Magic & Mayhem

Chapter 1

OCTOBER 31

“COME ON, BRIANNA, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.”

Brianna James angled her head and shot her best friend Kayla Pierce a sidelong glance. Not only was Kayla her closest friend, she was also her most valued employee. With her marketing background and merchandising skills, Kayla had helped increase sales and profits at Conjure, Brianna’s very own magic boutique centrally located in the quaint little town of Wilkins, Massachusetts.

Keeping a telltale grin from her face, Brianna folded her arms in defiance, and replied with casual nonchalance, “Who says I want to?”

Kayla refilled the crystal decanter with jasmine incense and then leaned into Brianna. She arched one brow, pursed her full lips, and whispered in a low, sultry tone, “You do, with your eyes and your body.”

Well, she certainly had her with that, Brianna mused, noting with dismay how easily her friend could read her. Once again Brianna stole a glance at the guy meandering through her magic boutique. Okay, so there was no denying she wanted to gobble him up like a scrumptious Halloween treat. But good God, did Kayla so blatantly have to point it out?

Brianna’s lascivious gaze swept the length of his long, muscular torso. Her body reacted to the gorgeous specimen before her, tingling and warming in her most private places. Even the short blond hairs at the nape of her neck bristled in erotic delight. Squirming on her stool, Brianna ran her damp palms over her jeans and resisted the urge to lick her freshly painted lips. Obviously, it had been far too long since she’d sampled anything so fine.

Every few minutes Mr. Sexy Adonis would cast her a suggestive look. One that said he was less interested in the Halloween costumes, magical charms, and novelties in the showroom and more interested in the merchandise behind the glass counter. Despite the sexual sparks between them, Brianna smoothed the hem on her navy knit sweater and averted her gaze, taking care not to send out the wrong signals.

Kayla’s sharp intake of air gained her attention. Brianna twisted sideways to watch her friend’s hazel eyes light with excitement. “Why don’t you invite him to Abby’s Halloween bash tonight?”

Brianna grabbed the book of spells from under the desk, dropped it onto the counter with a clunk, and absentmindedly fingered the aged, yellow pages. She rolled one shoulder casually. “Because I’m not going, I have work to do. Inventory is next week, and I want to get a head start.”

“Come on Brianna, it’s Halloween, and…” she said, stretching that one word out, “it’s your birthday. Double the reason to celebrate.” Kayla got quiet for a moment, crinkled her cute little nose, and added, “Is it because you don’t have a date?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Instead she waved her hand toward the showroom, and said, “If it is, then ask him-” She stopped midsentence when she spotted Mr. Sexy Adonis exiting the store.

Brianna gave a resigned sigh. Even though Kayla was her closest friend, Kayla had no idea what or who Brianna really was. Which was the main reason why Brianna had given up dating in the first place. After the last fiasco, when her date had nearly discovered she had special powers, Brianna wasn’t about to risk having her true identity revealed. Fortunately for her, the night she had misused her magic, her date had been drinking heavily, thus enabling her to pass her slip-up on his inebriation.

She hadn’t meant to cast a spell on that bimbo and give her lopsided boobs. Really, she hadn’t. It was just that sometimes her temper got the better of her. And honestly, that slut shouldn’t have been all over Brianna’s date in the first place. Council had nearly had her ass for that one. And messing with Council’s stringent rules was something she’d rather avoid.

She shivered and linked her fingers together as her thoughts wandered to the legend of Xander. Apparently, decades ago, Xander, the bad boy of all bad boys, had used his magic for his own personal gain, not the betterment of mankind. His misuse had landed him in a heap of trouble. To teach him a lesson, Council had cast its own spell on him and transformed him into a pussycat…meow. Brianna cringed. She had no desire to roam the earth for centuries as any type of animal, never to be heard from again.

Speaking of animals, her pet cat Max jumped on the counter and rubbed up against her. “Hey, Max,” she cooed, stroking his silky black fur. She’d found the little guy just over a year ago, hanging around outside her shop. She’d taken him in, and they’d been best buds ever since. Unlike all the other males in her life, Max was always there for her, on the coldest of days and the loneliest of nights. He was there to comfort her and keep her warm. Truth be told, she’d shared all her secrets and heart’s desires with him, things she never felt comfortable telling anyone else. Although Kayla was her closest friend, the fact that Brianna was a witch forced her to keep a modicum of distance. So when it really came down to it, she’d have to call Max her very best friend.

Max stretched out his paws and swatted at an imaginary object. A moment later, he circled around the book of spells. Brianna narrowed her eyes in concern, assessing him, noting that he’d been acting odd all day. Perhaps it had something to do with the full moon. On Halloween. On her birthday.

The three elements needed to conjure a new spell. Or so the legend says.

A shiver came out of nowhere and raced down her spine.

