by Devon Monk
“Never too much for you. Never too much that I wouldn’t drop it all to help you. Do you believe me?”
He rolled his head, still against the headboard, to look at me. “Things have been hard the last couple years.”
I swallowed, breakfast a lump in my gut. “I guess so. But there’s good things happening too.” I lifted my left hand where the simple band encircled my finger.
He smiled, and his eyes twinkled. “Yeah, that’s good.”
“Yeah,” I said. “It is. But you trying to deal with Mithra alone, isn’t.”
“You took on a demon. Two. No, three.”
“Not alone. I never wanted to take them on alone.”
He shifted so his arm was behind my shoulders and pulled me toward him. “I don’t want that either. So let me fill you in. Delaney, Mithra’s been a total ass and thinks me being the Warden, or me marrying you, is some kind of leverage he can use over your family and Ordinary. I’ve tried to leave, but he’s told me more than once he’ll appoint a new Warden if I do.”
“Hmmm. I’m not sure he can do that.”
“I’m not sure either.”
“My turn. Ryder, my soul is almost healed, but even though it’s still a little broken, demons have some stupid idea that I’m weak and can be used to hurt Ordinary and the people within it. Also, there’s probably a ruler of the Underworld on his way to start a war.”
“Sounds messy.”
“That thing with Mithra sounds messy too.” I tipped my head closer into the crook of his shoulder and rubbed my palm across his chest.
“We’ll figure it out,” I said.
His thumb gently stroked the side of my arm to the beat of Crosby Stills and Nash singing about their house being very very very fine.
“I know we will,” he said.
“We’ll figure it out together.”
“Agreed. We’ll figure it out together.”
“No matter how messy it gets.”
“No matter how messy. Speaking of messy, we have a wedding to plan.”
I groaned and turned my face into his chest. “We could elope?”
“Not even a chance. This is going to be the wedding of your dreams.”
Before I could automatically reply that I was dreaming about eloping, his words sort of sunk in and settled inside me.
We were getting married. It still didn’t feel real.
“We’re getting married,” I said.
“What?”
I looked up at him and blew random strands of hair out of my eyes, sure I looked an absolute mess. “You’re marrying me.”
“Damn right I am.”
“What if we don’t get along?”
He frowned. “What are you talking about? We’ve known each other forever.”
“Well, I just found out today that you think the line in “Good Vibrations” is ‘She’s giving me a citation.’”
“Because that’s what they’re singing.”
“They are not. They’re saying ‘excitation.’”
“Bull. That’s not even a word.”
“Bet you I’m right.”
“Bet you’re not. What does the winner get?”
I sat up and pulled off my T-shirt. “How about sex?”
His gaze roved over me, hot, hungry. Then he reached over his shoulder and clawed his shirt off over his head, wadding it up and throwing it to the floor. “How about we just cut to the chase?”
“No way, Bailey. We’ve got a bet going. I’m not going to let you—” I shrieked as he lunged for me. I twisted out of the bed, running down the stairs to find my phone, Spud barking his head off, and Ryder hot on my heels.
I was fast. But even I wasn’t fast enough to search for the lyrics to a song before I got tackled onto the couch.
“Oof,” I huffed, landing on my back, the fall softened by the cushions and Ryder’s hands at my back, at my hip. “Hey,” I said, looking up at him.
“Hey,” he said back, low, sexy. His gaze dropped to my lips, then rose to my eyes. He smiled. “Okay?”
I nodded and let the phone fall to the floor so I could wrap my arms around his neck. “How about we call it a tie and both be winners?”
“Together?” he said.
“Together.” He kissed me, and I kissed him, and it was love, and it was together, and it was magic.
Acknowledgments
This book kicks off the next multiple book arc in the Ordinary Magic series, which is not bad for a little idea that started life as a short story years and years ago. There will also be a fun short novel, SEALED WITH A TRYST coming up in the DIRTY DEEDS anthology. The short novel is about Delaney and Ryder trying to get away on vacation while Ordinary is dealing with one wacky disaster after another.
In the same anthology, you’ll find a tiny short story: AT DEATH’S DOOR. The short is from Death’s point of view, and I gotta say, it was super fun to write.
I’d like to thank my unflappable and delightful copy editor, Sharon Eileen Thompson for catching all my grammar fouls, and my amazing sharp-eyed proof readers, Eileen Hicks and Louis Maconi for catching even more of those slippery errors.
To my beta reader, Dejsha Knight–thank you for wading through the roughest drafts. You don’t know how much your input keeps me on the right path.
Shout out of gratitude to the extraordinary artist Lou Harper at Cover Affairs who not only gave me a pink unicorn, she also totally nailed the dragon pig for this book. (That adorable face! Those dragon-y wings!)
Big fuzzy thank you to my family, for putting up with all my writerly weirdness, including listening to me go through all the same (but different!) complaints about the challenges of writing this book as I do (but differently!) with every book. Thank you for not running out of the room when you saw me coming.
To my husband Russ, and my two sons, Kameron and Konner, I love you all. You are the best part of my life. I’m so proud to be a part of yours.
And a huge thank you to the Travelin’ Rats, for all the laughter and adventures. Y’all keep me sane (let’s find that next horizon!)
Lastly, I’d like to thank you, dear reader. Ordinary wouldn’t have a chance to exist if it weren’t for you giving this silly little town a try. I hope you will come back soon to see what mischief everyone gets into next!
To keep up with news and release info, click the link to sign up for my (infrequent and non-spammy) newsletter here: Devon Monk’s Non-Spammy Newsletter or simply go to: www.devonmonk.com
Also by Devon Monk
ORDINARY MAGIC
Death and Relaxation
Devils and Details
Gods and Ends
Rock Paper Scissors
Hell’s Spells
Sealed with a Tryst
At Death’s Door
WEST HELL MAGIC
HAZARD
SPARK
HOUSE IMMORTAL
House Immortal
Infinity Bell
Crucible Zero
BROKEN MAGIC
Hell Bent
Stone Cold
Backlash
ALLIE BECKSTROM
Magic to the Bone
Magic in the Blood
Magic in the Shadows
Magic on the Storm
Magic at the Gate
Magic on the Hunt
Magic on the Line
Magic without Mercy
Magic for a Price
AGE OF STEAM
Dead Iron
Tin Swift
Cold Copper
Hang Fire (short story)
SHORT STORIES
A Cup of Normal (collection)
Yarrow, Sturdy and Bright (Once Upon a Curse anthology)
A Small Magic (Once Upon a Kiss anthology)
Little Flame (Once Upon a Ghost anthology)
About the Author
DEVON MONK is a national bestselling writer of urban fantasy. Her series include Ordinary Magic, Souls of the Road, West Hell Magic, House Immortal, Allie Beckstrom, and Br
oken Magic. She also writes the Age of Steam steampunk series, and the occasional short story which can be found in her collection: A Cup of Normal, and in various anthologies.
She has one husband, two sons, and lives in lovely, rainy Oregon. When not writing, Devon is drinking too much coffee, watching hockey, or knitting silly things.
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