Page 14 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Moonlight (Midlife Menace #2)
The Luci we all love? He loved me? The thought made my heart threaten to beat right out of my chest while my stomach lurched.
I didn’t think we’d reached the stage in our relationship where we shared the “I love yous.” Goddess, this was huge.
Wasn’t it? Suddenly, the visit from the Enchantress seemed inconsequential to this.
Was I ready to tell him I loved him? I certainly admired him, but love was one step before engagement, and then marriage.
I just got out of a marriage. “I’m not ready for this!
” I blurted, realizing too late I’d said it aloud.
I jumped from the bed, looking from Ethyl to Ric as if I was a cornered animal.
“Relax,” Ric said with a smile as he grasped my shoulders. “You don’t have to face her alone. We’ll be here for you.”
Oh, he thought I was talking about the Enchantress. Yeah, good. Go with that, Luci. I peered into his dark eyes with flecks of gold, trying not to think about how easy it would be to fall in love with a tall, tanned, handsome, kind, smart, rich, hung hunk of beastflesh.
“Your aunt has already trashed your reputation,” Ethyl said as she fluttered beside us. “It’s not like the Enchantress can make it any worse.”
“Yeah, she can.” I reluctantly pulled out of Ric’s warm embrace while wishing he didn’t smell so good. “What if she learns about Des?”
“We’ll explain to Des the importance of hiding his magic,” Ric said.
“You mean like the dozens of times I’ve told him not to practice magic in front of the neighbor, and I’ve had to erase her memories because he didn’t listen?
” Performing memory spells on humans was a lot easier than erasing a witch’s memories.
Still, I had noticed our neighbor getting a little more dragon-shit crazy after each spell, and I kept telling myself it was only a coincidence.
Ric grabbed my hand, flashing a reassuring smile. “I will personally talk to him.”
Again, I looked into his mesmerizing eyes while thinking it should be a crime to be this sexy, and his tantalizing cologne of feral spice should be banned before he exploded my ovaries.
“Luci, we have to do this.” Ethyl’s voice rose in pitch as she struck a prayer pose, reminding me of a child begging for a sweet, her eyes a mixture of innocent pale blue and devious green.
Was she so insistent because she thought the Enchantress was our last hope, or did she want a chance to add to her list of magical lovers?
“Dragon balls.” I released Ric’s hand, stepping away from them. All this pressure was making it hard to think.
I turned at a knock on the open door and held out my hand with a smile when I saw Des standing there, all elbows, knees, and long, gangly limbs in his swim shorts and one of Ric’s oversized ruggel T-shirts.
He held his tablet to his chest as he quickly crossed to us and took my hand.
I pushed a wayward strand of dark hair behind his ear, pleased when he didn’t bat my hand away.
Sweet Des, the most powerful witch in the world, though he would always be my special boy. I loved him more than life.
“Ric, do you want to go swimming?” he asked my boyfriend, his gaze hopeful.
“Sure, buddy,” Ric said, his tone easy, as if they’d been best buds their entire lives. “Your mama and I must take care of something first.”
“Okay.” When Des beamed up at my boyfriend, I saw nothing but pure adoration in his eyes, and my heart imploded and expanded at once. I was a lucky woman, indeed, to have these two males in my life.
“Guess what, Des?” Ethyl squealed like a prepubescent mouse. “The Enchantress is coming here!”
Des turned to me with wide, hopeful eyes. “Really, Mama?”
I repressed a grimace. “Yes.”
His cheeks paled, then colored. “It’s a dream come true,” he said breathlessly.
A dream come true? Surely my son was exaggerating, but as I looked into his bedazzled eyes, I was afraid the influencer had my son wrapped around her manicured finger.
“Okay, so how do we get her here?” I asked, trying, and failing, not to sound annoyed.
“We remove the wards long enough for her to get in,” Ethyl said while fluttering around us.
I shook my head. “And put ourselves at risk?”
Ric rubbed his chin. “I drive back to Santa Fe and pick her up at my house.”
My heart slammed against my chest at the thought of Ric putting himself in danger. “And what if they’ve already traced the truck back to your house?”
He frowned. “It’s the best way. The only other way to leave the island is by boat.”
Des released my hand, pressing his tablet to his chest. “I could get her.”
A jolt of venom shot through me. “You, Des?”
Ric clucked his tongue. “Son, these wards are impassable.”
“They’re easy.” Des laughed, a spark of recognition in his eyes. “Just like the Tribunal.”
“Do you think he can do it?” Ric asked me.
I swallowed while remembering all the times my son amazed me with his magic. “I know he can.”
Ethyl landed beside me, her wings drooping behind her. “Then the Enchantress will know he’s the Phoenix.”
“We’ll go with him.” Ric nudged me. “She’ll believe you did it.”
Great Goddess, this was happening! “So, where do we meet?”
“There.” Des held up his tablet, revealing a group of ruggel players chasing a ball while gopher gnomes popped out of holes, trying to bite their ankles.
“Ohh!” Ethyl excitedly clapped her hands. “A ruggel game!”
“Absolutely not,” I cut in, ignoring Ethyl’s and Des’s pleading expressions. “Too many witches.” I tenderly stroked Des’s cheek. “I’m sorry, baby, but we can’t go to a ruggel game until it’s safe.”
“Aww,” Ethyl whined, crossing her arms.
I gave her a sharp look.
“Then where?” Des asked while watching me with dark, luminous eyes.
Words couldn’t express my relief that Des didn’t argue. I smiled as the perfect place came to mind. “Somewhere that you have been to before, yet somewhere they will least expect us.”