Page 68

‘We start decorating for Halloween in September? That early?’

Rayenne shook her head as Mist grumbled in displeasure.

‘We’re not?’

Samhain, Aiden. The original version. Not Halloween.

‘But yes, we do start decorating that early – just a bit – and then really pull out all of the stops after Mabon.’

Autumn equinox, Mist added.

‘Right. Thanks.’ Aiden nodded. ‘So, do I just have to put up with this?’

‘You can switch your phone to fingerprint or face recognition lock,’ Ophelia suggested. ‘That’s less easy for them than just reading a pin code over your shoulder and using that.’

‘Are you telling me I now have to worry about ghosts stealing my passwords to mess with my phone?’ He dragged his hands through his hair. ‘I don’t know if I can handle this. It’s all getting too weird.’

‘It’s not always so… challenging. I promise.’ Rayenne offered reassurance. ‘Magic can be mischievous, but it is usually good-natured.’

‘But I’m still being hacked by a ghost.’

I will have words. Mist stood and stretched. It sounds like someone needs to be reminded of his manners.

‘Thank you, Mist.’ He was touched by the unexpected display of affection from the cat.

Just this once. As you have only been awake a few weeks. Afterwards, you will have to learn to deal with it yourself. Or befriend Edward.

Yeah, that was more like the Mist he knew. ‘Who’s Edward? Another ghost?’

‘No.’ Ophelia smiled. ‘Edward’s a medium. He runs the ghost tours.’

‘Obviously.’ Aiden shook his head. ‘Poltergeists, mediums, over-spelled scrubbing brushes and talking cats. Whatever next?’

Do you really want to know?

He gulped. ‘I… don’t know. Maybe not?’

Good decision.

By the time he reached Mia’s, confusion was losing out to amusement. And when she opened the door and smiled at him, everything settled calmly into place.

‘Hey, good bath?’ He shut the door behind him and took in her outfit – leggings, fluffy socks, a baggy sweater, her hair piled up messily and… ‘Are these the glasses I’ve heard so much about?’

‘Yeah.’ She worried at the cuff of her sweater. ‘I thought about putting my lenses back in, but then I remembered someone telling me that a real man shouldn’t care…’ She watched him, the lenses enlarging her eyes so the challenge in them was clear.

‘Right, so you’re testing me. You want to see how much of a “real man” I am?’

She blushed slightly, even more adorable than usual. ‘I’m not sure I’d put it quite like that. I just didn’t think you’d care if I looked a bit geeky.’

‘Mia.’ He brushed a kiss against her cheek before sitting on the stairs to take off his boots. ‘You are the furthest thing from “geeky” I’ve ever seen.’

She made a rude noise. ‘I know what I look like. You don’t need to lie about it.’

‘I’m not sure you do. You’re gorgeous. In fact…’ He shot her one of his cheekiest grins. ‘Any chance you’d do the sexy librarian thing for me?’

‘Not a clue what you’re talking about.’ She shook her head.

Aiden hung up his jacket with a shrug. He guessed that fantasy would have to stay in his head for another day. And maybe someone else. He tried to ignore the tickle under his skin over his shoulder blade.