Page 4 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Moonlight (Midlife Menace #2)

Damn that barista. And double damn him for making such incredible cappuccino that I was too obsessed with the perfectly frothy layer of foam to worry about being offended.

At least he’d written something nice on Des’s cup of hot chocolate. Luce del Sol , or Sunshine . For that reason alone, and for that heavenly frothy foam, I’d forgive the barista for his rudeness.

We sat on the terrace, drinking our caffès and enjoying the warm sun, refreshing breeze, and salty air while listening to colorful birds sing in the tropical trees. And I’d thought Ric’s New Mexico mansion was paradise.

Ric stood, blocking out my view of the sun with his impossibly broad shoulders.

“Now that we’ve had breakfast, we need to go over a few rules.

” He frowned down at my son, then loudly cleared his throat until Des removed his headphones and set down his tablet.

“First off, Des and Shu, I know I’ve already told you once, but I can’t stress enough to stay away from the beach. ”

“Believe me, I don’t feel like being eaten today.” Shu waved off Ric’s concern with a devious grin. “At least, not in that way.”

Des shrugged. “Okay.”

“Next,” Ric continued, “there are only two means of leaving the island. The first is by my truck. It’s spellcast to return to my home in New Mexico, though the mercenaries might have traced the truck’s path back home by now.”

I squinted up at my tall and tanned hunka hunka burning love. “And they can’t trace the truck here?”

Ric shook his head. “The wards around the island are stronger than the ones around my New Mexico home, thanks to my clever and powerful ancestors and the last Phoenix they protected. This place is untraceable.”

“So what’s the second way?” Ethyl asked.

“By boat.”

“What about by broomstick?” Frederica asked.

“You won’t get far.” Ric grimaced. “The coral surrounding the island will block your magic.”

Guess we packed our compact brooms for nothing.

I always thought it odd how the coral could block a witch’s magic, but the sirens could still mesmerize men with their songs.

Perhaps sea-dwelling striga were immune to the coral.

I remembered those expensive-looking boats at his dock.

Though I was certain they were fast, I doubted they could outrun a siren’s song.

“Won’t the sirens get you if you leave by boat?” I asked.

“I have noise-blocking headphones in each boat,” he said, “but just to be safe, you’d need to handcuff me to the seat and drive if we have to escape that way.”

I licked my lips at that. Though I liked the idea of handcuffing Ric, I’d never driven a boat, unless you counted the time Colin had let me steer his dad’s yacht for all of ten seconds.

We’d just started dating then, and he was still trying to impress me by doing things like taking me for a ride in the yacht, using mouthwash, and not being a douche.

“It’s not much different than driving a car,” he said with a wink, “except to brake, you put it in reverse.”

“Well, hopefully, we won’t need to use the boats.”

I wasn’t reassured by the wary look in Ric’s eyes when he murmured, “Hopefully.”

Des stood and tugged on my denim sleeve, motioning toward the smooth-as-glass infinity pool. “Can I go swimming, Mama?”

“Sure.” I looked down at my cowgirl attire, realizing I definitely wasn’t dressed for the island.

Good thing Ric had told me to pack for beach weather.

“Let me unpack my bathing suit. I’ll join you.

” I smiled at my son, who must’ve been part selkie, for he loved the water.

The pool was the only place where his sensory issues weren’t triggered.

The beach, on the other hand... Going to the beach was perfectly fine.

It was leaving that was a nightmare, for my poor Des would have a meltdown if he couldn’t get every last grain of sand from his clothes and feet.

“The ghost servants will show you to your rooms.” Ric motioned toward the suitcases beneath the veranda as they floated into the air. “Just follow your suitcases.”

I pushed back my chair and stood, standing on my tippy-toes to kiss his cheek.

He wrapped a possessive arm around my waist, his low growl twisting my insides in a knot. “Before you unpack, there’s one more thing you need to know.”

I tensed at the way his brow furrowed. “What now?”

He released me, scratching the back of his head. “The island has a bit of a gnome problem.”

Ethyl shot into the air with a squeal, as if the gnomes were going to crawl all over her feet like an army of spiders. “Merlin’s mudflaps!”

“Each room has a combination safe,” Ric said. “Please lock up your valuables in them.”

Just great. Last thing I needed were gnomes stealing my things again. Last time, they ran off with my vibrator, and I never got it back. I shuddered to think what those horny little turds were doing with it.

