by Eve Langlais
Where is JF? The day took forever to pass. Stacey had spent her morning checking out the resort, every nook and cranny, with Maurice at her side explaining the amenities available for a wedding. He’d answered every single question posed without hesitation. Let her peek into every single corner and cupboard she wanted. To find nothing.
After lunch, she took a different tact, embarking on a sailing boat with other guests. Throwing up over the side and going back to shore. Cats and water did not mix.
She spent the rest of that afternoon by the pool, pumping people for information while, at the same time, pumping handful after handful of cream to keep her skin from turning into red-seared steak. Those who slathered her, talked. And talked.
Everything she learned proved boring. So boring, even with all the tropical drinks.
By late afternoon, she was greasy, frustrated, and had nothing to show for her day of investigation.
Okay, not entirely nothing. A few people talked about the missing girl, in terms of either “Oh my God, hope she’s okay” to “Wonder who she shacked up with.”
No one seemed unduly concerned they themselves could go missing. The resort did its best to act as if everything was okay. This was a place of fun and adventure, not fear.
Bo-o-r-r-r-ing. She wanted to shake things up. Really was tempted to do something, anything, to relieve her irritation.
But then Francois might not kiss me.
Since when did that matter? Since when did she behave for a man?
Since I found one that makes me feel all mushy inside. How long since she’d met a fellow who evinced more than a passing interest from her? JF didn’t fawn over her. Didn’t say yes to everything she demanded.
The man had a backbone, and it was damned sexy.
Everything about him was so freaking hot. And I want it all.
Want him.
Was she falling for the guy? She barely knew him. Yet, the more she discovered, the more he intrigued.
At least now she understood why he acted so disparaging to her and the other lions. He’d been hurt. Hurt badly. She could see how he’d have trust issues. See it, but not understand it because she’d never truly suffered like Francois had. Raised as a pampered princess, the youngest of the brood, Stacey enjoyed the finer things in life. Travel, clothes, good food. Almost dying because of believing in the wrong person?
That must have sucked.
Surely he understood that one woman was an anomaly? Having grown up in the pride, Stacey knew those kinds of incidences where they went nuts were rare. But he perhaps didn’t know that. Perhaps she should tell him or, even better, show him that not all shifters were violent psychopaths. Bring him home to meet her family. Mama and Papa and all her siblings.
Hmm, then again, their chaos might send him running.
What am I doing? Thinking of introducing him to relatives. Hello, he was not boyfriend material. Casual sex, yes, but nothing more permanent. She had no interest in settling down and popping out babies. Unlike her sisters, she didn’t get all gushy at the thought of children.
Children had dirty paw prints that left stains on clothes. They also expected constant care. Stacey wasn’t into that. At all.
Most men, though, they wanted a family. A legacy to carry on their name. It made long-term relationships sour when they heard her philosophy on life.
Enjoy it.
Travel the world. Stay up late. But don’t waste the day. Avoid the midday sun. Don’t buy off a discount rack. And no babies.
Most of those men could handle but, for some reason, the last one really threw them off.
Best to stay single.
Staying single meant not caring about the fact that her ex-boyfriends moved on with a little Sally Homemaker.
Was Francois at this moment already moving on with Jan?
The very thought had her waving a waiter over with another drink.
By the time the adventuring party returned, she was sitting in the shade by the pool, sloshed and taking selfies that she posted and tagged her biatches in to make them jealous she was at a luxury resort while they were stuck at home. The riposte of texts back, most calling her jealous names, made her smile.
A massive shadow covered her slathered body. The tiny bikini meant there was a lot of skin that needed protection.
Stacey lifted her sunglasses to eye Francois properly. “You make a better door than a window,” she observed.
“Is lying by the pool your idea of work?”
“You told me to stay out of jail. So I did.”
His lip twitched. She was sure of it.
“I didn’t think you’d listen.”
“Your faith in me is astounding.”
Yes, definitely some movement at the corner of his mouth.
“I have faith that you can find trouble wherever you are.”
She didn’t even try to contain her grin. “I do. It makes life interesting. You should try it sometime.”
“Trouble is for thrill seekers.”
“It is. And it is also for those who want to live life rather than play it safe.”
“Taking chances can be deadly.”
The subtle undercurrent to the words struck her.
“But only by taking a chance can you sometimes discover new and exciting things.”
“Sometimes things die trying.”
She held his gaze. “But what a way to go.”
With a shake of his head, he severed the visual connection between them. “Every time you open your mouth, you give another reason why I should stay away from you.”
“Liar. Every time I open my mouth, you wonder, will it fit? Does she spit or swallow?” The brazen words poured out of her, and she couldn’t help but laugh as his expression got even more uptight.
With a hint of smoldering.
“Your mouth is filthy.”
“I agree, I am soooooo dirty. Whatever will you do?” she purred. “Put me over your knee and spank me? We should probably go to our room for that.”
“You should probably keep your voice down,” he growled.
