Just His Taste (12 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

“So not only are you assigned to me, there's this file?” Jason asked, glancing at the documents on his kitchen table. The folder—red, like her wings—had a few pages, different colored, and if he wasn't mistaken, the paper was made out of some kind of glitter.

God, he hoped it didn't get all over the place. If his friends ever saw glitter in his house, he'd never hear the end of it.

“It's basically our guide to getting people together with their correct HEA.” Ava shifted in the seat, touching the edge of the file like she was afraid he'd mess it up with his man hands.

He pulled away. “HEA?”

“Happily Ever After.”

Jason nodded, taking a drink of his beer. It might be a little early for beer, but walking out of the shower, finding two fairies and a god in his living room, arguing—well, that wasn't exactly a normal day, now was it?

It's five o'clock somewhere, right?

He still hadn't quite wrapped his head around Ava being a fairy. Correction, being his Fairy Godmother. Didn't make sense yet, but it was there. Right in front of him.

He'd always said he'd never believe in aliens unless confronted with one. Fairies had never been a blip on his radar.

And now he sat with one.

Rather, two.

The other guy, Duncan, stood in the corner with a file like the one Jason looked at, but much bigger, and thumbed through it with a stern look on his face.

Evidently, it wasn't happy reading.

Jason glanced at the page titled “Happily Ever After”.

There, just as bold as could be, was Tessa's name. No other options on the page, just Tessa.

“So I'm supposed to be with Tessa?”

Ava nodded. “Which is why I came by today. We have to figure out a plan of attack to bring you two together.”

He snorted. “Well, I have another fake date with her this weekend.”

“Maybe you could make it a real one?” Ava asked.

Jason raised his eyebrow. “Is it worth the effort? I mean, I barely have any feelings for her.”

“Surely you had something for her from before?”

“She killed any feelings I had every time she told me what to do.” He ran his fingers down the spine of his beer bottle.

“Maybe she's changed,” Ava said. “People do that on occasion, you know.”

Jason shrugged. “Doesn't seem that way yet.”

“You're just stubborn.”

“I don't like being told what to do. And I really don't like people telling me who I'm supposed to feel what about.”

Ava sighed. “What do you want me to say? That's what the file says. That's my only guiding star. It's never been wrong, in all the years I've been doing this.”

“And how long is that?” He took another sip on his beer.

“Two hundred and sixty-five years.”

Jason choked. “Seriously?”

“Sure. You didn't think I had a normal mortal life cycle, did you?”

He shrugged. He hadn't thought about it. Who thought about someone being over two centuries old? “I thought you were my age.”

“Part of the fairy gig. The mortal aging process stops when I become a full-fledged fairy. When I retire, it starts again.”

“So you've been what, thirty, for two hundred years?”

“Thirty-five for three hundred years, actually.”

Duncan cleared his throat. “Game plan. Go.”

Ava rolled her eyes. “Sorry about him. Chaperones are pains in the butt.”

Jason nodded. She'd briefly explained that Duncan was here to keep the two of them on track. Probably good, because Ava in her dark-gray bodysuit was pretty much sex on a stick.

Preferably his stick.

Ava shifted, sitting up straighter, and Jason made himself not look at her boobs, which pressed against the bodysuit thing. “Okay. Right. Game plan.”

“I still say your file's wrong,” Jason said. “I just d-d-don't have any feelings for Tessa. Not enough, anyway.”

“Maybe you just don't want to feel them,” Ava said.

Jason raised his eyebrow. “I'm a guy. If I'm in love, I'm in love. We don't filter shit like you women do. It's either there or it's not.”

“And is it there?”

“Nope.”

“Well shit,” Ava said.

Saturday Evening

Jason ran a lint roller over his one good suit. When he was on the police force, he'd had a dress uniform, which was what he wore to all functions. He'd never even bothered to buy a tux or a suit until after he left.

Tonight's event with Tessa wasn't formal enough for a tux.

