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  So, with a spring in his step, he headed to the shower. In his impatience to see Abby again, he rushed, towel-drying quickly before tugging on a pair of well-worn jeans and a black sweater. He shoved his wallet in his back pocket and condoms in his front pocket, then grabbed his keys and left his house, crossing the lawn to ring Abby’s doorbell.

  He rang twice before she answered. The door swung inward, and he found himself catching the jamb for support when he saw her. The lithe body he adored was wrapped up in a thick white robe, and her hair was piled on top of her head in a matching white towel. She blew him away.

  “Hi,” he said, grinning like an idiot and not caring.

  “Hi.”

  Warning bells went off, and he took a deep breath, trying to figure out why she sounded and looked so distant. “Can I come in?”

  Her small hand fidgeted at her lapels. “I haven’t cleaned up yet,” she said in a small voice. “The place isn’t fit for company.”

  Shane frowned. “Well, lucky for me, I’m not company.” He straightened and set his hands at her waist, backing her into the house and kicking the door closed behind him.

  “Shane…”

  He did what he’d wanted to do since he woke up, he kissed her, holding her face still and tilted upward so he could lick deep inside the velvety softness of her mouth. His eyes slid closed on a low groan, and he rested his forehead against hers. “I wish you’d been there when I woke up. We could have showered together.”

  “Shane.” Her small hands came up to circle his wrists. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “I know exactly what I’m doing,” he said gruffly, pulling back to look at her red-rimmed eyes. At first he thought it was because of the costume makeup she’d worn the night before. Now, he strongly suspected she’d been crying, which is not what a guy wanted to see after a night of hot sex. “It’s what you’re doing that has me confused.”

  She gave a shaky exhale and tried to step back. He wouldn’t let her. “You’re sweet, Shane, but this is unnecessary. I’m letting you off the hook.”

  Arching a brow, he said dryly, “I like being hooked.”

  “Listen. Just go home. In a few hours, you’ll look back at all this and wonder what the hell you were thinking.”

  “Damn straight. I’ll be wondering why the hell I left when all I want is to be with you.” Linking their hands together, he tugged her into the living room and sat, pulling her into his lap. Her robe parted and bared silky smooth legs. He rubbed them compulsively, unable to resist the urge to touch. “What’s going on?”

  She was silent for so long, he began to wonder if she was going to say anything. Then she started talking. Conjure, the magic shop. A flyer. Cat’s paw. Created a spell. She took it home by accident. She recited it, he fell under it, and all the toe-curling sex that came after it was a bit of magical mayhem.

  “Okay”—he ran a hand through his hair—“you’re saying sleeping with me is your darkest desire, so we’ll hang on to that part. The rest of it is just nuts, so we’ll toss that out.”

  “Shane.” She sighed.

  “Be serious, Abby. You find it easier to believe that I was under some Halloween curse…spell…whatever, than to believe that I have a genuine interest in you? All because of this bizarre story told to you by a lady who owns a magic gag gift shop?”

  Abby winced. “Sounds crazy, I know, and I’m not a believer in the occult, but you’ve never been interested in me before now. It’s either we have no explanation for your behavior, or we have her spell.”

  “Bullshit.” He smiled grimly when her eyes widened at his language. “I’ve had the hots for you for months. From the day you bought your house, actually. I really liked how excited you were about moving, and I admired the guts it took to pack up and move across the country by yourself.

  “I watched how easily you made friends and how much you enjoy life. You’re fun, Abby. You’re fun to be around, fun to talk to, but you’re not frivolous. You’ve got your head on straight. And I worship your ass. You’ve got the best damn ass I’ve ever seen.”

  Shane watched the blush that spread across her pale cheeks. “Problem was, you never showed any romantic interest in me. So I tried to let it go. I kept dating as usual and waited for that initial kick in the gut I felt when I met you to fade into neighborly interest.”

  He sank deeper into the couch and held her gaze. “But it didn’t fade. When I started thinking about you while spending time with someone else, I gave up. It wasn’t fair to them to be a replacement for you, and it wasn’t fair to me. I stopped dating almost two months ago.”

