Maddy couldn't argue with that. "Thank you for Homer, he's beautiful," she said, while admiring the tiny gold donkey. "I'll add him to my bracelet and hope my parents don't find it and start asking questions. A gold snake, a crystal ball, and a donkey would be hard to explain." She slipped the charm into her shirt pocket. "So, back to Katy's magic show. If you need a live rabbit, Gracie has one, but he's a very big rabbit, and I doubt if you could fit him in a top hat."
"That's no problem," Dimitri replied.
When he offered nothing more, Maddy said, "Okay, you've got my curiosity. How do you hide a big rabbit in a not-so-big hat?"
"Watch Katy and figure it out," Dimitri replied.
"Are you serious? You're not going to tell me?"
Dimitri looked askance at her. "No."
Maddy folded her arms. "Fine, be a butthead. But since you insist on guarding your secrets, even though you claim you trust me, at least humor me with some magic while we're waiting out the rain. I think you just got lucky with your cups and jacks trick when we were here before."
"Oh ye of little faith." Dimitri left the couch and took a stemmed glass from a shelf, and said, "Find me a coin and I'll make it vanish from inside this glass."
Maddy unfolded her arms, and scanning the room, spotted the jar of pennies they kept for those wanting to play poker with real money. After taking a penny from the jar, she handed it to Dimitri, and said, "Are you going to tell me the secret afterwards, or continue to be a butthead?"
"I'll be a butthead. It has its advantages." Dimitri gave her a wry smile.
Maddy eyed him dubiously, uncertain if his comment meant he intended to kiss her afterwards, which would go against his vow to stay clear of his assistant. Then deciding he was simply kidding, the way he had in the past, she waited and watched.
"Okay, pay attention," Dimitri said. "I'm holding the wine glass in my right hand, and… I forgot. I'll need a silk cloth for this." He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a piece of silk about the size of a handkerchief. After draping it over his palm, he placed the penny between silk-covered fingers, and turning his hand over so the silk fell around the glass, he dropped the penny with a clink. Setting the silk-covered glass on the table, he said, "There you have it. The coin has vanished."
Brows drawn, Maddy lifted the silk to find an empty glass. She looked at Dimitri in puzzlement. She'd watched every move he'd made, even saw the penny drop into the glass, yet the penny was gone. "It's impossible," she said, while staring at the empty glass.
"No, it's Magic," Dimitri replied. "I simply directed my mind to make the coin vanish."
"You are so full of it," Maddy said.
"I know. I'm a butthead."
"Don't flatter yourself." Maddy looked at the empty glass. "You do realize I'll be very annoyed if you don't tell me how you do this?"
Dimitri laughed. "Okay, I'll suspend being a butthead and tell you the secret."
"Seriously?"
"Watch and see." Dimitri repeated the trick, but this time, when he turned his silk-covered hand holding the coin over the glass and Maddy heard a clink, he said, "What did I just do?"
Maddy eyed the silk-covered glass. "You dropped the penny into the glass."
Dimitri lifted the silk. "Then where is it?"
Maddy stared at the empty glass, then looked at Dimitri for an explanation.
Lifting the tips of his fingers off the base of the glass, Dimitri revealed the coin. "When I dropped the penny it missed the glass and hit the base, and those watching translate the sound as having seen the penny drop into the glass. The moment it hit the base I caught it with the tips of my fingers, and when I took the glass with my left hand to set it down, I stashed the penny, and the trick was complete."
While Maddy was mulling over the skill needed to drop a penny so it would miss the glass and hit the base with a clink and be captured by his fingers without anyone noticing, Dimitri said, "I told you the secret, but I'm still going to be a butthead." Taking Maddy by the shoulders he lowered her to the couch and stretched out with her while kissing her long and lingeringly.
