Parlor Tricks

by Mara Lee

  When Sass’s hips and back arched, Griffin increased the tempo of his thrusts and began to scissor his fingers. The friction and added tempo drove her wild and she ground herself deeply against him.

  “Ahhhh, Sass … yes … that’s the way…” Griffin thrust his fingers as far as they would go and flattened his palm so it was rotating solidly against the opening of her dripping pussy.

  Sass was hovering between heaven and hell. Her heart was pounding a million miles a minute in her chest and her breaths were coming just as fast.

  Griffin’s fingers were dancing within her and her body was on fire. She could feel every nerve in her body and they were all alive with acute sensation. She wanted more.

  “Griffin … Griffin,” she gasped out.

  “Yes, love?”

  Sass moaned as his fingers found her clit and began to squeeze the full and aching bud. “Griffin … I want to feel it with you.” Sass continued to grind against his hand. “I want your cock inside me … I want it inside of me now!”

  Griffin took in her flushed face, her wide eyes and her tense expression and nodded. There was a smile gracing his handsome and equally flushed face.

  He withdrew his fingers slowly. He brought them to her mouth and without hesitation Sass took them all—licking her essence from his fingers.

  “God…” And Griffin could take no more. He parted her thighs … positioned himself cleanly before her aching pussy and with one sure thrust … imbedded himself to the hilt within her flesh.

  “Oh … ohhhhh…” Sass’s breath caught in her throat.

  Griffin hooked Sass’s legs around his straining thighs and began to pump fiercely into her. His hands molded her breasts and his fingers played with her erect nipples, while his cock continued to pound into her body.

  “Oh, love, oh Saskia…” Griffin increased his tempo, desperate to feel her go wild beneath him.

  Her pussy muscles were beginning to clench. Griffin’s cock was buried deep in her body and her flesh was tight and wet around him.

  Her heart was thudding and she felt as if there were giant bells clanging in her ears. He was fucking her hard and deep and she loved it. She loved all of it.

  “More?” Griffin’s voice was deep and gravelly.

  Sass nodded jerkily. Oh yes. Oh God, yes. “All of it, Griff … give it all to me.” Sass let out a scream as Griffin grabbed her hips and thrust even more deeply into her body. He was in so deep she could feel his balls ticking her soft pussy hair. The sensation of light caressing and hard pounding drew her breath steadily from her body. She tightened her legs around Griffin’s waist and dug her fingers into his sweaty back. She was flowing like a fountain now. And tremors shook her body.

  “Love…” Griffin ground out.

  Sass groaned. “I’m close … oh God, Griff … I’m so close…” Sass tossed her head to the side—her thick curls spread like a net against the pillow. “Yes … oh yes…”

  Griffin ground his teeth together. “Love … you feel … oh God you’re clenching me baby, you’re clenching…”

  Sass watched Griffin’s eyes go wide and felt his back and thighs stiffen. Her own legs were shaking and stiff and her pussy was pulsing and quivering.

  She heard his shout and groan right before white lights overtook her and all breath was thrust out of her body. Her own orgasm shook her to her very core. It was indeed to stand before heaven’s gate.

  * * * *

  “At least it didn’t snow this time,” Sass said quietly from the shelter of Griffin’s arms.

  Griffin smiled slightly. “No … no snow … just a room full of flowers.” Griffin chuckled. “I think we set your garden blooming.”

  Sass propped herself up on her elbows and gasped. “Oh … wow.”

  It was beautiful. Whereas before there had only been two or three flowers, now the room was flooded with magnificent blooms—the soft grass of her floor seemed overwhelmed by the blossoms.

  “Cool but weird,” Griffin said, nuzzling Sass’s shoulder.

  “Griffin…”

  “I know. I know … and I’m trying Saskia, I am. Believe me, it’s not every day I see someone’s room inundated by flowers.” Griffin’s smile broadened. “And it was magic…”

  Sass’s look was tender as she ran her hand down his flushed cheek. “It always will be, Griff. It will always be magic between us.”

  Chapter Seven

  Sass dropped the rose petals absent-mindedly into her cauldron. She was already replaying the events of last night and this morning.

