Magical Midlife Love: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Leveling Up Book 4)

by K. F. Breene

  The question was, what would happen when he got tired of waiting?

  I pulled the covers up to my chin, my eyes on the soft moonlight shining in the many windows of the largest room I’d ever called my own. I nestled into the soft bedclothes and fluffy pillow, thinking about the events of the night. As sleep dragged at me, warmth sparked down low and curled up through my middle. It spread, saturating my body, a deep ache tightening my core.

  Pleasure came next, forcing out a gasp, localized between my thighs. I pushed my legs together, twisting as though I could move away. A sudden urge for fast, hard contact bled through my thoughts.

  I gripped the sheets, trying not to give in to the sensations, which had come out of nowhere. At this point, everyone knew not to spy on me during certain times, but until they learned how to magically control the link to automatically shut down in private moments, Jasper and Ulric would know what I was up to before they could sign off.

  Realization dawned.

  I checked the links, the pleasure pumping higher now, consuming me. It was pounding between my thighs, massaging the bundle of nerves at my apex. I stifled a moan as I blocked my magical connections to Jasper and then Ulric. These feelings weren’t from them.

  Half grossed out, I blocked the rest, the pleasure cutting out immediately, leaving an absence in its wake.

  Panting, now off-kilter, I felt Mr. Tom downstairs, tidying up the kitchen after making me a late-night snack. Wasn’t him, thank God, something I was happy to ascertain through his position in the house and not through the link. Edgar was out in the wood, doing God knew what, but he was walking around. Couldn’t be him.

  “Please don’t be Niamh. Please…” My stomach twisted in distaste.

  I couldn’t not know. I couldn’t have that hanging over my head as a maybe.

  I unblocked the link and blocked it back up super quick, the briefest of feelings. Nothing. She was probably asleep.

  “Thank all that is holy,” I said, heaving out a sigh. I wasn’t sure I would’ve ever recovered from…

  My phone vibrated on the nightstand. Frowning, I pushed up to an elbow to peer at the screen.

  Text from Austin: You okay?

  I frowned harder. When I unblocked the link between us, the pleasure didn’t resume. He must’ve felt my distaste.

  Phone in hand, I was about to text him a quick answer and let him get back to things, but…

  A spike of unease pierced my middle. What if he was with someone?

  It felt like acid dripped down through me.

  I wasn’t, by nature, a jealous person. Never had been. Boyfriends had flirted with other women at parties and my ex-husband had been known for his “charm.” I’d never worried about it.

  I didn’t have any right to Austin, but I hated the thought of someone else sliding against his amazing body, or delighting in his expert, passionate kisses.

  My stomach turned at the thought of him taking someone else on the perfect date, or directing her with a gentle but firm hand on the small of her back.

  The phone rang this time, vibrating in my fingers. Austin’s name was on the screen.

  I slid my finger across it, answering the call.

  “Hey,” I said, uncomfortable, hating that I felt this way.

  “Hey.” His voice was thick, rough. His breathing came faster than normal, like he’d been working out. “You okay?”

  “Yeah. Sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “I… Uhm.” I swallowed. Now that I was in this position, I suddenly understood why he’d been hesitant to tell me about listening in through the link. “I accidentally forgot to close down everyone’s links, so…”

  A rush of heat flooded my body from Austin. He’d liked hearing that.

  His voice lowered, his tone softer now. “Is that why you felt so disgusted?” I could hear the teasing.

  “I didn’t know who was…” Another rush of heat. I barely stifled a gasp. “I usually only have one or two of them open at a time, so I haven’t practiced deciphering who is who when they’re all open. I closed them all—”

  “How’d you know it was me?”

  Another sheen of sweat broke out on my forehead. An insane part of me wanted to dip my hand south, like we were in college in different dorms, unable to stand the distance separating us and desperate for the time when we could feel the rush of each other’s bodies again.

  “I had to check each person. It came down to you and Niamh, and I couldn’t live with the not knowing… I had to know if I’d ever be able to look her in the eyes again.” I laughed nervously. “But anyway…” I licked my lips, needing to know. Not able to help it. “I should let you get back to your date.”

