by Meg Ripley
“You’re right. It looks like you’re double-booked on Tuesday, so you’ll need to let me know which appointment you want to cut out.”
“No.” He plucked the planner from her hands and tossed it onto the floor of the limo.
“Hey!” She tried to reach for it.
He stopped her with his hands on her arms. “Courtney! Stop! We need to talk, and we’re going to, damn it. We have a moment with just the two of us, and for all I care we can drive around Los Angeles for an hour just so we can finish. We can tell the captain to set sail without us, for all I care. But we’ve got to talk about this.”
Her eyes were glossy as she looked at him in surprise, but now she looked away. “There isn’t anything to talk about, Blane. I understand how these things work. I crossed a line, and I shouldn’t have. I’d rather we just go on with our lives and pretend that didn’t happen.”
“You crossed a line? If I remember correctly, I was involved, too. And there’s no reason for either one of us to feel ashamed about it. We’re adults.” He didn’t understand why she was so upset about their tryst. It had been wonderful, and he had thought it might be the start of something that would be good for both of them. But instead, it was just awkward.
“We are adults,” she agreed, “but you’re my boss. There’s work to be done, and we don’t have time for anything other than that.”
“Why are you saying that?” he yelled, his frustration pushed to the edge. “What’s so terrible about it?”
Her lips hardened, but she held her temper. “Blane, I’m not stupid. I know you. You’re never going to be satisfied with a woman like me, and it’s best if I just keep my distance before we get so entangled, we don’t know how to get back out of this. It’s either that, or I’m going to have to quit, and I’d rather not. I only have a couple more years until I can go back to school, and I don’t want to settle down with anyone before then.”
Blane stared at her, open-mouthed. “School? What are you talking about?” He’d never heard her say anything of the sort. He was going to have to ask her just what the hell she meant about him not being satisfied with a woman like her as well, but one thing at a time.
“Yes.” She retrieved the planner now, settling it nearly into her briefcase. “I’d like to be an entertainment attorney, and I’ll need a degree for that.”
“Oh.” Blane suddenly felt as though she had already left. He had never even thought about her moving on to another job. But then again, he had never really been one to think about the future. “I had no idea.”
“Well, that’s my plan.” She was fiddling with her paperwork again, refusing to look at him. “I’m sorry. I guess I shouldn’t have dropped a bomb on you like that, but it needed to be said.”
The hole in his heart was a massive one, and his dragon reeled. Blane didn’t know what else to say. He had always been the kind of guy who had a quick comeback for everything, but how could he possibly respond to that? Beg her to stay when she clearly didn’t want to? That wasn’t going to go over well. Through the window, he could see the masts of the ships at the docks. They would just have to figure this out later.
Courtney trailed along behind him as they made their way to the boat, constantly on her phone or jotting something down. The captain greeted them as they boarded, but she paid little attention. Other guests were already beginning to arrive, but she had ensconced herself in the cabin. She only came out every now and then to check on the food tables or bark at a waitress.
Blane did his best to ignore her as he hobnobbed with the actors, knowing that this was as much of a show to put on as any of his movies or commercials. He nodded and smiled at Kelly LeBrock and Olivia Newton-John, and he was fairly certain that was Tom Cruise over by the drinks table. The boat was looking more like lndulgence, Jackson’s exclusive club that only allowed the biggest names and the prettiest faces through its doors. He should have been thrilled to know that everyone was flocking to him, but he couldn’t get into it. His mind was on Amanda and what would happen to her when Courtney eventually left. Sure, he could always hire someone else, but that wasn’t the point.
Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” was playing on the stereo system, since Jane’s band wasn’t in attendance that evening. Blane leaned against the railing, studying the way the late afternoon sun slanted against the ocean.
“You don’t look like you’re having any fun.” Blane turned to find Tiffany Reed standing at his elbow, a drink in each hand. She gave him one as she flashed that million-dollar smile at him.
“I just have a lot on my mind.” He peered down into the glass. At any other time, he would have immediately slammed its contents back and been ready for another. But that day was different. Everything was different.
“I heard.” She batted her dark gold lashes and moved a few inches closer. “Want to talk about it?”
There was a chance she might have understood his position better than some other people. She was popular, and the media circus that surrounded her had to be difficult to live with. Instead of baby rumors, the paparazzi were constantly trying to get shots of her with men so they could conjecture over who she was dating. But that still wasn’t the same as suddenly having a child. “No, thanks.”
“If you’re sure.” She sipped her Bahama Mama and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I haven’t seen you on the set much lately, and I don’t know if we have any other scenes together. It would be a shame if we were done already.”
But Blane wasn’t paying attention. He glanced over her shoulder to see Courtney at the buffet. She actually had a small plate of food in her hand, and she was smiling as she chatted with Annie Potts. He had insisted they hire extra staff for the party so she wouldn’t feel so obligated to run the show, and it looked as though that was paying off. Even if she was still feeling a little awkward around him, she could at least have a few minutes to enjoy herself.
“I take it that means you agree?”
“I’m sorry, what?” He turned back to Tiffany, embarrassed that he hadn’t heard a word she’d said.