  When Sass had awakened at eight a.m. it was to find Griffin still lying tangled in her sheets. She had taken a couple of minutes to study his handsome face while he slept. Oh okay, so men probably found that whole ‘staring at me while I sleep’ thing to be a little creepy … but how could she not look. His blond hair had swept his un-furrowed brow, it was sweetly tousled and his cheek had held the imprint of her pillowcase lace. He was so relaxed in his sleep. There was no frown to mar his features or lines of worry.

  “He should never frown,” Sass murmured.

  “Your cauldron is overflowing,” Henrietta remarked from the front of the store.

  Sass jumped as the first wave of hot liquid poured down the side of her cauldron to land rather unceremoniously on her bare feet.

  She swore.

  Henrietta clucked her tongue. “Now, now, your language, Sass.”

  Sass wrinkled her nose. She waved her hand, cast a quick spell, and the mess disappeared almost instantly.

  Henrietta’s eyes widened and she whistled. “Hey … not bad,” she smiled, “Someone’s spells seem to be working.”

  Sass peered into the murky depths of her cauldron and sighed. “Glad something seems to be working.” The potion was a mess. “Was there something you wanted, Henny? Are you here for a reason?” she snapped.

  “Just to annoy you,” Henrietta shot back.

  Sass threw some lavender into her potion and was relieved when the color of the brew seemed to lighten. Maybe she could still bottle this one. “I’m sorry I snapped at you,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Henrietta came to stand by Sass’s side. “Listen, I meant what I said before; your spells seem to be working. And,” Henrietta sniffed the brew, “this potion smells a lot better than your prior attempts.”

  Sass shrugged, trying for nonchalance.

  Henrietta grinned. “Uh-uh, that isn’t going to work. I know something is up.” Henrietta pushed back her heavy hair and wiggled her eyebrows. “It has to do with hunky Griffin, right?”

  Sass bit her lip.

  Henrietta had her answer.

  “I knew it. God I’m good. I totally knew it,” Henrietta shrieked. She wrapped her arms around Sass’s shoulder and squeezed. “Didn’t I say you were lucky? He is so damned cute, Sass, those eyes, that gorgeous smile,” Henrietta licked her lips, “that delicious ass of his.”

  Sass laughed and extricated herself from Henrietta’s embrace. “Henny…”

  Henrietta continued. “God, if I had known how hot he’d become … I’d have snatched him up ages ago. Beautiful, he’s totally beautiful, he’s…”

  “In major denial, Henrietta.”

  Henrietta snorted. “Whatever. He’s coming around, Sass.

  “Don’t you understand? Sass threw up her hands in frustration. “Denial is denial. He has turned away from his magic, Henny. He buries his true self.”

  Henrietta cupped Sass’s cheek and smiled. “Sweetheart … I know it’s scary … to find yourself in love with someone like Griff. But, he can be brought back. You can show him how to reveal his nature. You can bring him back, Sass.”

  “I … I … didn’t say I loved him, Henny,” Sass choked out.

  Henrietta laughed heartily. “You didn’t have to.”

  Sass groaned. “It’s such a mess, Henny. Griff has seen so much. I mean … we fucked and I hit us with a snowstorm.” Sass went on to tell Henrietta about the snow and excess flowers. She
blew a strand of hair out of her face and scrunched up her nose. “The thing is … I think being with him increases my power, Henny. It sounds weird, I know, but every time I’m with him something extraordinary happens. And now my magic seems more focused and clear.” She swept her hand over the cauldron. “You can see … even my potions are better.”

  Henrietta nodded. “It’s like I said. You needed to get laid.”

  Sass rolled her eyes. “It’s more than that, Henny. I think Griffin is acting as a conduit for my power.”

  “Interesting.”

  Sass nodded. “Yeah. He doesn’t realize it. But it’s like he’s a power strip … navigating my personal power to different arenas, balancing it and making it all around … better.” She finished.

  “And you haven’t told him.”

  “No.” Sass held up her hand. “I know, it’s awful, but I’m afraid…”

  “That he’ll freak.”

  “Exactly.” Sass realized she was wringing her hands fitfully, and forced herself to stop. “We’re just starting to … well … it’s starting to be wonderful, Henny. I think he’s opening up, or trying to. I don’t want to ruin it now.”

