Page 5 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Moonlight (Midlife Menace #2)
Why would he think that? I mean, yeah, there were times when I thought we were moving faster than a plague of selkie herpes, but Ric was everything I wanted in a boyfriend.
He was a better father figure to my son than his own father, so patient and attentive, watching ruggel games with him every day and answering all of Des’s questions.
He was kind, sexy, smart, and extremely wealthy.
And if that wasn’t enough, he was amazing in bed.
How could I say no to him? Sure, after being burned by my divorce, I hadn’t been ready for another commitment when I’d met him.
But passing up this relationship would’ve been like throwing away a winning lottery ticket. I had hit the jackpot with Ric.
“You’ll let me know if we’re moving too fast. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”
An involuntary sigh escaped me as he tenderly stroked my cheek. “I know. Thank you.” I averted my gaze. Why did talking about being uncomfortable make me feel so uncomfortable? I squeezed his hand while batting my lashes. “I think I’d love a nap after our swim.”
And by nap, he knew I meant mind-blowing sex. After the morning we’d had, I figured we both needed the release. Besides, when we were having sex, we weren’t talking about things like moving too fast.
RIC AND I FOOLED AROUND while we changed into our swimsuits. I couldn’t help myself. I needed something to take the edge off my stressful morning. We had to make it quick before we were missed, so those two orgasms technically didn’t count toward my daily limit.
We found Ethyl and Frederica relaxing by the pool in wide lounge chairs with steel frames and thick, padded cushions.
No doubt, they were specially made to hold half-ton cows or other large magical creatures.
Des laughed and splashed with what I assumed was Puffy, who preferred to keep himself invisible.
My fairy godfather, Shu, still hadn’t made his appearance.
No surprise. He was the family diva and took a little longer to get ready than the rest of us.
He still dressed and acted like he was living in the ’80s, so he was likely teasing his hair with extra Aqua Net and bathing in Drakkar Noir.
The late afternoon sun beat down on our heads, reminding me of the time zone change.
I sat on the pool steps, pleased that the water was a perfectly mild temperature while thanking whatever spirit floated a strawberry hibiscus lemonade with a cute umbrella and thick, pink-striped straw into my hand.
The pool had a sleek, modern waterfall on one end, and the wall that was built into the face of the cliffside was made entirely of thick glass.
The wide stairs were inlaid with aquamarine and cobalt blown glass tiles.
Goddess, it must’ve been difficult to build, not to mention expensive, but money never seemed to concern my boyfriend.
I screamed, barely having enough time to cover my drink, when Ric cannonballed into the pool, splashing water everywhere.
I would’ve scolded him, except Des gave him two thumbs up and cheered in delight.
A few minutes later, the guys were standing on the side of the pool, and Ric was showing Des the best cannonball techniques.
My heart warmed as Des watched Ric with eager eyes, hanging on his every word.
Those two had become inseparable since we’d been forced into hiding, a special bond that was more than just the new boyfriend trying to earn points with his girlfriend’s son.
This was a bond between the Phoenix and his sphinx protector, a relationship that was older than the tree druids, at least that’s what I’d read in the History of the Phoenix/Sphinx book I’d borrowed from Ric’s library.
It amazed me how easily those two had become best pals without any encouragement from me, as if they’d known each other their whole lives.
They did cannonballs together, splashing a good amount of water out of the pool. This time, I was ready and threw up a shield, protecting Ethyl, Frederica, and me.
I popped the bubble as they both swam to the ladder in the deep end, and I silently thanked myself for insisting Des take those swimming lessons when he’d been younger, even though Colin had said he didn’t need them.
“Aww,” Ethyl squealed while shielding her eyes from the sun’s rays. “Look at those two besties.”
“I know,” I replied, forcing a smile while wondering why my voice didn’t reflect her level of enthusiasm.
What was wrong with me that I wasn’t ecstatic that my son and boyfriend got along so well?
Was it jealousy, or was it something else, like a nagging fear that if things didn’t work out with Ric and me, it would get very awkward between us while Ric continued to shadow Des?
It wasn’t like my son could find another sphinx to replace Ric.
My boyfriend was the last of his kind, after all.
I silently berated myself for worrying. Ric was absolutely perfect. There was no way we were breaking up.
