Blood Lines: Kallen's Tale (Witch Fairy #3.5) by Bonnie Lamer Page A

looking at Xandra with adoring appreciation for her power and how she looks in that bikini.  My mood drops down another notch.  Grandmother’s patience is also starting to fray around the edges. 
     
    “Perhaps it would be easier for you to simply imagine us sky-clad.  Then we will attire ourselves as we see fit,” Grandmother says.
     
    Xandra nods.  She is embarrassed that she is causing this trouble and even more so that she now has to make us all naked.  Not the scenario I was imagining as I came up the stairs.  I would much rather be naked in her room without my grandmother, cousin and caretaker.  But, here we all are.  Naked in her room.  I shake my head and dress myself in shorts and a t-shirt.  Grandmother dresses and leaves the room without a backward glance.
     
    Kegan, however, is taking his time deciding what he is going to wear.  He seems amused that Xandra averts her eyes when faced with his nudity.  I slap him hard on the chest and growl, “Clothes.”  The expression on my face when he turns to look at me must give him an idea of how close he is to death.  He puts on a pair of shorts, testing my patience as he leaves his chest bare.  I do not miss the appreciative glance Xandra gives him before averting her eyes again.
     
    “Um, do you guys want to go swimming now?” Xandra squeaks.
     
    “I will leave you young ones to your day,” Tabitha says.  “Xandra, we will try again later, and next time, we will try to find something to do that will not get Kallen’s feathers ruffled as they are now.”  She gives me a pointed look and then laughs again as she shakes her head.  This will be one of those stories she tells over and over when she wants to irritate me.  And it will work.
     
    “I am still up for it.  Perhaps you and I can go on ahead and give my dear cousin here time to recover his temper.  Though, that may take days.  His tempers are quite persistent.”  I am going to count to a thousand now before I tell him what I think of his idea.  If I do it sooner, there will be physical action that comes with it.
     
    “Do you want to go?” Xandra asks me. 
     
    Hmm, leave her to go swimming with my obviously infatuated cousin or enjoy the view of her in her bikini myself.  “Yes.”  The word comes out a little harsh as my emotions swing back and forth between lust and annoyance.
     
    Xandra puts her hands on her hips.  “I already said I was sorry; so could you please stop being a jerk about it?  It’s not like I actually hurt you this time.”
     
    Kegan has another laugh/cough moment before he says, “An injury to a man’s pride is sometimes more painful than an injury to his body.  Shall we go now and let Kallen follow when he is ready?”
     
    My voice has a distinct growl in it again.  “I believe it would be more pleasant for Xandra to swim with the man she loves, not his cousin.”
     
    “Not if he keeps being such a jerk,” Xandra grumbles in the charming way she says all of her thoughts out loud. 
     
    “Well said,” Kegan grins. 
     
    “Look, I’m going swimming.  If either of you want to come with me, fine.  If not, that’s fine, too.”
     
    Kegan’s face sobers.  “It is not safe to swim alone in the ocean.  You do need to have someone with you.”  At least he has something besides lust on his mind.
     
    Xandra shrugs.  “Right now, I’m willing to risk it.”  Then she walks out of the room.
     
    “Kegan, you are sorely testing my patience.  I love her and I will not let you come between us.”
     
    Kegan studies me a moment with his brow wrinkled.  “You do love her.  Huh.”  Then with a smile, he says, “Come on, I am just trying to get your goat.  I am not seriously interested in stealing her away from you.”
     
    I snort.  “As if you could.”
     
    There is a grin on his face now.  “Careful cousin, you know how neither of us hates to back down from a challenge.”
     
    I raise a brow.  “You would be wise