  “I haven’t had a date since the one with you.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Yes, I do. I haven’t had a date since the one with you. There’s no one here, Jess.”

  Heat coursed through me, my own this time. His groan was soft, and suddenly I didn’t know what we were doing. I didn’t know if I was about to make a big mistake.

  I was certain I didn’t care.

  “Have you ever listened in on me?” I asked, my voice belonging to another woman, thick and sultry and wanton. “Through the link, I mean. When I’ve…”

  “Yes.” His voice dripped with arousal. My nipples tightened and I rubbed my thighs together, unable to stand the pounding heat.

  “I should be mad at that,” I whispered.

  “Probably,” he replied, and pleasure once again swirled between my thighs. I moaned, the feeling threatening to sweep me away. “It happened by accident at first. I was reading and the pleasure caught me off guard. Most of the time I block the link, but sometimes…”

  I sighed at the pounding deep inside of me, my knees parting, my hand slipping down my stomach and between my legs.

  He growled into the phone.

  “Does it feel like someone is touching you?” I asked, arching.

  “It feels like you are touching me. Sometimes it feels like you are sliding onto me. I assume that’s when you use…help…”

  I should’ve been embarrassed, definitely. But I groaned into the phone.

  “During these times, the feelings from the link are heightened. Incredibly heightened. It feels like you’re lying beside me. Or straddling me. The feeling of you when you aren’t here is better than I can remember anyone else feeling in the flesh. More consuming.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, my hips jerking against the mattress. “I don’t think it’s like this for everyone. From what Jasper said—”

  A spark of rage blistered through the link, and strangely, any embarrassment that lingered from the conversation with Jasper eased, almost like Austin was squashing it dead.

  “Thinking someone was there with you… I didn’t like it,” I admitted. “I’m not usually jealous, but…”

  “Thinking of anyone with you…”

  Another wave of rage pushed through me, sparking my adrenaline and heightening my pleasure. I didn’t understand why. I should be worried or afraid, ready to step in and calm him down. Instead, I could barely focus as I imagined his hands on me, his body filling mine.

  “It’s your primal response to my primal reaction,” he said, clearly having deciphered my feelings. “My unconscious rage stems from wanting to crush any competition that seeks your hand. To claim you as mine. Your reaction to that mimics your desire for it to happen. If you were angry or scared, it would mean you didn’t like the match. It would mean you were worried about being taken by an alpha by force. Your pleasure means you’d welcome it.”

  His rough tone caressed me, and while I was pretty sure I needed to be a shifter to feel and really understand all he’d said, there was no denying the aching rapture of his reaction.

  “Friends that kiss and sometimes have late-night phone conversations,” I choked out, the feelings consuming, my thoughts frazzling.

  “There’s no point in pretending anymore, Jacinta. Not after what
happened at the bar.”

  I meant to ask for clarification.

  I ended up begging for more.

  Nine

  “Hey, Mom.” Jimmy trudged into the kitchen, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. Mr. Tom’s notable absence meant he was probably already ransacking Jimmy’s room for dirty clothes and dishes and whatever else he could clean. He probably worried Jimmy would be like my parents and try to clean up after himself. Or worse, clean up after Mr. Tom.

  “Hey, bud. You hungry? Mr. Tom made some eggs and toast.”

  He squinted at the digital clock on the oven. “You’re not pissed I’m up so late?”

  “Ten thirty is about normal for me these days. We all keep late hours.”

  “Sweet.” He opened the microwave. “Where?”

  “Oven—”

  “I’ll do that for you, don’t you worry.” Mr. Tom bustled past the kitchen in the hallway, heading for the laundry room with a hamper. “Just have a seat and I’ll be right there.”

  Jimmy stared after him, his hair standing up in all directions, much like Sebastian’s last night.

  Last night.

  A wave of emotion rolled over me, both from my tandem release with Austin over the phone and also what he’d said. He’d promised he would see me today, and his voice had been rough and raw when he spoke about my reactions to him.

