The Brazen Amazon

by Sandy James

  Richard was on his feet again too. “Sure you can, Mr. Wizard. That’s why you were on your ass.”

  “Shut your piehole, Dick.”

  When Gina stretched her hand out to touch his face, Zach flinched and scowled. Surprised at his own angry reaction, he felt like a prick when he saw the responding hurt on her face. Before he could say anything to try and soothe her—to tell her what an idiot he was—Richard grabbed her upper arm and spun her around.

  “Nice hit, Gina. Shit, you turn me on when you fight with me.” Then he tugged her into his arms and kissed her. Long and hard.

  Zach’s blood boiled, but he stood as still as a statue, watching the thing he feared most in the world happening right in front of him. His hands clenched into fists at his side, and he fought a war in his mind over what to do. Did he stomp away and lick his wounds? Or did he rip Gina out of Richard’s arms and pound the guy into the sand?

  He wasn’t sure who was more astonished, Richard or himself, when Gina broke from the embrace, balled up her fist and gave Richard a shot to the gut. The sound of his groan seemed to hang in the air.

  Turning to face Zach, Gina didn’t say a word.

  Neither did Zach because he didn’t trust himself to let anything spill from his lips. What would come out? Anger? Jealousy? Contrition?

  All she did was glare at him. Then, with an angry growl, she marched away, heading toward Rebecca’s house.

  “She’s pissed.” Zach stated the obvious and wondered why he was bothering to talk to Richard. What he really wanted to do was punch his lights out.

  “Yeah, well,” Richard replied, still a bit hunched over. “She doesn’t like to be touched. But, man. Isn’t she hot when she’s fighting?”

  “Go fuck yourself.” Zach started to walk away until Richard’s unexpected response stopped him.

  “Wait a minute. Please. Look, I’m sorry, Zach.”

  He turned to face Richard again, not trusting him for a New York minute. “Sorry? You’re sorry? For what? For splitting my lip?”

  “Shit, no. You let your guard down. Didn’t anyone ever teach you to concentrate when you fight?”

  Zach gave himself a slow mental count of ten before he replied. “Then what in the hell are you sorry for?”

  “I’m sorry for butting in. I need to stay out of whatever’s happening between you and Gina.”

  This had to be some sick joke. “I beg your pardon?”

  Richard splayed his hand through his sweaty hair. “You saw her hit me, right?”

  Zach nodded.

  “If she’s going to punch me every time I kiss her, I give up. She doesn’t want me. She wants you. I’m smart enough to know when to quit.”

  As if it could be that easy.

  A contrite smile on his face, Richard held his hand out to Zach. “We’re obviously going to be stuck together for a while. So bygones?”

  It was probably stupid to trust the guy any farther than he could toss him, but Zach reluctantly shook his hand.

  “I owe her. She’s saved my ass more times than I can count.” The gratitude was clear in his tone.

  Zach still had a hard time trusting him. “What’s that got to do with me?”

  “I want to help you, Zach.”

  He scoffed. “Yeah, right.”

  “I mean it,” Richard insisted. “I—I love Gina. Although I think she should be with me, all I want is for her to be happy. Honest.”

  Since he didn’t know Gina as well as Richard did, Zach had to ask, “What do you think you can do to help her be happy?”

  “I can make sure she ends up with the guy she wants. Look, let’s talk. I know some things that might help you.”

  * * *

  “Men suck.” Gina twirled the wooden napkin ring on the table and watched it spin.

  Rebecca stopped putting away clean dishes and sighed. “Men don’t suck. They’re just...not too bright sometimes. Especially where women are concerned.”

  Megan stood up, fetched a dishcloth from the sink and started to wipe off her daughter’s messy hands. “Especially where women are concerned. Joeman is clueless half the time. I just have to remember to offer him the proper guidance.” She smiled at Mina. “You’re a mess, young lady. Did you eat the jelly sandwich or wear it?”