Letting out a plaintive moan of pleasure, Maddy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. As their tongues dueled, and their legs entwined, Maddy became aware of Dimitri's hand moving slowly up her side to cover her breast, and with that realization her heart quickened, her breath became labored, and in her throat was a rumbling sound, like a purr, to which Dimitri responded by kissing her jaw, and beneath her ear, and down the column of her neck before flicking open the snaps of her shirt so he could kiss the swell of her breast and nuzzle her cleavage.
Dazed by the barrage of sensations coursing through her, it was some moments before Maddy found the will to capture Dimitri's head in her hands to stop what he was doing, while saying, "We need to reel things in or we'll both get stupid."
Dimitri let out a low groan. "I was thinking the same thing but figured you'd stop me."
"Just barely," Maddy said. "That's the problem. You get me aroused and I let you do things I wouldn't let any other man do, and you need to sit up."
Dimitri untangled his legs from Maddy's and moved to a sitting position on the couch, and said, "You'd better not turn up nude during Metamorphosis or we'll both be in trouble."
"You're safe from that," Maddy replied, even though the idea didn't seem so farfetched at this point. Determined to nip that in the bud, she added, while snapping her shirt, "We really do need to set some boundaries."
"Your dad already did and I'm trying unsuccessfully to follow them," Dimitri said. "The problem is, you're not just my assistant. You're different. You're wife material."
Maddy looked at Dimitri with a start. She had no idea what to make of his comment. He'd brought up the subject of having a wife on several occasions, which meant it was on his mind, but it was always in the context of combining a wife with an assistant.
Deciding he meant she was wife material in a broad sense, she said, "I seem like wife material because, where you come from you're surrounded by hot women who pop out of trunks in the buff, and I'm a ranch girl who'd never been in a nightclub before going to Las Vegas."
"That's what I mean about being wife material. You're not the kind of woman who's ready to hop in bed with a man, and there's a chemistry between us that's making things complicated." He looked at her soberly. "Am I jumping to conclusions when I say there's a chemistry between us?"
Maddy was at a loss how to respond because Dimitri sounded sincere, like he'd given this serious thought. "I can't answer that unless you define what you mean by chemistry as it relates to us. If you're talking about an animal attraction between two people that's purely physical, I guess we can establish that you turn me on because well, you can perform some pretty amazing things with magic and I'm a little star struck by that, and you're a very handsome man who makes my heart flutter whenever you're around, and when you strip down to your tiny black swimsuit that's definitely a turn on, but that's just a lot of dopamine messing with my brain. As for there being a chemistry between us, it's probably nothing more than you suffering from sex withdrawals because you're not surrounded by hot women, and I'm your source of dopamine."
"Is that what you think I do in Las Vegas, get it on with lots of women?" Dimitri asked.
Maddy shrugged. "That's what seems to go on routinely there."
"Okay, I admit what I had with Karla was pretty much all about sex and stupidity."
"And chemistry," Maddy added.
"Only in the context of the animal attraction you mentioned, but that's not the kind of chemistry I'm talking about with us. I'm talking about a chemistry that appeals to all five senses. The way someone looks, and smells, and tastes. The feel of that person's body, the sound of their voice. The expressions on their face, and in their eyes. The, I-need-to-see-this-person-again kind of chemistry, when your only goal for the day is being with that person. That's the kind of chemistry I feel with you."
Maddy was stunned to hear Dimit
ri's admission because he'd just expressed the feelings she'd been having from the start, but thought were one-sided because she couldn't imagine a man as handsome and charismatic as Dimitri falling for a hayseed who grew up on a ranch.
"I admit there's that kind of chemistry with me too," she said, "and it's definitely making things complicated. Everyone in my family thinks you're going to whisk me off to Sin City as your new assistant, and even though I love living here on the ranch and having my family around me, I'm also coming up with illogical reasons why it wouldn't be so bad living in Las Vegas."
"Okay, since we're being open about things, what are your goals in life?" Dimitri asked. "We're stuck in this cabin for a reason, and I think it's for us to have some serious getting-to-know-each-other discussions while trying to see if our goals could ultimately come together."
