Cathryn Fox: Magic & Mayhem

Brianna grinned at her friend’s antics and let her own mind stray. For a brief moment she wondered what it would be like to conjure a spell that would fulfill her deepest, darkest desires and bring forth the man destined to be her perfect lover. A man who knew what she wanted long before she did and knew how to give it to her. Over and over again. Heat rushed through her and moistened her panties. Before Brianna realized what she was doing, she found herself flipping through the pages like a junkie in need of a fix.

The bell over the door chimed and helped pull her from her musings.

Dear God, what the hell am I doing? Berating herself, she marshaled her thoughts and summoned what little control she had left.

“Abby,” Kayla shouted, and stepped out from behind the counter to greet her friend. “We were just talking about you.”

Abby finger combed her windblown ponytail and loosened the multicolored scarf around her neck. “You were?” she asked. Abby turned sideways and smiled at Brianna, her pretty blue eyes lighting up. “What’s up?”

Kayla piped in. “I was just telling Brianna that she should come to your party.”

Abby’s smile widened. “She absolutely should.” Abby reached into her bag and pulled out a flyer. She crossed the floor and handed it to Brianna. “Come, it will be fun.”

After they exchanged a few more pleasantries, Abby turned back to Kayla. “Now show me these costumes you were talking about.”

Brianna turned her attention to the inventory sheets before her, taking stock. For some unexplainable reason she found it hard to concentrate, something kept nagging at her, yet she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Max paced around the counter, restless. Then he did the strangest thing. Using his paw, he flipped open the book of spells, walked over the page, and purred louder.

Brianna gathered him into her arms and stroked his back. She glanced at the love spell that he’d flipped to. “Well, well, Max, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you and Kayla were in cahoots.” Of course the spell he’d flipped to wasn’t exactly what she needed. In fact, there was no such spell to match her wild imagination.

That doesn’t mean I couldn’t conjure one, especially now, with all the elements in place.

Brianna drew her bottom lip between her teeth. Naturally it’d be wrong, forbidden even, to write such a self-fulfilling spell. Even if it’d make one hell of a birthday present to herself.

Her glance went to the stack of Magic Bullets. She took an extra moment to consider things further. Okay, so maybe her little sex toy wasn’t as great as the real thing. And maybe she did crave the sensual feel of flesh on flesh, skin on skin. And maybe she could write a spell that would bring forth the perfect lover and have him disappear by midnight.

Oh God, I can’t really be considering something so scandalous, so forbidden. Can I?

It’s far too risky.

Far too inappropriate.

Far too tempting.

I’m going to do it.

Oh hell!

Before she could stop herself, she grabbed a pen and flipped open the book of spells, turning to a blank parchment page, where she jotted down an incantation.

Mystical, magical, mayhem, and more

Bring me a lover with the stamina of four.

A lover who’ll awaken my darkest desires

and last through one night stoking the fires.

Mystical, magical, mayhem, and more

Let the lover of my dreams walk through the door.

Once complete, she stood back and studied the words, knowing her incantation wouldn’t come true until she sprinkled it with cat’s claw. She took a moment of reprieve and did a quick consultation with her conscience.

Ah hell.

Shaking her head, she drew a deep breath and straightened her spine, her damn conscience overruling her salacious libido. Deep in her gut she knew she couldn’t go through with something so risky, no matter how deliciously tempting, no matter how fabulous a birthday present it would make.

Suddenly, out of nowhere Max pounced, knocking over a vial of cat’s claw, spilling it on the parchment paper.

Spilling it onto her incantation.

Oh boy!

Just then Kayla and Abby approached the counter. Flustered, Brianna ripped the page out and tucked it inside one of their store flyers, out of view. The bells over the door chimed and automatically drew her focus. Brianna glanced up in time to see a tall, dark-haired man exit the store. Strange. She hadn’t noticed him come in earlier. Pushing that thought to the recesses of her mind, she turned her attention to the crisis at hand.

God Max, what have you done?

Her pulse leapt in her throat. Perhaps it was just a legend and it wouldn’t come true, after all.

Then again, perhaps it would.

Her stomach knotted with equal measures of apprehension and excitement.

She scanned the store, searching for Max, but he was nowhere to be found. “Max? Where are you?” Brianna stepped out from behind the counter.

“I’ll ring in Abby’s purchase,” Kayla piped in, moving in to take Brianna’s place behind the register.

Brianna stepped out from behind the counter and perused the shop, hunting for her cat, hoping he hadn’t slipped out the door behind that tall, dark-haired man. Lately, Max seemed so restless, wandering off at will.

As she searched, that same tall, dark man lingered on the curb outside, drawing her attention. Oddly enough, as she angled her head for a better look, sparks shot through her body, and the fine hairs on the back of her neck began tingling in anticipation. Anticipation of what, she couldn’t be sure. Her palms grew moist, her pulse kicked up a notch.

The man twisted around to face her and shot her a panty-soaking smile. Her hormones rocketed to life like they never had before. His sensuous lips turned up over perfect white teeth, his strong athletic body beckoned hers. When his mesmerizing green eyes locked on hers, her breath caught on a gasp. Lust slammed into her, forcing her to bite down on her bottom lips to avoid a breathy moan. The heat and longing in his eyes licked over her flesh. Her skin grew tight with dark desire, and she began to ache, deep between her legs. Brianna squeezed her thighs together, hyperaware of the dampness pooling in her panties.

Oh God! Those eyes.

They were so familiar.

So. Hauntingly. Familiar.

Max?

XANDER TORE HIS GAZE FROM THE SEXY WOMAN INSIDE THE magic boutique, a woman who’d been getting under his skin for the last year without even trying. She’d made him wild with the need to touch her, to taste her, and to feel her heat between his legs. He longed to anchor her body to his and gaze into her dark brown eyes. He longed to run his fingers through her honey blond hair and cover her mouth with his. But mostly he longed to bury himself in her silken sheath and make sweet passionate love to her all night long.

Soon, he promised himself. Soon.

He took a moment to stretch out his arms and legs, enjoying the way his long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans felt against his skin. After glancing up and down the street, orienting himself in his environment, he moved swiftly down the sidewalk. He loved the way the midday autumn sun warmed his face, loved the way the breeze bristled his hair, but what he loved the most was walking on two feet instead of four paws.

In an automatic gesture, he brought his hand to his mouth and licked, grooming himself. As his tongue connected with skin, not fur, a soft chuckle rose from the depths of his throat. That was definitely going to take some getting used to, especially after living in feline form for the last few decades.