He set the roller on the kitchen counter, and glanced at the fluffy, girly corsage lying on the table.

That had been part of Ava's plan for tonight. Bring flowers for Tessa, something soft and feminine to make her feel pretty. He and Ava had talked a little about the lunch he'd had, and how Tessa had been so emotional about her ex.

Still, Jason didn't feel anything more for Tessa. Of course he cared about her—he didn't want to see anything bad happen to her. But that burn, that passion he always thought should be there, wasn't.

But maybe that was the point. He needed to work at it. Maybe that was what love was supposed to be. Work. His mom and dad certainly worked at it. They were the quintessential couple, forever threatening to bury the other one in the backyard if the toilet-seat thing didn't get resolved.

God knows, it would be work to love Tessa.

At least for him.

He headed out the door, climbed in his car and drove over to Tessa's house. The porch light was on, though it wasn't dark yet. As soon as he pulled up, the inside lights flipped off and out came Tessa.

Dressed in a bold-patterned dress—like what all those girls in the Old Navy commercials wore—she smiled and waved as she came to the car.

Jason hopped out and held the door open for her.

She put her hand on his arm. “Thank you,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

He closed his eyes for a moment and heard Ava in his head.
Compliment her clothes. Girls love that.

“You look nice, Tessa,” Jason said as she got situated in the car.

“Thanks,” she said, blushing just a bit.

He climbed back in the car.

“You look nice too,” she said.

Jason nodded and reached into the backseat. “Here.” He handed Tessa the corsage.

She blinked and stared at him. “I, uh…wow.” She popped open the box and slipped it on her wrist. “I never thought you were a flower guy,” she said as she stroked the petals.

“I'm learning.”

She smiled. “Well, your teacher's got you on the right track.”

“Hope so.” Jason smiled.

They drove off, and the only conversation was Tessa telling him where to go.

Don't let it bother you.

Don't let it bother you.

Don't. It's no big deal.

“Thank you again,” she said as they got closer to the venue. “I feel like I'm going to owe you a kidney or something after all these dates.”

“You could make it up to me by dating me for real.”

“Huh?”

“We could try again, Tessa,” Jason said, and wanted to kick himself for sounding so desperate.

She stroked her hair. “I didn't expect that.”

“You're not interested?” Jason asked.

“It's not that.”

“Then what?”

“With Lucas, I'm still really raw. I don't think—”

“Enough said,” Jason replied. Though what could he say, really?

Ava watched her charge going through the motions throughout the little party. Tessa seemed to shine and glow—her aura was bold and bright and happy as she mingled through the crowd, visiting with different people. She even introduced Jason to the mayor.

Jason was cordial. Polite.

And so unhappy his aura darkened and pulled tight around him.

“Poor baby,” Ava whispered.

“Knock it off,” Duncan said. They were in small fairy form, hovering around the party, keeping an eye. Ava claimed it was more about her making sure that Cupid didn't send any more minions.

Well, she told herself that.

“Sorry,” Ava replied, staring at the ground. Unfortunately, Duncan saw right through her.

“You're handling this well,” he finally said as they followed her charge.

“How do you figure?” Ava asked. “I'm really lucky I'm still here at all and haven't been kicked out of the Fairy Realm altogether. I let Cupid poison me, and who knows how many of my cases he's influenced.” She shook her head. “I thought I was such a good Fairy Godmother.”

“You're going to make this right with Jason. We can have your record expunged when this is over.”

Ava blinked. “Why?”

“Because Cupid meddled in nearly every case you've had for the last century.”

Her stomach dropped. “Why? Why would he do that?”

“Only you know the answer to that.”

She felt very, very sick to her stomach. It was very possible Cupid had just screwed her.

In more ways than one.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Saturday Night

The evening ended early. After Tessa disappeared for about twenty minutes with Lucas, she demanded that Jason take her home. Tessa's pale face and red eyes kicked him in the gut.

