Twisted Magic (Book 2 of the Ink Series)

Morning

Thick rays of sun beams poured through Slade's bedroom window waking me from my sleep. I slipped out from under Slade's forearm and searched the room for my clothes.

He rolled over. "What are you doing?"

I slipped into my underwear feeling dirty and ready for a shower and a fresh pair of clothes. "I have to go home. I was due for work twenty minutes ago."

He sat up in bed. "Do you want me to call Kidd? He could drive you."

I fastened my bra. "Why don't you have a car?" I never thought much about this before. But now the question was eating at me, even I owned a car now that I was in college.

"Everywhere you need to go in Cherry is in walking distance." He shrugged, dropping his feet to the floor. He ran a hand through his bed head.

"What if you want to travel further, like to a certain college where a certain girl lives?" I dropped down beside him on the bed and worked my flip-flops on. I wanted to say girlfriend, but it felt odd.

"When she invites me I will see what I can do. I never had a reason for a car. Everything I need is right here." He hooked an arm around my waist tugging me back down on the bed. I squealed, kissing him. I liked this fun, carefree side of Slade.

"Okay. You're invited." I smiled at him. He smirked.

"You didn't ask me. You just told me I was invited." He poked, taking us back to the day I threw a terrible tantrum over the bonfire. I rolled my eyes.

"I want you to come see me when I go back to Csu. It would mean a lot." I sighed. It meant more than he knew. I was the only girl at school with a boyfriend who never visited. If I had known all it took was asking Slade to come I would have a long time ago. And then the entire school would stop thinking Slade was some made-up figment of my imagination.

Slade pushed my hair from my eyes. "Get to work."

I sat up, watching him slip on a pair of black shorts and work a gray t-shirt over his head. He tugged a baseball cap down on his head and lifted the contents of his wallet pocketing it.

"I think I might just call off." I stood on shaky legs nervous to get into another conversation with Slade about us. "So, I invited you. Could you at least tell me you are going to come?"

He opened the door to his bedroom, his eyes dark and unreadable. "You said it would mean a lot. I'll be there."

I passed through the door satisfied by his answer. We both headed down the hall of the RV

"So what are you going to do today? Maybe we could get lunch or see a movie or something." I offered. I figured I was late for work; I also needed to talk to Dad. So why waste the day away from Slade.

He hit the lights in the kitchen and tugged his door open. "I got a few things I need to take care of. Maybe you can call me later."

I nodded, going out first so Slade could lock the door. I skidded to a stop at the sight of Audrey. My vision blurred and anger took over.

"Hope. I didn't know you and Slade slept over." She smirked, staring down at her purple nail polish rather than at me who she was busy insulting.

Slade moved past me. "Audrey I said eleven."

I looked at Slade baffled. "Is this what you're taking care of?"

"I guess you could put it like that. Will you call me later?" He asked, pushing past the issue at hand—the issue of him hanging out with the bitch that was Audrey.