  Henrietta sighed. “I understand, Sass. But he deserves to know what he’s doing, even unintentionally.”

  Sass turned away from Henrietta and dipped her finger into the cauldron. She licked her finger and smacked her lips together a couple of times. “It’s not bad.”

  “Sass…”

  “Oh I know … I should have put in some peppermint to offset the lavender, but I think it’ll work without.”

  “Saskia…”

  “Maybe next time I’ll even use honeysuckle instead of rose petals. I think that might be a nice change.”

  Henrietta rolled her eyes and planted her hands on her hips. “You’re being purposely obtuse, Sass.”

  Sass winked. “I know.”

  * * * *

  Sass studied her reflection and frowned. Her hair was a disaster. She had been so fed up with her flyaway hair that she had tried something new tonight—hair gel. The icky, sticky substance had coated her curls all right … it had also clumped it terribly and hardened it worse than dried concrete. Yuck.

  “He’s here!”

  Sass jerked at the sound of her sprite’s shrill voice. She took a deep breath and made her way to the front door.

  “He’s here, he’s here … and he’s cute.” The sprite buzzed around Sass’s head excitedly.

  Sass shushed the sprite and opened the door.

  “Saskia.” Griffin smiled. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you, uh, should we go?” Sass tried to quickly close the door. She sighed when she saw Griffin’s eyes go wide and she realized she hadn’t moved quickly enough. “That’s Tumbleweed. She lives outback in my garden.”

  Griffin swallowed. “And she’s a…?”

  Tumbleweed fluffed her wings. “What do you think I am, human?”

  “Well … uh…” Griffin flushed

  Tumbleweed laughed and took mercy on him. “I’m a sprite, basic garden variety.”

  “Garden variety sprite,” Griffin repeated rather mechanically.

  “Uh-huh.” Tumbleweed let her eyes move leisurely over Griffin’s body. “Nothing garden variety about you, human,” Tumbleweed winked, “You’re quite a specimen, aren’t you?”

  Griffin’s throat worked back and forth but he said nothing.

  Sass shooed Tumbleweed away. “Okay, well, we have an eight o’clock dinner appointment … we ought to be going now. Tumble, make sure you don’t eat all the lavender tonight. I need it for a second batch of potion tomorrow.”

  Tumbleweed huffed. “Are you accusing me of something?”

  Sass rolled her eyes. “Yes … of pigging out on my lavender.”

  “I do not…”

  “Yes, you do,” Sass cut her off. “Now, goodnight. Don’t wait up.” Sass took Griffin’s arm. She looked up and saw that there was still a dazed expression on his face. Well … it was certainly going to be an interesting evening.

  * * * *

  Griffin jerked slightly when his wineglass began to fill on its own.

  Sass had chosen a lovely little restaurant for tonight’s outing. ‘Nothing Ordinary’ was located right off of Main Street and boasted a charming, if not slightly unconventional, atmosphere.

  There were wood-paneled walls, polished and lacquered floors, lovely rounded tables with ornate chairs and two long bars. Not to mention wine glasses that filled on their own, levitating waiters and musical instruments that played without the aid of musicians.

  “This is something else,” Griffin said.

  Sass smiled. “The food is really good, so is the music,” Sass replied, nodding over at the small chamber orchestra.

  Griffin nodded. “I’m not seeing things, right? Those instruments are playing by themselves.”

  “Oh yes. Elizabeth really outdid herself with that one. She used a really good animation spell. In the end it was cheaper than paying people to play all night at her restaurant.”

  “Oh,” Griffin said.

  Sass sighed. “Are you okay? Did I overdo it? I just wanted to take you someplace nice … someplace indicative of our town.”

  Griffin smiled warily. “No, don’t worry about it, Saskia. This place is great. I apologize if I seem a little tense … I’m still getting used to things around here.”

  “Thanks, Griff.”

  “For what?”

  Sass smiled and placed her hand over his. “For trying.”

  Griffin waved her away. “Don’t mention it.” He laughed. “After snowstorms and flowers … well, this is nothing.”