  Something had shifted between us last night, and I wasn’t sure exactly what. We’d certainly muddied things with that phone call, but the physical stuff hadn’t been the deciding factor for him. He thought we’d turned a corner for other reasons, and I wasn’t sure what those were. I was nervous to find out what. Just as nervous as I was to climb the stairs and go into the office, to take the blood oath and accept my permanent place at Ivy House.

  “Mom?”

  “What’s up?” I straightened up from where I’d been slouching and lifted my eyebrows.

  “I asked what the deal is with that butler.” Jimmy sat down beside me, content to have patience when there was the prospect of being waited on, just like his mother.

  “He’s as weird as they come, bud. No other explanation for it.”

  “But you pay him?”

  “Kinda. The house funds pay him. He kinda…came with the house, like I said yesterday. Because of the…”

  “Magic, yeah. I’m still trippin’, trying to piece reality back together. Like…Xbox doesn’t seem as interesting when you’ve seen a gargoyle, you know? I’ve seen a gargoyle!” He bent over the island. “I have seen…a gargoyle.” He swore, and I let him have that one.

  “Now.” Mr. Tom reentered the kitchen, as pleased as I’d ever seen him. “What are we thinking, Master Jimmy? The works? You ate enough to feed an army last night; I can only assume you’ll eat all I’ve prepared for you today.”

  “Yes, please.”

  “There.” Mr. Tom nodded. “Manners. That is much better than the foul mouth I heard a moment ago.”

  “What did you want to do today?” I asked as Mr. Tom compiled enough food for two. I knew none of it was for me. Apparently he wanted to test Jimmy’s stomach. “Do you want to check out the town, or—”

  I felt Austin’s feet touch down on the walkway leading to the house and butterflies swarmed my stomach, quickly turning ravenous and beginning to eat through my stomach lining. My links were all closed down out of habit. I hadn’t expected him.

  “Or a hike, maybe?” Jimmy said. “Mom?”

  “Yes. Sorry. Yes, a hike would be great. Want to meet a Bigfoot?”

  Jimmy just gaped at me.

  “He is a basajaun,” Mr. Tom said with a sniff. “You’ll slip one day and call him Bigfoot to his face, miss, and then he won’t want to help you anymore. You’d better be careful.”

  “He doesn’t know what a basajaun is—”

  “I know what that is,” Jimmy cut in. “I can’t remember where it’s from.”

  “Basque mythology portrays them quite well,” Mr. Tom said.

  “Right, right.” Jimmy nodded as Mr. Tom delivered a heaping plate. “Mythology class, that’s right. Or maybe it was a dude in D&D who mentioned them. It’s bigger than a Bigfoot, right? Meaner?”

  “He is very mean, yes. When you aren’t on his good side, at least.” I magically opened the front door as Austin reached it. “He loves magical flowers.”

  “This is a trip. You are living the absolute best life.”

  I glowed from within, trying not to preen at being the cooler parent for the first time ever. “It’s a crazy life, and it has some serious dangers.” Austin walked down the hall toward us. “It’s not all fun and games.”

  “Well, I mean…” Jimmy pushed food into his cheek. “It is for me, right? Because I’m just visiting.”

  “Smart boy.” Mr. Tom snapped up straight and turned toward the door as Austin entered. “Hello, Austin Steele, can I get you something to eat?”

  Austin’s cobalt eyes burned as they beheld me, tracking me like prey, and I didn’t dare peek at the link.

  “Hi,” I said, suddenly unsure where to put my hands. He’d always been the one uncomfortable with our closeness. I’d been the blasé one. The sudden shift wigged me out. Made me feel like a high schooler with a crush.

  Jimmy’s fork slowed on the way up to his mouth, his eyes widening and the rest of him freezing.

  “Hi. I’m Austin.” He put out his hand for Jimmy.

  “They prefer fist bumps these days,” Mr. Tom said as though he were the leading expert on college-aged kids. “Or high fives.”

