Logan’s upper lip curled. “Are you doubting my power as clan leader?”
To his credit, Gale didn’t sputter. Jensen could see from the bob of Gale’s throat that he was at a loss for words, though.
Gale and Baylee had started a revolution, but they needed Logan in order to see it through. Baylee had told Jensen that they hoped Logan’s clan would eliminate the lingering feud. If more Montoya and Barnes dragons joined them, it would go a long way towards their goal. But Logan had to stay alive for that to happen.
Jensen found it funny that they all knew Gale wouldn’t make a great leader. Maybe he had the power—Jensen had been knocked out by his brother-in-law before—but Gale didn’t have the head for leadership.
Logan, on the other hand, had both. But the man refused to sit still. This was a common argument in Logan’s house. He did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, without regard for Gale’s concerns.
This was why Jensen had to keep his nose out of this war. He wasn’t a particularly bright man, but even he could see just how precarious this whole clan was. If the Montoya leaders killed Logan, then they would have to scramble to put themselves back together again.
When Gale and Logan came to an impasse, Jensen stepped up and pulled his sister aside. Gale soon followed, which was fine by Jensen. Gale likely had the answers he needed.
By the time Jensen finished, Gale stared at him with open wariness.
“What?” Jensen asked.
“River Montoya? You’re seriously courting one of the triplets?”
Jensen shrugged. “I’m not courting her. I just want to hang out with her. What’s so wrong with that?”
“Alice Montoya,” Cash answered, butting into the conversation. “That’s what’s wrong with that. Do you realize that Alice hovers over the triplets?”
“Now that you mention it,” Jensen said as he scratched the back of his head. “She was there when I dropped by the library.”
“They’re Alice’s one weak spot. Especially the girls.” Gale sighed. “Reece gets away with a lot because he came into this world stronger than the girls. Plus, he usually keeps to himself at the Raptor Conservatory. When Alice isn’t making someone’s life a living hell, she’s with River or Raven.”
To Jensen, that was all the more reason to spend time with River. He could tell from their frolicking the other night and just how tight her bun was earlier that day that she needed to let out some steam. He didn’t see anything wrong with being nice to a Montoya. Wasn’t that the whole point of this rebellion?
“Touch River, and Alice will turn you into cinders,” Cash said. “It’s your funeral.”
“That’s funny coming from the man who had his face beaten in by Callum Barnes,” Jensen fired back without thinking.
Cash faced him with a wry smile. “That’s why I said it’s up to you. I’m not one to judge people for making risky decisions.”
“Whatever. It doesn’t matter because I’m not trying to date her! All I want is to be nice to the woman. Is that so bad?”
Baylee and Gale shared a look. Logan clapped him on the back.
“Do I need to give you the birds and the bees talk?” Logan asked. He barely held his laughter back.
Jensen shrugged the man off and turned on his heel. He hadn’t come here to be treated like this. They thought they were acting like a family, but Jensen couldn’t help but feel pushed to the edges. He wasn’t someone they respected, or else they wouldn’t make jokes like this.
Outside, he paused. He didn’t want to pursue a Montoya girl, or any girl for that matter. This wasn’t a date, but a way for them to blow off some steam because they deserved as much. Cash had assumed too much. Jensen wasn’t going to take home a Montoya mate.
4
River showed up without warning on Gale’s doorstep Sunday, but he didn’t seem surprised to see her. The house smelled like donuts and coffee, which made her stomach grumble. She checked around for Jensen first, the hunger in her demanding a different kind of satisfaction.
Her beast sulked when she couldn’t find him.
“He’s not here yet,” Gale said, closing the door behind her.
She startled. “What? Who?”
Real smooth, she chided herself.
“Jensen,” Gale said. “He’ll show up, though. Don’t worry about that.”
River’s lips twisted to the side. She couldn’t tell what Gale knew. The smile on Baylee’s face when they stepped into the kitchen said it all. Baylee could barely contain her secrets and seemed about to burst.