Shu emerged from the patio in a huff, stomping down the stairs toward the pool, followed by a cloud of cucumber-melon-scented lotion.
He wore a blue silk robe with thick shoulder pads, matching itty bitty swim trunks underneath, and the bluest, thickest eye shadow.
He looked like he’d just stepped out of an ’80s soap opera.
His white sandals were a sharp contrast to his ensemble and appeared to be made of solidified snot.
Ethyl sat up, peering at Shu over the rim of her sunglasses, her gaze focusing on his feet. “Shu, what are you wearing?”
“My jelly sandals,” he answered with an exaggerated eye roll. “The gnomes took my other sandals.”
Ethyl fluttered to her knees, her expression sympathetic. “Seriously?”
“That’s strange.” I glanced down at my water sandals that I’d left out while Ric and I had been fooling around, feeling a little offended that the gnomes didn’t want them instead.
Ric had spent a good deal of money on the all-terrain shoes, insisting I’d need them for where we were going. “They usually don’t touch our shoes.”
Ric pulled himself onto the side of the pool with his big muscles, and I was tempted to lick those glistening water drops off his dark golden skin.
“What did they look like?” he asked.
Shu sat on one of the pool chairs, stretching out his ghostly pale legs (the result of being trapped in a bottle for the past forty years). “They were brown leather with blue rhinestones,” he answered with a pout.
“Oh, yeah,” Ethyl blurted, “they love the bling.”
That explained it. Pesky gnomes!
Shu pulled a bottle of baby oil out of a denim backpack and started lathering it all over his body. “Those were my favorite sandals. I’m going to splat the little dweebs if I see them!”
“No, Shu!”
We jerked back, gasping when Des’s surprisingly booming voice shook the very air, sending ripples across the pool.
“Fine.” Shu held up his hands defensively, baby oil dripping down his arm. “Be a good Phoenix and tell them to give back my sandals.” He waved my son away like he was a mosquito.
I arched back when Des climbed out of the pool, surprised he’d follow Shu’s rude command.
He wrapped a towel around his lanky body and clomped up the stone steps toward the house.
I sipped my lemonade while Ric put my lazy butt to shame and swam laps, deftly cutting through the water with precise strokes like he was part siren.
Wings drooping over the sides of her lounge chair, Ethyl shook her head, snickering. “Don’t you give him enough exercise, Luci?”
Heat warmed my face as I slurped lemonade through the fat straw as if it was my second boyfriend. I released the straw with a pop , side-eyeing Ethyl. “How else do you think he keeps up his stamina?”
Frederica chuckled aloud while Ethyl and Shu made annoyed huffs.
I shouldn’t have been surprised when my amazing son returned with leather sandals dangling from his fingertips.
Shu sat up with a squeal, snatching the sandals from my son. “Thank you!” His smile quickly turned to a frown as he examined the shoes. “They took the rhinestones!”
Des sat at the end of Shu’s lounge chair. “They will trade for your unicorn book.”
Shu splayed a hand across his chest. “Not my Lisa Frank.”
Des shrugged. “Then your Rubik’s Cube.”
“Fine.” Shu motioned wildly, a scent cloud of cucumber-melon lotion fogging the air. “I can’t believe I’m negotiating with vermin.” He wagged a finger at Ric as he climbed back out of the pool. “You should have taken care of this infestation, like fed them to the sirens.”
Ric slanted a smile. “They’re relatively harmless. Just keep your valuables locked up,” he said before diving back into the pool.
Des made a noise of protest. “No, Shu!”
Shu turned up his nose with a huff. “Such an inconvenience.”
“Look around you, Shu,” Ethyl said, pointing to a big, fluffy cloud that slowly passed overhead as the ocean breeze ruffled her hair. “You’re practically in paradise.”
“Besides,” I added, nodding toward my pouting son and then giving Shu a stern look. “Des asked us not to hurt them.”
When Shu rolled his eyes, Ethyl added, “Sorry, Shu. How about a margarita?”
“We just had breakfast,” I reminded her.
Her smile was wickedness incarnate. “We’re on European time now.”
Ohh, she had a point.
Shu returned her smile. “In that case, double tequila, please, and strawberries, no salt.”
Ethyl and I shared a long look, then turned our gazes on Shu.