Peri winked at him. “I love it. It makes everything so easy. Have you used it before?”
He shook his head. “The only place I would consider needing it is at work, and the magic messes with the results. No outside magic allowed during projects.”
Peri pursed his lips thoughtfully. “You know, I wouldn’t have thought of that. It’s useful, so I figured it’d only help. It really makes a difference?”
To demonstrate, Wash ran a finger along the top of the microwave, showing Peri the sparkles that came away. “It gets on everything. Unless we planned on using pixie dust to make a project run, it’ll skew the results. There’s no guarantee it’ll work the same way without the additional magic if we rely on something like that.”
Peri’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh! I guess that makes sense, then.” He studied Wash, his expression curious. “How many projects have you done?”
“Too many to count,” Wash answered, leaning against the counter and watching as Peri prepared a meal without really watching what he was doing. The ingredients moved with just a thought from him, while he focused on the conversation. He didn’t have to pay attention until it was time to chop, and Wash would bet good money he used magic to do that too when no one was watching. Which was seriously dangerous. Magic could be unpredictable, he would know better than most, and even if Peri had done something a thousand times, there was no guarantee the next time would go the same way.
His phone buzzed in his pocket just as Peri spun around to turn on the stove, leaving the pixie dust to pick up the slack chopping the vegetables. Wash snatched the blade out of the air, setting it down as he pulled out his phone. He grimaced at the name that flashed across the screen.
“Taron. What is it this time?” he grumbled, tucking the phone between his shoulder and his ear so he could chop the vegetables himself.
“Where are you? I came to steal you away from your office, and it’s empty for once. Did you go out without me? I’ve beentrying to get you to go out for weeks, Hugo! Why are you so mean to me?” Taron whined.
Peri spun around, his bright eyed expression curious. “Is that Taron? Tell him I say hi!”
Before he did that— “Taron, how do you know my office is empty? I locked it before I left. Did you break through my wards?”
“Did I hear Peri?” Taron asked, completely ignoring him. “Let me talk to him! I want to know how he convinced you to leave work on time!”
He was shouting so loud into the phone, Peri could hear him without Wash sharing the message. Peri wiggled his fingers in a gimme gesture, smacking a kiss on his cheek in thanks when Wash handed it over. Wash rolled his eyes, giving his focus to the meal prep instead. From the ingredients, he assumed spaghetti and meat sauce. He was glad Peri wasn’t one of those supes who didn’t eat meat. He loved meat too much to give it up, even for someone as adorable as Peri.
“What do you mean?” Peri asked, his grin mischievously. “All I did was ask nicely. It wasn’t that hard.”
Wash snorted, dumping the noodles into the pot once the water started to boil. If climbing into his lap and biting his bottom lip while he stared at Wash’s mouth was considered ‘asking nicely’. It wasn’t a move Taron could pull off, that was for sure.
Peri giggled, bumping hips with him as he added the vegetables to the pan already cooking chopped onions and garlic on the stove. They worked side by side while Peri tried to dance around the subject that Taron wouldn’t let go. When Peri straightened abruptly and a big smile overtook his face, Wash couldn’t help the apprehension that filled his veins. Taron was a troublemaker. If he was getting Peri on his side of one of his schemes, the adorable fairy would totally go along with it.
“Put it on speaker,” he requested, shifting Peri out of the way so he could stir the pan while Peri did as he asked.
Taron’s voice filled the room, talking a mile a minute like usual. “I’ve been wanting to take him for ages, but he always worms his way out of it.”
Wash’s suspicions rose until Peri asked, “What about Tony? Can’t he convince him?”
Taron sighed gustily. “He can, but he doesn’t like to push people to do things they might not enjoy. He’s a softie, my Tony. I need someone to help me get Zeph to the club. You got Hugo out of the office. Come use those magic powers on my mate and get him to go with me.”
The thought of Peri convincing Zephyr to do anything the same way he’d convinced Wash made Wash growl, a possessive arm wrapping around the smaller man’s waist. Peri looked up at him in surprise, but the look slowly melted into desire as he realized what was happening. He leaned against Wash’s side, his eyes locked on his mouth.
If all it took was a growl and a look for Wash to rile the little fairy up, they were in serious trouble. He’d be lucky if he could keep his hands to himself now that he knew what it felt like to be inside the adorable man.
“Peri? Did we lose connection?” Taron asked worriedly.
Peri sucked in a breath, dragging his gaze away from Wash to look down at the phone. “No, no. The connection is fine. I just…” He looked back at Wash, biting his lip. “Got a little distracted. I can see if I can come up with any ideas to help you get Zephyr to the club. Is there a timeline?”
Taron started chattering about some specialty nights at the club he liked to frequent, but Wash ignored him, running his fingers through Peri’s disheveled hair and down his neck and chest. Peri’s eyes fluttered shut, and he arched into the touch, his robe already tenting in the front to expose his arousal. Goddess,he was easy to rile. That knowledge shouldn’t make him salivate like it did.
Breathlessly, Peri answered, “I’ll see what I can come up with. I have to go now, dinner is almost ready. I’ll call you later.”
Wash hung up the phone, tossing it onto the island as he crowded Peri against it. Peri’s breathing picked up, his fingers digging into Wash’s waist as he tried to pull him closer. Wash put his hands on either side of the counter, trapping Peri in, and raised an eyebrow at him.
“I think there’s something we need to talk about.”
If Peri had needs, then Wash wanted him to be upfront about it. He was more than happy to keep taking care of the adorable man, as long as it didn’t interrupt his work. But he needed the full picture, and he didn't want Peri keeping things from him. He’d been shut out plenty in the past. Now he preferred clear cut expectations with the people in his life. He didn’t want to put himself somewhere he wasn’t wanted anymore. If this was just a one night thing, he wanted to know now.
The hiss of water hitting the hot stovetop snared their attention, and he moved away long enough to turn the heat down on the stove and stir things a little. When he glanced over his shoulder, since Peri hadn’t actually acknowledged him, he was surprised to see the little fairy frowning at his feet, his cheeks pink with embarrassment.