Author's note: Thanks to Avis Minter for our brainstorming about magic performances by Grace and Lucas in this chapter!
—--
Grace glanced sideways at the kids as Lucas took a seat in front of the blanket teepee and took out a deck of Queen of Hearts cards.
His face was neutral, but Grace could tell that his lips twitched as he glanced at the little ones under his eyelashes. The kids were watching every movement of his fingers as he shuffled the cards, their little mouths gaping, their eyes widened in amazement.
Clearing his throat, Lucas said.
"Now, I'm going to need a volunteer to pull out one card", he softly smiled as little Christine got up and toddled toward him. Lucas offered cards to her and said "Now, Christine, take one card and look at it well. And memorize it", as the little girl did what he told her, Lucas asked "Did you memorize it?"
Christine nodded.
"Yes. It is seven of heawts", she said, grinning.
Lucas chuckled.
"Sweetie, you have to memorize it, not tell me", he gently caressed the little blonde head in front of him and smiled warmly "Come on. Pick another one."
Christine grinned as she pulled out a card and hid it from Lucas with her little palm.
He raised his eyebrows, smiling softly at the little girl.
"You got it?", he asked. As Christine nodded with a smile, Lucas said "Good. Now, put it back in the deck", as Christine did it, he shuffled the cards and spread them in his hands. Slowly, he pulled out a card and smiled as he showed it to Christine.
"Is this your card?, he asked.
Christine gasped loudly.
"WOW!", she looked at Lucas, her eyes wide open in wonder.
Lucas put the cards beside him and he looked back at Christine, falling serious.
"Hey, what is that?", he pointed to her left ear with his index finger.
Christine watched with eyes wide open as Lucas reached his fingers somewhere behind her left ear and pulled out a coin!
The kids gasped in amazement. Grace smirked slightly as she walked over to Lucas and sat down beside him.
"Wow! How did you do that?", she asked as her hand went behind Lucas' right ear and her eyes widened as she pulled out a sparkling crystal "I thought I was the only one who can find the hidden treasure!"
Lucas gasped as he saw the tiny crystal on Grace's palm.
"I thought I lost it!", he exclaimed.
Lillian hid her lips behind her palm in order not to burst to laughter as the kids rushed toward Grace and Lucas to see both coin and crystal.
Grace closed one eye and gave Lucas a serious glare as she mumbled in a thick gypsy accent:
"Never doubt the powers of Mademoiselle Graceiousness Bennettness!", she huffed out, causing the kids to giggle and Lucas to chuckle.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Can she make this coin disappear?", he put a coin on his fingers and moved it across them, then turned his palm over to find it empty, making the kids gasp in wonder.
Grace huffed out a laugh.
"Ha!", she reached out and pulled a coin behind little Tess' ear, causing the little girl to gasp in amazement "She can do so much better!", Grace furrowed her eyebrows as she put a coin on her palm, covered it with her fingers and said with a smug smirk in Lucas' direction "She can double it!", with those words, Grace blew on her fingers and as she opened her palm, the little ones squealed in surprise as they saw two coins on her palm!
Lucas nodded in appreciation as he smiled at his love, only to inch closer to her and ask, his tone of voice carrying a pinch of mystery in it:
"Can you do this, my beautiful sorceress?" and with those words he put his fingers in his sleeve only to pull out a single red rose and he handed it to little Anna with a soft smile.
Grace slightly gasped in surprise together with the little ones.
Pursuing her lips, she got up and walked toward the small table near the stairs and came back with a small pail and a cup of water.
As she sat back down, she started to pour the water in the pail, the kids watching every moment she made barely blinking.
Grace smiled softly, her lips closed and as she glanced up at the little ones, she slowly swirled the pail and everybody gasped as they heard the water gurgling inside!
Lucas raised his eyebrows.
"How did you do that?", he asked.
Grace glanced sideways at him.
"Magic, Master Magician Bouchard. I have tricks of my own", she winked at him "Magic. What, you don't believe me?!", as Lucas shook his head in disbelief, Grace huffed "Would you like to see the water to make sure it's there?", at his nod, Grace picked up the pail, holding it like she would throw it in his face. As he inched closer, Grace quickly shook the pail and glitter came out, covering Lucas' hair and face in it!
Grace laughed as he closed his eyes and the children gasped, then burst to laugh as the golden glitters covered Lucas' dark hair.
He inhaled deeply and pretended to choke, sending the kids into fits of gasps again. He quickly took a handkerchief from his suit pocket and started to cough in it.
The kids gasped in amazement.
"Wucas! You awe coughing glittews!", gasped little Lucy.
Lucas smiled behind his handkerchief.
"Magical inside and out!", he said, causing Grace to smile, her heart swelling with love for this wonderful man.
He looked at her and his hand sneaked around her waist as he leaned in and kissed her hair. Lucas shook his head sprinkling glitters from it all over Grace's brunette waves, causing the kids to roll on the floor from laughter!
Grace giggled as a few glitters fell on her face. Lucas smiled at her, his eyes sparkling.
"Well done, my enchanting sorceress", he whispered, his heart warming up with love for this amazing woman.
Grace smiled and sneaked her fingers in his glorious hair, causing more glitters to fall out on her face, making her squeal and laugh.
"Well, we can't hold all the magic dust for ourselves", she glanced pointedly at Lucas and he nodded.
A silence prevailed as the two of them shared a look and a soft smile, putting hands in their pockets…
…And in the next moment pulled them out, throwing glitters at the children, sending them into fits of squealing!