  “I didn’t notice.” She wiped at her wet eyes. “I guess I was too busy trying not to get caught ogling you again.”

  “Apparently you didn’t notice how I started coming around your house more often either. I kept hoping that if you got to know me, you might become interested.”

  Abby reached up and tugged the towel off her head, releasing her wet hair. She held the damp cloth in her lap and stared down at it, picking restlessly at the tiny loops of cotton. “I’ve been interested,” she whispered.

  “I see that now.” He caught her chin and forced her to look at him. “You wouldn’t be crying over a one-night stand. And you wouldn’t have been the way you were with me last night. That was incredible.”

  Her mouth curved in a faint smile, and he stroked her lush bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. His hand moved on, cupping the back of her neck and drawing her close for a kiss. Licking the seam of her lips, he murmured, “This is real, Abby. As real as it gets.”

  Twisting, Shane stretched out on his back and urged her to straddle him. He tugged open her belt and spread the edges of her robe wide, exposing perfect breasts, a taut tummy, and carefully trimmed curls between her legs. Catching her hand, he pushed it beneath his sweater to rest over his madly racing heart. “Feel that? That’s you. That’s what you’ve been doing to me since I met you.”

  Abby stared down at the male perfection sprawled between her legs and tried to convince herself that this was actually happening. “What made you decide to go for it last night?”

  Shane smiled up at her, slow and easy, his dark eyes so hot they made her skin mist with sweat. “Baby, you started talking about wanting all-night sex, and I was there. Ready and willing. Dragging women to my cave by their hair has never been my style, but blaming it on a magic spell…?” He arched a skeptical brow. “I’m more inclined to think it was just a poor guy being driven crazy by the woman he’s wanted for way too long.”

  Her hand slipped lower and teased his nipple. He sucked in his breath sharply.

  “I kinda liked the caveman thing,” she purred.

  His grin was wicked. “I noticed. You bring it out in me. Only you. I should be tapped out after last night, but”—he rocked upward, pressing the swell of his aroused cock into her bare pussy—“you do it to me.”

  Abby unfastened his jeans, then the little button on his boxers, adjusting the hole so his big cock thrust upward out of it. With a shrug of her shoulders, she lost the robe, reaching behind her to shove it to the floor. Never in her life had she been this confident naked, but then never in her life had Shane Markham told her that she turned him on like no one else could.

  “Oh yeah,” he groaned, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a row of six attached condoms. “Ride me while you’re naked, and I’m fully dressed. That’s hot.”

  She laughed as he tore into a foil wrapper and sheathed himself with flattering haste. “You’re awfully prepared.”

  He stilled, staring up at her with unmistakable intensity. “Because I was coming to see my girlfriend. She’s stocked up, but I’ve found I’m wild for her. I don’t want to miss any opportunity when she might be willing.”

  Bending at the waist, Abby kissed him, her heart melting as he kissed her back with reverent tenderness, his big hands cupping her spine and holding her close.

  “I’ll always be willing,” she whispered, shivering
as he reached between her legs and made her wet with desire. Then she gasped and moaned, relishing the feel of him slipping inside her.

  “I’m bewitched,” he said hoarsely, as she lifted and lowered with agonizing slowness, torturing them both. “Enchanted. Whatever. I’m a goner. But it’s not a damn spell. It’s all you.”

  “All me.”

  “And you’re all mine.”

  “All yours.”

  “And you can have all my nights.” His eyes shone with deep affection that she believed was absolutely real. “Use them as you will.”

  She whimpered as he held her hips and pumped upward into her with a perfect stroke. “Magic,” she breathed.

  Shane nuzzled his face between her breasts. “You and me.”

  Epilogue

  Six months later…

  “WOW, LOOK AT THAT ROCK.” KAYLA WHISTLED. “ANOTHER ‘Most Eligible Bachelor’ bites the dust. Lucky girl.”

  Abby smiled with contentment and admired her two-and-a-half-carat diamond engagement ring for the millionth time.

  “Hey, Lucky Girl,” Sarah called out, laughing.

  Turning to face one of her store managers, Abby tossed an arm around Kayla’s shoulder, and whispered, “Thanks for the costume, by the way.”