“Fuck ’em,” she drawled, the alcohol making her bold. “We didn’t share the same mother. It’s allowed in some states.” They also didn’t share the same father, but his rebuke about keeping cover made her hold her tongue on that part.
“You’re drunk.”
“Yep.” She held up her glass. The empty glass. “These are really fucking good.” Made shifter-strong. Pound back a few and even she felt a buzz.
“How on earth did you manage to stay out of trouble today?” Francois said with a shake of his head.
“I was good.” So good because he’d said he’d give her a prize.
“I doubt it.”
His skepticism pissed her off and made her suspect something. “Are you trying to welch on our bet by calling me a liar?”
“I’m a man of my word. You’ll get what I promised.”
“Make it sound like a chore,” she grumbled.
“More like disappointment.”
“Because you don’t want to smooch me.” Her lips turned down.
He crouched by her chair and moved in close so only she could hear him.
“I want to kiss you. But why settle for a tame kiss? See, I’d assumed I’d return to you being incarcerated. Locked somewhere and in need of rescue. I had a plan to rescue you that would have rivaled something from the Wild West.”
“You would have saved me?”
“Oh yes,” he murmured, leaning close. “Saved you and then spanked your ass until it was pink and you couldn’t sit for a few days.”
She sucked in a breath. “Damn, sweetcheeks. You make me wish I’d given in to impulse today. Now that I know what you’re planning, I’ll try harder to get arrested next time.”
He growled.
She chose to view it as a holy-shit-you’re-hot kind of growl.
“You’re impossible,” he snapped, getting to his feet.
“Admit it, you like the challenge.”
“If I want challenge, I’ll play chess.”
“Boring,” she sang. But then because it was bothering her, she finally remarked on his disheveled appearance. “Is it me, or do you look like you wrestled with the jungle and lost?” Dirt and other things streaked his shirt, and a scrape abraded his temple.
“A little mishap in the woods.” Said with a false smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “No big deal. I could, however, use a shower.” He turned on his heel and walked away.
Since the view was mighty fine, she slid her glasses down on her nose and watched. It meant she got to see Jan scurry out from the clubhouse and make a beeline for the far side of the pool and engage in a conversation with Maurice.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t make it out, but she noted how Maurice glanced at her then away quickly.
Children playing at subterfuge. How adorable. It made her wonder what had happened on the volcano tour.
And, hello, did Francois say he was showering? Code speak for join him? Either way, a naked hottie wasn’t something she wanted to miss. Gathering her keg of sunscreen, she weaved her way back to their building, cursing its distance. Those mai tais were really good.
Despite the numerous debates to take a nap in some of the soft-looking grass along the way, she made it, and her bright yellow building came into sight. She noticed JF outside it talking to a girl. A girl with long red hair. Who isn’t me.
The missing resort guest Shania had returned.
Chapter Fourteen
“Holy shit, you found Shania.” Stacey sauntered close, and JF noticed how the woman shrank toward him, tucking into his frame for protection.
It caused Stacey to growl.
Interesting, did she see Shania as a threat? The woman looked rather unimposing he felt. She couldn’t shift. She was slim, but not in any great physical shape. What did Stacey see that he didn’t?
“I didn’t exactly find her,” Francois stated. “She just came wandering around the side of the building.” Took him by surprise, given he was still kind of muddled on what had happened that afternoon.
I lost hours. From a supposed fall. Except that didn’t seem right.
What happened? Last thing he remembered were eyes alit with malevolence racing at him from the jungle then weaving on the bench of the truck. Jan holding him against the cab so he didn’t fall over.
The fuzzy spot in his mind meant he wasn’t thinking clearly when Shania stepped into view.
“Where have you been?” Stacey asked, a hand on her hip and sounding quite demanding.
Yet it drew results.
Shania straightened. “What do you mean where? I’ve been on the resort.”
“No you haven’t. People have been looking for you.”
“I was in the woods. Going for a walk.” Shania tossed her head, her confidence returning fast.
“Pretty long freaking walk,” Stacey stated.
“Why do people care if I went for a stroll? And how did anyone even miss me? I don’t usually come out of my room until midafternoon.”
JF noted the confusion and jumped in. “Ms. Korgunsen, do you realize you’ve been considered missing for more than three days?”
“No way. Stop screwing with me. So what if I went out last night and met a guy in the woods. I’ve hardly been gone days.”
“Don’t tell me you’re believing the amnesia shtick,” interjected Stacey with a snort. “She knows where she was. Don’t even kid yourself. Look at her.”
He did, noting the things that had bothered him but only now truly registered. Shania looked entirely too fresh and healthy. She’d obviously not wandered around in the jungle for days, or been kidnapped and abused by some psycho.
“So you admit to meeting a guy? Who was it? Someone on the resort?” Stacey hammered.
“I—” Shania’s forehead knit into a frown. “I’m not sure of anything right now. My head is so fuzzy. The last thing I recall was running through the woods, enacting some fantasy the guy I was meeting had. But then there was a lion. Except he wasn’t a lion.”
“Was he a shifter?”
“You know about those?” Shania’s eyes widened.