She smiled, not minding. “I was just saying that we should get together off the set another time, maybe go have dinner together or something. You smiled.”
“Oh.” He hadn’t even realized it; he’d been too focused on Courtney. “Will you excuse me for a moment?”
Tiffany shrugged and moved on to talk to someone else, while Blane made his way through the crowded deck. They no longer had the privacy of the back of the limo, but there was so much more that he needed to talk to her about. He wasn’t going to wait any longer, and he wasn’t going to let her argue with him. They would talk, and he would tell her every single thing he had been thinking, whether she liked it or not.
But before he could get close to her, a different woman stepped in front of him. But this time, she’d made no attempt to hide her hair. Instead, she opted for large sunglasses and a floppy hat. It was a horrible disguise, one that never should have fooled the security guard posted on the dock. But they were a long way from the shore now, and she was going to be nearly impossible to get rid of.
“There you are, Blane,” Kim purred, sashaying her body up to his and sliding her sunglasses down her nose. “I’ve been waiting for my chance to get you alone. Why don’t we go below deck and get to know each other a little better?”
The range of emotions Blane had been through that day was more than most people could bear. Luckily, the beast inside him was tolerant. Anger flushed his system, heightening his senses and making his claws threaten to emerge, but he did his best to keep himself contained. “What are you doing here? I thought the restraining order made it pretty clear that you’re not allowed to be anywhere near me.”
Kim pressed her breasts against him as she looked up into his eyes. “Oh, come on. I know that was all for show. If we need to keep things a secret, then that’s fine with me. But we belong together, Blane, and I won’t be denied my fated mate.”
“That’s the very last fucki
ng thing I am,” he growled. He pushed her away to arm’s length and grabbed her wrist, ready to go find the captain and tell him to turn around. “Come with me.”
“Whatever you want, Blane. You know I’m willing to help you live out all your fantasies. Anything you could imagine, I’m happy to do. And then we can talk about our living arrangements so I can see my baby again.”
Kim was annoying enough with her stalking and her antics, but talking about Amanda wasn’t something he was going to tolerate. “Shut your mouth! You and I both know that we’ve never done anything together.”
“Are you really so sure?” she asked, daring to flutter her lashes at him. “I mean, you’ve been with plenty of women. Are you going to tell me that you remember all of them? And think about it this way: you’ve had a baby left on your doorstep. No matter who she belongs to, I’m willing to step in and be her mother. I’ll get to be with you, and you won’t have to worry about what to do with the kid while you work. It could be a wonderful situation for both of us.” Kim tried to get close to him again.
He pulled her around to face him, his teeth grating together as he forced himself to remain in human form. As much as this woman was pissing him off, he wasn’t going to make a spectacle of himself. “Listen to me. That is never going to happen. I don’t want you around, I don’t like you, and I would never be desperate enough to even take you out to dinner, much less sleep with you. Stop acting like a psycho and leave me alone. Go find someone else to stalk.”
Kim ripped her arm out of his grip, her brow furrowing. “I’m not stalking you.”
“No? Well, what do you call it when you show up randomly at my workplace, and then at my house? And now on my boat?” Blane wasn’t being discreet, and he didn’t even care. A few of the other guests had turned to look at them now, and he barely even registered it. He’d already had enough for the day, and he wasn’t going to tolerate this. “Get the fuck off my boat, Kim. And don’t come back.”
“Fine.” She took three steps backwards before turning and running toward the railing. She cleared it in one swift leap.
Blane and the other guests shot to the side of the boat to look over it, expecting to see her floundering in the water. But she had completely disappeared.
Courtney was at his shoulder. “Was that who I thought it was?”
“Unfortunately. I guess we’d better get a life preserver and get her back on board before she drowns.” He had wanted to be rid of her, but he wasn’t so cruel as to wish her dead.
“But where did she go?” Courtney frowned down into the water below.
It began to boil, the gentle ripples that had lapped against the hull turning to churning waves, making the boat rock in the water. Several guests gripped the railing, looking at each other in concern. Suddenly, a solid mass rose up out of the ocean and into the air. Water flooded down from bright red scales and the thick leather wings attached to them as Kim rose into the sky in her new form. Her shadow fell over the deck, sending most of the people on board scattering to the other side. But Blane knew that wasn’t going to be enough to protect them as Kim let herself fall back into the water.
“She’s not going to just leave it at that,” he said urgently to Courtney. He had always made it a point to keep this side of his life private, even if the entertainment magazines knew what brand of underwear he wore. But he couldn’t just stand around and do nothing. Pulling in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he slipped out of his clothes, feeling a shiver of pain down his spine as it lengthened and stretched, his tail lashing out behind him. His skin undulated as sharp spikes erupted from the back of his skull and his fingernails sharpened into thick talons. The separation of his skin into scales was never comfortable, but he barely noticed it when he looked to the place where Courtney had stood only a moment ago.
