Read Playing with Magic (Elemental Trilogy Book 2) for Free Online Page B

and wiped his head with a rag. River bent over to pitch more hay. They had been mostly quiet all morning, lost in thought. Rowan felt a prickling on his neck. He turned, seeing Autumn watching them.
    “Hey, you’re out early.” He shoved the rag in his pocket. He hated animal duty. The government had supplied them with animals of all shapes and sizes. Where they got them, no one cared. All they knew was that they had real meat and plenty of milk. It did, however, make for great late night talks. It was as if the government had all of this planned out, or maybe even had some hand in causing the infection. The theories hung heavily in the air.
    She was leaning on the fence, watching them with neutral eyes. “I didn’t go.”
    He felt her eyes look him over. He flexed his muscular arms, which made her smile. He worked very hard to get that muscley , as she called it. There were many Autumnisms; people in town had even started using some of them. Then those lovely green eyes left him and went to River. Rowan looked at him too. He looked at him as Autumn looked at him. He also had a body that made women’s hearts beat faster. He had a great ass which looked good in … and out of pants. Her eyes drank them in as if they would be gone tomorrow. Gone forever, instead of for a few months. River smiled that dazzling smile at her, but Rowan saw the sadness in his eyes. Did his eyes look just as sad?
    “You didn’t go?” Rowan asked as he and River walked toward her. They would always walk toward her.  They couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help it. She had given them all she had.  Now they were moths to her flame, and she burned bright.
    “Well, Stefan is really sick,” she said as River leaned into her. “And he    ” She closed her eyes.
    “He?” River whispered, his lips hovering over her skin.
    “Oh, yeah. We have to take him to some professional witches.”
    “Great! A road trip,” he said, leaning in closer.
    “I want you to go find your families,” she said, blurting it out too quickly.
    River pulled away from the fence as if it had electrocuted him. “What?”
    “You’re in danger around me.” Her eyes became large and glassy, hiding the tears. “I’m thinking about both of you. I couldn’t live if    ” She choked out a sob.
    Rowan reached out, touching her cheek. “What about you?” The only thing separating them was the short wooden fence. He grabbed her unexpectedly, pulling her over to his side, making her yelp in surprise.
    “Hey.” She pressed her hands against his sweaty shirt.
    “So what about you?” Rowan repeated, playing with her curls.
    “What about me?” she asked, caught in the moment.  Faintly, she could hear music playing. When they kissed, there had been no fireworks. The kiss was explosive enough, but music sounded around them. Nature’s music.
    “Why should we leave you if there’s danger?” River asked, standing behind her, stroking her arm.
    “I have to go with Stefan.”
    “And after that?”
    “Pyrus wants to teach us what we can do. The abilities of our magic , was what she told Aarawn.”
    “For how long?” Rowan asked.
    She shrugged in his arms, and he kissed her; gently at first, and then with need. There was so much fire and feeling between them when they were all together. He pulled away. “Uh-Uh,” she said, grabbing his head and pulling it back to her. Their foreheads touched.
    “Are you sure you want us to leave?” Rowan whispered.
    “Yes.”
    He heaved a sigh and let her go. “I’m going to hate being away from you.”
    River took the opportunity and grabbed her, pulling her to him. “I love you so much,” he whispered before he kissed her.
    “Geez,” she said, breaking away from the kiss. “I love you both so much. But this is something I have to do; me and Anatha. We have to help Stefan and learn to control our magic.”  She buried her head in River’s chest.
    “But?” River whispered.
    Rowan nodded, sighing. “There is