River swallowed nervously. Was this actually a date after all? She hadn’t dressed for a date. She’d chosen a pair of work boots and skinny jeans to go with another oversized sweater from her collection. This wasn’t an outfit meant to get a man’s attention. She hadn’t wanted to wear something like that for a couple of reasons.
If this wasn’t a date, and she tried to make it into one, she could lose a friend. Jensen seemed really nice. He’d made her laugh more times than anyone else in the past few months. She didn’t want to risk losing out on a relationship that could make her life a little brighter.
Besides, if her mother caught her leaving the house in a date outfit, then she never would have gotten away. Alice hadn’t been around, but River had a whole lie about helping out over at Quincy’s manor since they were still repairing the western wing after a fight had collapsed it.
River claimed a donut and began picking it apart. She ate it one tiny piece at a time while her stomach churned nervously. The way Baylee sidled up to her didn’t help. River cast a sidelong glance at the Barnes woman.
She was the kind of girl who wore a lot of black and big, heavy boots. River had only ever seen Baylee out and about. Here, without platform boots strapped to her feet, Baylee seemed much smaller than River remembered.
“Do you think my brother is cute?” Baylee asked conspiratorially.
Taken aback, River struggled to answer. When the front door opened, she thought she had been saved. But Jensen entered, saw River and his sister, and immediately asked:
“What’s going on?”
“I was just asking River if she finds you cute,” Baylee said.
River choked on the piece of donut in her mouth.
Jensen made a face. “Of course, she doesn’t.”
River sucked in a breath, relieved.
“Because she thinks I’m handsome. Who calls a dude cute, anyway?” Jensen shook his head as he approached.
He reached past River for a donut. The heat from his body spilled over her and made her dragon purr delightedly. The sound emanated from her. She slapped a hand over her mouth but couldn’t smother it.
Jensen paused, mid-reach. When he turned his attention toward her, she realized just how close he was. If she pulled her hand from her mouth, their breath would mingle. She didn’t dare move.
“River is purring,” Baylee teased, drawing out the last word.
River was mortified. Her face was so hot, she could have fried an egg on it. Beside her, Jensen rocked on his heels and let out a ragged sigh. With one hand, he hooked two donuts on a finger. With the other, he took River by the arm and tugged her off her seat.
“We don’t have to stick around here all day,” Jensen said. He narrowed his eyes at his sister. “Especially when our host is being a brat.”
River could hear Gale and Baylee arguing as Jensen led her outside. She spared one last glance back. Something like guilt stirred inside her, though she wasn’t sure what she’d done to start anything. Still, she felt as though her presence had caused problems that wouldn’t have been there otherwise.
Once they were away from the house, Jensen paused. “Baylee can be a handful. I’m really sorry about that.”
River tried to wave it off like it was nothing, but Jensen shook his head.
“No. That was uncalled for. She can do that with her relatives, but she needs to respect boundaries with others.”
That didn’t change the fact that Je
nsen had heard River’s beast purring. She couldn’t turn back the clock and silence her dragon. Being called out for it had been embarrassing, but having him hear her was far more embarrassing. Yet, Jensen never brought it back up.
He led her to his truck and opened the door for her. She eyed it.
“I’m not going to kidnap you,” he promised. “I don’t know if you noticed, but you possess a big fucking dragon. You could totally kick my ass if I tried anything stupid.”
She scowled at him. “That’s not tru—”
“What is your basis for comparison? Female dragons aren’t usually as big as yours. Mom and Baylee look like house cats to your panther.”
Her face warmed again. She should have left her hair unbound, so she had something to hide behind. Instead, she lowered her head and hopped into the passenger seat, all without meeting Jensen’s gaze. She could feel him watching her. His attention warmed her skin and left her off balance.