Frederica shook her head, snickering. “Or you could try exterminating them.”

“No!” Des cried out, his voice having a strange hollow echo that made the birds jump from the trees in angry plumes of feathers. “Don’t hurt the gnomes.”

I grabbed his hand, looking into his troubled, dark eyes that looked as if storms were swirling in their depths. “It’s okay, darling. We won’t.” I gave Frederica a sharp look.

She responded with a sheepish snort, her dildo horns jiggling.

“Promise,” Des said to her, the cracks in his voice reminding me very much that he was entering puberty.

“Okay,” she said on a huff. “If it means so much, mein junge. ” That was her German term of endearment for him, which meant ‘my boy.’

“Thank you,” I mouthed to her.

Des released a long breath as his shoulders slumped.

I had no idea the gnomes meant so much to him.

Most striga considered them vermin in the way humans looked at rats.

They stole our food and jewelry, destroyed the insulation in our walls, and misplaced my phone and glasses so often, at times I swore I was losing my mind.

I’m ashamed to admit, I let Colin hire gnome exterminators a few times when we were married.

Luckily, my new condo didn’t have gnomes, at least none that I knew of.

“I’ll see you at the pool in a few.” I stroked my son’s cheek, pleased when the clouds in his eyes cleared. “Okay, darling?”

His smile brightened my whole world. “Yes, Mama.”

Ric motioned for us to follow our floating suitcases.

Ric held my hand, and I noticed our suitcases were floating side by side.

So this meant we were sharing a room? Not that I minded.

I’d been sleeping in his room every night at his Santa Fe house, only using my bedroom for naps or when I needed privacy in the bathroom.

Our relationship was still too new for me to have him walk in on me while I was on the toilet.

This mansion was even prettier than his New Mexico home, with wide, arched porticos carved into the walls that gave the spacious home an outdoor feel, letting in a refreshing breeze and the briny smell of the ocean, as well as the strong floral scent of jungle flowers, like citrus, honey, and rose petals.

We walked up a dramatic staircase that split in the middle and went in two opposite directions.

I looked over my shoulder when my family and friends were led one direction and Ric and I went the other.

After today’s events, separating from Des made me nervous.

Ric squeezed my hand when we reached the top of the marble stairs. “Hey, you okay?”

My heart twisted and pitched when Des walked up the stairs and disappeared down the opposite hallway. I looked into Ric’s warm, brown eyes. “Yes, it’s just been an eventful day.” I forced a smile. “Thank you for bringing us here and for everything.”

And while I appreciated Ric taking such good care of us, something was still bugging me.

Namely, why hadn’t he told us where we were going?

He’d just told us to pack for beach weather.

The fact that he had his own island nestled in the chain that was literally the most dangerous place for striga had never come up.

Didn’t he trust me with this information?

And there was the fact that the witches hunting us should’ve been protecting us.

Why had my aunt turned on me? Didn’t she care about me?

He pulled me against his hard chest, kissing the top of my head and making me forget all about my concerns as I melted into his warmth. “Of course. Maybe we can take a nap after the pool, mi amor. ”

By nap, I knew he meant sex, and by sex, he meant mind-blowing orgasms that left me breathless and boneless, as well as achingly tender in all the right places.

Who knew a man existed who cared about my pleasure in bed?

Who had a flashy, fast truck and a big wand?

Who could reach my G-spot without rubber extensions or a lengthening potion?

Side note—the lengthening potion never worked.

Whenever Colin drank it, the only thing that inflated was his ego, while I pretended his girth was hurting me.

I had to put on a good show. Otherwise, he whined for weeks.

I didn’t need to put on a show with Ric, though.

My sphinx shifter was hung like a lion with the stamina to boot and a blessedly talented tongue. I was a lucky witch, indeed.

“Sure,” I answered, trying to sound enthusiastic.

His breath warmed my skin as he held me tighter. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I pulled back, craning my neck to look up at him. “We’re being hunted, Ric.”

He rubbed warmth into my arms. “I know.”

“So much has happened.” I chewed my lip while considering all that could’ve gone wrong today. “It’s a lot to process.”

“Is this about us?”

My gaze snapped to his, at the uncertainty reflecting in his dark eyes that swirled with flecks of gold, a reflection of the sphinx beneath his skin. “What? No.”

He squeezed my shoulders. “Sure?”

“You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met,” I blurted.