Chapter Six-Evie
Still Butt Ass Naked in the Pine Barrens
My face was on fire by the time I was fully dressed again—which, to be clear, was about twenty seconds too late to salvage my dignity.
Not that there was much left of it after being caught buck naked mid-moon chant by three unreasonably attractive strangers.
I turned just in time to see Donny and Maribella already re-robed and whispering like two middle schoolers with a dirty secret.
Bella was doing that wide-eyed thing she did when she was scandalized but intrigued, while Donny’s smirk could have curdled fresh milk.
They were dousing the bonfire with synchronized flicks of their fingers and the kind of Witchy urgency that said we’re in trouble, but also, there’re hot guys here.
Maribella motioned me over, her voice a sharp hiss. “How did they get here, Evie?”
I blinked. “You mean, tonight or like existentially? Because I feel like I might need therapy to answer that second one.”
“Focus!” she snapped.
“I don’t know!” I said, throwing my hands up. “Maybe they have really good GPS?”
“Do you think maybe we let our guard down?” Donny added. “You know, when we were waiting for you?”
Oof.
Right in the guilt center.
I felt it, hot and heavy, sitting in my chest like the chili cheese fries I absolutely should not have eaten earlier.
If this was my fault—and it was totally feeling like it might be—I had to own it.
Responsibility was my middle name.
Well, it was actually Marie, but whatever.
Same vibe.
“Maybe,” I muttered. “Probably. Okay, yes. I suck. Let’s all write it in the sky and move on.”
Donny just gave me a look. You know the one.
Equal parts I told you so and I will hex your favorite flats.
“They are kinda hot, though,” Maribella said dreamily, biting her lip and staring at the blond one like he was her latest no-calorie brownie experiment.
And look, one day she’s gonna get it right and create a guilt-free chocolate chip cookie that tastes like magic and not sad cardboard—but today was not that day.
Until then, my thighs and I were locked in a battle of wills that I was definitely losing.
Ugh.
One whiff of a cinnamon roll and my ass doubled in volume like it had a yeast starter of its own.
Aunt Edna’s genes were strong.
That woman could take out a buffet table and a folding chair with one good spin in a crowded room.
“Alright,” I said, squaring my shoulders. “Let’s get some answers.”
I turned to face the trespassers—aka, the human-shaped sin parade—and tried to remember I was the mayor.
Not a hormonal mess in yoga pants.
Which, by the way, were clinging in all the wrong places post-bonfire.
“So, your truck crapped out on you?” I asked, approaching with the cautious authority of a woman who’d once dated a Wizard and barely survived the emotional trauma.
Back in my clothes, I felt a small ounce of control return.
At least now I could focus on their eyes without wondering if my boobs were bouncing in time with my heartbeat.
Priorities.
The oldest one—Ryan, who looked like a teddy bear who moonlighted as a lumberjack—gave me a sheepish look and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Actually, ma’am,” he said, voice thick with Southern shame, “I think it kinda did, but only after we hit that oddly spaced hydrant. It happened so fast. Right when we made that wrong turn into your little town. That’s when the tire blew. Then the engine just died.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You sure that’s what you hit?”
Like I had any doubt.
He looked at the others for support. Didn’t get any. They all looked like kids caught sneaking cookies before dinner.
“Yep. A fire hydrant,” he finally muttered. “It was just, uh, kind of in the road?”
“Dammit, Evie,” Donny barked, marching up beside me like she was ready to write a ticket with fire.
“Well,” Jaxson added, sounding genuinely baffled. “It was six inches off the curb. Weirdest placement I’ve ever seen. Who does that?”
Shit.
Oh no.
I felt my face twitch.
My left eye might’ve actually spasmed.
Fuck.
Stanley was never going to stop giving me shit about this. Especially after I told him I had it handled.
Sigh. Damned fire hydrant debacle.
“So, you mean to tell us,” Donny started, “that this all happened because of that creep, Dick Daniels, and his brilliant idea to relocate the hydrants for optimal magical access, or some bullshit,” she said, using air quotes.
