Thomas seemed to grind his teeth for a moment. "I know.”

They glared at each other in challenge.

"Okay." Mira popped out of her chair. "Can someone please tell me what's going on? Please?" Both men went silent as she looked from one to the other.

NINETEEN

EIGHTEEN

Thomas crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Nothing's wrong.”

"Everything's fine," Jack said at the same time.

"Bullshit." She put a hand on her hip. "Don't make me pull my new super-duper witch powers on you and read your minds.”

“Telepathy doesn't lie in the realm of air, Mira," answered Jack.

She raised her hand. "No speaking unless it's to tell me what's going on between the two of you, because it seems to have something to do with me. That means I have a right to know.”

Jack sighed. "Your cousin is being overprotective of you, and rightly so.”

"Overprotective?" Her gaze swung to Thomas. "What does he mean?”

He shifted uncomfortably. "I've known Jack longer than you have. That's all. You're a nice woman and he's a nice guy. Jack is the best of men. I respect and trust him. But Jack is also ..." He faltered and started again. "Jack is . . .”

"Not good enough for your cousin?" she ventured with raised eyebrows.

Jack just kept staring straight ahead as though he couldn't hear their conversation, like he wasn't even in the room. His face had gone blank, unreadable.

"No, it's not that at all. I'd be proud ..." Thomas trailed off again. She'd never seen him at a loss for words before. "It's just that Jack is ...”

"A man who likes to play the field?”

Thomas glanced at Jack, who didn't react. He just kept staring stoically out the window at the falling snow. "That's not an untrue statement about him. Nice way to put it, actually. I might call it something different," Thomas finished wryly.

"I appreciate your concern, Thomas. Really." She sighed. "But I wish everyone would stop trying to be so careful with me. I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself. Make my own decisions. Set myself up for heartache if I choose to." She shrugged. "Anyway, sorry to disappoint you both, but I'm just using Jack for hot sex.”

Jack jerked his gaze from the window to Mira's face and blinked. Finally, a reaction, even if his expression remained indecipherable.

She tilted her head to the side and grinned. "Sorry, Jack.”

She only wished it was true. Mira had a feeling Jack was bound to break her heart, so she preferred not to wear it on her sleeve. She'd take what she could from him, dealing with him with her eyes open, then she'd nurse the wounds he dealt her after it was over.

Someone knocked on the door and Thomas called for them to enter. Serena stuck her head in. "Is Mira going to be able to practice at all with me today?”