Given the woman was nose blind, he couldn’t exactly condemn the fact that she didn’t recognize what they were. He took on the role of good cop. Let Stacey do the bad cop. It was kind of hot when she got commanding.
Her jealousy was also cute, which was why he poked it. He put an arm around Shania. “You’re safe talking with us. We know you’re a dormant shifter. So you can tell us anything.”
Stacey’s eyes narrowed. “Was the person who took you a shifter?”
A roll of Shania’s shoulders joined her admission. “He said he was a lion, but I can’t really recognize someone by their scent.”
“And scent may no longer apply,” he muttered under his breath. Something about Shania’s scent, more like the lack of one, bothered him. Shania smelled of soap and regular body odor. Nothing else.
No one else.
How did that happen if she’d spent a few days with him?
“Who was the man you were meeting?” Stacey asked.
“I shouldn’t say. He works for the resort, and I don’t want him getting in trouble.”
“Even though he might have done something to you?” Stacey’s voice pitched. “What the hell is wrong with you? We just finished telling you that you were missing for three days. Three fucking days.” Stacey held up her fingers. “And you’re worried about him getting fired? What part of he needs to be fired and arrested if he kidnapped you do you not get?”
“I wasn’t kidnapped.”
“Then say it,” Stacey insisted. “Say, I was spending three days in bed with…” Stacey rolled a hand at Shania, encouraging her to say it.
Shania shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I want to talk to you. ” She put a hand to her head. “Everything is so cloudy.”
“Ms. Korgunsen.” Jan shouted her name sharply as she came marching down the cultured path. “Thank goodness you’re back.” Someone had obviously been watching the security cameras scattered around the resort to have remarked it so quickly. “We were ever so worried about you.”
“I think I’m going to gag if she gets any sweeter,” Stacey murmured.
“Have I really been gone for days?” Shania asked. “I can’t remember anything.”
“Someone had too much fun,” teased Jan, wrapping an arm around Shania. “Why don’t we go and get you something to eat. Maybe a bit of food and drink will help you recall your adventure.”
“She needs to see a doctor,” Stacey stated.
“We’ll have her checked out. Never fear. Our resort doctor is the best.”
“Maybe I should come along. For moral support,” Stacey offered.
Francois almost snickered as Stacey poured on the fake sincerity.
“You want to show support for a woman you barely know?” Jan blinked at Stacey, who smiled.
“All women should stand together in times of need.” Folding her hands over her belly, Stacey attempted to appear benign.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we take good care of Shania and figure out what happened. Those pesky jungle bugs can do all kinds of things to a body.” Spoken with a giggle as Jan led Shania off.
“Jungle bug my ass,” Stacey muttered as she took a few steps to follow.
JF grabbed her by the arm to halt her. “Where are you going?”
“After them.” She tugged at his grip. “I have more questions.”
“They’re not going to let you in there to speak with Shania. You’re a guest, remember?” he muttered.
“Maybe it’s time I tell them I’m here under Arik’s authority.”
“You’ll blow our cover.” As if she’d not already done that on the patio. Either people would clue in or really wonder at their relationship.
“If I don’t go, then how else do you suggest I question Shania?”
“Forget her for now. Question her la
ter when she’s released. I have a better plan.”
“And you want me included in on it?” She sounded so surprised.
“I need you—”
Say it. Say you can’t stop thinking of her. If you don’t sink balls deep inside, your balls will probably fall off.
Instead, he ignored his more passionate beast to say, “—to come with me and visit that volcano. Tonight.”
She didn’t exclaim in excitement. Rather her nose wrinkled. “Why would we go mucking around a dead volcano at night when we have a comfortable bed here?”
Oh, the things that made him imagine…
“You’d take sleeping in a bed over adventure? Who are you, and what did you do with my crazy princess?” Wasn’t she the one craving adventure all the time?
“It’s because I am a princess that I’m suggesting we get naked in a bed instead of tromping around in a jungle at night. Do you have any idea how many insects there are out there?”
“I’ll offer up my body instead to them.”
“Is this your way of saying you’re sweeter tasting than me?”
“I doubt anything tastes sweeter than you.” The words escaped him, and he wished someone would punch him.
What the fuck was that garbage I just driveled?
The truth.
“You say something panty wetting like that and you wonder why I think we should hit the bed.”
“I can’t believe you’d ditch our mission for sex.” Then again, he kind of felt the same way. He wanted to ditch a whole bunch of other stuff, like responsibility and his pants.
“Not just any sex. Good sex. And what mission are you talking about?”
Did she really already forget? “The one that just walked off.”
“You mean the woman who probably spent the last few days giving her lungs and pussy a workout?”
“You’re assuming she went on a tryst. She doesn’t remember anything.”
“So she claims. Or maybe she doesn’t want to say.”
“I don’t think she’s lying,” he said as he led the way upstairs to their rooms.
“Neither do I, but anything else makes no sense. Explain how Shania can disappear for days and return not recalling anything, except a vague recollection of running through the woods.”