As the little ones jumped up and started to chase glitters that flew all around them, Lucas gently pulled Grace into his side and kissed her hair, chuckling at the joy that came from the children.
She snuggled into his side, hiding her smiling face into her private haven between his neck and shoulder.
She inhaled deeply, only to giggle as glitters tickled her nostrils.
Pulling away, Grace tried to wipe the glitters off her face, but it was mission impossible. She looked at Lucas and laughed.
"Oh, you are covered in glitters!", giggling, she tried to get the sparkling particles out from his hair and beard, but to no avail.
Lucas laughed at her attempts to get rid of the glitters. She laughed alongside him and got up, brushing her dress that was covered in glitters, but her failed attempts only made both of them laugh harder.
Lucas took off his suit jacket and vest, deciding to just shake them off later before he heads home.
Grace smiled widely as she took his hand.
"Come on. Lets try to wash our faces at least", and with those words, she tugged on his hand and they left toward the bathroom.
Entering the bathroom, they looked at the mirror and gasped at the sight of themselves before bursting in laughter.
"Oh, for Heaven's sake!", Grace managed to squeak out "Open that faucet while I get the towels!"
Shaking from laughter, Lucas opened the faucet, splashed some water on his face and then pulled his wet fingers through his hair several times.
When he finished, Grace gave him a towel to wipe his face before she splashed some water on her face as well.
She wiped her face and looked up at Lucas, both of them laughing.
At that moment, Lucas' usually perfectly brushed hair decided to have a will on its own and one thick black strand of his hair fell on his forehead.
Grace smiled at that sight and instinctively brought her fingers to put it back in its place, stepping closer to Lucas in the process.
She stepped on her tiptoes and bit her lower lip as her fingertips reached a mischievous strand of Lucas' hair.
He caught her gaze, a few water drops falling from his wet hair on her face.
She watched as his eyes turned a bit darker and her gaze went toward his lips.
Their lips crashed against each other, her fingers sneaking into his hair, his arms wrapping her in his warm embrace.
Grace felt her pulse speeding up as Lucas moved closer to her, drinking her in. She let out a silent moan only to shudder as he deepened the kiss, sending her entire body in flames. His tongue lovingly caressed her mouth as he held her close and Grace whimpered in delight as she kissed him back with all that she had.
Slowly, she pushed him against the bathroom doors, never breaking the kiss. Her shivering fingers sneaked down to his back and that was when she remembered, or better to say felt, that he took his vest and suit jacket off.
Her palms splashed against his back and she pressed her fingers in the material of his dress shirt. Her blood boiled as she felt his back muscles rippling under her touch.
She pressed her body closer to his and gasped, her eyes closing, her lips unlatching from Lucas' as her knees buckled.
Lucas caught her and in one quick spin, he changed their positions. Grace let out a silent gasp as her back hit the bathroom doors. In the next moment, she gasped in pleasure, her eyes and mouth opening in a breathless moan as she felt Lucas' lips on her neck. He showered her skin with passionate kisses, causing her to grab his shoulders tightly, her breathing growing heavy.
Grace bit her lower lip in order to stifle a moan and she slowly dragged her hands down his back, pulling him closer.
She couldn't help it. She couldn't resist. She had to feel his skin, at least for a second.
Her shivering fingers went to his chest and she sneaked them down, tugging the material of his dress shirt up.
Lucas gasped, moving away from her neck.
"Grace", he breathed heavily as he leaned his forehead on hers and looked at her eyes.
She was breathing heavily as well and kissed his lips gently, never breaking their eye contact.
"Just for a second", she whispered against his lips as she tugged a bit more of his dress shirt up.
As the cold air hit Lucas' bare skin on his lower back, he closed his eyes. "Grace", he whispered "If you touch me, I won't be able to control myself."
Her fingers hovered over bare skin on his stomach and she was just about to make that delicious contact when his words stopped her.
She looked up at him to find his eyes closed, his forehead creased in concentration…
…and her heart melted at the sight of vulnerability on his face.
She let the material of his dress shirt fall down and cover his bare skin, and he let out a shuddering breath. In the next moment Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and she nuzzled her nose against his, giving him time to calm his breathing down.
After a few moments, Lucas opened his eyes and his lips slightly curled up at the sight of his Grace watching him intently, lovingly.
"I love you", she whispered "And I cannot wait to be your wife."
Lucas smiled and brushed his lips against hers.
"I love you too", he whispered, every word ghosting over her rosy lips.
Grace smiled as she gave him one more sweet, soft kiss.
"Is it February yet?", she whispered, making him sigh into their kiss and smile. She smiled back as her eyes never left his eyes.
Lucas shook his head a bit.
"Is it indeed?", he silently replied and kissed her gently one more time. When the kiss broke, Lucas looked deeply in her eyes and whispered "I cannot wait to be your husband."
Grace smiled happily and she hugged him tightly, letting him bury his face in her soft, brunette waves as his arms held her in his embrace.
She was under his spell. And he was under her spell.
And that was all they needed - faith, trust and pixie dust.
And the most important thing.
Love.
—--
Stars shining bright above you
Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"
Birds singin' in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me.
Say "Night-ie night" and kiss me
Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me
While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me.
Stars fading but I linger on, dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger 'til dawn, dear
Just saying this.
Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams, whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me.
Stars fading but I linger on, dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger 'til dawn, dear
Just saying this.
Sweet dreams 'til sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you
But in your dreams, whatever they be
Dream a little dream of me
Dream a little dream of me
Dream a little dream of me.
"Dream a little dream of me" - Doris Day)