by Vella Day
Magnolia doused her head and then poured a palm full of shampoo on her hair. As she massaged it in, she let her imagination run wild, picturing what it would be like if Josh were in here with her—naked, muscular, and just plain big.
Thinking about him had spikes of need chasing up her spine. Then a gush of heat shot to the tips of her nipples, swamping her lower regions the moment she pictured being intimate with him. She was never one to fantasize about a man since nothing could ever come of it, but with Josh she was almost ready to believe he was the one. That voice in her head claiming he was her mate sure had sounded like Fate—or else Magnolia had wanted it to be true.
She rubbed the bar of soap over her body, pretending Josh was performing this sensuous act for her. He’d be gentle for sure, but she had the sense he’d be the type of man who wanted to dominate her in bed. That idea intrigued her despite her always wanting to be the one in control.
In the past, Magnolia would instantly push aside those kinds of prurient thoughts, but after what she’d just gone through, she needed to indulge in a little fantasy. As long as she didn’t act on that desire, she’d be fine.
Or so she wanted to believe.
Magnolia rinsed her soapy scalp. When she reached for the bar of soap once more, it shot across the shower and hit the glass door. Hard.
Her stomach churned. “What the heck is going on?” she mumbled.
No one was in the small shower with her so she must have moved the bar with her mind. Only Magnolia didn’t remember thinking about the soap, let alone mentally moving it. She bent over and picked it up. After studying the bar, she decided she might have nudged it with her elbow while she was fantasizing about Josh. Enough was enough. Control was her middle name, and she wasn’t going to let some hot looking dragon shifter disrupt her abilities. Not only did her sisters count on her, many others did too.
Upset with herself, she finished scrubbing and rinsing, turned off the water, and stepped onto the bath mat. She wrapped one towel around her head and used another to dry off the rest of her body, when suddenly a rash of excitement climbed up her back. Okay, this was crazy. Something was definitely wrong with her.
A knock sounded on the back door. Damn. Just what she didn’t need. It was either the clean-up crew returning, or Josh was there to check up on her. Acacia could dress with a sweep of her hand, but Magnolia had no such talent.
With the towel still around her naked wet body, she rushed into the living room and then through the kitchen. “Be right there,” she said to the closed door. “I just hopped out of the shower. Give me a minute to dress, okay?”
“No problem. Take your time.” It was Josh.
She teleported to her room, dropped the towel, and then grabbed her undies, a pair of jeans, and a tank top. For some reason, putting on her usual long skirt didn’t hold any appeal. Once she dressed, she grabbed her brush and ran it through her tangled hair. Not wanting him to wait any longer than was necessary, she teleported to the back door and pulled it open.
At the sight of him, her breath whooshed out. The only time she’d seen Josh, his face and clothes had been smudged with soot. Now his jet black hair was combed back with small tendrils flipping up at the end. His face had a day’s growth on it, but she had to admit it was sexy as hell. The black jeans and tight white T-shirt only added to his allure.
“Ah, come in. I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”
“No problem. You’re looking better.”
She smiled. “I slept.” Magnolia had so many thoughts running through her mind that she didn’t know where to begin. “I was about to make some coffee. Would you like a cup?”
“Yes, but only if you tell me how I can help.”
Okay, he was an alien. “Please, just sit down, and let me serve you. It will bring a bit of normalcy to my life—kind of like having my sisters here.”
He nodded. “I get it.” Josh held out a white bag that she hadn’t even noticed he was carrying. “I picked up some crumb cake from Angelique’s coffee shop. She said it was your favorite.”
Magnolia had only been to the coffee shop a half dozen times. The white entity sure had a knack for remembering orders. “That is so sweet of you to do that. To be honest, I really wasn’t in the mood to eat a big breakfast, so this is perfect.” She spun around to start the coffee maker.
As she reached for the bag of coffee, it slid away from her. Since her back was to Josh, she hoped he hadn’t seen it. Concentrating, Magnolia lunged at the bag. This time, she succeeded in grabbing hold. Something was going on, and she was determined to find out what it was. Clearly, the fire had messed with her mind. No, wait. It was Josh who was the common denominator. None of this happened before he walked into her life.
She turned toward him. “Did you put a spell on me?”
His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
Magnolia pressed the button to start the machine and then walked over to where he was seated. “Ever since I met you, my powers have gone berserk.”
He slapped a hand to his chest. “And you think I’ve done something?”
From the shock and dismay on his face, she’d accused an innocent man. She pulled out a chair and set next to him. “Not really. I’m sorry. I was grasping at straws. It must be that I’m losing my mind.”
Chapter Five
Josh was at a loss what to say. “Has anything moved unexpectedly since you woke up?” He was hoping that a good night’s sleep would have helped her.
She stood and walked over to the coffee machine. For a moment, he wondered if she planned on telling him.
“It did. Twice. The first time was when I was in the shower, and the soap flew off the shelf.”
That wasn’t good. “Are you sure you didn’t nudge it? Soap can be slippery.”
She turned around. “Maybe, but just a minute ago, the bag of coffee slid across the counter.”