  “Told you,” Kayla gloated with a good-natured wink.

  “You don’t mind if I take some of this cake home with me, do you?” Sarah asked. “This cream cheese filling is divine.”

  “Lord, please do,” Abby muttered, leaving Kayla’s side to hunt down disposable containers. “I love you guys for this girls-only engagement party, but if that cake stays in this house, I won’t fit into my grandmother’s wedding gown.”

  She set out a stack of plasticware. Everyone helped themselves, and Abby was relieved to see that only a paperback-sized piece of the massive cake remained.

  Later, she stood on her porch and waved good-bye to the nearly two dozen girlfriends who’d shown up unannounced a few hours before. As the last car drove away with a friendly beep of the horn, Shane stepped out of his house and joined her, setting his hand at the small of her back and escorting her back into the kitchen.

  “You knew,” Abby said as she started to put the cake away.

  “I knew,” Shane agreed, looking sinfully delicious in casual blue jeans and a white cotton T-shirt. He stuck his finger in the frosting.

  “Hey!”

  He smeared the creaminess in the cleavage displayed by her halter top.

  “Shane!” She laughed, a joyful sound that turned into a moan as he caught her around the waist and began licking up his mess.

  “Yummy,” he purred, collecting the container and lacing his fingers with hers.

  Abby’s eyes widened as he pulled her toward the bedroom. “What are you doing?”

  He tossed her a heated glance over his shoulder. “I’m going to smear this all over your body and lick you clean.”

  She shivered in instant sexual awareness. “You’re channeling the caveman again, aren’t you?” she said breathlessly, carnal anticipation heating her blood.

  “You betcha.”

  “I love the caveman.”

  “I love you.”

  Abby smiled. Magic.

  Sarah Manning stepped into her cozy apartment and blew the windblown strands of blond hair out of her face. She shut her front door with a bump of her hip.

  “Hi, Petey,” she greeted, smiling as her calico cat purred in welcome and wrapped lovingly around her legs. “Why can’t all men be like you, huh? Sweet, attentive, but hot, like Shane Markham.”

  She laughed softly. She didn’t carry a torch for Shane, but she was a red-blooded woman and knew a hunk when she saw one. “Hang on. Let me put this stuff down, and I’ll pet you.”

  Walking into her small galley kitchen, Sarah set her bags on the tile counter. She pulled out the plastic container filled with cake, and turned to put it in the fridge.

  It was then that the paper stuck to the bottom caught her eye. Curious, Sarah pulled it free and opened the folds to read the contents.

  “Stamina of four, huh?” She snorted. “I wish. Bring it on.” She tossed the note in her junk drawer and picked up the cake. She paused before the fridge, then said to hell with it and got a fork.

  “In lieu of hot male with endless stamina, the cake will have to do.”

  Petey flicked his tail dismissively. She laughed and followed him into the living room. “Sad replacement, I agree.”

  About the Authors

  CATHRYN FOX

  A former government Financial Officer, Cathryn graduated from university with a Bachelor of Business degree, majoring in accounting and economics. She lives in Eastern Canada with her husband, two kids, and crazy chocolate Labrador Retriever. Shortly into her career Cathryn quickly figured out the corporate life wasn’t for her. Needing an outlet for her creative energy, Cathryn turned in her briefcase and calculator and began writing erotic romance full time. Cathryn enjoys writing dark paranormals and humorous contemporaries. When Cathryn isn’t writing you can find her reading, relaxing with her family or watching a big action flick.

  SYLVIA DAY

  A wife and mother of two from Southern California, she is a former Russian linguist for the U.S. Army Military Intelligence. Her stories have been called “wonderful and passionate” by WNBC.com and “wickedly entertaining” by Booklist, and frequently garner Reader’s Choice and Reviewer’s Choice accolades. Her work has also been named a finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s RITA® Award of Excellence.

  Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  MAGIC AND MAYHEM. Copyright © 2007 by Cathryn Fox and Sylvia Day. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

  Microsoft Reader July 2007 ISBN 978-0-06-147397-5

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