  Mina clapped her sticky hands then held them out to her mother. Megan cleaned them off, plucked Mina from the highchair and handed her to Dolan, who had suddenly appeared at her side. “Off to the nursery to see Bonnie and Darian with you, sweet daughter of mine.” She smiled at the changeling. “Thank you, Dolan.”

  Sarita came in through the French doors. She took one look around before frowning. “What’s wrong now?”

  “What else? Men.” Rebecca put the last of the glasses in the cabinet and shut the dishwasher.

  “Oh, so nothing new.” Sarita gave her sisters a goofy smile. “Men are more trouble than they’re worth.”

  “Says the woman who swears she’ll never get tied down,” Megan replied.

  Sarita shrugged. “Just because most Indians think a woman has to be married to be happy, I don’t. Single is fine with me.” She snorted an inelegant laugh, something she did often. “After watching the agony all of you are going through, no thanks.”

  “I hate Zach.” Gina spun the wooden ring again.

  She probably shouldn’t have come to her sisters with her troubles, but as angry and hurt as she was, they would’ve known anyway. Being an Amazon meant Gina had no real privacy, no way to keep things that were bothering her to herself. She couldn’t be a loner anymore.

  That thought brought her some comfort. Now that she’d opened herself up to her sisters, trusting wasn’t all that scary anymore.

  “Sure you do, honey,” Rebecca said. “Sure you do. Just like I hate Artair when he’s acting like an arrogant Scottish arse.”

  “And like I hate Johann when he’s being his arrogant German self.” Megan’s laugh floated through the room. “God, we know how to pick ‘em, don’t we?”

  Rebecca turned back to Megan and arched an eyebrow.

  “They’re both arrogant, right?” Megan asked.

  Rebecca nodded.

  “Have you noticed Zach shares that trait? Seems like only arrogant men can handle us.”

  Three Amazons laughed. Gina just spun the napkin ring again.

  Talking with people about her thoughts and feelings seemed so strange. How could she possibly open up with anyone about all she felt for Zach?

  Sarita sat down next to Gina. “What happened?”

  “Zach happened. Stupid, fucking Zach.”

  Megan pulled out the chair on the other side of Gina and plopped down. “Well, that certainly clears things up.” She grabbed a green apple from the basket on the table and took a bite.

  “What exactly did Zach do?” Sarita’s voice held too much amusement for Gina’s taste.

  If all this teasing kept up, Gina was going to invite them all back to the sand pit and pound on them for a good long while.

  All she finally did was sigh. “It wasn’t just Zach. It’s Richard, too.” When Sarita chuckled, Gina frowned and slapped the napkin ring flat on the table. “If you’re going to make fun of me, then—”

  “I’m sorry, Gina. It’s just... I’ve never seen you worked up like this over a guy.” Placing her hand over Gina’s, Sarita gave her a gentle pat. “Tell us. Please.”

  “Richard kissed me.” Three sets of wide eyes stared at Gina. “Oh, please. Don’t act like any of you are surprised. I didn’t kiss him back. He just grabbed me and kissed me.” She frowned again. “In front of Zach.”

  “Ah.” Rebecca pulled out the fourth chair and sat down. “And Zach didn’t take it well.”

  “He didn’t care.” Gina grabbed a banana and peeled it. If she stuffed it in her mouth, maybe she could stay out of this ridiculous conversation.

  “He didn’t care? He didn’t slug Richard or yell at you?” Megan shook her head. “Johann would’ve blown his top if he caught another gu
y—” She stopped talking, throwing a furtive glance at Rebecca. “Maybe Zach’s not the jealous type.”

  “No, he just didn’t give a shit.” Gina shoved another piece of the banana in her mouth.

  She’d had the same thought as Megan—Zach should have reacted. He wasn’t jealous. Richard had kissed her and Zach didn’t care. Her heart was the only one on the line.

  “Maybe he doesn’t show what he’s feeling,” Sarita said with a weak smile.

  Richard knocked on the sliding glass door and peered inside.

  “Want me to draw the curtains?” Rebecca asked with a wink.

