I would love to read number 14 with Bo and Tamsin
This New Year’s party was the worst Bo had ever been to. She was miserable. Between Lauren and Dyson’s childish bickering, fighting over Bo as if she was some sort of toy, and the drunk alkonost who wouldn’t stop interrupting Kenzi’s R&B playlist with operatic solos, the entire party was a train wreck. Bo was ready to bash her head into the nearest wall, but as much as she wanted to leave, she’d promised Kenzi one night of drunken debauchery since all they’d been doing lately was work. Hunting down rogue fae who were part of the latest rebellion. The collapse of the power structure, of the hierarchy, had the entire fae population on edge.
“You know, you’re supposed to kiss someone at midnight.”
Bo sighed and turned to find Dyson standing behind her. As much as she loved him, she was ready for both him and Lauren to disappear. At least for a night. He held an open bottle of beer toward her and smiled the most charming smile he could manage with too much alcohol in his system. When Bo took the beer and chugged down three long pulls, he pressed a hand over his chest and said, “I humbly offer myself for that purpose.”
“How chivalrous of you.” Lauren stepped forward with a drink of her own. A small glass of something clear. She handed it to Bo, who downed it in one gulp. “If only that sort of thing worked on Bo.” She nudged Dyson to the side a bit and smiled at Bo. “Besides, Bo’s already chosen who to kiss at midnight.”
“Oh, is that right?” Dyson said with a hard roll of his eyes. “Let me guess. You?”
“That would be the intelligent choice,” Lauren said and patted Dyson’s arm. “Of course, we don’t always follow our brains, so you might still have a slim chance.”
Bo glanced down at the watch secured to her wrist. Three minutes to midnight. Gods, could this night just be over already?
“Night’s winding down,” Dyson said, still trying to charm Bo with his smile and scruff. “Who’s it going to be, Bo?”
At this point, Bo didn’t want to kiss anyone. Certainly not either of the two of them. She’d had enough of their petty squabbling over her for one night. She shook her head and said, “I need some air.”
She left the bar with the intention of a few minutes break, just long enough for the countdown to pass, for midnight to flit by, and for Dyson and Lauren to forget all about the kiss they each wanted and go back to drinking and digging at one another. She just wanted to be by herself, away from the haze of sex in the air, making her dizzy, away from the drunken sway of bodies. As much as she had always loved a good party, she was too sober, too tired, for any of this.
“You’re going to miss the countdown.”
Bo startled in cool night air and turned to see Tamsin across the alley behind the bar. She leaned against a brick wall and watched Bo with the same soft gaze she always pinned her with. To everyone else, she was hard, edged, intense. With Bo, she was tender. They never talked about it, but it never changed. Tamsin looked at Bo like she was something precious. It had been that way for such a long time now.
And in that moment, it was exactly what Bo needed. She let out a heavy sigh, melting under the gentle gaze, and said, “What are you doing out here?”
Tamsin shrugged. “Avoiding people.”
“You came to a party to avoid people?” Bo laughed. “Good plan.”
Tamsin shrugged again. “I have a hard time saying no to Kenzi.”
Bo nodded and blew out another heavy breath. “She has that effect on people.”
They grew silent then, simply staring at one another across the dark alley. Inside, they heard the countdown begin. A bunch of drunken fae, plus Kenzi, shouting slurred numbers at the top of their lungs. Bo imagined Dyson and Lauren looking around for her, still fighting over who she would choose to kiss, even with only five seconds left to midnight.
Bo shook her head and looked at Tamsin. So quiet. So open. She’d never pressured Bo despite her clear feelings. She’d only ever let her do as she pleased, choose who and what she wanted, love and lust and act how she saw fit. And all the while, she just loved her. She valued her. And in that moment, Bo made a decision.
She crossed the alley in five quick strides and wrapped a hand around the back of Tamsin’s neck just as the countdown reached one. Tamsin’s eyes widened for just a second, but then melted closed, and Bo kissed her breathless.
She pulled the tiniest bit of chi through Tamsin’s lips, just enough to calm the hunger in her gut, and had to bite back a moan. No one’s chi tasted like Tamsin’s. It was the richest she’d ever tasted and the strongest to ever course through her system.
“Bo,” Tamsin whispered as Bo nudged their noses together, then kissed her soundly again.
“Happy New Year, Tamsin,” she said as she pulled back and rubbed her thumb slowly over Tamsin’s cheek.
A hint of a smile pulled up one corner of Tamsin’s mouth. “I’m suddenly really glad I can’t say no to Kenzi.”
Bo let out a quiet laugh and agreed, then kissed her once more for good measure.
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