“Donny, he told me it was standard in elite supernatural jurisdictions. And I’d believed him. Sue me!” I replied.
But I still felt dumb about it. At the time, I was high on infatuation and low on critical thinking.
Damn that special ops Wizard and his dumb, sexy beard.
“Stupid freaking lying-ass Wizard,” I muttered under my breath.
“Excuse me?” Jaxson asked, grinning.
“Nothing,” I barked, too loudly. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just allergic to bullshit. It flares up sometimes.”
Donny snorted.
Bella coughed to hide her laugh.
And the Shifters all exchanged a look.
The kind that said, we have definitely walked into a magical mess of epic proportions.
Which, to be fair, they had.
And I had a sinking feeling that our troubles were just getting started.
“Ma’am?” Conrad, the blond one, asked, scratching his blond locks.
“Okay. It’s nothing. Just a stupid mistake I made, and I’ve been working to correct it for the last six months,” I said, shaking my eyes at the memory of that failed relationship.
“Made, as in the past?” Jaxson asked, a little too interested for someone who just met me.
“OMG! I swear if I ever see Dick again, I will castrate the fucker!” Donny growled.
All three Shifters covered their man parts, scowling at her vehement promise.
I couldn’t help my laugh. Neither could Maribella.
“No worries, boys, she doesn’t mean your family jewels,” Bella said, smirking.
“Maribella is right,” I inserted. “You see, our last fire chief was a Wizard, and he thought moving the hydrants off the curb was an efficient way of getting the firetrucks closer to one in case of emergency. He didn’t bother thinking what that meant to other motorists and used our non-relationship to get his ideas pushed through City Council. ”
“Non-relationship?” Jaxson inquired, but I ignored his nosy ass.
I was not about to wax poetic on my failed dating history.
“Anyway,” I said, taking control of the narrative. “You have my apologies, and the city will pay for the repairs to your tire and rim if there was any damage,” I added begrudgingly.
“Why should the city pay?” Jaxson asked, crossing his arms and causing his impressive biceps and triceps to flex beneath the cotton of his shirt.
Yowza.
“Well, it’s our fault,” I explained. “Dick moved those hydrants using the city without going through proper channels. I have been moving them back one by one with my magic, but some buggers are harder than others.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Maribella whispered, and again I giggled.
“Damn it,” I growled, slapping my BFF’s hand. “Get a grip,” I whispered.
“What did you ladies say the name of this town was again?” Jaxson put the question to us all, but I felt his stare settle on me.
Again, my girly bits went haywire, but I played it off.
Cool as a cucumber.
Of course, my eyes went right to his, uh, cucumber, and I was shocked at the enormous bulge I spied beneath his tight-fitting blue jeans.
I cleared my throat and forced myself to look at his face, ignoring the pleasant scents of lemon and basil that wafted my way.
“I already told you, it’s Castor’s Corner. I’m Evie Castor, mayor.”
“Well, Madam Mayor,” Jaxson replied, hand extended as he invaded my space.
I hated having to look up at tall people, but being five foot three, if I was pushing it, that meant I usually had to.
The lemon basil fragrance grew stronger, and I recognized it as coming from him.
Holy cow.
“Wolf, actually,” he replied, and I swallowed hard.
The sexy sonovabitch had read my mind.
Shit.
This was so not good.
“So, Madam Mayor,” he continued. “What do we need to do if we wanna stay for a while?”
Me.
The thought was on the tip of my tongue, but I managed to keep my lips shut.
Didn’t matter. He heard me anyway.
“That is something I look forward to taking care of, Darlin’,” the Wolf drawled.
Fuck. Me.
Yes, please.
Shit.
I closed my eyes as a pang of lust washed over me.
It was the Darlin’ that did it.
I felt him move into my space and closed my eyes even tighter, hoping to ward him away.
“Anything you need, Madam Mayor, I got it right here.”
And there went my panties.