by Kari Thomas
Whoa. Stop right there. Wishful thinking isn’t going to change anything. Damn it. How many more times was he going to have to remind himself that she was off limits?
He watched her rise gracefully from the floor and finally look at him. Her expression was neutral, but her face was still flushed a pretty rose hue. He caught his breath. Hellfire. He was going to go crazy if he kept up this one-minute-guilt-trip-then-the-next-minute-wanting-her-desperately routine.
“I’m going to bed.” She barely whispered the words, but he heard the unspoken one: alone. He nodded his head at her and forced himself to let her walk away.
* * * *
Summer closed the bedroom door and locked it. She knew Leo would want to stay by the patio doors, or he would have already gone to bed in his favorite spot at the foot of her bed. She wished he had. She was feeling a little disconcerted right now and could have used the comfort of the big cat’s presence. She flopped down on the bed and covered her face with her hands.
What had she done? She’d let Slade kiss her. And oh what a kisser that man was! She’d started melting the moment his lips claimed hers. If he hadn’t been holding her, she would have fallen. She’d felt the proof of his desire in the hard length pressing against her center, especially when he’d lifted her to the counter and demandingly pushed into her there. She’d had one fleeting moment to wish they were both naked.
Then, the saving grace of the fire had stopped them both from making a huge mistake. She groaned. Would she have let him go any further? She wanted to say no, but her still-tingling body said different.
This couldn’t happen again. Her life wouldn’t allow a relationship. Rawnie had warned that she would be in danger if anyone ever discovered her secret. People would want to exploit her God-given gift of healing. She’d become a scientific experiment. She would lose anyone she cared about once they discovered she wasn’t a normal human.
No. She couldn’t risk it. No matter how much she wanted to. Unbidden came the rush of heat she’d experienced in Slade’s arms. She shook her head and got up to go to the bathroom. A cold shower was supposed to work. Wasn’t it?
* * * *
Hours later, Summer woke from sleep and sat up in bed. Disoriented for a moment, she automatically looked for Leo and found his spot empty. Then she remembered where he was. Had she heard him scratching at the door, or had something else awoken her? She got out of bed and went to the door. Unlocking it, she carefully pulled it open, not wanting to make any noise. Leo wasn’t there, so she went out into the hall and then to the living room. All along the hall, small night lights glowed, giving her enough light to feel comfortable. Reed had put night lights up all over the house when she first came to live with him. He wanted her to feel safe, and she’d been so grateful. Now, she wished they weren’t there. Their presence only reminded her of her weakness.
She found Leo still asleep by the patio doors. Poor cat. He was exhausted from his hours-long vigil. She knelt down beside him and rubbed his ears. “Don’t you want to come to bed, little baby?” He hated her calling him baby. She grinned and rubbed his face. “Hey, wake up, sleepy head.”
Leo didn’t move. Her heart lurched. Quickly, she sought his pulse and checked his breathing. He was alive—thank God—but out cold. “Oh stars, what’s happening?”
Her heartbeat increased and the hair on her arms rose with a shiver of sudden fear. She surged to her feet. She needed to get Slade. Something wasn’t right, and he would know what to do. She hurried down the hall toward his bedroom. Before she reached the two-way hall division leading to the guest rooms, she stopped. She could hear the low tone of voices.
Someone was standing in the hallway by the front door, more than one person. She froze. What should she do? If she screamed, would Slade get to her in time? No, she wasn’t going to let fear get the better of her. Forcing her feet to move, she crept closer to the front door. The low voices became clearer. When she realized who was talking she felt instant relief, until she heard parts of the conversation.
“Damn it, Aleta, tell me the truth. Was it you?” Slade’s tone was harsh, demanding.
“I’m not going to justify that with an answer. Stop yelling at me. I’m only here because I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“You’re here because you can’t keep your adorable nose out of my life and business. How many times have I told you the answer is no. You’re not old enough. I’m not going to let you convince me otherwise. What am I going to have to do, tie you up every time I leave the compound?”