"Come together as in…"
"Happily ever after," Dimitri said. "Life is too short to play games when it comes to marriage, so if we have a mutual attraction that goes beyond the physical, which we have, and our goals don't clash, then anything's possible."
Still reeling from Dimitri's declaration that she was wife material, followed by his happily ever after comment, which was basically along the same lines, it was some moments before Maddy said, "My goals are simple. I plan to open a riding facility for disabled kids. I'm calling it Healing Hooves. I already have a degree in psychology along with my therapeutic horsemanship certification, so all I need is an arena."
"What made you decide to do this?" Dimitri asked.
"My brother, Tyler, the one who's dyslectic. I saw his frustration when we were growing up and knew how his horses brought him peace of mind in his chaotic world, but it's only been in the last two years that I've had the confidence to go after the goal."
"Because you were away at college?" Dimitri asked.
Maddy shook her head. "It happened one summer when I was involved in a therapeutic riding program. I volunteered to be a sidewalker, which is the person who walks along with the horse, and while I was doing that, I saw the smiles on the kids' faces when they started riding. These were kids with autism, and seizures, and Down's, and while they were learning to ride they were also learning how to follow directions and stay focused for longer periods of time. The motion of the horse also helps improve balance and coordination by stimulating the connection between the brain and limbs. The joy of seeing these kids smiling is hard to explain. It's like watching tiny miracles on a daily basis."
"So, riding actually improves their conditions," Dimitri said, in a contemplative voice.
Maddy nodded. "Some physically, but more important, it improves their entire outlook on life. Horses were the way Tyler found confidence and happiness away from the problems he was facing at school, so I knew what horses could do. Tyler is already involved helping kids and adults with dyslexia, but there are kids with other needs that will benefit from my program. It can change their whole world and make it much brighter."
Dimitri reached over and took Maddy's hand and kissed her palm, and said, "You're a remarkable woman, and since we're laying everything out on the table, I won't dance around the fact that my goal is to have you as my assistant in Las Vegas and see where that leads."
Maddy peered into a pair of earnest blue eyes, and said, "It would have to lead back to the Dancing Moon Ranch because that's where my… property is."
She came close to saying, 'that's where my heart is,' but stopped herself when she realized her heart was becoming divided, that part of it wanted to go with Dimitri. She also knew hers was the mindset of a person operating on emotions, not logic, and somehow she needed to get her logical mind back in gear because, at the moment, it seemed to be in a state of flux.
CHAPTER 11
During the return ride from the cabin to the ranch, Dimitri and Maddy rode side-by-side whenever the trail allowed, and Dimitri passed up no opportunity to lean toward Maddy and give her a quick kiss, and each time he did, Maddy practically fell off her horse kissing him back. They even dismounted at one point because the short kisses were inadequate, when what they both wanted was a full-body, all-encompassing clinch, accompanied by a passionate, open-mouth kiss. But as they neared the ranch, they resumed riding single file, which Maddy found both disturbing and frustrating because being with Dimitri, and not being able to feel his arms around her, made her want the things she shouldn’t want, all that much more.
You're not just my assistant. You're different. You're wife material…
Dimitri's words kept coming back, as did the idea of being his wife. It was all very sudden, but she couldn't help thinking what they had was the start of a love that could last a lifetime. She could see being married to Dimitri. Not only would he keep her smiling, because almost everything he did made her smile, but he'd keep her world filled with magic.
Once back at the ranch, and while they were brushing the horses, Dimitri said, "I'll be tied up the rest of the afternoon and evening, making a list of materials for building the donkey box, and tomorrow Chris will drive me to the building center so I can hand-select the lumber and check the hardware and have it delivered to the ranch. I assume it's okay to have them drop it off by the workshop."
"That's fine," Maddy said, "but you'll stick out like a sore thumb if you arrive at the building center in a limousine. Limos traveling through wine country on the way to wineries for tastings are common around here, but making a stop at a building supply to order materials will have heads turning and jaws dropping."
Dimitri laughed. "Then I'll do some sleight-of-hand and get their jaws dropping even more."