He wanted to go pound Lucas for whatever that jerk had done.

Instead, he took Tessa home. He offered to talk to her.

To listen, whatever.

She merely shook her head and went inside. Didn't even invite him in.

So Jason, unsure what to do, went on home and stripped out of his fancy suit. He'd told her she could call him if she wanted to talk, but he doubted she would.

He cracked open a beer and relaxed on the couch, hoping it would bring him some clarity. Because tonight's date hadn't done anything but confirm that Tessa was still very much in love with Lucas.

And where did that leave Jason?

He didn't know. He felt like the worst kind of asshole for trying to force his hand on someone who wasn't interested.

Wasn't this why he'd said he didn't look back? Always looked forward? So he wouldn't be caught in this kind of mess?

Making the evening even less bearable, he hadn't felt Ava around like before. Had she left him alone for the night? To let things happen?

Snort.

That worked so well.

He shook his head and headed out to his patio. The sky had been rumbling a bit, like it wanted to rain a nice spring deluge. Rain would make him feel better. It always did. The beat-up gazebo, left by the previous homeowners, as well as an abundance of landscaping, created an oasis behind his house including a small, trickling water feature.

Though, tonight, the water feature would not be necessary. The thunder rolled and lightning sparked.

He dropped into the glider and started to rock just as the first couple of drops of rain hit the ground. A clap of thunder punctuated the night, and lightning lit up the sky. He could have sat near the house, under the small patio cover, but no, not tonight.

Tonight, he wanted to feel the rain.

As each drop hit, the concrete turned from its pale gray to a dark, almost-muddy black. He stared at the drops as they slowly spread and took over the patio. They hit him, each one as sharp as a needle, but soothing him like a massage.

Tension eased out and his worries started to diminish.

What he was going to do about Tessa, he didn't know. Jason had done everything he could, and Tessa's interest in him seemed miniscule.

All night, he'd noticed Lucas watching him. Smugly. Even now, the hairs on his neck stood on end, and he wondered what was really going on between Lucas and Tessa.

The thing was, he wasn't jealous. Not really, anyway. It just didn't make sense. It was a puzzle of massive proportions. And Jason liked puzzles.

Like, if Tessa was supposed to be with him, then why was it so hard to bring this home? One would think, with their history, he'd know exactly how to get the job done.

Yet he couldn't.

And didn't want to, truth be told.

He shook his head.

Ava had to be wrong. She had to be.

Rather,
the file
she valued so highly had to be wrong. Because if Jason felt for Tessa a tenth of what he felt for Ava, he'd be pounding on Tessa's door right now. Tessa left him lukewarm, if that. Even when he tried to be that polite, proper guy…

While Ava was—

Yeah.

It was probably smart that they'd had a babysitter around when she'd last visited—he might have stripped her out of that bodysuit and had his way with her.

He tipped his gaze skyward again, the rain beginning to fall in earnest. With his eyes closed, he raised his arms, letting the rain soak him. Just the rumbles of thunder and the crying—

Wait.

Crying?

He snapped his eyes open. He heard it—he knew he did.

Crying. Female sobbing. And it was close by.

He started walking through the yard, trying to determine the location. The previous owners had created dozens of little nooks and crannies where anyone could hide—or read, if that was their thing. He kept telling himself he'd chop down at least half this stuff, if only for safety, but he hadn't gotten that far yet.

Rain started to soak him, and the crying had diminished. Or maybe it was the rain pouring down harder. The chill of springtime rain seeped into his bones, soaking into his T-shirt and his shorts.

He couldn't really hear the crying anymore. About to give up, when the glimmer of red shining in the gazebo caught his attention.

Red like Ava's sparkles.

Surely not…

He reached the gazebo in a few strides and stepped into the old hexagon. Water dripped off the edges and through cracks in the ceiling and pooled on the floor.

Though all that was peripheral.