  While that might be a nice solution, it would only be postponing the inevitable. Gina would eventually have to talk to him. “Nah. Go ahead and let him in.”

  “Ladies,” he said as he came marching into the room. “Aren’t you the prettiest women I’ve ever seen?”

  “We’re busy. What do you want, Richard?” Megan asked, a wisp of smoke rising from her red hair.

  “Keep your temper,” Rebecca warned.

  “Why are you pissed at me?”

  “You kissed Gina,” Megan replied. “Why in the hell did you do that in front of Zach?”

  “You know Gina has a thing for him,” Sarita added.

  Rebecca was frowning at him too. “It was cruel. You made Zach think you and Gina want each other.”

  Richard rubbed his stomach. “I’d say the punch she gave me told him otherwise.”

  “You punched Richard?” Megan asked Gina. Then she smiled. “Way to go.”

  “What’s it matter, anyway?” Richard said in an irritated tone. “He’s only going to be here for a few days. Then he’s got to go back to the real world.”

  “Gina likes him. She deserves some happiness,” Sarita replied.

  His face flushed red, all the way to his ears. “I can make her happy. She doesn’t need to get attached to Mr. Wizard.”

  “Zach,” Gina finally said. “He’s got a fucking name, Richard, and I’m sick of your insults.”

  He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.

  She shrugged it away.

  “I’m sorry, Gina. It’s just... You know there can’t be anything between you.”

  “Why not?” Sarita asked. “Why the hell not? He’s a civilian, but what does it matter? Maybe the goddesses...”

  Gina waited for her to finish the thought, holding out some kind of hope her sisters would rally to her side and insist the patron goddesses allow Zach to become a part of their world.

  Then she realized how unfair that was—not only to her sisters but to Zach. He deserved a life that didn’t revolve around constantly finding himself in mortal danger. Until Sekhmet was captured and the rest of the SOGs were stopped, Zach was vulnerable.

  “We need to get down to business and find out where Sekhmet’s hiding,” she announced.

  “If we can find her.” Rebecca looked at Richard. “Now that we’ve all regrouped, it’s time to get you out there again, see if you can track a few of the SOGs and let them lead us to the lion bitch.”

  “Easier said than done,” he replied. His expression changed as his eyes softened. “I’m sorry, Gina. I didn’t mean—Look, I’m sorry, okay? I hope things aren’t messed up between you and Mr. W—” He clenched and unclenched his hands. “Between you and Zach.” Placing a hand over hers, he sighed. “I hate to ask, but I need a favor.”

  Gina pulled her hand back, not caring if it offended him. If she went to find Zach, would he still be angry? His emotions were so damned hard to read, and right now she really wanted to know what he was feeling, what he was thinking. “What is it, Richard?”

  “Johann and Artair said they were sending me back to California. According to them, some inventor—a guy a lot like Zach—is missing.”

  “Shit...it wasn’t Joel Woods, was it?” Gina asked.

  “No. Jeff...something. The Sentinels think Sekhmet might have grabbed another tech guy up as her second choice since Zach slipped through her paws. They want me to find out if SOGs are involved or if the geek’s just holed up somewhere working on a project.” He glanced over at Sarita. “You’re going with me, Shortstuff.”

  Sarita nodded.

  “So? What’s that have to do with me?” Gina asked.

  “If I’m gone for a while, I’ll need...a feeding.”

  “I’ll take care of you,” Sarita said, her voice icy. “Gina doesn’t need to—”

  Gina shook her head. Richard was her friend, and the duty fell to her. “No, it’s okay.”

  “But—”

  “Really, sis. It’s fine.” Gina glanced back to Richard. “When?”

  “We might be leaving early tomorrow. Can I come by your cabin after supper? You know, before you sit out on your deck to stare at the stars?”

  “Fine. After supper.”

  “I know,” Sarita said. “Let’s go for a walk, Gina. Maybe we can drop by Eden for a while.”

  “You two have fun,” Rebecca replied. “I need to go help Beagan and Dolan bathe the munchkins.”

  “I’ll help too,” Megan added. “Mina probably still has jelly between all her fingers.”