“It must be a ghost!”
She poured two cups and carried them over to the table. “I wish.”
“Let’s look at this from another angle. What other talents do you have? Maybe the heat affected one of them, which in turn is messing with your telekinesis abilities.”
Magnolia sat down and placed her fingertips on top of the rim of the steaming mug. “What I’m about to tell you has to stay between the two of us.”
He held up a hand. “I totally understand. Mum’s the word.”
“I have many abilities, but most of them happen when I’m asked to save someone’s mate.”
The word mate turned his mouth dry, until he focused on the other word: someone’s. “Okay, like what?”
“My sisters and I once created a special scale that when attached to a dragon shifter helped him track his mate. But that was because she’d been kidnapped.”
Okay, now he was impressed. He couldn’t do that. “What else?”
“I can teleport and do other spells, most of which are specific to helping bring two mates together.”
Her skill set was rather unique in that it was so specific. “That doesn’t seem to explain the overactive telekinesis.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
Or was this Fate’s way of letting her know the two of them were mates? The connection between haywire skills and having a mate was thin, and as much as he’d like it to be true, he wasn’t about to mention they were destined for each other. At least not yet. “I’m stumped. How about we test this crumb cake? Maybe something will occur to us.”
Magnolia heaved a sigh. It was almost as if telling him she had powers was a relief. She must have assumed he’d freak. It was she who wouldn’t understand once he explained his abilities.
“I hope so. I’m not sure how much more of this craziness I can handle.”
He bet this woman could handle a lot. Josh picked up one of the pastries, took a bite, and then groaned. “I don’t normally eat stuff like this, but this is incredible.”
When she smiled, a piece of his heart was lost.
They
had almost finished their coffee and pastries when someone knocked on the door. Through the kitchen window, he spotted the repair company truck. He pushed back the chair. “That’s the clean-up crew.”
Magnolia stood. “I want to see what they have accomplished.”
“No problem.” The place had aired out considerably since yesterday.
“Because they boarded up the hole, they’ll have to enter either through the house or the storefront. Which do you prefer?”
“The house. I don’t trust them not to bump into some of the artwork. My sisters would be devastated if anything broke.”
“Understood.” Josh escorted the team to the workshop, and Magnolia followed. He was a little worried that when she saw the workshop in the light of day, it might upset her.
Magnolia stepped next to him and surveyed the damage. “I can’t believe it. While the smell is still prevalent, the shop doesn’t look that bad.”
The crew had done an amazing job yesterday. All that seemed left to do was finish airing out the place, paint the walls, and make the final repair to the outside.
The foreman strode up to them. “I’m sorry, ma’am. We’re going to have to ask you to leave for the rest of the day.”
Magnolia looked up at Josh and then turned back to the foreman. “Why?”
“We’re spraying chemicals to get rid of the smell that is not safe to breathe. The fumes will get into your house. After a few hours though, it will dissipate and will be safe for you to return.”
She straightened her shoulders. “Thank you.”
When the foreman kept looking at her, Josh placed a hand on her back. “Let’s go.”
“If you wouldn’t mind,” she said. “Just lock the kitchen door when you leave for the day.” She held up a finger. “I’ll leave a key under the mat in case you need to leave for a bit.”
“Appreciate it, ma’am.”
As they headed inside, an idea struck. He could only hope Magnolia didn’t balk at it. “I have a thought, but it’s a little out there.”
They stepped into the living room. “What is that?”
“I know we don’t know each other that well, but I’d like us to.” Josh waited for Magnolia to respond, but she said nothing. “I heard about this county fair that is being held in Hearndon. What do you say we check it out? You have to leave for the day anyway. It will kill two birds with one stone, or so the saying goes.”
Josh wouldn’t mention that his cabin was also in Hearndon until he judged her interest.
Her lips pressed together as her gaze dropped to the side. “I’m not really an outgoing person.”
He tried not to show his relief that she hadn’t shot him down right away. “You don’t need to be. It will be just you and me. You can’t return here until tonight anyway. That’s a bit too long to sit in a coffee shop. There is only so much you can drink.”
A smile caught her lips. “Fine.”
He really had expected more of a fight, but he was glad she’d given in quickly to his logic. “It’s a little chilly this time of year in Hearndon, so grab a sweater.”
“What about you?”
Damn. “I’ll fly home, pick something up, and be right back.” He also needed the key to his cabin in case he got lucky.
As soon as Josh left, Magnolia pressed her back against the door. What had she been thinking agreeing to go to some county fair—in Hearndon no less—with a stranger?
Okay, she might have overreacted in referring to Josh as a stranger. They’d shared a lot since the fire, but spending time in Hearndon was chancy. Acacia was camping in the woods there, but there was no reason to believe they’d run into each other.
That concern aside, being held by Josh while he flew to this fair would totally unnerve her. Sure, she could say she’d teleport there and meet him, but that wouldn’t be nice. After all, he was taking time out of his day to take her there.