Jensen braced himself against the truck and leaned forward. She snuck a glance in his direction. Her breath caught upon discovering just how close he was. He didn’t seem to mind. He smirked while holding her gaze.
He opened his mouth, like he had something to say. Then his gaze dropped to her lips. An electrical current ran down her spine. She found herself leaning forward into him. The air between them warmed. Her core trembled with excitement.
“You’re more than you think,” Jensen said before pushing off the truck.
He closed the door and ran around to the driver’s seat. After fumbling with his seatbelt for a solid thirty seconds, he laughed and gave her a wink.
This man was a fool. A cute fool, obviously.
“So, what do you have planned?” River folded her hands in her lap because the urge to fidget was overwhelmingly strong.
Her nerves filled her gut with anxious butterflies. Alone, in this small space, with Jensen, his scent filled the cabin and nearly made her beast purr again. This time, she managed to muzzle the creature before it could make a physical sound.
Jensen bit off a chunk of a donut, chewed, and swallowed loudly. She was surprised he didn’t choke on it.
“I thought we would head up to the old hotel on the hill. It’s said to be haunted. We could have our own ghost tour.”
Yeah, that wasn’t any kind of date she would have chosen. An abandoned hotel? She was grateful for her outfit choice now. Had she picked out fancier shoes, she would have been in a lot of trouble.
“I also packed a picnic for us after. That way, we don’t have to go into town for food. No one will ever figure out that we spent the day together.”
Something about that statement bothered River. She knew why they were sneaking around. She just wished that she didn’t have to feel like a shameful part of his life that he had to hide. He didn’t mean it that way, but the feeling still grabbed ahold of her and refused to let go.
If she hadn’t been Alice Montoya’s daughter, then maybe this could have been different. But she wasn’t going to date this fool. Jensen was nice, but he wasn’t her mate. They were trying to become friends, and that was all.
River reminded herself that her loneliness didn’t mean she had to latch onto anyone who showed her a bit of attention. There were other people in this world who could love her. She could find a safe mate who wasn’t a Barnes dragon who would stir up trouble just by existing among her family.
“I appreciate the outing,” River said as she looked out her window. “I don’t get to have fun days like this very often.”
Jensen made a pained noise. The sound startled her and dragged her attention toward him. His brows arched together, rising into a look of serious concern.
“Don’t get me wrong, you’re going to have fun. I’m going to make sure of it, but if you think this is something special, then you’ve been living under a rock. The bar is on the floor right now. I barely have to lift my foot to step over it.”
River scowled, confused.
Jensen laughed. “Alright. That settles it. We’re going to have to get you out and about more. There’s so much you’re missing out on.”
Once again, her dragon began to purr. River muted the sound the best she could, but she couldn’t stop the blush from rising to her face. She didn’t understand why Jensen was being so nice to her. She’d done nothing to deserve this. If anything, the remnants of the feud should have kept them from ever entering into this situation.
Yet, Jensen seemed determined to be unafraid of her family. His bond with Logan’s clan must have softened his view of the rest of the Montoyas.
“You know, my family is nothing like Logan. Cash and Gale are black sheep. If you…” She paused and swallowed the lump in her throat.
“If I what? Don’t worry. I’m not trying to woo you. Your mother has nothing to be angry about.” He turned onto a forgotten road and deftly dodged a pothole.
That’s not what River had meant. Jensen’s words turned the lump in her throat into a rock that plummeted into her stomach. Resigned, she sat back in her seat and waited for the silhouette of the old hotel to appear through the naked trees.
Snow had fallen again, but only to leave a fine layer over the world. It reminded her of French toast and the sprinkling of powdered sugar that she finished it off with. There were no other cars when they parked, though she wasn’t sure what she expected. It was an abandoned hotel, after all.
Jensen snatched something from the cab of the truck before approaching her. His lips twisted to the side when he took in her up-do. She nervously touched the bun atop her head.