Pushing those thoughts to the far corners of her mind, she glanced out the store’s front window and watched Mr. Sexy Adonis weave his way through traffic and cross to the other side of the street. Of course, even if he had stuck around, she had no intention of asking him out.

A few months back it had occurred to her that she had very little control over her emotions or her wild temper. She figured the best way to keep her identity intact and avoid future disasters was to steer clear of men, especially those who got her panties in a twist. And that guy definitely got her panties in a twist. Anyway, since she’d begun stocking those cute little toys called The Magic Bullet, she saw no real need for the opposite sex anymore. Okay, so the bullets weren’t really magical per se, but boy oh boy, they sure did magical things to her body. One part in particular.

Kayla’s voice pulled her from her musings. “Hey, maybe there is a magical spell in that book of yours that can help you find a date. A man who will fulfill your deepest, darkest desires,” Kayla added, fingering the aged parchment paper with longing.

Brianna chuckled and kept her tone light. “I wish.” Fortunately, Kayla was oblivious to the fact that the weathered book before them was indeed the real thing. Otherwise, Brianna had no idea what kind of trouble her friend would get herself into. As it stood now, Kayla barely spared the book a glance, assuming it was merely a prop to authenticate the magic boutique.

Kayla drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her eyes glossed with desire. “Can you imagine if there was such a spell? I could finally fulfill my deepest, darkest desire to be a Kayla sandwich. Oh yeah, I can see it now, me sandwiched between two muscled, well-endowed hunks.” She shivered, almost violently. “Simply delicious.”

Brianna grinned at her friend’s antics and let her own mind stray. For a brief moment she wondered what it would be like to conjure a spell that would fulfill her deepest, darkest desires and bring forth the man destined to be her perfect lover. A man who knew what she wanted long before she did and knew how to give it to her. Over and over again. Heat rushed through her and moistened her panties. Before Brianna realized what she was doing, she found herself flipping through the pages like a junkie in need of a fix.

The bell over the door chimed and helped pull her from her musings.

Dear God, what the hell am I doing? Berating herself, she marshaled her thoughts and summoned what little control she had left.

“Abby,” Kayla shouted, and stepped out from behind the counter to greet her friend. “We were just talking about you.”

Abby finger combed her windblown ponytail and loosened the multicolored scarf around her neck. “You were?” she asked. Abby turned sideways and smiled at Brianna, her pretty blue eyes lighting up. “What’s up?”

Kayla piped in. “I was just telling Brianna that she should come to your party.”

Abby’s smile widened. “She absolutely should.” Abby reached into her bag and pulled out a flyer. She crossed the floor and handed it to Brianna. “Come, it will be fun.”

After they exchanged a few more pleasantries, Abby turned back to Kayla. “Now show me these costumes you were talking about.”

Brianna turned her attention to the inventory sheets before her, taking stock. For some unexplainable reason she found it hard to concentrate, something kept nagging at her, yet she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Max paced around the counter, restless. Then he did the strangest thing. Using his paw, he flipped open the book of spells, walked over the page, and purred louder.

Brianna gathered him into her arms and stroked his back. She glanced at the love spell that he’d flipped to. “Well, well, Max, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you and Kayla were in cahoots.” Of course the spell he’d flipped to wasn’t exactly what she needed. In fact, there was no such spell to match her wild imagination.

That doesn’t mean I couldn’t conjure one, especially now, with all the elements in place.

Brianna drew her bottom lip between her teeth. Naturally it’d be wrong, forbidden even, to write such a self-fulfilling spell. Even if it’d make one hell of a birthday present to herself.

Her glance went to the stack of Magic Bullets. She took an extra moment to consider things further. Okay, so maybe her little sex toy wasn’t as great as the real thing. And maybe she did crave the sensual feel of flesh on flesh, skin on skin. And maybe she could write a spell that would bring forth the perfect lover and have him disappear by midnight.

Oh God, I can’t really be considering something so scandalous, so forbidden. Can I?

It’s far too risky.

Far too inappropriate.

Far too tempting.

I’m going to do it.

Oh hell!

Before she could stop herself, she grabbed a pen and flipped open the book of spells, turning to a blank parchment page, where she jotted down an incantation.

Mystical, magical, mayhem, and more

Bring me a lover with the stamina of four.

A lover who’ll awaken my darkest desires

and last through one night stoking the fires.

Mystical, magical, mayhem, and more

Let the lover of my dreams walk through the door.

Once complete, she stood back and studied the words, knowing her incantation wouldn’t come true until she sprinkled it with cat’s claw. She took a moment of reprieve and did a quick consultation with her conscience.

Ah hell.

Shaking her head, she drew a deep breath and straightened her spine, her damn conscience overruling her salacious libido. Deep in her gut she knew she couldn’t go through with something so risky, no matter how deliciously tempting, no matter how fabulous a birthday present it would make.