  My son shook himself, lowering his fork. “Oh.” He pushed to standing, his face suddenly flushed. “Hi. Hello, sir.” He grabbed Austin’s hand, offering a hearty shake.

  “It’s good to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Austin let go of Jimmy’s hand and stepped back, giving him space.

  “Oh, yeah. That’s my mom.” Jimmy absently gestured at me, bending like a gawky teen. “You don’t… Ahhhmm.” He pointed at Austin’s chest. “I don’t see a cape—er, wings. Or…a cape?”

  I frowned at him. When had he inherited my social awkwardness? He usually charmed the room like his father.

  Austin rested a hand against the island. “I hear you got the lowdown on the hidden world within the world. I’m what’s called a shifter. I—”

  “A shapeshifter, yeah.” Jimmy grinned. And then his lips went slack. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Still frowning, I reached out to touch Jimmy’s arm. “Austin is a good friend of mine. You don’t have to be so formal.”

  “Oh right. Yeah.” Jimmy slowly slid onto his stool, anything but comfortable. He was clearly reacting to Austin’s raw power, the lethal confidence he didn’t try to hide. “Sorry. Um, what do you turn into? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “A polar bear.”

  “Oh…” Jimmy’s brow furrowed. “Aren’t you always hot?”

  Austin spread his hands. “I’m magical. I can control that stuff.”

  “Right, yeah.” A nervous laugh rode Jimmy’s exhale.

  Austin’s attention shifted to me. Butterflies flitted against my ribs.

  “I wanted to let you know that I’m bringing the shifters to train in the woods today. I’ll take them through the front yard so that there is plenty of warning. Just in case Ivy House is temperamental.”

  “I’m feeling just fine,” she murmured.

  “You’re good,” I told him.

  “Also…” His eyes flicked to Jimmy and back. “I wondered if I might have a word with you?”

  Nervousness filled me and I gulped.

  “It’s not all that bad,” he teased, his eyes crinkling.

  It felt like I couldn’t breathe. Like the world was imploding, and Austin was the only thing left to grab on to.

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll be out in a sec,” I managed, trying to get a grip. Trying to figure out what was going on with me. This wasn’t a normal crush. This was… Magic had to be involved in some way. Or maybe
I had a late-onset behavior disorder. Who could blame me with all that had happened in such a short time?

  He nodded, said goodbye to Jimmy, and stalked out of the kitchen, a busy man with places to be and heads to bust.

  A gush of breath exited Jimmy. “Wow,” he said. His eyes rounded as he picked up his fork. “That guy is intense. In-tense! Is that your boyfriend?”

  “No, no, he’s just a friend. One of the first friends I made after moving here.”

  Jimmy rolled his shoulders. “He’s big. Fit. He’s your age, though, huh? He looks your age, but wow. He’s keeping it together. I hope I look that good when I’m forty. Or is that just what shifters look like?”

  “Not all of them, trust me. They can get out of shape just like the next guy.”

  “When that guy looks at you, your bowels get a little soggy, am I right?” A smile worked at his lips. “He’s the type of guy you want on your side. Is he single?”

  “Why, do you want a date?” I laughed, standing.

  “If he’s single, you should go after him. I’m confident enough in my masculinity to say that he’s a good-looking dude. You could do far worse.”

  “I thought sons were supposed to be protective of their moms? You want me to just jump back on the wagon?”

  “If it means you’re happy…yeah.”

  I blinked at him for a moment, surprised to hear that. “You’re not pissed at your father and me for splitting up? I know you said that, but…”

  He shrugged. “You spent half the time fighting, and the other half ignoring each other. He was never home. He’s still never home. You deserve to find someone who devotes time to you and makes you happy. You seem really…” He flared his arms while wiggling his shoulders. I shook my head, no clue what that meant. “Like…light and easy. You seem more chill. I can tell you’re happier.” He shrugged again. “It’s probably for the best, you know? So if you are going to climb back on the…wagon, if you want to use that ancient metaphor, he’s probably a good guy to do it with.”

  I mussed his hair, which I knew he hated. “You barely met him. How would you know?”