“Hmm. That sounds kinky.”
“We’re back to that ‘you’re not old enough’ part,” Slade growled in frustration. “That’s not what we’re discussing right now. Why the hell did you come here?”
“Can I stay?”
“No.” This time his growl was nastier. Summer cringed. She wondered how the woman he was talking to could stand hearing that and not back down.
“Ansel thought it a good idea.”
“Not his call.”
“Slade, you’re being stubborn. You need me. Admit it.”
There was a long minute of silence, and Summer held her breath. She couldn’t help but wonder exactly what those words were implying. Was this female someone special to Slade? Were they lovers? Why did the thought bother her so much?
Finally Slade issued a low, hard “No.”
“I promise to behave. I can patrol while you keep an eye on her. I know the rules. Stay low and fast.”
“New rule,” Slade muttered. “You are not allowed to leave the compound without my permission. Now, go home.”
“You can’t make that rule! Slade, you’re being more stubborn than usual.”
“Stop it with the pouty look, Aleta. It’s not going to work.”
“It has before.”
Summer cringed at Aleta’s sultry tone. Maybe there was something between them. I should have known he’d have a girlfriend. Sudden anger surged. Then why the heck did he kiss me like that? She was going to confront him about it as soon as this mysterious Aleta left. He had no right touching her, kissing her, when all along he had a girlfriend waiting at home.
“I don’t want you involved in this,” Slade told her, “and I don’t want Summer to know about you.”
Summer’s heart skipped a beat. Two-timing jerk! He’d kissed her earlier, all while Aleta was in the picture.
“Fine. I’m going, but don’t come running to me when you need…”
“Goodbye, little bird.” Slade closed the door and locked it.
Summer stood in the shadows of the hall and debated on whether to confront him now or tomorrow when she could better control her emotions. She finally decided tomorrow was better. She ducked back into an unlit corner as Slade passed and headed to the living room. She followed, keeping quiet. Why hadn’t he returned to the guest room?
She got her answer when she saw him stop next to Leo and then go down on his haunches. He waved his hands over the cat’s big head and muttered a few foreign sounding words she couldn’t quite hear. A minute later Leo shook his head and came fully awake. She held her breath. He was sure to attack Slade!
Instead, the cat and man locked gazes. Tense moments passed. Finally Slade muttered, “I know you can understand me, cat. Word of warning. Stay close to your mistress, but stop following me. Now. You’ve seen what I can do. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating me again.”
He stood up and walked away. A minute later she heard the guest room door close. Summer realized she was still holding her breath and let it out on a shocked whoosh. He had spoken to Leo as though he was human, and he’d threatened him. None of this made sense.
Leo must have heard her exhale of breath because he lifted his head in her direction and purred loudly. He stood up and walked directly to where she was hiding. When he reached her, he leaned against her and purred again. She patted his head and scratched behind his ears.
“I don’t know what’s going on, little baby, but I’m going to f
ind out. He won’t get away with treating us this way. Who the heck does he think he is?”
She didn’t care if she did have a stalker and was in possible danger. She didn’t even care that Reed would be furious when he returned home and found out what she’d done. Tomorrow morning, she was sending one sexy, aggravating, two-timing-jerk Slade Stryker packing.
Chapter Nine
Slade refused to leave and they kept up the battle for the next two days. Summer had given up arguing with him and finally resorted to not talking to him at all. She hadn’t mentioned the conversation she’d overheard that night nor the strange interaction with him and Leo. She’d simply told him she wanted him out of her house. She let him fend for himself, refusing to cook for him or run interference when he and Leo tried backing the other one down on certain issues. The big cat didn’t want him anywhere near her. If Slade moved toward her at any given time, Leo was there to back him away. Both males’ tempers were at the boiling point. Someone was going to explode soon.