“That’s not going to work,” he mumbled. Reaching up, he plucked a bobby-pin from her hair. The braid that had been twisted atop her head tumbled down in one fell swoop.
Astonished, River could do nothing. Jensen yanked a winter hat over her head, stepped back, and smiled down at her. The gesture made her heart race faster than she thought possible. Stunned, all she could do was blink up at him.
“That’s better,” he said. “Now, I won’t have to worry if you’re cold.”
“B-b-but I’m a dragon. I don’t get cold.”
This time, a bit of pink filled Jensen’s cheeks. He shrugged and scratched the back of his head. The massive man’s attempt at being bashful left her dumbstruck. She needed to be careful or she would catch feelings like the flu. Jensen had made it clear that he didn’t want a mate—or, he didn’t want her as a mate.
She touched the braid now lying over her shoulder. Jensen’s gaze followed.
“Do you always put your hair up?”
Perplexed, River said, “Yeah. It’s easier that way.”
He looked like he didn’t quite understand but didn’t press the matter. Instead, he took her hand and led her toward the front door. She studied his profile and tried to figure out what this was. One moment, he held her at an arm’s length. The next moment, he literally had her by the hand.
River had never been so confused in her life before. But friendships were new to her, which was a very sad thing for her to admit. The realization came like a blow to the chest. It stole the air from her lungs.
Jensen paused, alarm spreading across his face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Even though she wasn’t.
Jensen couldn’t get enough of watching River. He kept falling back just to watch her walk ahead of him. She’d seemed wary about the hotel at first, but her interest was piqued once they crossed the threshold.
“I think there’s a ballroom,” Jensen said. “We can check it out if you want to dance.”
She laughed and threw a glance back at him. “That’s probably more dangerous than getting caught by my mother.”
“Getting caught doing what?” Jensen asked with a wiggle of his brows before he could stop himself.
Oh man, he hadn’t meant to cross that boundary. He’d drawn it for a damned reason, and there he went, tripping over it like an idiot.
Her face flushed. She faced ahead again, hiding her expression from him.
Maybe he would need his mother to make a match for him, after all, because he certainly couldn’t talk to women on his own. Not without making an ass out of himself. He would be surprised if she didn’t slap him across the face by the time the day was over.
“I shouldn’t have…” He fumbled for the right words.
Before he could finish, River darted into the nearest open room. His heart leapt in fear the moment she was out of sight. Bad things could happen in abandoned buildings, and he wasn’t about to leave her alone for that to happen. If he kept an eye on her, they could have fun and avoid disaster.
He found River, her arms spread wide. She spun a slow circle and stared up at the gaudy chandelier with awe.
“I’m surprised no one has tried to steal it,” she said.
He took in the room, with its high ceilings and faded murals. It seemed like a place for smaller, more personal parties. The furniture had either buckled under the water damage or begun to grow things that likely weren’t edible.
Yet, River’s expression made it seem like time hadn’t touched anything. Her awe warmed him. He’d struggled to figure out what they could do together without shifting. This trip had felt like a last-ditch effort, but River looked as though she was having more fun than she’d expected.
“I’m sure it’s harder to steal than it looks,” Jensen said.
Her lips curled into a defiant grin. “I bet we could manage it. Though, I don’t know where I would put it. I don’t have room for a five by five crystal chandelier.”
Jensen smiled. Every moment they spent together, she came further out of her shell. He enjoyed discovering the real River. She had an edge to her that seemed to feed on her restlessness. She wanted to climb broken stairs and steal chandeliers.
He was grateful that River and Baylee had gotten off on the wrong foot if only because they could be a powerful force of chaos if they bonded. He wanted to bring River back to his mother and introduce them. She would love this woman.
But that was asking for more than Jensen had bargained for. If he brought a woman home, his mother would make all the wrong assumptions. She would push for something Jensen didn’t want.
A Fate Forbidden (Great Plains Dragon Feud Book 3) Page 3