Free Night of the Magician by Stephanie James, Jayne Ann Krentz

forced to borrow from Drake and me she insisted on paying back every last dollar with interest. We tried to tell her there was absolutely no need but she…“
    Ariana turned on her aunt, smoky eyes full of desperate appeal. “No more, Phil,“ she begged quietly. “Not on that subject. Please.“
    Philomena was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry, darling, I didn’t realize you probably hadn’t told Lucian the full story.
    I should never have reminded you of that awful year.“
    “Never mind. Just find something else to discuss.“ Over the rim of her cup Ariana met Lucian’s glittering, inquiring eyes. She held that gaze with a steadiness which was belied by the faint trembling in her fingers. She held his gaze, but she didn’t like the deep, probing expression she saw there. A wave of uneasy premonition swept over her. But before she could think of anything more to say, Philomena was rushing forward once more.
    “No sense rehashing ancient history is there?“ the older woman declared cheerfully as she poured more tea. “The present and the future are the only things that matter, don’t you agree, Lucian?“
    “Definitely,“ he stated firmly.
    “Well, then, tell me something about yourself, Lucian,“ she invited brightly. “Drake says you live in San Francisco and that he introduced you to Ari at one of his parties.“
    “Lucian is in real estate,“ Ariana said distinctly, wondering why she was bothering to give her escort a respectable cover now. Philomena clearly seemed quite taken with him as it was! “He’s a developer. He finances large projects in and around the city.“
    “Oh, a speculator! How exciting!“ Philomena clapped her hands once in appreciation. “I’ll bet you’re very slick, aren’t you, Lucian? Fast and sharp.“
    Lucian began to laugh. A deep, rich, velvety chuckle that held all the male amusement in the world. Ariana glared at him, but nothing could have quelled that laughter. Philomena stared in puzzled delight, clearly wondering what was so funny, but Lucian was laughing too hard to explain.
    Ariana lifted her eyes beseechingly toward heaven, recalling with forceful clarity the conversation she’d had with Lucian in the Porsche about the difference between a speculator and a financier and developer. His sense of humor, it appeared, was as unpredictable and unreliable as that of her aunt’s.
    “Tell me something,“ Philomena went on irrepressibly as Lucian managed to control his laughter. “Has Ari told you about her plan to insist on a prenuptial contract in the event that she ever marries?“
    “Phil!“ Ariana turned once more on her aunt, but Lucian was already answering the question.
    “As a matter of fact,“ he said smoothly, still grinning, “I believe she did mention the subject.“
    “And what did you think of the idea?“ Philomena pressed interestedly.
    “I hope I made it very clear that I didn’t plan on signing such an agreement,“ Lucian said flatly, the last of the humor fading from his eyes.
    “Excellent,“ Philomena approved at once. “I’ve been saying for four years that a man who could convince Ariana to take another chance on love and passion was exactly what she needed. Someone has got to rescue her from this obsession she’s developed about protecting herself with contracts and marriage and money! A wild, wonderful affair would do her so much good, don’t you think?“
    Ariana ran out of fortitude. “I think,“ she stated grimly, rising to her feet with the royal grace of a queen, “that I’ll go to my room and unpack.“
    She fled the tearoom, leaving it to the magician and the mischievous imp who inhabited it.

4
    Several hours later that evening Ariana sat in a pitch black room, a room so dark that she couldn’t even make out the features of the people next to her, and learned that there are situations in this world that are far more unnerving than that of holding one’s own with a magician and a wickedly good-natured