"Or, I could drive you there myself, and you'll blend in with the locals," Maddy said, knowing it would be an excuse for them to spend some time together away from the ranch.
Dimitri looked at Maddy over Tut's back. "You don't mind?" he asked.
"Of course not," Maddy replied. "It'll give the local girls something to talk about, Maddy Hansen strutting around with the sexiest cowboy they've ever seen."
Dimitri smiled. "Honey, you keep telling me I'm full of myself, and you just inflated my ego even more."
"I know," Maddy said. "There are benefits to keeping you a butthead, and if you want to know what they are, hang around for a few minutes after we turn out the horses and find out."
The heated session that followed, which took place on a bed of fresh straw in the dark shadows of the stable, lasted just long enough for Maddy to want a whole lot more, but on hearing some guests approaching, they quickly disentangled and stood, then proceeded to pick off small pieces of straw from each other, which had Maddy breathing even more heavily when Dimitri concentrated on the straw stuck to the front of her shirt. After sharing one last passionate kiss, they went their separate ways.
***
On arriving at the building center the following day, when Dimitri stepped out of Maddy's Jeep, in his faded jeans, worn western shirt, and scuffed boots, Maddy wondered if anyone would peg him as the illusionist who was the talk of Sheridan and Grand Ronde. There was a distinctive pattern to his short-cropped beard, but with his Stetson tipped low on his forehead, she was certain he'd pass for one of the locals. She was also confident no one from the ranch would be there. Not only were they all involved in their usual ranch routines, but at the moment there were no building projects going on, so she felt free to enjoy this time with Dimitri.
When they entered the huge store, which was a grid of long aisles lined on both sides with shelves stocked with everything from lumber and fencing materials, to plumbing and electrical supplies, Dimitri wrapped his arm around Maddy's shoulders and said, as they started up a long aisle, "I'm making my claim so none of the cowboys around here try to steal my hot pink bunny."
Maddy laughed and slipped her arm around Dimitri's waist. "With six big brothers, none of the cowboys around here would dare try."
Dimitri kissed Maddy on the temple. "In case they do, I just put my brand on you."
Maddy laughed again. "A kiss on the t
emple isn't exactly a brand in cowboy country."
"Then I'll try again." Stopping midway up the aisle, Dimitri turned Maddy around and kissed her soundly, and Maddy curved her arms around his neck and kissed him back. But when they turned to continue, Maddy was mortified to see Tyler and Rose standing at the end of the aisle, looking their way. She immediately broke away from Dimitri and rushed ahead, and said to Tyler in an anxious voice, "Don't jump to conclusions, and please don't say anything to Mom and Dad, or Adam and Marc. Actually, don't say anything to anyone. Dimitri and I were just kidding around."
"I have eyes," Tyler said. "Nothing about that kiss was kidding around."
By then Dimitri caught up with Maddy, and addressing Tyler, he said, "Don't worry. I'm not taking your sister away with me."
"Then what are your intentions while you're here?" Tyler asked, his face stony.
Maddy stared at Tyler. She would have expected that reaction from Adam or Marc, but she and Tyler were closer in age and had a different relationship, yet Tyler was acting like the others.
"My intentions are platonically affectionate," Dimitri replied.
"Honey," Rose said to Tyler. "The contractions are coming close now. I'm thinking maybe we should get on over to the hospital."
"Wait!" Maddy said. "You're in labor… now?"
Rose nodded. "Things started this morning and they're not letting up. The doctor told us to walk around some, which is why we're here, so I think Mary Claire's ready to meet the family."
"Good grief," Tyler said. "I'm about to become a father."
Rose laughed. "Honey, you've been a father for nine months. Now you'll get to burp Claire, and change her diapers, and do all those fun things. Meanwhile, we'd better get going."
"Do Mom and Dad know?" Maddy asked.
"Yes," Tyler replied, while taking Rose's arm. "I'll call them when we get to the hospital."
Imperfect Magic (Dancing Moon Ranch Book 11) Page 13