Larkin walks back into the room, shaking his head at Ryanne. Her grin widens. “One of these days…”
“Don’t even bother, dude. It’s never going to happen. Take it from someone who knows,” Bragden tells him.
“What happened?” David asks.
“That dummy walks around with no shirt on, and everyone turns into a bunch of bumbling baboons…so I remedied it. He should have a shirt now.”
“I’m assuming you soaked them?” David asks her.
“Yep. They were acting like he was so hot, so I cooled them off. Then Larkin kept laughing, so I shocked him because he was annoying me,” she says. “Then I put a shield up around myself, so no one could retaliate.” She laughs and leans toward me. “I play fair, I know. But I mean none of you guys walk around without a shirt on, why should he?”
At least one girl in this house is thinking straight. Ryanne laughs. “I know, right?”
“Who is she talking to?” Jane asks.
“Olive.”
“The cat?” Ross seems really confused.
“Yeah, I can read minds. Olive said it was a shame that none of you walked around without shirts on.”
“Are you reading our minds?” Jane looks scared. What is she thinking about that she doesn’t want Ryanne to know about?
“No, I don’t do that. I don’t even use that power unless it’s absolutely necessary. I can’t even read Colton’s mind, so it’s basically pointless,” she explains. Thank goodness, she can’t read my mind. Her cheeks would permanently be stained red.
“You can’t read his thoughts?”
“Nope. He’s my Bella,” Ryanne starts giggling. Oh, the Twilight reference again. I look at her, and she starts laughing harder. I love hearing her laugh, so I can’t even glare at her. She reaches past me and grabs my water bottle. She puts the water bottle up to her mouth and takes a sip. Instantly, she coughs and ends up spitting all the water on Larkin.
Slapping a hand over her mouth, she stares at Larkin with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry!” she mumbles against her hand.
“Is there a reason why you spit all over me?” Larkin reaches over her and grabs some paper towels and starts wiping off the water. Ryanne grabs a paper towel and helps him.
“Why did Olive ask me what castration meant?” she asks. Though helping Larkin, her eyes flicker around the room. Bragden and David put their heads on the table and laugh. I stifle my laughter with a fake cough. Jane’s eyes widen.
“Darn cat,” Jane mumbles.
“You threatened to castrate my soulmate?” Ryanne says while jumping down from the counter, staring at Jane with a surprised look. Her eyes are wide, but it looks like she is trying not to laugh as well. I smile as she says soulmate. I reach out and pull her to me; she comes willingly.
Jane starts shaking her head, “I wouldn’t do something like that.” Jane is trying really hard not to smile or give anything away.
“Yes, you totally would say something like that! And if you’re going to threaten him, at least get a little more creative with it, Jane. I expected more from you,” she tells her and starts laughing. Jane can’t hold it in anymore. I gasp and start tickling her stomach. She doubles over in my arms, laughing, trying to get away from me.
I keep an even hold on her, tickling her. When I stop, she looks over at Jane and breathily says, “I would appreciate it if you didn’t threaten Colton anymore.” She turns around and glares at me. “I can take care of that myself.”
I am expecting her to do something, but she doesn’t. I know that everyone else is expecting it as well because they are intently watching us. “Gosh, you guys think I’m really that predictable?” she says as she walks out of the room. “Just you wait.”
“Good luck.” This time it is Ross who tells me that.
Emma, Natalie, and Kyril all walk into the kitchen a couple minutes later. Emma and Natalie have damp hair but dry clothes. Kyril is wearing a fitted black t-shirt. “I see you’re now wearing a shirt,” Jane says sadly.
“Yeah, apparently the little one feels awkward around me when I don’t have a shirt on.” Kyril turns and faces Emma and Natalie. “No one else was complaining.” He winks at the girls. Emma tries to look away, but she smiles. Natalie bites her lip and stares down at the ground. Goodness gracious.
I don’t understand what is going on. Kyril doesn’t look much different than any other mage. He is similar in height to the rest of us. Tan, sure. Fit, yeah, but so are the rest of us. What is it about him that causes the girls to go into such a tizzy?