She, too, had changed. She was a magnificent woman with her dark hair and her generous curves, but she was also the most incredible dragon he had ever seen. The deep silver of her scales was iridescent in the sun, changing colors as she writhed with the pain of shifting. Her massive wings spread behind her, reaching out for the breeze. Though she had completely changed, those dark eyes were the same ones he had come to know so well over the last two years. They shot him a determined look that he also knew far too well, and they nodded at each other. They would take care of this.
The deck tipped sideways beneath them as Kim surged up from the water once again, this time under one edge of the boat. Several of the guests went tumbling overboard, and Blane saw Courtney immediately go after them. Her sterling body shone in the sun as she snapped out her wings and dove into the water on the other side of the boat, skimming through the ocean and snatching up the fallen.
That left it up to Blane to take care of Kim. He launched himself into the air, his body slamming into hers. She fell to the deck with a shivering thump that threatened to capsize the yacht, sending up a shower of splinters.
But the impact didn’t seem to bother her. “I don’t know why you have to be so difficult about this!” she roared. “Surrender yourself to me, and we can be happy together.”
“Not a chance.” Blane’s shoulder ached from where he had hit her, but that wasn’t going to stop him. As she rose up into the air again, he started another attack. This time, he felt his chest fill with fire, and he heaved it with all his might into her direction.
Kim laughed as she dodged it, her wing sending another slew of passengers into the water.
“Damn it!” Courtney was already getting the others, and he couldn’t just let these people drown. He turned to go after them, but his fan took the advantage while she had it, barreling into his side and pinning him to the deck. Her breath was hot in his face as she pressed her muzzle close to his. “You’re a sexy human, but you’re a weak-ass dragon. You don’t spend enough time in this form. You belong to me, Blane. Just admit it. We’ll raise your baby together like we should.”
But the battle cry that rose in the air didn’t come from his lips; seconds later, a silvery blur knocked the weight of Kim off him. Blane watched as one dragoness rolled over another, a tangle of wings and claws. Kim came out on top, but Courtney was fighting as valiantly as ever. Her claws raked against Kim’s flesh, sending plumes of blood splashing down onto the deck. The red dragon screeched her anger and fought harder, lashing out with her own claws.
Blane felt a wave of horror under his scales as Courtney’s blood mixed with Kim’s on the deck. She had been cut at the base of her throat, one of the most vulnerable places on her body. The tip of her wing had been torn, sending a mist of red through the air as she struggled underneath Kim.
His rage was so deep that Blane could no longer control his body. It was moving on its own volition, shooting through the air with a velocity he had never attempted before. He bowled her off of Courtney, his jaws closing around her crimson neck as he whipped his head to the side. Blane felt the impact of her spine snapping in his own body, a sickening sensation that made him want to vomit. He dropped her instantly, her body skidding across wood and rolling to a stop against the railing.
Blane turned to Courtney, terrified of what he would find. “Are you all right?”
One clawed hand pressed at the gash at her throat. “She missed the jugular,” Courtney gasped. “Let me at that bitch!”
He put out his hand to keep her down, suddenly realizing that the air didn’t want to come back to his lungs. That had been too close of a call, and he was dizzy with relief.
“It’s over.”
Chapter Nine
Blane hadn’t slept. He’d tried, but every time he closed his eyes, he was back on the ocean, fighting with all his strength against Kim. In real life, the duel had only lasted a few minutes. It had been over almost as soon as it had begun. But it wasn’t like that in his dreams. Kim just kept getting up, no matter how hard he fought. Sometimes, he relived his triumph, but more often than not, he saw Courtney die at the red dragon’s hands.
Courtney, at least, was
able to get some sleep once they’d returned from the hospital. She had a set of stitches near her collarbone, but the wound would heal quickly. Dragons mended at a much faster rate than humans, and hardly a scar would remain within a month’s time.
But Blane wasn’t so sure he could forget it was there.
“Stop fussing over me,” she groaned as he brought her breakfast. Her words were ill-tempered, but there was a small smile playing on her lips as she accepted the plate of biscuits and gravy. “I’m fine. Really.”
But Blane couldn’t stop looking at the bandages that covered her wound. It had all been his fault. Courtney had been hurt because Kim had been after him. He’d made himself too available to the public, too easy to find, and this was something Courtney had often lectured him on. Blane hadn’t listened, and now she’d gotten hurt.
He knew he had to say something. He’d tried several times, and he’d been ready to let it all out when Kim had shown up. The longer he hesitated, the harder it would be. Maybe this wasn’t the most ideal situation, with Courtney bundled up on the couch in her pajamas recovering from blood loss, but if he continued to wait, he would never find the right time.
“Courtney?”
“Yes?”
The doorbell rang. Blane sighed and closed his eyes. What was the universe trying to tell him, anyway? “I’ll be right back.”
He trotted to the front of the house, not surprised to find uniformed men at the door. They had spoken with the police extensively the night before, but they’d said they would probably need to come by for more information. Blane held the door wide. “Come on in. Ms. Welsh is here, too, but she might not have much energy to answer your questions just yet.”
A heavyset policeman stepped forward. “Sir, my name is Detective Berkeley. I’m not here to question anyone, but I do have some information that you might find interesting. It’s about the baby.”