What caught his breath was Ava, sitting next to a puddle, her wings spread out, covering a good portion of the floor, her head and shoulders shaking from sobs.

He didn't think—just ran to her and pulled her into his arms.

“Shh, Ava, shh.” He held her close, guiding her head into the crook of his neck.

Ava twisted into him, clinging to his soaked shirt. Her wings fluttered, sort of wrapping around them both as he held her.

The logical side should have thought it was strange to be comforting a fairy. Or to have said fairy's wings wrapped around them both.

It was bizarre.

Insane.

But it wasn't. It was Ava, and he didn't care if she had wings or not. He was going to take care of her.

Her red tresses tumbled down her back, barely damp.

She'd been out here since before the rain started, he mused. He pressed a kiss into her hair.

“Ava, what's wrong, honey?”

She didn't say anything.

He stroked her head. “Come on, baby, what's the matter? I can't fix it if you don't tell me.”

“You can't fix this.” She tipped her gaze toward his.

He brushed loose strands away from her face. “You never know. I am pretty handy.”

In that moment, a drop of water dripped through the ceiling and splashed both their faces.

She smirked, wiping away the drop. “Oh, I can tell. You're super handy.”

Jason waved his hand, gesturing to the gazebo. “This is not my doing. I'm going to tear it down.”

“Only if you're going to build a new one.”

“Not planning on it.”

Ava harrumphed, then she shook her hand. A red wand appeared, all glittery and sparkly, glowing like a party light in the dark gazebo. She waved the wand, and little red sparkles burst from it, surrounding the structure. A whirlwind wrapped around them both for a moment. Jason sat mesmerized as the sparkles spiraled from the bottom of the gazebo to the roof, like water spiraling up into a tornado.

But not.

“Better,” Ava said.

Jason glanced around. The disrepaired structure now looked pristine and new, complete with cushions and splinterless wood.

“Amazing,” he whispered.

“At least I can do something right,” she muttered. A new tear crept out of her eye. She stared at the floor, running her hands over the now smooth and freshly painted wood.

“You do everything right,” Jason said, brushing away the tear. “You said yourself. One hundred percent success rate.”

She snorted. “Yesterday, I believed that. Today. Not so much.”

“Why not?”

She snapped her gaze to his. “Because Cupid wasn't lying. Duncan looked it up. Every one of my cases the last few years, he's influenced.”

“So? You said you use that file thing, and they work out just fine.”

“I do. But he bends free will. That goes against the Fairy Code. I'm supposed to suggest, not change free will.” As she said the words, her body got more agitated. “If every one of my cases has been twisted with god magic, then what good am I?”

Something was missing here—Jason could feel it. “So he helped you. What does it matter?”

She pushed away, and her wings fluttered behind her back. “You don't understand. If the Council finds out that he's been messing with my cases, I'll lose my position as a Fairy Godmother.”

“Would that be so bad?”

“Yes!” She put her hands on her hips. “I'll be banished!”

“Again, would that be so bad?” As much as he tried, Jason really wasn't seeing a downside to this.

She looked into his eyes, her cheeks blushing, and she stroked his face. “It's one thing to retire, to leave the Fairy Realm in dignity. But being banished? Not only would I lose my abilities, but any child, hell, any grandchild, would never be allowed to be a fairy.”

He took her hands. “That's pretty strict.”

She sighed. “And with all the attention this case has gotten, I'm sure the Fairy Council is already looking into my records. There will probably be a trial, and I'll wind up at the mercy of the Fairy Council.”

“So they banish you, then?”

“Or whatever they think would be the worst for me. They could decide not to banish me, just put me on house arrest for the rest of my days. It all depends on what they find. If they find what Duncan found, then that's it. I'm screwed. Cupid's flat ruined my life.”

“Is there some way you can redeem yourself?”