Suddenly, out of nowhere Max pounced, knocking over a vial of cat’s claw, spilling it on the parchment paper.

Spilling it onto her incantation.

Oh boy!

Just then Kayla and Abby approached the counter. Flustered, Brianna ripped the page out and tucked it inside one of their store flyers, out of view. The bells over the door chimed and automatically drew her focus. Brianna glanced up in time to see a tall, dark-haired man exit the store. Strange. She hadn’t noticed him come in earlier. Pushing that thought to the recesses of her mind, she turned her attention to the crisis at hand.

God Max, what have you done?

Her pulse leapt in her throat. Perhaps it was just a legend and it wouldn’t come true, after all.

Then again, perhaps it would.

Her stomach knotted with equal measures of apprehension and excitement.

She scanned the store, searching for Max, but he was nowhere to be found. “Max? Where are you?” Brianna stepped out from behind the counter.

“I’ll ring in Abby’s purchase,” Kayla piped in, moving in to take Brianna’s place behind the register.

Brianna stepped out from behind the counter and perused the shop, hunting for her cat, hoping he hadn’t slipped out the door behind that tall, dark-haired man. Lately, Max seemed so restless, wandering off at will.

As she searched, that same tall, dark man lingered on the curb outside, drawing her attention. Oddly enough, as she angled her head for a better look, sparks shot through her body, and the fine hairs on the back of her neck began tingling in anticipation. Anticipation of what, she couldn’t be sure. Her palms grew moist, her pulse kicked up a notch.

The man twisted around to face her and shot her a panty-soaking smile. Her hormones rocketed to life like they never had before. His sensuous lips turned up over perfect white teeth, his strong athletic body beckoned hers. When his mesmerizing green eyes locked on hers, her breath caught on a gasp. Lust slammed into her, forcing her to bite down on her bottom lips to avoid a breathy moan. The heat and longing in his eyes licked over her flesh. Her skin grew tight with dark desire, and she began to ache, deep between her legs. Brianna squeezed her thighs together, hyperaware of the dampness pooling in her panties.

Oh God! Those eyes.

They were so familiar.

So. Hauntingly. Familiar.

Max?

Chapter 2

XANDER TORE HIS GAZE FROM THE SEXY WOMAN INSIDE THE magic boutique, a woman who’d been getting under his skin for the last year without even trying. She’d made him wild with the need to touch her, to taste her, and to feel her heat between his legs. He longed to anchor her body to his and gaze into her dark brown eyes. He longed to run his fingers through her honey blond hair and cover her mouth with his. But mostly he longed to bury himself in her silken sheath and make sweet passionate love to her all night long.

Soon, he promised himself. Soon.

He took a moment to stretch out his arms and legs, enjoying the way his long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans felt against his skin. After glancing up and down the street, orienting himself in his environment, he moved swiftly down the sidewalk. He loved the way the midday autumn sun warmed his face, loved the way the breeze bristled his hair, but what he loved the most was walking on two feet instead of four paws.

In an automatic gesture, he brought his hand to his mouth and licked, grooming himself. As his tongue connected with skin, not fur, a soft chuckle rose from the depths of his throat. That was definitely going to take some getting used to, especially after living in feline form for the last few decades.

Feline form.

He scoffed. Thanks to the spell Council had cast on him many moons ago.

Okay, so maybe he’d gotten a little out of control in the past, using his powers for personal gain and not for the betterment of mankind, and maybe he needed to be taught a lesson, but Jesus, roaming the earth as a real tomcat certainly seemed a bit excessive to him.

Now, thanks to Brianna, he was human again, and he had absolutely no intention of ever going back to walking on all furry fours.

Brianna. Sweet, temperamental Brianna.

Little did she know that her incantation to bring forth her perfect lover, one who knew her better than she knew herself, one who could fulfill her deepest darkest desires, would temporarily break the spell on him. Because he, and only he, fit that bill to a T.

Over the past year, not knowing who he really was, Brianna had whispered all her sinful little secrets to him. She’d murmured all the naughty, delicious things she’d like done to her, over and over again, and tonight he had every intention of fulfilling her fantasies until they were both sated and drained.

Should Brianna fall in love with him in the process, and kiss him, like she really meant it, before the stroke of midnight, before her dream lover was destined to disappear, then and only then would the feline spell be broken forever.

As Xander negotiated his way through the crowd, a bevy of flyers stapled to a post caught his eye. He stepped up to them. “Ah, yes the Halloween bash.” He grinned. The perfect setting to seduce his sweet Brianna and make all her dreams come true. The perfect setting to get her to kiss him.

Deeply.

Thoroughly.

