"Stop thinking about them," Trev murmured.

Her eyes popped open. "How did you-?"

"If you saw the expression on your face you'd know." He exhaled a soft breath in her ear, causing her to shiver. "It's just us here. Stasi and Trev. Wizard and witch."

"Wizards and witches get along like cats and dogs. They're oil and water." She smiled under his feather-light touch, and inhaled the faint essence that was a combination of his after-shave and the musky scent of his skin. She knew the former was expensive, but when coupled with the latter she was convinced the scent was priceless.

"Then it's time we throw that old wives' tale out the window and prove them wrong. I can't get enough of your taste." He proved it by trailing his tongue down her neck. He unb.u.t.toned her jacket and opened it to reveal the dark lavender lace camisole she wore with a matching bra underneath. His fingers brushed against her skin as he touched the pearl that rested in her shadowy cleavage. The orb took on a warm glow from his touch. "Between this pearl and the bit of lace that teased me all evening I could have eaten cardboard and not cared." He rested his hand against her chest just under her left breast then moved upward to cup the plump flesh, his thumb teasing her nipple to a point. She hissed in response and closed her eyes to better savor his magickal touch.

By no means was Stasi a virgin, but she had never before felt what she felt merely from Trev's light touch setting her skin on fire.

She felt his mouth skim over her smile.

"Open your eyes, Anastasia."

She lifted her heavy lids and looked into a never-ending sea of blue.

A mere thought had his shirt b.u.t.tons flying through the air.

Trev barked a laugh as the b.u.t.tons formed a circle and spun merrily around the room.

"Vixen," he teased, leaning in to kiss her deeply.

Stasi's mouth parted under his and she felt the whirlpool of emotions escalate as he swept her up in an embrace full of pa.s.sion and desire.

Chapter Nine.

The knock at the door seemed to boom throughout the room.

"d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n," Trev muttered, lifting his head. "Someone's timing is very very wrong."

Stasi stifled her giggle-he didn't seem to appreciate the humor in the situation. "I think our souffle is here."

He stood up, looking down at his b.u.t.tonless shirt that gaped open even though it was still neatly tucked into his slacks. He pointed his finger at her. "Don't go away."

She held up her hands and this time couldn't hold back her laughter. "I'm not moving a muscle."

Stasi watched Trev do what he did best as he ushered the server in and out with remarkable velocity. The man was sent on his way in no time with a sizable tip.

Stasi looked slowly from Trev, for whom she had a strong desire, to the souffle, for which she now didn't. She'd never hear the end of it if her friends knew she was willing to pa.s.s up chocolate, even if it was for a very s.e.xy man.

She enjoyed looking at Trev, especially with his shirt open showing his bare chest. He was muscular and didn't look like a man who sat behind a desk all day. She swore he glowed like the sun.

"What a shame," she murmured with a tilt of the lips.

Trev tensed, looking like a man who was ready to hear bad news, as in, she'd changed her mind and wanted to go home.

"What's a shame?"

She stood up and reached down to pull her lace camisole up and off. A lace and silk bra of the palest lavender highlighted her pale skin. "That the souffle will have to grow cold." She walked into the bedroom and began carefully folding down the comforter. "I don't think the hotel would be happy with me if I dabbed it here and there on you."

Trev was floored, but for once he refused to be cautious. He looked at the woman who'd bewitched him, and wondered if it wasn't more than a pun. He wasted no time following her scantily clad form.

Stasi had not quite finished folding the comforter down to the end of the bed before Trev gripped her arms, spun her around, and lowered them both to the sheets.

He knelt on one knee as his mouth started in the hollow of her throat and continued down to the lace edge of her bra.

"Warm, scented sweet and spicy at the same time," he murmured, tonguing a path along the lace.

"Calvin Klein's Euphoria," she said automatically, finding her senses more than a little muddled.

In a twinkling Stasi found her bra gone and cool air bathed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s before Trev lowered his head and his mouth warmed them. But she wanted more.

"You're wearing too many clothes." She pulled at his shirttails, tugging them out of his trousers, and then pushed his shirt off his shoulders and reached for his belt. Soon she'd edged his slacks down enough that he was able to kick them off. She got a nice glimpse of the tanned long limbs of a swimmer before Trev moved in.

"Now you are." He returned the favor and whisked her pants off, murmuring his approval of the matching lace bikini panties with tiny bows on each hip. "I approve your choice in lingerie."

