Page 73 of Witchful Thinking

“My perfect investor might come in. I might be one plate away from making my wish real.” Sirena gave her a pointed stare. “Wishes don’t come true if you’re standing still.”

“Don’t remind me,” Lucy grumbled into her cup, then took a long sip.

“I’m already late.” Sirena blew her a kiss. “Save me a plate.”

Lucy nodded in agreement as Sirena rushed out of the backyard.

She’d fumbled her way through her wishes over the summer, but one wish had led to more problems. The cakewalk had led to social invitations to hangouts, read tea leaves, and get up to magical mayhem.

The Delectables, Poe’s home-bakers’ social group, was a collection of witches, wizards, and other enchanting folks who loved their brown sugar and baking delicious treats. They’d welcomed Lucy with open arms and put her to work when she joined them for their blueberry pie baking session. For their next project, the Delectables were hoping to win a visit from a famous food truck traveling around the country handing out cupcakes.

If she was real with herself, this exciting life was becoming a little exhausting.

A certain merman is keeping you up at night.

As if stepping out of her thoughts, Alex strolled into the backyard through the gate. He wore a light-blue linen shirt that fit over his sinewy body and brown khakis that encased his muscular, toned legs. She watched him scan the backyard then find her. A spark of an indefinable emotion flickered in those hazel-brown eyes, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. His gaze went over her body with the gentle, surprising caress of a summer breeze. She held her cup tightly against her chest as eagerness rushed through her blood. What was in this cup? He approached her.

“Sorry I’m late. I was waiting for a delivery.” He leaned in. “Your wallpaper came in early.”

“Keep talking dirty to me.”

“Do you need a refill?”

“Sure. I’ll have an iced tea.”

“Of course.”

A sudden crush of people and laughter from Aunt Niesha at the card table caused her to step closer to Alex. She found herself taking in his profile as he wordlessly refilled her drink. Today there were touches of his shimmery scales around his eyebrows, highlighting his eyes. Remembering what he said about his scales and ocean water, she decided to ask a few questions.

“You went swimming this morning.”

Alex shook his head. “The ocean was calling me. I assume you got in a run.”

“I did a few laps around the neighborhood. I just want to finish this 10K race without embarrassing myself.”

“You’ll get it. The first mile is always the hardest.”

“Why am I not surprised that you run?”

“I have to do something for leg day.”

Her attention focused on his legs. Some people had a thing for asses. Lucy had a thing for legs. His dress khakis were tailored to his thick thighs, showing off his impressive physique. Those thighs begged to be straddled morning, noon, and night by a willing and able volunteer. She’d been pleased to do the job. The tingle of want inside her was neither unpleasant nor welcomed. Sure, it was fun to let her imagination run away with the idea of Alex, but lately she’d toyed with the belief that he’d stay for good this time. As Alex handed back her cup, their fingers brushed. She took the drink with a murmured thanks and angled toward him, tilting her face upward.

“How’s the wish thing?”

Lucy made an annoyed zombielike noise. Alex groaned sympathetically. “It’s that bad?”

“More wishes, more problems.”

“What do you keep wishing for?”

I keep wishing that you’d stay.

Lucy leaned in close, brushing up against his shoulder so that only he could hear her. “I need someone to tend to my secret garden.”

Alex moved back and studied her face. “Okay.” His voice took on an inviting timbre that she felt in her stomach. “Keep going and don’t spare any details.”

Mermen are a trip. Lucy playfully slapped his arm. “Get your mind out of the dirt.”

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