He’d naturally have to keep his identity a secret until she’d fallen in love with him. He couldn’t risk Brianna’s discovering he was Xander, for fear that she’d heard the horrid legend. Horrid, but true. No doubt she’d keep her distance and assume he was sweet-talking her between the sheets in a bid to get her to fall for him, to kiss him, so he could go back to his rebel ways. She’d be mistaken, of course. After living with her for the last year, he now knew no other woman would ever compare.

Brianna James had changed his ways.

His grin turned wicked. She had no idea that when she conjured that forbidden spell, it would change the fate of her future. And his.

Forever.

Brianna pushed open the heavy glass door and stepped out onto the curb in time to see the mysterious man round the corner and disappear from her line of sight. She felt such an odd, unexplainable pull toward him but resisted the urge to follow.

The wind picked up and blew her short blond hair in front of her eyes. Brianna tucked it behind her ears and twisted around to make her way back inside.

She took a moment to sort through everything that had just transpired. The incantation. Her missing cat. The mysterious man with gorgeous green eyes that resembled Max’s to perfection.

O-kay.

She couldn’t deny that over the past few centuries she’d seen stranger things. But it was a lover’s spell that she had cast, if she had indeed cast it, not one that changed a cat into a man. She had to be mistaken, she just had to be. Because the alternative was far too preposterous. Wasn’t it?

Brianna stepped back into the store and noted the time. She spotted Kayla emptying the cash drawer and realized it was past closing time. She’d been so mesmerized by her mystery man that she hadn’t even noticed Abby leave.

Kayla locked the safe and handed her the key. “Looks like you had a successful day. I do love Halloween for sales,” Kayla said, bright-eyed.

Brianna smiled and tucked the key into her jeans. Striving for normalcy, she asked, “Have you seen Max?”

“Nope.” Kayla nodded toward the stairs that led to Brianna’s upstairs apartment. “He’s probably already up there fast asleep. I swear that cat sleeps twenty-one hours a day. The other three he’s out prowling. What a life.”

Brianna bit on her bottom lip and nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” she agreed wholeheartedly. Kayla had Max’s routine down to a T.

“He’ll show up eventually. He always does,” Kayla added, and grabbed her wind jacket. She made her way to the door. “Everything is secure, all you have to do is lock up. So I’ll see you tonight right?”

“I don’t know-”

“Come on, Brianna. There just might be a special Halloween treat waiting for you at the party. A treat so sweet it will give you cavities,” she added with a wink.

Brianna chuckled. “Do you ever think of anything else besides getting laid.”

Kayla puckered her lips in thought. “Does oral sex count?”

Brianna rolled her eyes. “Good night, Kayla.”

“I’ll see you at the party.” With a wave, Kayla disappeared, leaving Brianna alone to once again mull over the events. After locking the front door, Brianna made her way to the stairwell.

“Max,” she called as she ascended. “Where the hell are you?”

Worry gnawed at her insides after a thorough search of her apartment turned up nothing. Could he have gotten out again? She hated the thoughts of Max out prowling on Halloween.

Suddenly she remembered that she’d left the spell tucked inside a pile of flyers. Brianna rushed down the stairs in record time and grabbed the stack, rooting through them.

Oh. Shit.

Her stomach lurched. The parchment paper was gone.

Her mind raced. Abby! Kayla must have given her a flyer. Dear God, what if the spell actually worked. She couldn’t let that fall into the wrong hands. Although the incantation was specifically written with her desires in mind, such spells could mutate and evolve to satisfy the deepest, darkest desires of those who read it.

Without haste, Brianna grabbed a sexy, black satin sorceress costume off the rack, pulled it on, and headed out the door, to the Halloween party.

She had to find that incantation and destroy it before her magic caused a whole lot of mayhem.

Chapter 3

XANDER SMOOTHED DOWN THE COLLAR ON HIS PIRATE COSTUME and mingled with the other guests at Abby’s Halloween bash. Bottle of beer in hand, he roamed the room, weaving his way in and out of partygoers, waiting for Brianna.

His sweet Brianna.

A sexy, temperamental woman who longed to indulge in a few sex games with her very own pirate, not to mention a few other bad boy characters that she’d love to have a little playtime with.

While waiting for Brianna to arrive, Xander took a long pull from his drink and perused the room. He spotted Abby making her way through the crowd. A man in the corner dressed in a black-and-silver genie costume couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. Not that he could blame him, really. Dressed in a very sexy, very revealing purple gypsy costume, she looked stunning. But the truth was Xander only had eyes for Brianna. So he continued his wait.

Fortunately, his wait was short-lived.

He knew the minute Brianna walked through the door. His entire body felt her long before he saw her. Xander twisted around, willing her to look in his direction, for when she did, the night no longer belonged to her. It belonged to him.