"La Perla never goes wrong." Her laughter was cut short as he began trailing kisses down the center of her breastbone, making sure to veer off to drop a kiss on each of her nipples, which immediately peaked under his attention.

"You take my breath away," Trev muttered, leaving a kiss in her navel before moving further down.

"Oh my-!" Stasi was positive all the air was pushed out of her lungs as Trev gazed on her pink plump inner lips sparkling with moisture, and she gasped when he placed his mouth there and suckled gently.

"Hic!" Stasi was caught up in the s.e.xual cyclone, and her hiccups were coming fast and furious as Trev created a suction that she was convinced turned her body into a firecracker.

She tore at the covers and scrambled to reach his shoulders as he continued the pleasurable kiss that sent her spiraling.

"Trev!" she moaned, feeling the tightness in her body increase until she thought she would fly apart. "Hic!" Another iridescent bubble joined its friends floating through the air above them. Pretty soon the ceiling was covered with them.

He drew back just enough that she felt his absence before he leaned in and kissed her again.

"I can't-!"

"You can." And then he hummed against her c.l.i.t and sent her spinning over like a top. At the same moment he felt her muscles pulse and clench in o.r.g.a.s.m, he drew up and buried himself deeply within her.

Stasi immediately linked her legs around his hips and arched up, inviting more. Trev was only too happy to give her all he had.

When she looked up into his face at the moment her second o.r.g.a.s.m came, she saw in those blue eyes a look she knew she would never forget. And if she didn't know better she'd have sworn the red hearts winked at her.

"Stasi!" Trev's cry was drawn out as he arched upward then down.

Stasi watched the play of emotions cross his face and wondered how she'd ever lived without him.

But she hadn't known him very long and although she thought she should remind herself that witches and wizards don't mix, she only knew that they seemed to be mixing very well right now.

And now she saw her downfall in one man's face. If she thought she was in trouble before, now she knew she was, because it would be much too easy to fall in love with the wizard who had shown up with the intention of destroying the life she'd worked so hard to create. But she knew she had it within her to fight back and she would do just that.

How did my life get this complicated? she mused, just before all other thoughts were swallowed up by the pa.s.sion that flared between them once again.

Stasi couldn't stop smiling. She started to lift her hand but allowed it to drop back down onto the sheet.

"I can't move." She closed her eyes, content to let the lethargy roll over her. She hadn't just had s.e.x, she'd had awesome s.e.x. The kind she read about in romance novels.

"I agree." Trev rolled over and pulled her into his arms. He somehow managed to pull the covers up over them as he moved them up to the head of the bed. He half sat up with his back against the headboard and gently cradled her in his arms.

She draped her arms over his, enjoying the embrace that, to her, meant more than s.e.x. Most men didn't like to cuddle and cuddling was something she liked.

She kept her eyes closed because she feared if she opened them she'd discover it was all nothing more than an erotic dream and she'd be in her own bed ... alone.

When Stasi did open her eyes, they widened to the size of saucers as she looked up at the ceiling-it was filled with iridescent bubbles like many delightful tiny balloons that bobbed throughout the room.

"Oh no! Hic!" Another bubble floated upward and joined the rest. "Don't laugh!" She twisted around and pounded on his chest, but it only caused Trev to laugh harder.

"I've never seen anyone hiccup bubbles before." He barely managed to contain his mirth. "This is very cute."

"It's horrible." She deliberately plopped back against him as dead weight. She was satisfied to hear a groan.

Trev wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from doing it again.

"The lady needs her treat. Bring it warm. Bring it neat, I so beseech," he called out, snapping his fingers. Another snap of his fingers had Vivaldi playing softly in the background.

Stasi purred as the scent of warm chocolate reached her nostrils and a dish appeared in front of her.

"Milady." Trev reached around her, dipped a spoon into the warm chocolate souffle, and brought it to Stasi's lips. She moaned with delight then took the spoon from his fingers and fed him the next bite.

They shared the dessert along with more champagne.

But the souffle paled in contrast to the more than magickal night Trev gave Stasi. By the time they left his room, the bedroom was filled with bubbles. Stasi's lips were swollen and her face a bright pink as she thought of all they'd done.

"I have never hiccupped that much in my life," Stasi groused, as Trev helped her into his car. "You should have allowed me to get rid of them."

