Spellbound

Original Edition: Twenty-Three

"I'm going to copy you...how old were you when you first had sex?"

"In human years?"

I laughed. "Yes."

"Eighty-nine. But to be fair, I had the body and mentality of what equates to a fifteen-year-old human boy."

"Damn, you had to have broken a record for world's oldest virgin," I joked, and when he pretended to lunge at me, I held up my hands and said, "Kidding, kidding. So when I'm like ninety, you will look like you are in your thirties?"

"I don't think so. The longer we are here, the more we appear to adapt. Our aging process is beginning to fall in line with yours, so I think we will look the same."

"My mom would slaughter whole villages to look as good as you at your ripe old age."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or feel appalled."

"Appalled, but I'll save that story for another day. Let me miss this shot so we can move on and you can ask me more embarrassing questions."

I knew good and well I would make the next shot; the ball sank into the corner pocket with ease. My eyes widened, and I looked over at him in shock. "What? Another? You must be my lucky charm."

"Or I'm the biggest sucker, getting swindled by a pretty girl."

I gasped with false offense. "What? Me? Never." Before he could say anything else, I continued, "Do you think Soren doesn't like me and wants me to leave?" Might as well go ahead and get it out there.

Archer fell silent and paced the length of the table. For a moment, I worried he was going to blow off the question and then his gaze met mine. "No. I think my brother has experienced his fair share of heartache and his disagreeable attitude is a defense mechanism."

Nodding, I moved around the table. "All right. Fair enough." I raised the cue and sunk another shot, not even pretending to be surprised this time. "If you're right about that, why is he so insistent that I stay away from you—from both of you? Why should I trust you over him when it comes to that warning?" Despite Soren's gradual thawing out when it came to me, he still thought Archer and I being together was a bad idea.

"Have I given you a reason to distrust me?"

I put my hand on my hip and shook my head. "You can't answer a question with a question."

"Remind me again why we aren't playing strip pool?" I raised an eyebrow in warning, and he threw up his hands. "I can't give you a reason, Gemma. Other than I thought we were making something great here, but now I'm questioning that. Why even be intimate with me if in the back of your mind you think I'm leading you astray in some way?" He set his pool stick down and ran his hands through his hair. "If I'm being honest, that hurts."

Fuck. That's not how that was supposed to come out. My heart constricted and I stepped toward him. "No, Archer, I'm sorry. That's not what I meant at all! It just came out wrong and I—" He stayed silent without meeting my eyes and I balled my hands into fists. "Please, listen to me." I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face me. "I do trust you. I couldn't give you the most intimate parts of me if I didn't. But you have to understand, your brother insists that there is something more I need to know, and I can't understand why he'd be pushing it if it weren't true...if you're right and he doesn't actually loathe me." I blew out a breath and put my hands on his cheeks. "Please, Archer. I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me. I know you didn't mean for your question to be hurtful. I wish I could tell you that I understand my brother's motives, but I don't. I can't find a valid reason for him to push his way in between us." He gripped my hips and pulled me closer. "I don't want anyone to get in the way of our happiness."