She nodded. “I swear, I didn’t even touch it. You said you fixed it.”
Magnus cursed under his breath. “I did. Just let me take this lunch out to Phineas, then I’ll go down and take another look at the dryer.”
This was the last thing he needed.
They were days away from the opening and Sven would definitely blow a gasket if he knew the dryer was on thefritz again. Magnus stepped outside, aware that Mercedes was following him.
He could smell her.
She smelled like that meadow-fresh scent the possessed dryer seemed to like to belch up and jasmine. All he wanted to do was pick her up, throw her over his shoulder, and spend the rest of his days wrapped in her arms.
Thinking about that made his cock harden.
What is wrong with me?
The last thing he needed was to deliver Phineas his lunch with a hard-on. Magnus closed his eyes and tried to think about something else, anything else.
His old buddy Olaf, who was hairy like a Sasquatch, in a sauna.
That did the trick.
“Where is Phineas?” Mercedes asked as they stopped in front of the koi pond.
“Down below. See the bubbles?”
Mercedes leaned over and he got a nice view of her particularly round behind in her tight jeans, not that he could admire it long as she got too close to the edge and teetered. Without thinking, he reached out with one arm and scooped her up. Her breasts resting on his forearm, her body pressed closed to him.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Sorry. I’m a bit accident-prone.”
“Obviously.” He still held her there, under one arm, with Phineas’ sandwich in his other hand.
“Uh, you can let me down,” she said quietly.
Phineas surfaced at that moment, his yellow eyes widened, looking up at them. “Did I interrupt something?”
Yes,he wanted to say, but didn’t, handing Phineas the sandwich while still holding Mercedes. “Your lunch.”
Phineas took the sandwich. “Um, thanks.”
“Magnus, seriously you can set me down,” Mercedes said haughtily.
“Right.” Magnus gently lowered her and she righted herself, resting her hand on his chest. Just the simple touch from her, even though the thin fabric of his white cotton shirt, made his body heat.
She lingered and then stepped away, her cheeks blooming with color. “Um, I think I’ll head back inside and check on the dryer.”
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Magnus said. “You might cause it to explode again.”
“Again?” Phineas asked, leaning over the edge of the koi pond, eating his sandwich.
Mercedes’ eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. “I didn’t do anything this time. I don’t think I did anything last time either. Maybe the witch from The Clothes Spin did something to it.”
“Mona would never do anything to her machines,” Phineas said, between bites. “She’s not a bad witch.”
“Are you saying I am?” Mercedes asked, amused.
Phineas physically gulped. “No way.”
“She’s just teasing you,” Magnus said. “Eat your sandwich.”