Impractical Magic Part 5

Rose sighed. Now he was simply being bullheaded. As usual. "What do you want? A display?"

"And what would that prove? If someone here made a wish, you or your Ewan could make it happen." Brand shook his head. "Just leave. Both of you. It's over, Rose." "Dammit, Brand! You're just using this as an excuse to get rid of me." He met her gaze, unblinking. "Perhaps." A dark light glimmered in the depths of his eyes-a glimmer that gave her a small sense of hope.

If only she could prove Ewan's theory.

Rose bit her lip, creating then discarding several wild ideas. Focusing on Sequoia, she grinned.

"I really don't like that look," Sequoia muttered.

"If what Ewan has said is true, which I believe it to be, if you make a wish, it will happen."

"If you believe him," Brand added.

Rose cast him a sharp look, then turned again to her cousin. "Whisper a wish, Sequoia. One that I can't hear, that Ewan can't hear. Whisper it to Brand if you like or just whisper to yourself. Ewan and I will move by the door so there's no chance we can overhear."

"Then what?" Brand asked, his tone even drier, if that were possible.

"We'll see if her wish is granted." And he would hate it if it was.

"This is a bunch of nonsense." Brand waved toward the exit. "When you reach the door, just keep on going."

Rose frowned. "Give me a chance, Brand."

Their gazes locked for several long moments. She could feel his anger, his frustration, and the hint of something else, something more elusive. Finally he turned his back on her.

Emitting a disgusted exhale, Rose dragged Ewan toward the door.

"You're being a jerk, Brand," Sequoia said. She gave a wicked laugh. "I know just what to wish for, too."

Maybe Sequoia would turn Brand into a frog or something. That would be nice. For a while anyway.

Rose glanced at Ewan, who returned a look filled with confusion. Before she could rea.s.sure him, she heard Sequoia gasp, then burst into laughter.

Whirling around, Rose inhaled sharply. "Oh, my G.o.d."

Five.

As Sequoia clutched her middle, nearly doubled over with laughter, Rose struggled for breath. Brand stood in the middle of room clad only in his tiny bikini briefs, which did little to disguise his obvious a.s.sets. Her throat went dry. She'd always known he'd grown up, but she hadn't realized he was quite this fine beneath those jeans.

His chest was muscular, sculpted without being ridiculously so, his six-pack evident and dusted with dark hair that arrowed down to disappear into his briefs. His hips were taut and lean, his legs well muscled.

Heat rose into her cheeks, but she couldn't look away, didn't want to look away. He was all she could want and more. An uncomfortable itching began low in her belly, the heat spreading through her veins.

Instead of looking fl.u.s.tered, Brand jutted his chin out, his gaze daring Rose to say something. As if she could speak. "I a.s.sume you can also wish my clothing back on," he said to Sequoia.

She straightened, swiping at the tears in her eyes. "If I wanted to. You're no fun, Brand. You never lose your composure."

"For which you should be grateful."

"Do you believe Rose now?"

Brand hesitated, then met Rose's gaze. He had to know she'd been telling the truth. "Yes, I believe her." Instead of heading for his bedroom to put on pants, as Rose had expected, he remained, proud and too d.a.m.ned s.e.xy, and turned away to stare out the windows at the famous St. Louis Arch.

"As you should," Ewan added. He touched Rose's shoulder. "Now you will come with me."

She jerked away. "I never agreed to that. How many different ways do I have to tell you I'm not going with you?"

"I can force you." His eyes were dark, power radiating about him.

"You could try." She met his gaze, daring him. She would use her magic before she'd let him drag her to the faery realm.

"I'll handle this." Sequoia wrapped her fingers around Ewan's arm. "Come with me, gorgeous. We have to talk."

"I-" He protested, but allowed her to lead him from the room.

Rose eased a sigh of relief. Ewan's continued persistence was already a pain. How could she convince him she meant to stay here? She darted a glance at Brand's bare back and tight b.u.t.tocks. One problem at a time.

She approached him, then hesitated, her physical turmoil making her hesitant to touch him. "Brand?" He didn't respond and she managed a small smile. "I could conjure clothes for you, but then I'd lose the bet." Be-' sides, she enjoyed the view far too much.

He whirled around so quickly, she almost lost her balance and placed her hand against his chest to steady herself- his rock-hard, too-warm chest. She jerked her hand away, vividly aware of his near nudity and her response to it.

"I wouldn't want you to lose the bet," he murmured, his gaze intense, a half-smile on his lips.

Struggling to control her erratic pulse, Rose kept her gaze on his face. "Is the deal back on, then? Can I stay?"

"That's all you care about, isn't it?" Sadness mixed with the resignation in his voice.

"No, that's not all I care about." Having seen him almost crushed by the swarm of women had brought home the unavoidable truth that she still cared about him- whether she wanted to or not. And seeing him like this stirred even deeper feelings, yearnings she didn't want to acknowledge.

Seeing the blue of Rose's eyes deepen, Brand's anger faded and something far more sensual took its place. He'd never been able to stay mad at her. But the episode with the barriers had provided an opportunity to send her away ... before it was too late.

After their encounter on the bus, he knew he wasn't nearly as in control around her as he wanted to be. Putting distance between them was the only reasonable solution to protect his reputation as a magician ... as well as his emotions.

Now, as she stared at him, her eyes wide and lips too d.a.m.ned provocative, he wondered if it wasn't already too late.

"I'd never hurt you, Brand." Her voice was quiet, sincere. "Not on purpose anyway," she said.

