The rules of Fazire’s magical attendance on their family had been made at their wedding reception. Each direct descendent of Nate and Lily’s line had one wish, if Fazire wished to bestow it, and Fazire would live with the first-born girl unless he had another favourite, that was entirely up to Fazire.
Fazire and Jon had a relationship that rivalled even the one the genie had with Tash. Then again, Fazire loved anyone that Lily loved. Even, Nate realised some time ago, Nate himself.
Fazire stomped up to Nate and his children but, as ever, he directed his glare at Nate.
“Do something. I need a coffee. I need cake. I will die if I do not have cake this instant,” he demanded of Nate.
“You won’t die Fazire. You can’t die,” Tash pointed out, wrinkling her nose at her genie.
“Well, I’ll experience a fate worse than death,” Fazire shot back.
“What’s that?” Jon asked, grinning as he always did at Fazire’s eccentric behaviour.
“Extreme hunger and lack of cake,” Fazire answered and his gaze swung to Nate. “Nathaniel, do something.”
Nate looked at his watch. Lily had stayed forty-five minutes passed the time she was supposed to stop.
He turned his head and looked at his wife. Every day, she got more beautiful, so much so he wondered vaguely if he’d been bewitched.
He didn’t ask, mainly because he didn’t care.
“Lily,” he called, his deep voice carrying across the expanse that separated them.
Lily’s head shot up from signing a book and she smiled at her husband.
Nate’s gut twisted but it wasn’t at all unpleasant, in fact it was intensely pleasant and anyway, Nate was not only used to it, he liked it.
“Yes?” she called back.
“Fazire wants cake,” Nate told her.
“I do not want cake,” Fazire announced loudly and all eyes that had not turned to Nate (and stared, he was used to the women who stood in Lily’s book signing line staring at him then again, he was long since used to most women staring at him), turned at Fazire’s announcement and the genie finished, “I need cake.”
“We’ll shut down the line,” an employee offered to a groaning audience.
“Ten more,” Lily put in then turned her smile at the line and explained, “I have to see to my family.”
More heads turning, more stares at Nate, the incredibly handsome Jon, the extraordinarily beautiful Tash and the bizarre Fazire. Then heads swung back to Lily.
Most of the line disbursed good-naturedly and with thoughts that the strange man looked exactly like a genie and also, of course, that Lily McAllister’s husband was impossibly handsome.
Lily finished her ten books, shook hands with the bookstore manager, spoke briefly with employees then moved with her usual unaffected grace toward her family.
Upon arrival, she kissed Tash’s forehead, Jon’s cheek and then, up on tiptoe, eyes warm on his, she brushed her lips against her husband’s cheek.
“Sorry, sorry,” she mumbled, finding Nate’s hand, “now, cake.”
“Finally,” Fazire grumbled as if he’d been waiting millennia rather than forty-five minutes.
They moved to the door, Nate flipping open his phone and calling their driver. His hand left Lily’s but only so his arm could slide along her shoulders, pulling her to his side as they walked. This he did a great deal and Lily’s step fell in practised tandem with Nate’s.
While speaking to their driver, Nate watched as Tash shoved Jon then Jon wrapped his arm around Tash’s neck and pulled her against him much as Lily was against Nate with obvious differences mainly Tash exclaiming loudly, “Let go!” even though she clearly didn’t want him to.
“Children! You are making a scene,” Fazire declared even more loudly, making his own scene.
Nate flipped his phone closed after he’d told the driver they were ready for him and Lily’s arm wrapped around his waist.
She tilted her head to look up at him.“Are we spending the weekend at the penthouse or going back to Clevedon?”
“London,” Nate stated.
Lily nodded and looked to the ground.
“Lily?” Nate called.
She tilted her head back to him and her lips tipped up at the ends in a ghost of her quirky grin. “Yes?”
“I love you.”
He didn’t say it often, he preferred to show it though Lily did both and often.
Therefore, when he did say it, she reacted, extraordinarily so, gratifyingly so. Her eyes lit then warmed then softened then filled with wonder and awe, though the last bit was normally how she looked at Nate… still.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
Abruptly Nate stopped and so did Lily.
And he thanked time for his children were old enough that they no longer needed to be shielded from Nate’s intense affection for his wife.
He turned Lily in his arms and he gave her a kiss, a real kiss, a kiss that made her breath catch (Nate, with satisfaction, not only heard it, he felt it) and his heart beat powerfully in his chest.
He had no idea that people were staring at the beautiful, loving, happy couple and a few took pictures.
And he couldn’t have cared less.
####
About the Author
Kristen Ashley lives in the beautiful West Country of England with her husband and her cat. She came to England by way of Denver, where she lived for twelve years, but she grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana. Her family and friends are loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen’s Mom moved her and her brother and sister in with their grandparents when she was six. Her grandparents had a daughter much younger than her Mom so they all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Discover other Titles by Kristen Ashley at Smashwords.com
The Rock Chick Series:
Rock Chick
Rock Chick Rescue
Rock Chick Redemption
Rock Chick Renegade
The ‘Burg Series:
For You
At Peace
Other Titles by Kristen Ashley:
Penmort Castle
Connect with Kristen Online:
Official Website: www.kristenashley.net
Kristen’s Blog: www.kristenashley.net/menu/blog.html
Kristen’s Facebook Page