Easy Magic (Boudreaux #5)

“There, she shared,” Kate says. “Now you, Mal.”


“So, he’s really sexy,” I begin, watching a few couples shake their asses on the dance floor. “And he’s so nice.”

“That’s not what we want to hear,” Van informs me helpfully. “Get to the good stuff, but remember he’s our brother, so leave out the naked parts.”

“But the naked parts are fun,” I reply and blink my eyes several times because I’m starting to see two of each of them.

“Ew,” Gabby says, wrinkling her nose. “But I’m so happy that you like him because we like him and he likes you.”

“I do like him. I like both of him,” I reply, then snort. “I’m seeing two of everything right now.”

“Right on,” Lena says and raises her glass in a toast. “I haven’t seen you shitfaced in a very long time.”

“It’s kind of fun.”

“Do you see more spirits when you’re drunk?” Gabby asks.

I glace about the room and frown. “I don’t think so. It’s just the normal amount of dead people.”

“Oh good,” Callie says. “Hey, I wonder if there are spirits at The Odyssey?”

“There are,” I reply. “But they’re harmless.”

She swallows hard and takes another sip of her drink. “I think I liked it better when I didn’t know for sure.”

We spend the next hour laughing and talking, enjoying our drinks and each other. I had no idea that friendships like this, with a whole group of women, were possible.

“Beau got me a kitten,” I say. “I forgot to tell you. He’s soooo cute!”

“Awe, a baby,” Van says with a sigh, her eyes glassy from too many cocktails.

“What time is it?” Gabby asks and stares at her phone. “Holy shit, we’ve been here for four hours!”

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” I murmur.

“I should call it a night,” Van says. “I have work to do in the morning.”

“We all do,” Charly reminds her. “But you’re right, I can’t drink anymore. I’ll be on my ass, and I’d rather be on my back while Simon takes advantage of me.”

“Atta girl,” Lena says with a laugh.

“I’ll see if Beau can come get me,” I murmur and send him a text.

Can you come pick me up?

A few seconds later, he replies: Of course. Where are you?

I tell him and look up to find that everyone is texting someone for a ride home, except Lena.

“Lena, we can take you home,” I offer.

“I have my car,” she says with a smile. “I only had one drink. I’m sober.”

I nod and sling back the last of my fourth cocktail just as Beau walks in.

“Hi,” I say with a smile. “You must have been close by.”

“Well, hello there,” he says. “I live just a few blocks away. How are we?”

“Drunk,” I reply, then giggle. “I have to tell you something.”

“Okay.”

“You’re lovely.” I cup his cheek in my hand and love the stubble as it scratches my palm. “Like, really pretty.”

“I’m a man, sugar.”

“Yes. You are. I’ve seen all of your man parts.” That last part is said in a whisper, so the others can’t hear.

“Ew,” Gabby says. “We weren’t going to talk about him naked, remember?”

“I whispered it,” I say in my defense.

“No, you didn’t,” Beau says with a laugh. “It looks like girls’ night out was a success.”

“It was.” I nod and rub my nose. It’s the only part of my face that isn’t numb. And it’s itchy. “And I have to tell you that I like you. Like, I really like you.”

“I like you too, drunk girl.”

“No, I mean, like, I like you like you.”

“Got it.” He brushes my hair behind my ear.

“I wonder if she likes him?” Charly asks. I turn to her, nodding.

“I really do like him.”

“Maybe she should use a different L word,” Van says, tapping her lips with her finger.

“Like Loser?” Gabby asks.

“Maybe he’s a Lemon,” Charly suggests.

“No, he’s lovely,” I reply and kiss his cheek. “And I like him. Like, a lot.”

“Now that we’ve established that you like me, I think I should take you home,” Beau says.

“Your smile is ridiculous.” I frown and watch his face. “Your whole gene pool is just ridiculous. Why are you all so pretty?”

“She’s ready to go home,” Lena says. “Keep an eye on her. She doesn’t have as much control when she’s this drunk.”

“I’ve got her,” he says and takes my hand, leading me out of the bar.

“My handbag,” I say.

“I have it,” he says.

“You do have it,” I reply just as he opens his car door. “You have all of it. My bag, my heart. Just don’t break it.”

“Your bag?”

“No, my heart.” I lean back in the leather seat and close my eyes, suddenly so tired.

“Don’t fall asleep, sweetheart; we’ll be home in a few minutes.”

“I’m just resting my eyes,” I reply. “Talk to me.”

“Did you have fun?”

“So much fun.” I smile and rub my itchy nose again. “I love your sisters. They ask a lot of personal questions.”

“Of course they do,” he says with a laugh. “I’m glad you like them.”

“Yeah.” I sigh, sleep tickling the edges of my mind. “I almost spilled the beans and told them I love you. I mean, I’m not ready to say that to anyone yet. But my mouth runs away with me when I’m drunk.”

I feel the car stop, and Beau’s hand on my leg.

“We’re home.”

“Okay. Good. So tired.”

“Come on, baby. Let’s get you into bed.”

“Always trying to get into my pants.” I giggle and bury my face in his neck when he picks me up and carries me inside the house and up to my bedroom. “I like it when you’re in my pants.”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” he says. “But for tonight, you’re going to just sleep.”

“Only if you’ll be in my pants tomorrow.”

“Deal.”





Chapter Seventeen


Mallory

“It was nice of Gabby to invite us out for dinner,” I say as I fasten an earring in my left ear. “I haven’t met Rhys yet.”

“You’ll like him,” Beau replies. He slides his wallet into his back jeans pocket, and rolls the sleeves of his blue button down to just below his elbows, showing off the muscles in his forearms.

“You have great arms.” His gaze whips up to mine. He gives me a slow, wide smile that would melt the polar ice cap. “Don’t smile at me like that. We don’t have time for any hanky panky.”

“Hanky panky?” he asks and slowly walks to me, like a predator stalking his prey. Except, I love it when he catches me. He can catch me all damn day. “We have a little time.”

“No.” I giggle and hold my hand up, but it doesn’t stop him. “We really don’t, Beau. We have to get on the road or we’ll be late.”