Healing Magic & Playboys (Casual Magic Book 3) by Lauren Connolly

Author:Lauren Connolly [Connolly, Lauren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: City Owl Press
Published: 2024-06-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

SAMMY

After the first night spent with Ava, I’m determined to find a way to mix our lives together. I can’t fathom only experiencing that level of pleasure and connection and joy once. She’s become imperative to my happiness. Without her, I’ll become the ultimate mopey, heartbroken mess and forever flood whatever room I walk into.

But claiming Ava’s time requires some strategic maneuvering with her busy schedule and energy-draining job.

I make it work.

Like today, she had to stay until seven at the library because of some maintenance issue. I coaxed her into letting me pick her up from her place to grab food. It helps that the build site of my latest project is right across the street. I stayed late myself, going over the blueprints and reviewing progress so far to make sure the project is progressing the way I envisioned.

First, I offered to cook dinner for her, which I’ve done a couple of times in the past few weeks. But Ava said she wanted to stretch her legs and be somewhere that wasn’t the college, the club, or her condo. So now we stand in line at my favorite street taco stand. I wrap my arm around her waist and lift her up to my mouth, wanting a kiss but also wanting to give her feet a break. The sultry witch kisses me back with a smile on her lips, and when we break apart there’s a flush on the apples of her cheeks.

“If this food tastes as good as it smells, I might die.”

“Death by taco is a noble way to go.”

Luckily, despite the inappropriate groans Ava makes while munching on her al pastor taco, she does not perish. The seats outside the shop are all spoken for, so we meander as we eat. A few blocks over, Latin club music drifts through the air from the door of a nightclub.

As if unaware of what she’s doing, Ava does a basic cha-cha dance step while she walks.

A thought occurs to me. “Do you like dancing?” I ask. “Outside of The Jewelry Box?”

Ava’s cheeks are puffed out from her bite of flavorful pork, but she nods, and I wait patiently as she finishes chewing and swallowing for her to expound upon her answer.

“My mom performed in burlesque shows in New York City for most of my life. I grew up around dancers. Even went to college for it, but I changed my major after freshman year.”

She doesn’t sound regretful about the information, and I let curiosity drive my next question.

“Why the change?” From what I’ve seen on stage, she’s spectacular.

Ava tongues a drop of sauce off her thumb, and I almost forget to listen to her response.

“The program was really competitive. A lot of people were friends to your face while hoping you broke an ankle behind your back. Add that with the body shape expectations—it got toxic sometimes.” She shrugs. “Maybe it’s better now. Or maybe other schools are different. But I realized that I didn’t want to rely on dancing to support myself.

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