Must Be Magic (Spellbound) Read Online Free PDF Page A

gotten in Bryce’s face about it at Finn and Bree’s rehearsal dinner. Right?
    “Spit it out, Darby.”
    “Watching me.” She sneaked a peek from the corner of her eye, but his face didn’t give anything away.
    “Watching you,” he repeated slowly.
    Forget stupid. Hearing it aloud made the whole thing sound utterly ridiculous. She laughed, breaking the tension that gripped her the second Riley opened her mouth. “You weren’t watching me, were you?”
    He hesitated just long enough to make her wonder. “No.” He looked out at the water, then back at her. “Are you sure it was even me that your brother wanted to talk to?”
    “Seventy-five percent sure.”
    “As flattering as it is to think you’d protect me—”
    Whoa boy. “That’s not what I was doing.”
    He didn’t appear convinced, and she knew right then she should have stayed with Riley.
    She pivoted on her heel to go back inside.
    “Wait.”
    Facing him, she crossed her arms.
    “Let’s say, hypothetically, that your brother did think I was watching you.” Judging by the doubt in his voice, it was a wonder he managed to say it without laughing. “He might be annoyed with you for slowing him down.”
    “So now you’re protecting me ?”
    He laughed, the engaging, sexy sound nothing like the harsh, mocking tone she’d grown accustomed to. “How about we call it two people enjoying some fresh air. I think that falls under the truce.”
    Silence fell between them, but it thankfully wasn’t weighed down with the usual strained awkwardness they generated without even trying.
    “Falling star,” he murmured a few minutes later.
    Darby tipped her head back, catching only the fading streak as it vanished over the other side of the island. “I haven’t seen one in years…” She trailed off, feeling Bryce’s gaze on her.
    Hoping she hadn’t just reminded him of the night they’d sat on the hood of a friend’s car, leaning back against the windshield to watch a meteor shower, she scrambled for something to say.
    “I was sure your father would have passed on this weekend’s festivities.”
    “That makes two of us.”
    “He’s not…” She paused, for once thinking over her words where Bryce was concerned.
    “Going to cause trouble?” Bryce put in. “No. I don’t think so.”
    “Good.” She cringed inwardly at how mean that sounded. “I should head back inside.” She glanced over her shoulder to see if he was coming.
    “I think I’ll stay out here a little longer. Probably better if Dante doesn’t see us go back in together. I’d hate to give him a reason to try and intimidate me.”
    She smiled at the emphasis on try . Although her brother had broody and intimidating down to an art form, she’d seen Bryce hold his own with Dante more than a few times. Which made her wonder, again, why she’d even bothered to stop them from speaking in the first place.
    “Okay.” There was nothing else to say, so how come she found herself lingering?
    A loud splash sounded behind them, and they both leaned over the railing.
    Lights from both the ballroom and the veranda made it easy to spot someone in the water. “Is that your cousin Reggie?”
    “I think so.”
    Ahead of them, Riley walked to the railing and leaned over. “Next time you won’t be landing in the water.” Without another word, she spun around and strode back inside.
    “Have I ever mentioned that your sister is scary?”
    Darby laughed, and leaving Bryce to shake his head at his cousin, she trailed inside after her sibling. She caught up with her and Bree at the bar. In under thirty seconds Riley had shot glasses in their hands.
    “To Bree and her last night as a single woman,” Riley toasted.
    The three of them clinked glasses and tossed back their drinks. The back of Darby’s neck tingled and she scanned the room, but Bryce stood with his back to her, talking to Alex.
    “Are you and Finn staying together tonight?” Darby asked.
    Bree snorted. “Your brother