On the last day of her captivity—as she called it because Slade kept her housebound the entire time—something happened to change everything. She was sitting on the patio reading a book, Leo at her feet, when Slade—more than a yard away from her—received a phone call.
He jerked it out of his shirt pocket and hit the receive button at the same time barking an angry, ��What?”
Summer hid her grin. He had been disgruntled all morning, giving her alternate glares of anger and of heat. She hated those looks most of all. Just to catch him staring at her with amber fire burning in his eyes was enough to start her entire body tingling in remembrance of his touch, his kiss.
She listened as Slade talked. “When? What does Boyce say about it? Fine. Have the report waiting. Alert the perimeter guards. No one leaves or comes in. What? Damn it, I told her to go home. Where is she? No. I’ll take care of it.” He clicked the phone off and spat out several stark curse words.
Summer had seen him angry, disgruntled, arrogant, and stubborn, but she’d never seen the look on his face now. His handsome features were dark, brows slanting down, jaw clenched, eyes gleaming with a different kind of fire. She shivered.
“What’s wrong?” She jumped when he shot to his feet with another round of curses.
“Looks like you’re going to get your wish, baby.” He punched in a number on the cell and waited for it to connect. “I have an emergency at home. I wouldn’t leave you, but this is something more urgent than finishing up a baby-sitting job. Reed is returning tomorrow anyway.”
“Baby-sitting!” She came to her feet and faced him. “You jerk! I told you to leave and you wouldn’t. Don’t blame me now.”
She was furious. Was that all he thought of her: a job to do and nothing more? Think about it, dumb bunny, her conscience chided. You were the one giving him the cold shoulder and now you expect him to care about you? How stupid is that? Besides, she was glad he was finally leaving. She’d had all she could stand being in such close proximity with the man. Her nerves were stretched to the limit, and her body kept refusing to ignore her commands to stop reacting every time he was near her or looked at her. At least now she’d get her control back.
“Just get here the normal way. I don’t have time to fight you on this, Aleta.” He hung up.
What! Did he just say what she thought he had? He was calling Aleta? Her mouth flew open, but she couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t believe he would have the nerve to…
Her face flushed with anger. “Aleta?”
“Yeah,” Slade answered as he brushed past her. “She’s my back-up for tonight and tomorrow. She’s young, but I’ve given her extensive training in self defense.”
She followed on his heels, fuming, as he went to the guest room and started packing his bag. “You’ve got some nerve, Slade! First you refuse to leave because you have some misguided honor chip on your shoulder, and now you’re leaving me because you think something else is more important. And you’re having your girlfriend watch over me! That’s beyond despicable.” Groan. Did I have to sound like a jealous lover?
Slade paused in his packing and slowly turned to look at her. “Girlfriend?”
She almost took a step back from the dangerous look on his face. Instead, she plunged forward. “Why did you kiss me when all this time you’ve had a girlfriend waiting in the background?”
His sensuous mouth curved up in a slight smile. “Can’t get over that kiss, either, huh?”
She was that close to turning Leo loose on him. “We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about Aleta.”
“You’re the one who brought up the kiss.”
“I hate you.” It sounded childish, but at that moment she almost believed it. Now, if she could only convince her deeper conscience that it was true.
“I doubt it,” Slade’s voice drawled, low and sexy, his hot gaze hooded. “You’re just mad at me because I let you get away with sulking these past few days. You would have been a lot happier if I’d fought back, wouldn’t you?”
“I’d have been happier if you would have left when I told you to.”
Slade turned away and reached for his bag. “Maybe I should have.”
Her heart lurched at the self-condemning words, but she couldn’t let herself care. She had to keep remembering Aleta.
The front door bell rang, and Leo moved ahead of them both as they went to answer it. Slade frowned down at the big cat.
“I’m warning you, cat. If you harm one little hair on Aleta’s head, growl at her, or scare her in any threatening way, I’ll have your hide.”
