Page 35 of Evergreen

“Every other day,” she corrected. “If you’re serious about this. Tuesdays and Thursdays after class for a half hour. Don’t be late.”

I nodded, already mentally reorganizing my schedule. Between the greenhouse work and these sessions, I was going to be busy as hell. But for the first time since I’d arrived at Widdershins Academy, I actually felt like I was working on my education. But this time it felt like it mattered.

As I left her office and headed back across campus, I caught myself wondering if Linden would be impressed with me. Would he like this more responsible side of me? And a more important question, why was I so eager to please him? The sex was great, but there was more to it than that. Whenever we touched there was this kind of jolt. At first I thought it was just my magic going haywire, but now I wasn’t so sure.

Maybe I was just making it all up. Instead of worrying about it too much, I just chalked it up to nervous energy and my magic being unpredictable. Figuring it all out could wait until we got the greenhouse under control.

For now, I just wanted to focus on helping Linden, both in the greenhouse and in his bed.

Chapter 15

Linden

The moment I sat down at the cafeteria table, Nerion’s gaze was fixed on me. Even out of the corner of my eye I could see the smirk spreading over his face, that knowing look pulling at the corners of his eyes. He knew something was up, that something had happened.

“Teddy,” he said softly, looking to his boyfriend who was currently horking down chicken nuggets. “There is no longer a virgin at this table.”

Teddy’s nugget fell into his ranch, his jaw dropping. “Are you serious?”

Nerion nodded. “If he was glowing any brighter, he’d be a lightbulb.”

I felt my entire face go hot. “We didn’t⁠—”

“Oh, you absolutely did,” Nerion interrupted, his grin widening to absolutely ridiculous proportions. “I can practically see the satisfaction radiating off you. Plus, you’ve got that post-sex glow thing happening. It’s very obvious.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said flatly, reaching for my water glass and draining half of it in one go. The cold water did nothing to cool down my burning cheeks.

Teddy was staring at me like I’d just announced I’d sprouted wings. “So you and Linden actually...?”

“That’s not—” I started, but Nerion was already launching into his interrogation.

“When?” he demanded. “How long? Was it good? Please tell me it was good because you deserve to have at least one decent sexual experience before graduation.”

“You’re insane,” I muttered, stabbing at my food with more force than strictly necessary. “Can we not do this right now? We’re in the middle of the cafeteria.”

“That didn’t stop you with us,” Teddy observed mildly, and I shot him a look that made him hold up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying, you were very insistent about the pair of us getting together, in front of everyone at that Halloween party last year.”

“That was different,” I said, even though I wasn’t entirely sure how. I just didn’t want to be wrong. “You two were already pretty involved, you just needed a push.”

Nerion leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest in that satisfied way that meant he’d already decided he’d won this conversation. “So what’s the deal, Linden? Are you two actually together now or was this just a one-time thing?”

I didn’t have an answer to that. The truth was, I wasn’t entirely sure what Cass and I were. We’d exchanged blowjobs, yeah, and it had been great. But we hadn’t really talked about what that meant. Hadn’t discussed whether this was just a physical thing or if there was more to it.

But deep down, I knew what I wanted that answer to be.

“I don’t know,” I admitted finally, hating how uncertain I sounded. “We haven’t really discussed it.”

“Well, you should probably do that,” Teddy said reasonably. “Before things get too complicated.”

“Things are already complicated,” I pointed out. “I’m supposed to be his supervisor. Not whatever this is turning into.”

“Is that how Cass feels about it?” Nerion asked. “Or is he actually into you for more than just your big green dick?”

I furrowed my brows. “You don’t know how big it is or that it’s green.”

“Linden, baby,” Nerion grinned. “We were roommates for two years. All of you is green. And do you really think you didn’t have a boner in your sleep sometimes?” His smile widened again. “You pitch a tent big enough for four people.”

I felt my face get even hotter, if that was even possible. “You’re the worst.”