Brianna frantically searched the room, as though looking for someone, or something. When she caught his gaze he could hear her breath catch on a gasp and see her eyes open wide with instant recognition.

“Brianna.” He mouthed the words and crooked his finger. “Come to me.”

She complied. Time seemed suspended as she sailed across the wide expanse of floor, closing the gap between them. Xander swept his gaze down the length of her sexy sorceress costume, then inhaled, pulling her warm natural scent into his lungs. Her feminine aroma nearly drove him to his knees. When she stepped into his personal space, the air around them charged with sexual electricity. Everything in him reached out to her.

Fueled by his need to taste her, to touch her, he ran the pad of his thumb over her plump lips, then circled his arm around her tiny waist, anchoring her to him. At that precise moment he decided that he’d like nothing more than to spend the rest of his life pleasuring her the way she deserved to be pleasured.

Dark lashes fluttered over come-hither brown eyes. Color bloomed high on her cheeks. Her sensuous voice was low, hesitant, but underneath the waver he heard the desire, the need. “Who are you?”

He brought his lips to within a hairbreadth of hers and breathed a kiss over her mouth. Her nipples pressed into his chest and tightened. His desire mounted when he felt the way her body reacted to his close proximity. “My sweet Brianna. All you need to know is that tonight I am the man, or rather the pirate,” he said with a grin, “who is going to make all your fantasies come true.” He fingered the soft material of her costume, his mind visualizing the path his tongue would take while ridding her of her clothes.

Her mouth fell open, her eyes widened. Clearly, understanding had dawned.

“The spell,” she whispered.

“Yes, the spell.”

“She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

No more questions. Just know that tonight you are mine.” He slid his hand down to the small of her back, then traced the curve of her lush ass. “Say you’ll be mine, Brianna.”

She nibbled her lip, as though undecided. But her hesitation lasted only seconds. Xander knew she wanted this as much as he did, so much so that she’d gone against her own best interests and written a forbidden love spell.

She sucked in a breath, then whispered, “Unbelievable.”

He chuckled and pulled her impossibly closer, until she could feel his arousal pressing insistently against her hip, clamoring for attention.

She gulped air and glanced around as though realizing where they were.

Wanting to ensure their privacy while he did delectable things to her body, he lowered his lips to her ear, and whispered, “Say it, Brianna. Say you’ll be mine.” Jesus, her nearness made his whole body quake in heated anticipation.

Her breath came in a low rush. “I’ll be yours,” she murmured.

A flurry of emotions passed through him and filled him with longing. “Good, then come with me.”

Her hand slipped inside his. “Where to?” Desire clouded the depths of her chocolate eyes.

“To your place, where I’ll have all night to make your dreams come true.”

All night to make your dreams come true.

Those eight simple words rang in her head. Well not all night, Brianna thought sadly. Just until midnight. She stole a glance at her watch. Four hours away. Oh my, what she could do with her very own pirate in four hours.

Anchored to his side, he effortlessly moved them through the crowd, ushering her outdoors. She went willingly, forgetting about everything and anything except this man and this moment.

A cool evening breeze whipped around them, but the feel of her pirate’s strong hands moving over her body drove back the cold. Tuning out the trick-or-treaters bustling around them, they walked quickly down the sidewalk and hopped into her vehicle, both eager to reach their destination. A moment later she found herself unlocking her apartment door, inviting a mysterious stranger in for one night of passion.

As she took in the handsome man before her, her stomach clenched. A barrage of emotions closed over her like a bed of fog and shook her to her core.

At the stroke of midnight, he’ll be gone.

A pang of regret hit her hard and nearly wobbled her knees. That reaction shocked her. She barely knew him, yet she felt so close to him, as though they belonged together.

He locked the door behind them, gathered her in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. How did he know where it was? She was about to ask, but his words cut her off.

Her body slid down his as he set her on the floor. His green eyes darkened. His jaw clenched. His voice dropped an octave. “You have something of mine.”

Her heart leapt. “I do?”

“Yes, you do.” He drew his sword from its sheath and circled her, keeping his body close. “And I believe you know better than to keep a treasure from a pirate.”

Oh. My. God. He was playing out her fantasy. Almost word for word.

She lifted her chin in defiance. “I know of no such treasure that you speak of.”

His grin turned wicked and did mysterious things to her nerve endings. “Is that so?”

“Yes, that is so.”

He got quiet as though mulling things over. “I’m afraid you leave me with only two choices, my sweet.”

She met his glance unflinchingly even though it took effort, especially with the heat pooling between her thighs, moistening her panties. She arched one brow. “And my choices are?”

“You either hand over the treasure, or I’ll be forced to search for it myself.”

Her breasts tightened and tingled to the point of pain. She pursed her lips and held her ground. “I told you, I do not have your treasure.”

He slipped his hand around her back and cut the knot with his sword, releasing the straps on her sorceress costume.

