Magic Man

by Ashley Hastings

  I slid a hand down to rest briefly on my stomach with a look only for Maxwell. I knew he understood what I was thinking.

  Our family was complete.

  Epilogue

  I got out of the car, carrying a small bag from the Peacock grocery store. Maxwell was waiting for me, holding a slip of black satin in his hands. Puzzled, I walked toward my new husband.

  He held up the fabric. “I have something for you, but I have to cover your eyes first.”

  “Hmm. Okay, I guess.” Curious, I turned around to give him better access, hooking the plastic bag over my arm to keep it secure. Maxwell tried to take the bag from me, but I slapped his hands away. That was my own surprise for later.

  “You know, there was an entry in my journal about being tied up. Is it time for that particular fantasy?” I wiggled my eyebrows, glancing back at him over my shoulder, forcing a surprised laugh out of him.

  “The way I see it, we have the rest of our lives to work our way through your fantasies, kitten. Plus, there were several blank pages in the back of that notebook. I might need to write down some thoughts of my own.”

  Heat rolled through my body. Yes, I liked that idea. I liked that idea very much, indeed.

  Maxwell tied the black blindfold across my eyes. My hands immediately flew up to remove it, an instinctive reaction, but Maxwell grabbed them in a tight hold.

  “No, no. That’s a bad kitten.” I could hear him snickering as he led me into the big barn. “Behave for once, okay?”

  “You know, I don’t think you should be laughing during a kinky sex game, Maxwell. It ruins the mood.” I pretended to scold him.

  More laughter, louder this time. We shuffled forward slowly. It was amazing how I distrusted my other senses when my eyesight was removed. But I trusted my husband to lead the way.

  I heard a distinct rolling sound. It sounded a lot like one of the stall doors opening.

  “Okay, baby. You can take the blindfold off now.” Maxwell’s voice was tender and sweet.

  Eager, I ripped the blindfold from my eyes. I had to blink a few times to adjust to the lighting, but sure enough, we were standing in front of the stalls.

  A dappled gray gelding stood before me, munching on some hay. He nickered at me softly.

  Stunned, I took a hesitant step forward. Now it was my vision I didn’t trust. I spun around in shock. “How did you...”

  “I made some calls. Widowmaker wasn’t that hard to find. And as it turns out, his owners were more than willing to sell him to me, especially when I said I wanted to buy him for one Millicent Carter, who worked for them a few years ago.” He rubbed my back and laughed at my shocked face.

  “You remembered that story I told you the first week I arrived here?” Still shocked, I took a few steps toward my favorite horse, and I was gratified when the gelding nuzzled me. He seemed to remember me, too.

  Widowmaker looked fantastic. And then it hit me. “Wait. You mean he is mine?”

  “Yes. Once I told Nathan and Darby that we were getting married, they said I needed to find a horse for you to stay here in the barn. I remembered how much you said you missed this one, so I tracked him down.” Maxwell pulled me in for a warm hug. “He’s yours. All yours.”

  I squealed, startling Widowmaker a little. I jumped into Maxwell’s arms, ecstatic.

  “Just promise me one thing, kitten.” He laughed as I wrapped my legs around his waist. “Promise me you will be careful riding, or better yet, don’t ride until our baby is born. All right?”

  I gave him my answer in the form of a big, fat kiss.

  My gaze snagged on the plastic bag still on my arm. “As it turns out, I have a little gift for you, too, my dear husband.”

  He set me down carefully.

  “Really?” Maxwell’s eyes lit up, and I made a note to give him more surprises in the future.

  No one had spoiled him before, not with attention or gifts, and it was now my privilege, right, and duty to do just that.

  I handed him the plastic bag without ceremony, deciding to offer no explanation for the moment. Puzzled, he pulled out a hot pink notebook that was covered in so many blinding sparkles that it kind of hurt the eyes. It was the kind of notebook a teenage girl might buy, and my lips twisted in amusement at my choice.

  “What is this, Millicent?” He looked at me, confused.

  “That, Sir, is your own fantasy journal. See? It has 100 pages. Plenty of room to write down your every sexual fantasy, and then maybe we can see about making your dreams come true.” My eyes twinkled at him, waiting on his reaction.

  I didn’t have to wait long. Maxwell pinned me against the wall and planted a passionate kiss on my lips. “You’ve already made all my dreams come true, baby, but...” He waved the notebook with one hand. “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  I fell in love with him all over again.

  THE END

  Author’s Note

  Magic Man is my fourth book, and the character of Maxwell was so determined that this story be told, that I had to put publishing my third book on hold until I could get this one written. So Maxwell gets his way, and he is pushed to the head of the line. Very soon I will publish Casey and Cade’s story.

  All of my books are standalone romances that take place in the fictional town of Peacock, Mississippi. They can be read in any order. However, His Wife, the story of Nathan and Darby, started it all.

  Keep reading for a sneak peek of His Wife, available now on Amazon. Then check out Ride With Me, which is also available now, and tells the love story of Grayson and Lucy. Keep watching for Cade and Casey in Sweet Talk, coming in Fall of 2018.