"No way. I'd rather see the maid's reaction when she comes in tomorrow morning." He picked up her hand and kissed her fingertips.

Once they reached Moonstone Lake, Stasi felt an odd shyness overtake her. She looked out and noticed Fergus standing by a building. She'd noticed him there when she and Trev drove out of town. For the ghost to still be there, something had to have happened. When he saw her, she gave him a bare nod and mouthed the word later.

"Thank you for dinner," she whispered as he helped her out of his car. She smiled. "And dessert."

He followed the line of her cheek with his fingertips. "I want you again. I don't want to let you go. I want to tuck you back into my car and drive us back to the hotel. I'll order up another chocolate souffle."

She looked down at the ground. "Part of me feels as if we've been too hasty in making love. That we should have waited. Especially with all that's going on. Part of me is happy we didn't wait."

"Then listen to the latter. That's where the truth lies." His kiss followed his fingers' path.

Stasi went up the stairs, aware of Trev's heated gaze on her back. She touched the doork.n.o.b and whispered a word that allowed the lock to disengage. She knew their wards kept them safer than any dead bolt.

"I knew it!" Blair was wrapped in fleece pajamas and fuzzy slippers, lounging in a chair at the table, coffee in one hand and the local newspaper in the other. The Border collie was stretched out on the floor beside her. She huffed out a breath. "It's so unfair! You had s.e.x and all I had in my bed was that dog."

Stasi looked at the dog who appeared to roll his eyes then utter a low snarl at Blair.

"How is s.e.x with a wizard?" Blair asked. "Tell all. I'll hate you later because it was obviously great, but I still want to hear all the details."

Stasi's smile only grew broader. That way she didn't need to say a word. Her facial expression and blush was more than enough.

Blair threw up her hands. "I really hate you."

Chapter Ten.

"You could have lied and told me he was lousy, so I'd feel better," Blair grumbled.

"I didn't tell you a thing." Stasi concentrated on brewing herself a cup of tea and bringing it to the table. The dog got up long enough for her to pat him on the head, then he returned to his spot by Blair's feet.

"I know you didn't, but you didn't have to. The look on your face when you came in was enough, and the red hearts are positively glowing." She made gagging sounds. "I hate you. I'm stuck with my dolphin vibrator while you're getting the real thing."

The dog suddenly sat up on his haunches and barked.

"Quiet you, besides, you're not my type," Blair told him. "I like my guys with a lot less fur. Trust me, I've known guys who could double as a dog. No thanks."

"Then do something about it," Stasi urged her. "Walk up to Jake and jump his bones. You've wanted to do that anyway, for how long? So just plain do it. Give the man a thrill. You said you want him to add some shelves to that one corner in the shop, so when he's there drag him into the back and have your way with him." She stirred her tea, the spoon continued swirling through the ginger-scented liquid even after she lifted her hand. She toyed with the creamy pearl ring on her right ring finger. The gold warmed under her touch, and the pearl shone with an unearthly glow.

"He always backs off," Blair grumbled. "I'm positive he's interested, but anytime I start to act on what I feel he practically heads for the hills. Besides," she leaned forward across the table, "I'd rather hear about your evening."

"Expensive wine, Chateaubriand for two, and we had their chocolate souffle for dessert." She smiled at the memory of how that second souffle was consumed. Especially the spoonfuls Trev had placed on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s then licked off. Naturally, she had returned the favor.

"h.e.l.lo!" Blair snapped her fingers in front of her. "Fine, you're going to sit there and glow and let your hearts dance in a conga line." She stood up and whisked her coffee cup and plate to the sink. "I'm going to bed ... alone," she stressed to the dog, who'd risen to his feet when she got up. "You snore and shed. We won't even talk about those nasty farts you let loose every so often. At least Bogie doesn't do that."

Stasi couldn't help it. The laughter spilled out of her lips before she could stop it.

Blair glared at her as if she wanted to zap her but good. Instead, she muttered a few words about "friends who won't share" and "wait until I have out-of-this-world, screaming-my-lungs-out s.e.x and I won't give you all the details." The dog promptly dropped flat and covered his eyes with his paws.

Blair didn't quite slam her bedroom door, but it was closed with a finality that stated she was miffed with her best friend. Stasi smiled-she knew Blair would be over it by morning.

She slipped off her jacket and mentally reheated her tea, deciding she'd sit there for a while and enjoy the quiet.