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“You’re very graceful.”
“Thank you. I practice a lot.”
“Yeah, you’d have to. I bet the kids love it.”
“They’re much more gullible than adults, so it makes it easier. Grownups are always watching to see how it’s done. Children are willing to believe in magic. Kinda like dressing up as Santa, I guess.”
“How often do people catch you?”
“Almost never. They sometimes think they know how it’s done, but you distract them with another trick, or make a joke.”
“Misdirection?”
“Exactly. It’s an art form in itself.”
He shakes his head in wonder. “I’m stunned. Alex never told me.”
I shrug. “I’m sure he thinks it’s dumb. Most people do. Cole laughed out loud when I told him.”
“I said he was a wanker.”
“And you were right. He used to make fun of me if anyone mentioned it, so I stopped talking about it.”
He frowns, his eyelids lowering to half mast, as if he’s imagining springing an attack on Cole on a dark night. But in the end, he just says, “So the boxes in the car are full of props?”
“Yeah, and, you know, outfits and stuff. It’s all about the performance, making people laugh and enjoy themselves.”
“I bet you’re amazing at it.” His eyes are full of admiration. Mmm. I like the way he’s looking at me. “Have you heard of the Marilyn Monroe effect?” he asks.
“No.”
“It’s where people transform from the ordinary into the extraordinary. She used to enjoy walking around New York City in ordinary clothes because nobody would notice her. One day she was out with a friend, and nobody was looking in her direction. And then she said, ‘Do you want to see me becomeher?’ And apparently she just flipped some kind of inner switch, and cars began to slow, and people were turning their heads to look at her. I don’t know if you’re aware, but when you were doing the trick just then, it was as if you flipped that switch. You exuded this kind of… I don’t know what to call it—radiance, I suppose. You mesmerized me.”
Chapter Four
Damon
Belle’s jaw drops, and her cheeks flush. “Nobody’s ever said anything like that to me before,” she whispers.
I shouldn’t be talking to her like this, and I certainly shouldn’t have encouraged her to kiss me. She’s just broken up with her boyfriend, so she’s a tad vulnerable, and Jo told me she likes me, but her youth and her relationship to Alex mean she’s strictly out of bounds. He’s always been very protective of her, especially since his parents separated. I’m not quite sure why—he’s never told me exactly what happened—but something tells me it’s not as simple as him being worried about her because her mother moved away.
But the thought that no man has ever told her how special she is makes anger flare inside me. Like all women, she deserves to be worshiped and placed on a pedestal.
“Not that I thought you were ordinary before,” I add. “I’ve never thought that.”
The redness in her cheeks darkens. “Stop it,” she scolds. “Now I know you’re mocking me.”
“No, I’m not. I never lie. I’m glad you broke up with Cole. He doesn’t deserve you. Why did you date him, anyway? Surely men must be falling over themselves to get to you.”
“Hardly. I don’t… you know… put myself out there much. I’m not a confident person.”
“You’re kidding me? You’ve just told me you’re a street magician. You have to have some measure of self-confidence, surely?”
“That’s different. Like you said, I become someone else when I’m doing magic. When I’m myself, I’m not great with people, especially guys. I get tongue-tied and embarrassed.”
“You’re not like that with me,” I say, puzzled.