  About the Author

  Ashley Hastings lives with a menagerie of animals, and one day aspires to be a crazy, old cat lady. She has a starter set of three cats right now. Ashley likes to take long walks each day while she dreams about what her characters will do in the future, and is already hard at work on her next novel.

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  Thank you so much for purchasing this book and for getting to know Nathan and Darby. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review or recommending it to a friend.

  Thank you for your support!

  Keep reading for a preview of His Wife.

  Prologue

  The lake sparkled and glimmered like a thousand precious jewels sprinkled its surface. There was not a cloud in the sky to block the merciless rays of the sun as they beat down on the water. Dragonflies skipped and wheeled recklessly overhead, playing in the oven-warm air as if they did not have a care in the world, and they laughed at the oppressive heat that made the humans take shelter. The lake was calm and serene, placid even.

  Curiously, boaters had not arrived yet on this bright Fourth of July morning. Perhaps it was too early for fishing and water sports, or perhaps it was just too warm in humid Mississippi to be out and moving. Despite the humidity, a prolonged drought had necessitated a fireworks ban to prevent wildfires, but far in the distance, some reckless rebel was already setting off a few explosions, sharp and rapid like gunshots. Whatever the case, the lake was quiet, at rest.

  You know the adage, "Still waters run deep"? Deep, deep below the calm surface in cooler waters untouched by the insistent sun, a storm was brewing in the bitter darkness. A boat was waiting on the dark bottom of the lake, covered in mud and silt and the slow passing of time. Waiting patiently to be found. Waiting for its return to the world above. The boat did not mind waiting. It knew nothing of time.
It knew nothing of love and marriage; those were human concerns. The vessel only cared about its macabre cargo, and it guarded that baggage fiercely. Because you see, the boat's only cargo was a terrible secret, and once this boat was found and its secrets revealed for all to see, the storm would rage at last.

  One

  When I opened the hotel room door expecting to see my mother, I saw instead the expectant face of a guy about my age. He looked me up and down slowly, with a critical eye that I didn't appreciate. Before I could get too creeped out, he spoke.

  "You're too tall, Darby. Are you seriously going to wear those fuck me heels to dinner? Although, I think I wouldn't mind taking you up on that offer." He rocked back from the door, and shoved his hands into his jeans, grinning at me.

  I stared, speechless. Who is this guy and what the hell was that all about? That is what I got for opening a door without checking the peephole first. Stranger danger, and all that. I should have realized New York City would be weird.

  "Um, I think you have the wrong room?" I know he called me by name, but I had no idea who he was.

  I closed the door with a firm, satisfying click and engaged the safety chain this time. I went back to vigorously brushing my dark red hair. I swear, no matter how many times I fixed my hair in a day, I always had a tangle of curls. Of course, hours of airplanes and airports hadn't helped the situation. I didn't like the knots in my hair. Thankfully, I loved the color – so dark auburn; it was almost brown.

  Another knock on the door, louder this time. I rolled my eyes as I peeped through the door expecting the weird guy, but instead I saw my mother, well dressed and coiffed as ever. Releasing the chain, I yanked the door open with a swiftness that caused her to widen her eyes.

  "Mom, you finally arrived." I leaned in for a hug, which she returned halfheartedly, and I saw the person from before still lurked in the hall like a creeper.

  "Darby, it's rude to leave a guest outside. Invite us in, for goodness sake."

  Confused, I held open the door, and mom and the creepy guy came inside. My mother draped in her usual cloud of perfume, and the stranger had on too much aftershave. The combined effect was cloying and instantly started a headache. I stared at the two of them, unsure of what was happening.

  "This is Michael, darling. You remember him, right? Barbara's son."

  No, I didn't remember him, nor did I remember Barbara. However, that wasn't what was important now. Why was he here? Why was he butting in on my long-awaited New York City vacation with my mother?

  I hadn't spoken my thoughts aloud; just the same my mother answered me anyway.

  "I invited Michael to come along, dear. He heard I was coming to see you to celebrate your college graduation, and he has friends in the city he wanted to see. I thought dinner tonight would be a great time for you two to get to know each other better. After all, you are coming back to Silver Falls with me now that you have finished school, and Michael just opened his chiropractic clinic there. Won't it be great to know someone in town already?" She patted her hair and primped in the mirror over the sink. Mom even took a moment to reapply her lipstick, even though I couldn't tell the difference after she finished. Her makeup was always flawless. "I've already put my luggage in the room next door. Are you ready to go eat?"

  As usual, when my mother was around, I was speechless. Michael, however, seemed to think this was an entirely reasonable situation, and he jumped right in.

  "You are younger than I thought you would be. I mean, I know you just finished your degree, but your mom says you majored in library science. I guess I just thought librarians were born old, you know? You kind of have that whole sexy librarian look going on." He stepped closer and winked as he spoke.

  Again, what the hell? I took a moment to gather my thoughts, and to choose my words with care. He was so inappropriate, and my mother didn't seem even to notice his comments.