No, never on purpose, but she hurt him simply by existing, by having the magic he desperately wanted for himself, by reminding him of feelings he wanted to avoid. He should hate her, had convinced himself he did.

Until she reappeared in his life. "I know."

He curled his hands by his side to keep from touching her. Judging by her dark pupils and flushed cheeks, she wasn't as immune to his near nakedness as she pretended. h.e.l.l, neither was he, but he'd be d.a.m.ned before he'd let anyone know that.

Neither was he immune to her presence. How would she look in her underwear? If he didn't move away from her soon, they'd both know.

He grimaced, searching for another subject. "What are you going to do about your magic leak?"

"I don't know." Her confusion reflected in her expression. "I have to use my magic to stop it, and I'm not willing to give up that easily."

"Stubborn as always." He shook his head. She would never willingly break their deal, but he'd a.s.sumed she would have unthinkingly used her power by now. His mistake.

"I choose to think of it as determined." Rose gave him a hesitant smile. "Are we okay?"

He hesitated, staring at her. Okay? They'd never be okay. With Rose his world always tilted to one extreme or the other, and he felt much safer on the angry side of things. "You can stay, if that's what you're asking."

"Thanks." Her smile widened and he could almost feel her relief. Evidently, writing this expose meant a lot to her. Of course it did. It would make her career while it ruined his.

"Just go on back to destroying me," he muttered. He had to remember that when he was around her.

She caught his arm when he would have turned away, her touch affecting his control far more than he liked. "Brand..."

Glancing back, he waited for her to speak, only to see her swallow several times. The rapid pulse in her throat caused his own heartbeat to accelerate. He searched for something to say, anything to break the rising tension. "Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I..." She drew in a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you."

He retorted with a derisive laugh and let himself touch her face. "But you will, Rose. One way or another, you will."

Sequoia dragged Ewan into her room, then paused in the center. Now what? A giggle rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down. Not too many women would consider having a devas-tatingly handsome man in their bedroom a bad thing. And if he wasn't so good-looking, she'd be better able to think of what to say.

He was taller than she was, but then most folks were. Still, he didn't loom over her like Brand, which helped ease her nervousness. Rose's description had been very accurate. He did look like Legolas with long, glowing blond hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a lean, toned physique that drew her gaze constantly to his bare chest. She ached to touch that chest, to touch him, to see if he was real.

He gave off an aura of sensuality that brought her heart into her throat, yet he appeared more confused than threatening, more intriguing than dangerous.

"Are all these rooms alike?" Ewan turned in a circle in the middle of the room.

She jerked into semi-coherency. "Probably. It's a hotel."

"And mortals say they value their individuality." Ewan snorted as he scanned the surroundings, his ennui obvious.

"They do."

Come on, girl. Remember why you brought him here. Think of Rose.

Sequoia rested her fists on her hips. For the first time in her life she had the opportunity to do something for her magical cousin. She wasn't about to let Rose down. "You have to leave Rose alone."

That brought his brilliant gaze to focus on her. "Why?"

"She's told you she's not going to the magical realm and she means it. The best thing you can do now is go back where you came from."

"No."

Not much of a conversationalist, was he? What did she expect from such a hunk? "Why stay? I know her better than anybody. She won't change her mind."

"Won't she?" *

Sequoia paced to the window and back. How could she make him understand?

Family, of course.

In the widespread Thayer clan, family was everything- its heart, its soul, its strength. "Rose's family is here. They love her. She loves them. She's not about to leave them."

"Love." Ewan nearly spat the word. "I've heard much of this mortal affliction but have seen nothing to merit its high esteem."

"Maybe you're not looking in the right places." All he had to do was watch her mother and father together and he'd know the meaning of the word.

"Mortals kill for it, fight for it, behave foolishly for it." He came toward her, his expression defiant, forcing her to look up to meet his gaze. "Why?"

"Love is difficult to explain." She spread her hands. "You have to feel it."

He stepped closer and Sequoia shifted as her skin tingled. What was he doing? "Feel it how? I've seen the way mortals touch each other. I know this brings pleasure, but pleasure is not love." As he spoke, he gently ran the back of his hand over her cheek, and she caught her breath in a gasp. He smelled of the forest-the musky scent of dirt, the brisk freshness of the wind, the raw bark of the trees.

d.a.m.n, talk about s.e.x appeal.

"It... it's more than that." Her voice sounded strangled. No surprise given the sudden tightening in her throat.

"A kiss, then?" He brushed his soft lips over hers, and Sequoia's body reacted as if he'd lit a match. Every hormone she owned and a few she didn't burst into flame.

She pushed away and staggered back, her eyes wide, her breathing ragged. "Was that magic?" It had to be. She'd never experienced a kiss like that in her life, and he'd barely touched her.

"Only what comes naturally." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I liked it as well, but that is not love."

"No, it's not." Sequoia placed her hand over her chest to even her breaths. "A kiss is part of the physical attraction that usually accompanies love."

"Then explain love to me."

"I can't."

A dancing flame burned in his eyes. "If you can show me what love is and why it is so important, I will let Rose go"

Oh, gee. Why not ask her to fly while he was at it? "It's not that easy."

He crossed his arms. "I have time."

Sequoia hesitated. Rose had done so much for her over the years, but now her cousin wasn't using her magic. That vulnerability gave Sequoia a chance to repay Rose for her unflagging support through broken hearts, lost dreams, and of course, the constant college battle with her parents.

She'd always enjoyed a challenge and this promised to be that, but could she make him understand? Fae didn't experience intense emotions like love and hate. Was he even capable of grasping the concept?

He had to be. Rose's mother, Ariel, had learned to love Rose's father.