Leo’s angry chuff almost made Summer smile.
She wasn’t expecting her to be so lovely. She was petite, similar to Summer, with a head full of curly red hair and the bluest eyes Summer had ever seen. Her heart-shaped face was lightly tanned with scattered freckles. Her body was slender but with obvious lean muscles. For some reason, Summer got the impression that Aleta could fight her way out of any situation and come out pretty much unscathed.
She was ready to admire the woman’s obvious strength of body and character, until she threw herself into Slade’s arms with a feminine squeal. Summer saw red as a sharp pang of jealousy hit her hard. It didn’t ease up, only got worse, when Slade closed his arms around Aleta and hugged her back.
Slade released her and then introduced her to Summer. “Aleta has my cell number in case she needs me. Promise me you’ll listen to her in any situation that warrants it.”
She couldn’t stand it another moment. She wanted him gone before her heart made that final step and convinced her she was already a little more than just attracted to him. Just the thought of him not near had her biting her tongue to keep from begging him not to leave. Why is he affecting me this way?
She ushered Aleta and Leo inside and looked into his eyes one more time. His expression was guarded. She nodded at him. “Goodbye, Slade.” Then she closed the door.
God help her. That hurt more than it should have. What the heck was wrong with her, falling for a man she’d only known for a few days?
* * * *
Slade forced himself to keep going as he drove out of the driveway. Every protective instinct in him was telling him not to leave her. Even now, the seductive pull she had on him was fighting with his conscience. Everything male in him wanted to stay. Protect her. Be near her.
It was the primal side of him he had to fight the hardest. He wanted her with a need so hot and deep, it kept him feeling off-balanced. It had taken every ounce of willpower he had to keep from taking her.
She’d driven him crazy with her tempered demands to leave, her sulking silence when he refused, and her constant I’m-going-to-ignore-you-no-matter-what attitude. He’d been turned on, hard and needing, no matter what she was throwing at him. Everything about her called to him in the most primal way. He loved her sweet voice, soft and slightly accented with an inflection he couldn’t place. He loved the gentle, loving care she gave that damn cat. He loved how her be
autiful eyes would light up when she laughed.
Loved? No, damn it. He could admit he was attracted to her and that was it. As soon as he solved her stalker problem and found out who was targeting certain people, then he could walk away and never have to see her again.
He had urgent priorities right now, and they didn’t include trying to sort out his conflicting emotions about a human woman who had no place in his world or his life.
Despite her rebellion, he was glad Aleta had stayed near. She might be petite, but she was the proverbial dynamite in a small package deal. He knew he could trust her to keep Summer safe. The past few days had been completely uneventful with the non-appearance of the stalker. If something happened, if the bastard showed up, then Aleta would give her life to protect Summer. For him. Hellfire. He didn’t even want to think about that.
He forced his thoughts in a different direction. The phone call from Calen had shocked him. Then fury had set in. It was more than coincidental now. Whatever the illness was that had struck Ruliard wasn’t just a random accident. Now, Ansel was sick with the same symptoms. Boyce’s research of the water at the lake and the remains of the deer the men had eaten showed no indications of a problem. More scientist than doctor, Boyce couldn’t pinpoint any reason why Ruliard and now Ansel were sick, and he didn’t know how to treat them.
Not for the first time, Slade wished they still had their co-clan of Healers. How the hell was he going to bring a human doctor in to treat Ruliard and Ansel? Shifter DNA was different from humans; that’s why they used their own physician. He knew there were other shifters in the world –possibly even in the area, but none of them with dragon knowledge. It would be a waste of precious time to try and find a shifter doctor and then not have him or her understand dragon DNA.
Fury boiled in his gut. What if this wasn’t accidental? What if someone had specifically targeted the royal line? He debated the idea that the perp case was even related. But what if it was? Hellfire. Then, it meant someone knew dragon shifters existed and lived in the area. Someone with a deadly agenda.