Her pulse sped up. Oh, holy cow! Only now did it occur to her that when she’d told him she could teleport, create tracking devices for dragons, as well as move objects with her mind, he didn’t blink an eye. Sure, she kept the fact that she was an immortal goddess from him, but anybody would freak to learn of her extensive powers. Some dark lighters had harnessed the ability to teleport, but she wasn’t aware of any white lighters who could. Who was this Josh Gerrard?
At the moment she didn’t have the time to analyze it. Because she’d agreed to go out with him, she would have to be hyper vigilant to detect why her abilities didn’t seem to bother him.
Not having any idea when he would return from picking up a jacket at his place, she rushed back to her bedroom, grabbed a warm sweater, and then stuffed some things into her backpack purse that she might need at the fair—like hand sanitizer and tissues. She really had no idea what being at a fair would entail.
Less than fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on her door. She hadn’t locked it, since she expected Josh to let himself in—only he didn’t. When she returned through the kitchen to open the back door, pulses of pleasure flowed through her veins. Grr. Why was this happening? Fine. It was a rhetorical question since Fate had all but told her he was her mate.
When she pulled open the back door, the rush of familiarity and arousal blasted her once more. Being near Josh must be what was causing all of her problems. Today would test that theory.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.”
She followed him out to the open field. He spun to face her. “Have you even taken a dragon shifter ride?” One eyebrow rose.
“Of course. I wasn’t born yesterday.” Wasn’t that the truth? She wasn’t about to say her experience was limited when it came to flying since teleporting was her thing.
He laughed. “Okay, stand back.”
A second later, Josh transformed into the most beautiful dragon she’d ever seen. His scales were mostly black, interspersed with aqua marine blue ones. Magnolia had to glance away or become totally enchanted by him.
She expected him to hold out a claw so she could grab hold. Instead, Josh powered toward her, swooped her off her feet, and soared upward. Whoa! When she struggled a bit, he added his other claw. Being surrounded made her feel safer.
She needed to calm the hell down. Focusing on her breathing, Magnolia began to relax. Ever so slowly, he rotated her onto her side, allowing her to either look down at the ground as it whizzed by or admire his powerful chest. Both made her lose all semblance of control.
She wasn’t sure how far it was to Hearndon since she was a homebody and never worried about distances. If she did leave, it only took seconds to teleport anywhere on Tarradon. Eventually, the heat radiating off Josh’s body slowed her heart rate. The countryside transformed from fields and woods to towns and then to a few cities. By the time he began his descent, Magnolia almost didn’t want the ride to be over.
Josh landed on the far side of the fair and gently set her on the ground. He stepped back, shifted, and then jogged up to her. “Are you okay? It was a long flight, and I imagine it wasn’t very comfortable, not that I’ve ever been carried by a dragon before. I wasn’t sure if you were cold or—”
His concern made her chuckle. Magnolia covered his mouth with her hand to stop him from talking. “I’m fine. I enjoyed the ride.”
When she lowered her arm, Josh blew out a breath. “Sorry. I don’t carry people often—or rather people who aren’t injured.” As if he’d let something slip, he glanced back over his shoulder. “Want to see what the fair has to offer? I’ve never been to one before.”
Note to self: Josh talks a lot when he is nervous. Only why was that? There were too many options to choose from.
“Sure, it’s why we came!”
They walked toward the admission booth. Noise, lights, and laughter filled the air with excitement and joy. “I’ve never seen anything like this before either.”
Josh glanced down at her. “It’s so nice to see you laugh.”
To be honest, she couldn’t remember the la
st time she had. Dealing with customers was a serious business. When the Guardians came to ask for their help, their situation was often desperate. Maybe she had been holed up in that store for far too long and had shut herself off from the normal pleasures of life.
“Let’s see if we can recreate that cheer again,” he said with all traces of nervousness gone.
“As long as I don’t spontaneously move something that should stay put, I’ll be happy.”
After Josh paid their entry fee, they stood for a minute to absorb the sights and sounds of the fair. Kids shrieked and so many couples looked in love. There were rows upon rows of food booths, along with big moving wheels, spinning things, and machines that dropped people from on high.
“Do you want to go on a ride?” he asked, clearly noting her interest.
Magnolia’s first response was to say no, that it was safer on the ground, but if she wanted to study Josh, they needed to do something together. “Let’s walk around and find the slowest one.”
He laughed. “You just flew with a dragon and now you want the slowest ride?”
“It’s different. You aren’t going to break and send me plummeting to the ground.”
“You have a point.” Josh pointed to a large round wheel where people were hanging from buckets. It was going around in a large circle rather slowly. “That seems kind of tame. What do you say?” Josh smiled at her, and her skin immediately sparkled. She stilled. “Is something wrong?” he asked.
“I, ah…think I’m imploding.” She held out her arm. “Okay, it’s not there now, but a moment ago, light was shining from within me.”
He grinned. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I think it’s natural.”
What did that mean? Before she dared to ask, he whisked her away. Sure, dragons glowed when they were sexually excited, and she vaguely remembered her mom saying something about it, but Magnolia didn’t remember the details. Darn.