  “I’m still pleased … pleased that you’re trying so hard.”

  Griffin reached over to capture a strand of her hair in his hand. He frowned a little. “Uh … what…?”

  Sass groaned. “Hair gel … don’t ask.”

  Griffin laughed. “It’s still beautiful … you’re beautiful.”

  Sass smiled. “You’re not bad yourself, Sampson.” Sass sighed as she felt herself drowning in his gorgeous green eyes. God, it was hard to think with him so near to her. Why had she chosen dinner out?

  “Saskia?”

  Sass was jerked out of her reverie.

  “Saskia … you still with me?” Griffin asked.

  Sass nodded. “Sorry … just thinking.”

  “’Bout?”

  Sass’s eyes twinkled. “You. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.”

  Griffin cupped her cheek. “If it makes you feel any better … we’re in the same boat.”

  Sass cleared her throat. Was it warm in here? Because she was suddenly very, very, warm.

  “So tell me Saskia…”

  “Yes?”

  “Tell me about your family.” Griffin didn’t flinch this time when his roll began to butter itself.

  “What would you like to know?” Sass smiled. “My mother and father were both born here, in Daring. My mother owned a ‘specialty shop’ and my father was a professor.”

  Griffin raised his eyebrows and Sass laughed at his expression.

  “And yes … they were both paranormals, as we like to call people of our kind. I inherited a little from both sides. I had a happy childhood.” Sass grinned. “A very happy childhood.”

  Griffin found his brows draw together at the thought of his own childhood. It had not been happy, nor had it been satisfying. His family had been too disjointed, too filled with battle and scars to ever allow for happiness. Yes, he had happy memories, but they were just that—memories—and they were long past.

  And now … now back in this magical place he was having trouble separating reality—separating his memories.

  “Griff…” Sass said gently. She saw the shadows in his eyes and she knew … she just knew. She had seen shadows such as his before—perhaps not in her own eyes … but in others. And she longed to erase the pain she saw there. She longed to show him the beauty that could rise through the d
ark.

  Griff swallowed. “It is difficult, Saskia … my … childhood was not easy…”

  Sass kept silent. She knew how important it was for him to be able to tell her this now.

  “My mother was…” Griff sighed, “She was an odd, ethereal creature … sometimes she didn’t seem part of this world. My father wasn’t from Daring, did you know that?”

  Sass nodded, still silent.

  “They met quite by accident when she took a summer class in the city.” Griffin rubbed his eyes and laughed shortly. “I’m still not quite certain how they got together … or why. They were so different … my mother was all magic and possibility and my father was all rules, regulation and structure.”

  Sass couldn’t keep quiet any longer. She just had to say it. “He must have known that she was … a paranormal, your father, he must have known.”

  “I think he just thought she was eccentric.”

  “Are you joking?” Sass blurted out.

  Griffin’s expression was wry. “Unfortunately not. It was only a matter of time before it got to him—exploding toilets, cauldrons in the kitchen sink…”

  “Excess bunny rabbits…” Sass murmured.

  Griffin stiffened. “You heard about that.”

  Sass cleared her throat. “I think most of the town heard about that one.” She smiled slightly. “Pretty nifty spell.”

  “My father didn’t think so.” Griffin clenched his hands. “My father’s lawyer didn’t think so.”

  Sass felt the dark cloud descend and almost groaned out loud. What a nice, dark, turn the evening had taken.

  Their first course arrived and Sass said a quick, silent prayer of thanks for house salad and white wine vinaigrette. But just when she thought it was safe to breathe…

  “Riley … how nice to see you here … and what a charming little dress that is.” Tabitha’s eyes gleamed with malice as she took in the seated pair.

  Sass suppressed a groan and smiled coolly at Tabitha.

  “Griffin.” Tabitha all but purred out his name.

  Griffin inclined his head. “Tabitha.”

  Tabitha’s lips curled into a smile. “I so enjoyed our drink the other evening, Griffin.” Her smile widened when she saw the expression that crossed Sass’s face. “And I hope we can do it again real soon.” Tabitha reached over and ran her finger lightly down Griffin’s stiff cheek. “Well, I should be going.” She laughed. “Have a nice dinner, you two.”