In an automatic reaction she reached for the dress, pinning it to her chest.

“Don’t.” The authority in his tone excited her beyond anything she’d ever known, but the traces of tenderness did weird things to her insides. “Remove your hand.”

Pleasure raced through her when she saw the hunger in his gaze. Her skin came alive, and the tang of her arousal saturated the room. He inhaled, slowly, as though savoring the smell of her excitement.

Holding his steely gaze, she let go of the fabric. It fell to her waist and bunched around her hips.

Green eyes full of lust traveled to her swollen nipples. He licked his lips, and she nearly cried out in euphoria.

She arched her back and lowered her tone. “Is this the treasure you seek, pirate?” God, she hardly recognized her voice.

The heated look in his eyes excited and frightened her at once. “Perhaps,” he murmured, dipping his head. He cupped her breasts in his palms and lifted them higher, giving his mouth easier access. He pulled one breast into his mouth. Oh God, his lips felt like fire on her skin. His tongue made a slow pass over her nipples. Then he drew them in for a more thorough taste, sucking and kissing until she thought she’d died and gone to heaven. Beneath his expert ministrations her sex quaked, and her nipples throbbed in heavenly bliss.

She angled her chin and worked to find her voice. “Well, pirate, have you found your treasure.”

After his mouth had had its fill, he inched back and met her glance. His eyes flared with heat. “It is close but not the treasure you are still keeping from me.”

She starched her spine. “As I said, I know of no such treasure.”

He glanced the length of her, letting his gaze linger between the apex of her thighs. “Perhaps you are hiding it elsewhere.” His dark tone excited her.

Brianna sucked in air. “Perhaps you are mistaken.”

“Then let’s find out.” There was a challenge in his voice. He pressed his sword between her breasts and trailed it over her skin until it touched the silky costume at her hips. “Remove your clothes.”

She angled her chin and thinned her lips. “I most certainly will not.”

“Then you leave me no choice.” With a quick swipe he sliced her dress down the center, all the way from her hips to her ankles. It fell from her body and landed in a puddle at her feet.

Standing before him in nothing but her silky bikini panties, panties that were drenched in arousal, she gasped and shivered with pleasure.

He slipped the sword under the thin elastic holding the slip of material together and tugged. Her panties joined her costume on the floor.

“Ah, I believe I have found the treasure I seek.” He licked his lips, his breathing labored. “Spread your legs,” he commanded.

She caught his torrid gaze, heard the raw hunger in his voice, and noted the way his body fairly shook.

His deep, authoritative voice prompted her into action. Her pirate sank to his knees and insinuated himself between her legs. He inhaled.

She heard him swallow. Hard. “You must be punished for withholding such a fine treasure.”

The scent of her arousal swirled around them. Knees wobbling, Brianna gripped his shoulders to support herself. Her words came out broken. “Yes, pirate. I never should have withheld such a treasure. I now know it was wrong of me, and I must be punished.”

He parted her folds with his tongue and groaned deep in his throat. “I believe a tongue-lashing is in order.” He spoke in whispered words.

“Oh good God,” she murmured, when he licked her all the way from the back to the front. She’d never felt anything so fine.

He climbed out from between her legs and backed her up until her knees hit the bed. “Lie down and spread your legs for me.”

She did as he requested. He leaned over her and gathered her into his arms, creating an instant intimacy. His bewitching green eyes held her captive, and in that moment something powerful transpired between them.

Warm lips connected with hers and kissed a path down her body. When his tongue pressed into her pussy, her thoughts fragmented. “Oh my,” she whispered and writhed restlessly on the bed. He spent a long time tasting her, circling her clit with his tongue, driving her into a frenzy of need.

“Please,” she begged, desperate for release. She began panting, her fingers raking through his jet-black hair, urging him to take her to oblivion and beyond.

He slipped one thick finger inside her and caressed her sensitive spot. As his tongue continued its gentle assault on her clit, her sex muscles began to clench. A second finger joined the first. He stroked her, deeply, moving his fingers in and out until her body went up in flames. Her pussy quaked as she released her liquid heat into her pirate’s mouth.

“That’s a girl.” He moaned and lapped at her, drinking every last drop of her creamy essence. He held her for a long time until her breathing returned to normal.

A moment later he climbed to his feet and tore off his costume. He stood over her, giving her time to peruse his bronzed nakedness. Her breath hitched, her hormones went into overdrive. He was even more beautiful than she had imagined. He climbed over her. The weight of his muscular body felt so good on top of her.

He spoke in a hushed tone. “I want you Brianna, like I’ve never wanted another.” His voice was so tender, so gentle. He feathered his fingers over her naked flesh. His caress seeped under her skin and touched her on a deeper level. Warm lips brushed over hers with the utmost care. Green eyes full of lust and…love met hers. “Tonight I want to love you, and make love to you until you give yourself over to me, heart and soul.”