  I looked at him with a blank expression on my face. He was a nice looking man, I guess. Average height and good hair. Dressed neatly. He didn't look like the loser he was. He was the type of guy I could be interested in, at least until he opened his mouth. I had no idea why he complained about my heels. At five feet four inches, even in heels, I wasn't very tall.

  "It's good to meet you, Michael. Again." I honestly didn't remember him at all, and it didn't appear that I had missed much.

  Flustered, I pushed on, turning to my mom. "I'm glad to see you, mom."

  She beamed. "Let's go eat. However, first I need to return a few calls." She was a very successful real estate agent, and a workaholic. She had been a hard worker my entire life. Even so, I smelled a rat. "Why don't the two of you run ahead, and I will catch up to you later?"

  Bingo. She was setting me up with Michael, even though he was an apparent inappropriate asshole. My stomach lurched with a sudden onset of nerves. I wanted to protest, but somehow I was never able to find the right words to squirm out of her control without looking like a jerk. I didn't think it would be socially acceptable to blurt out that I didn't want to be pushed into a blind date with a man my mom had found for me.

  MICHAEL AND I WENT down to the hotel restaurant. We asked for a table for three, but for now it was just the two of us. I was optimistic my mother was coming, until the texts started arriving.

  My mom texted first. “Be there soon. Just need to make these calls.”

  My reply was short and to the point. “Hurry, plz. This is awkward. I don’t know this guy at all, and I don’t think I want to know him.”

  “Sorry, Michael. I’m just checking on my mother.” I smiled a small, reserved smile and placed my phone next to my silverware.

  I made an effort to interact with Michael, but the conversation was flat.

  “...so that’s when I bought my Mercedes, but I’m wondering if I should trade it in on a Tesla. I like the red ones. That paint color costs a little extra, but it’s so worth it. Sexy.”

  What? I hadn’t been listening to him. So far, all he had to contribute to the conversation was a running list of all his worldly possessions.

  I checked my phone again. No messages.

  I fired off a text with one hand. “Where are u???”

  “I’ll be there in a minute. Stop whining. And make an effort with Michael.”

  Two hours later, I was so very sorry I hadn't spoken up for myself and made other plans for my evening. Michael and I were still sitting at the dinner table, staring at each other. My mom was a no-show, and I was not at all surprised by her absence.

  Michael droned on and on. “I bought a townhouse about a month ago. It needed a complete remodel, so I’ve been keeping busy picking out granite countertops and flooring. I wanted a place that showed how successful I am. You know, I’m a doctor now, and my home needs to scream money. Otherwise, what’s the point of going to school all those years?”

  I had all but stopped replying to him. I didn’t even own a car. I could care less about his granite problems.

  I kept texting my mom.

  “Save me from this guy!!!!”

  Finally, I felt my phone vibrate on the table.

  “I’m swamped with work. Catch up with u tomorrow at breakfast.”

  She was ignoring my frantic "save me" texts.

  I was resentful of her for putting me in this situation. We were supposed to be spending time together as that was the point of this trip. I wasn't shocked, however. My mom and I had never had much in common. After my dad left when I was a baby, my mom had to work hard to support us. She went back to school and got her real estate license, and then threw herself into her work. I admired her so much for raising me on her own with no support, but as I got older, I sometimes thought she worked extra hours just to avoid me, not for any financial gains.

  My mom had always taken good care of me. I was fed, clothed, housed, and educated. I worked a part-time job in high school so that I could afford little extras, not because my mom didn't provide for me. We didn't fight, and she didn't have crazy, restrictive rules f
or my upbringing. However, she was never really interested in me or what I was doing. I was invisible to her. Oh, sure, she showed up for my dance recitals or awards ceremonies at school, but she was the parent whose eyes were on her phone, not on her daughter. Business came first. Always.

  So, now I was stuck at this dinner table with some man I didn't know, and my mother was conspicuously absent. Michael and I tried to keep the conversation going but there were frequent awkward silences, and there was zero chemistry between us. Not that he had noticed. He stared at my boobs at least six different times, and he continued to drop hints about all the things we would do together once I returned to Silver Falls, including some not so seductive sexual innuendoes.

  “You will like what I’ve done with the master bedroom. I bought a king-sized bed, and some really expensive silk sheets. I can’t wait to see what your hair looks like spread across those sheets.” Michael leaned forward as he spoke and rested his clammy hand over mine. I drew back, repulsed.

  Not likely, I thought. I would never be so desperate for a man that Michael would start looking good to me.

  “Are you kidding me? Do these pickup lines ever work for you?” I was proud of myself for expressing my thoughts. Michael was ridiculous.

  How could I make a graceful exit? I hadn't even really eaten anything. I was thinking of grabbing something from the taco place next door, and taking a walk so I could see a little of the city. Anything would be better than this.

  He ignored my rebuff. "You look like your back hurts. Let me give you a massage and take care of that for you."

  Startled, I sat up straight and looked at Michael. He had said some outrageous things during this dinner, but I had ignored them. But now he wanted to actually put his hands on me?