Okay,” I heard myself say, as meek as a lamb.

It wasn’t until he was striding away that I came out of the heat-induced coma.

“Ye sure told him,” Niamh said.

“Shut it,” I replied, staring at Kingsley as he rose.

“Ready?” he asked, putting out his hand, offering to help me. Clearly he thought I was a risk to myself.

“I’m good.” I waved him away and picked my way through the chairs, bumping into someone once I was free.

Kingsley pushed the person away.

“Sorry, alph—sir,” the man said, edging farther away, a bubble opening up around me.

“That’s embarrassing,” I murmured, eyeing the bathroom. “I’m just going to hit the loo.”

And then give him the slip. I got why Austin was worried: I was not thinking rationally. But seriously, I had the guys to watch me and my magic to protect me. Kingsley would just turn a pleasant drunken walk into an uncomfortable slog.

“Ye are saying out loud every single thought that is in yer head,” Niamh said, then stood and gulped the last of her drink. “I’ll take her home. I’m going that way anyway. I live right next to her.”

“Use the restroom. I’ll be waiting outside.” Kingsley walked from the room, commanding a wide berth from everyone as he did so.

“Ah well, it was worth a try.” Niamh sat back down.

“Wait, what?” I grabbed the chair back to steady myself. “You’re going home anyway.”

“They’ll give me one more if I ask real nicely.” She gave Paul a bulldog stare. He flinched, pausing in taking a glass off the bar.

Knowing I wouldn’t be able to convince her, I didn’t bother with the restroom (I hadn’t actually needed to go) and met Kingsley on the sidewalk. He was waiting on the curb, watching everyone meander away, but he stepped closer as soon as he saw me.

Without a word, we started walking down the sidewalk toward home.

“So.” I swerved a little his way, and it was the first time I saw him tense. He put out a hand but didn’t actually touch me, as though he didn’t want to make contact unless I was actually falling. “You shifters aren’t really touchy-feely types, huh?”

“Touching means something different in our world, especially when it concerns someone Austin…cares about.”

“Oh. That. With the past and everything.” I paused on the corner, looking down the main drag, seeing broad bodies walking with purpose. Patrolling, probably. “He only got upset earlier because I was uncomfortable.”

Kingsley reached out again as I stepped off the curb. “It’s shocking how easily you get intoxicated.”