When his words sank in, Brianna drew in air. Oh God, he wasn’t supposed to fall for her, and she definitely wasn’t supposed to fall for him. This was just supposed to be about sex, about deepest, darkest fantasies. Despite that, everything in her reached out to him. There was something about him. Something warm, familiar, and easy. The way he talked to her, and his touch, the way it felt more emotional and less physical, had her feeling all peculiar inside. This pirate, the man from her spell, the one who was to disappear at midnight, drew her into a place where her heart ruled and nothing else mattered.

She wanted to keep him around longer. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever.

Oh boy!

She glanced at the clock. Dear God, what had she gone and gotten herself into.

Chapter 4

XANDER GLANCED AT THE GORGEOUS WOMAN BENEATH

HIM. HIS COCK THROBBED TO THE POINT OF PAIN. HE

NEEDED TO ENTER HER, TO FEEL HER WARMTH, TO FEEL

HER TIGHTNESS, AND TO CLAIM HER AS HIS. ONCE AND FOR

ALL.

“Kiss me, Brianna.”

She poised her mouth open, welcoming him into her body and her heart. When his lips closed down on hers, she kissed him with everything in her.

In that moment, when their mouths connected, when her love reached out to him, he pushed his cock inside her slick softness.

Their tongues mated, her legs wrapped around his back and squeezed, drawing him in deeper. Fuck, he’d never felt anything so divine.

“Brianna my sweet. You are mine. Forever.”

She moaned and writhed beneath him, his girth pushing open the tight walls of her channel, stroking, caressing, bringing her to the point of no return.

He murmured into her mouth and brushed her damp bangs from her forehead. “Say it, Brianna.”

Her eyes glossed over and darkened with emotions. “I am yours, pirate.”

He hated that he had to keep his true identity a secret. Soon, he vowed, soon she’d know the truth. And then they’d never keep anything from each other again.

He cradled her in his arms, their perspiration mingled. Together they established a rhythm, each taking and giving in equal measure.

“I’m there,” she murmured.

“I know, babe, I know.” He increased the tempo and slipped a finger between their bodies, caressing her clit, giving her what she needed to take her over the edge.

“Come for me, sweet Brianna.”

Her sex muscles clenched and tightened and massaged his cock, bringing on his own orgasm. Sweat collected on his brow as his climax took hold. He stilled as his seed splashed up inside her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers. He lay on top of her, taking care not to crush her. Xander brushed her damp hair from her face and gazed into sated eyes. A smile lingered on her lips, and he loved that he’d put it there.

“That was unbelievable,” she whispered, her voice drowsy. She reached out and touched his cheek. He leaned into her hand, absorbing her warmth, her love.

“You are an amazing woman.” When she smiled at the endorsement, he rolled to the side and cradled her warm body against his. He held her for a long moment, stroking her skin softly until her breathing pattern changed. When he knew she was fast asleep, he pulled the blankets over her and climbed from the bed.

Sunlight streamed in through her lace curtain and pulled her from her slumber. With her lids shut tight, memories of last night came rushing back. Oh God. She didn’t want to open her eyes. That meant she’d have to face reality. And she wasn’t ready for that. Nor was she ready to reach across the mattress only to find out the warm body that had loved her so deeply, so thoroughly last night was now gone.

A noise in the corner of her bedroom had her lids fluttering open. Her glance darted around her room, then settled back onto the naked man sitting in her rocking chair. Her voice sounded as shaky as she felt. “What? How? What are you doing?”

He climbed from the chair and moved to the edge of the bed. “I’m watching you sleep, the same way I have for the last year.” Warm fingers touched her face. “I’m Xander, A.K.A. Max.”

Sweet mother of God. Understanding dawned in small increments. Her voice rose an octave. “It is you!”

He nodded.

Shocked, her mouth opened and closed. She pressed her hand to her forehead. “Dear Lord, what have I done?”

He pressed his finger to her lips. “Shh…it’s okay, Brianna.”

Her limbs felt shaky, her head heavy. She fought to think straight. “I still don’t understand. How did my incantation turn you back into a man?” She drew the sheets up to her neck, puzzled.

“You wanted a man who knew you better than you knew yourself. One who could fulfill your deepest, darkest desires. I’m the only man who fits that description, my sweet.”

She paused, recalling how she’d whispered all her secrets to her cat Max. To Xander, playboy of all playboys. “Oh hell.” Thoroughly embarrassed, color stained her face.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Brianna.”

She swallowed. “Why are you still here? You were supposed to disappear at midnight.”

A warm, genuine smile touched his mouth. He squared his shoulders and puffed his chest out. “Because you love me, and because you kissed me, during a full moon, on Halloween. The three elements I needed in place to break the spell Council had placed on me.”