“I don't know.” She ran a hand over her face, wiping away more tears. “The shitty thing? All this time, I thought I was good. Did it differently—which isn't exactly smiled upon, all this talking to my charges and stuff—but I always came out on top.” She covered her stomach, like she was about to hurl. “But it only worked because he shot arrows into my charges.” She pulled her knees to her chest, and with a jerk of her shoulders, the wings wrapped around her.

Jason reached forward, caressing the ubersoft feathers. “So why does he care? Didn't sound like he held fairies in high regard.” Jason remembered the conversation he'd heard the other day. How furious Ava had been, and that sick feeling he'd gotten in his stomach when Cupid had talked about the simplicity of influencing fairies.

Ava shrugged and wiped away a fresh tear. “He doesn't. Hell, he shot me with one of his potions.”

“How do you know?”

She leaned forward, a feather brushing her cheek. “Remember that night at the coffee shop? And we had to switch drinks?”

“Yeah?”

“And when I got all sick?”

“Sure. I thought you were diabetic or something.”

“It was the antidote.”

Jason shook his head, wondering if he'd ever see this god—who has no regard for anyone—again. Because he might very well punch the guy in the nose.

Ava continued. “It's my own fault for not realizing it, I guess. I should have known that the attraction I had for that so-called god didn't make sense, because otherwise, he drove me nuts.”

He didn't like knowing that she'd been with another guy. Any guy. Especially Cupid. Got those primal hunter instincts revving. “You said yourself you have a weakness for the wrong guy.”

She smirked, and he wondered if she noticed the slow-boiling primal desire he had for her starting to come alive.

“Never has it been so prevalent than right now.” She uncurled her wings and leaned back into him.

He stroked her hair, savoring the smell of her. “Why?”

“Because, in all the years I've been around Cupid, with that attraction I couldn't quite explain, and even meeting new people, I've never felt as strongly for any particular man than I feel for you.” She stroked his chest. “It's so much more.”

“If I like you, and you like me, then why aren't you listed in the file as my Happily Ever After?”

“That's why I know it's wrong. I'd be there, in the file.”

“I thought you said you'd get kicked out if you were with a mortal.”

“It's different. If it's in the file, then it's meant to be.”

“Can they be changed?”

“Only by the actions of the charge. His or her choices will influence the HEAs in the file.”

“Actions, huh?” He tipped her head back, an idea brewing. If his choices made the file change…

“What are you thinking?” Ava whispered. Though, as their faces got closer and closer, his answer became more and more obvious.

“Hunch,” Jason said, and their lips crashed together. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and their kiss deepened. He fell backwards and pulled her down with him. Her wings spread over the two of them like a blanket, and she pressed her hips into his as their legs tangled.

His hands slid over her, stroking her sides, her hips, cupping her ass. As their kissing deepened, she spread her legs, straddling him.

Jason moaned and pressed his hips into her. She sighed and started kissing his throat. He ground his hips into hers as she tasted him, their bodies dry humping in perfect rhythm. He thought he might explode.

Her hands slid down his sides, sliding up the shirt he wore until her fingers tickled his skin. Jason pushed her back, just enough to yank the shirt out of the way.

“Now that, I like,” she said, running her fingers over his bare chest. She traced the lines of his pecs. Jason stayed still as she explored him, savoring the simple sensation. She caressed his arms, and one of her fingers traced the tribal tattoo on his bicep.

“Interesting tattoo,” she said, and placed a kiss on it.

“I was y-young. It was the nineties,” Jason said.

“I like how it curves.”

Jason thought she was going to trace it with her finger.

Nope. She traced it with her tongue.

“Holy hell,” he muttered. As she moved, the edges of her wings brushed against him, sending strange tingles through him.

She kissed her way back to his throat, then met his lips again. He held her tight, his hands on her back, trying to find a zipper—an opening for the wings, something—so he could feel her. Touch her skin.

Desire fought hard inside him, wanting to be unleashed, but he had to hold back. Because if he didn't stop himself now, he might do something she'd regret.