Her mind whirred, recalling how the previous evening her cat had flipped open the book of spells, to a love incantation. “So you knew you had to get me to fall in love with you last night; otherwise it would take decades for all those elements to be in place again.” And what were the chances that another witch would summon a love spell such as she had, one that would bring forth Xander, the only man who knew her better than she knew herself and could satisfy her deepest, darkest desires? On Halloween. During a full moon.

Slim to none.

Her throat tightened, her stomach knotted to the point of pain.

“Yes,” he said with such honesty. “I needed you to fall in love with me.”

She scrambled backwards and tightened the sheets around her chest. How could she have been so stupid to allow herself to have sex…to fall in love…with a man whose reputation preceded him? A man who would undoubtedly return to his wild, wanton ways first chance.

As though he read her thoughts, he said, “I have no desire to return to that lifestyle. I love you, Brianna. And only you. And I want to spend the rest of my life taking care of you the way you’ve taken care of me for the last year.”

Brianna swallowed, unsure.

“Don’t you see, I could easily have fled last night after you fell asleep. But I wanted to be here when you woke up, to prove how much I love you, that there is nowhere else I’d rather be and no one else I’d rather be with.”

The emotions in his eyes spoke volumes. He touched her, and she could feel his love reaching out to her, seeping under her skin.

He sidled closer and planted a warm kiss on her mouth. Good Lord, no man could kiss like that without feeling a deeper emotional connection.

“You’re serious,” she said, her eyes opening wide. “Ohmygod, you’re serious.”

He chuckled. “I’ve never been more serious in my life. Human or feline form,” he added with a grin. “You’ve opened my eyes to what’s important in this world, sweetheart.”

Her heart leapt with joy, and suddenly it occurred to her that with Xander, she could have the relationship she’d always wanted but never thought she could have. One where she could be herself, even if her temper got the better of her. Xander knew what she was. No longer would she have to worry about hiding her identity for fear a man, a man who got her panties in a twist, that is, would discover her magic.

He gathered her into his arms. Gaze riveted, he said, “You’ve spent the last year taking care of me, catering to my every whim, my every need. Now it’s my turn to take care of you.”

Brianna nodded, unable to find her voice to reply.

Xander lightened the mood. “Loved the belly rubs by the way.” He winked. “Just not the baths.”

She grinned and ran her nails over his stomach, tickling him. Xander purred, then his gorgeous green eyes turned serious.

“Now it’s my turn to take care of you,” he said, his voice full of hope. “If you’ll let me.”

Teasing, Brianna rolled one shoulder. “Well if you insist,” she said breezily. Her thoughts wandered to the forbidden love spell that had started this amazing chain of events. She furrowed her brow in worry. Xander must have read her unease.

“What is it?”

“What if Council finds out about the spell? What if it falls into the wrong hands? Can you imagine the mayhem that would take place in our town?” Brianna placed her palm on his cheek. “I’d hate to go before Council.” She widened her eyes and screwed up her face. “What if they turn me into an animal, and I’m lost to roam the earth for decades. Now that I found you, I don’t ever want to lose you.”

He closed his hand over hers and squeezed. “No worries, my sweet. It takes a hell of a lot more than one little love spell before Council steps in and reprimands. Trust me, I know.”

She worried her lip. “Still…”

“Come here.” He eased her onto her back and addressed her worries. His smile was slow, inviting. A warm palm cupped her face. “If you go down, Brianna I’m going with you. I promise you that.”

Her heart thudded in her chest. God, she loved him so much it hurt. “Really, you’d do that for me?”

“Of course.” A wicked grin curved his gorgeous lips. “But if we’re going to go down together, maybe we should practice.”

She crinkled her nose, perplexed. “Practice?”

He touched his mouth to hers and then slowly slid down her body. His lashes fluttered against her flesh, his tongue did mysterious things to her nerve endings. “Yes, practice. I’ll go first.” He spread her legs. Wide.

When his tongue connected with her nether lips, she let out a little sigh. Her head rolled to the side. “Ah yes, practice. It is good to practice.”

Going down had never felt so good.

“And maybe,” he murmured from deep between her legs, “I should also practice being a cop, a fireman, a warrior and even a pirate again, because you never know what Council will turn me into if we ever find ourselves in trouble.”

A bubble of laughter welled up from her throat as her heart reached out to him. Love sang through her veins and filled her with happiness. When he said he was going to spend the rest of his days catering to her every whim, her every desire, he certainly meant it.

Xander slipped a finger inside her, stirring her heat, her desires. “I love how wet you get for me,” he murmured, his warm breath caressing her sensitive skin. Her clit tightened and puckered in response.

He glanced up at her, his eyes filled with pure adoration.