  “Can I come with you and Sarita?” Richard asked Gina.

  Sarita was the one to answer. “Nope. Amazon time.”

  What Gina really wanted was “Zach time,” but she followed Sarita out the sliding doors.

  Since the guys always ate early before they trained some more in the sand pits, Zach would surely eat with them and then work on fixing the Toy. She would take her supper later with her sisters and let Richard feed.

  Then she’d confront Zach.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The lights were still on in Gina’s cabin, so Zach let the besotted adolescent inside him happen by.

  Happen by?

  He was seeking her out, and he damn well knew it. No doubt so did everyone else. Not that he honestly cared what anyone else thought, but he’d hurt her and was determined to make it up to her somehow.

  Despite how vital it was, he’d left his work on fixing the Toy to go to her. Richard said she liked to have company in the evening and that she enjoyed sitting on her front steps and talking.

  Zach wanted to spend some time with her, at least some time that was spent doing something other than beating each other up. Although he had to admit that Gina sparring was one of the sexiest sights he’d ever witnessed, he wanted more from her than a training partner. Much more. He wanted what she’d promised with every kiss, every look, every touch.

  His feelings were probably way too deep for the short amount of time they’d spent together, but the bond refused to be shaken or pushed aside. Maybe it was the danger they’d faced—that they’d still be facing. Maybe it was the constant adrenaline rush. Maybe it was being holed up in this strange camp.

  Whatever forced the quick connection, he didn’t question it any longer.

  He knew a gift when he got one.

  When he reached her cabin, he took a quick glance through the open window to make sure she was there or that she wasn’t already in bed.

  Every muscle in his body went rigid. Richard was with Gina, lovingly nuzzling her neck. Zach’s heart pounded like a jackhammer and his jaw clenched tight enough he should have cracked a few molars.

  She didn’t want Richard. She couldn’t want Richard. Wasn’t that what she said?

  Yet there she stood in that bastard’s embrace.

  Zach stood his ground for a few interminable moments, taking in every detail of the couple. Richard’s hands resting intimately on Gina’s hips. Her eyes pressed closed. The tilt of her head. The way their bodies touched.

  He should’ve known. Despite her denials, he should’ve known. But he’d taken her at her word and thought—or perhaps wished—the connection between Gina and Richard was nothing more than close friendship or a bond from the history they shared. But not love. She couldn’t love Richard. She’d punched him when he kissed her. When Zach kissed her, she pulled him closer. He was
supposed to be her first lover.

  As he watched them like a Peeping Tom, he waited, desperately hoping to see her push Richard away and punch him again.

  She didn’t.

  Zach’s gut twisted into sickening tangles. His hands fisted again and again at his sides. His breaths came hard enough he could feel his nostrils flare.

  Anger quickly trumped jealousy. She’d led him on. How could she possibly want to be with Richard when Zach was ready to offer her all of himself? Including his heart.

  That realization hit him like a blow to the chest.

  Love. He’d actually fallen in love with Gina Himmel.

  But it was clear she didn’t share the frightening feeling. Zach sat out on a raft in the middle of an ocean all alone, and Richard was going to churn the sea.

  The new emotion drowned him.

  Unsure of what the revelation of his true feelings meant, Zach waited a few more moments, wishing that with all the unusual magic that now surrounded him at every turn what he saw would vanish. Memories of his past swirled around him like specters—recollections of being the geeky guy girls rejected. The only thing missing from the picture was the smug grin on the jock who claimed the girl.

  Except this time, he hadn’t lost an adolescent crush.

  He’d lost the woman he loved.

  He was about to turn and leave when Gina’s eyes flew open.

  She blinked a couple of times, big brown eyes staring directly at Zach before a soft cry escaped her lips. “No!” Obviously embarrassed at being caught in the act, she started struggling in Richard’s embrace. “Let me go.”

  Richard seemed so engrossed in kissing her soft skin—the skin Zach’s lips had worshipped only a short time ago—he didn’t move.

  Zach had seen enough.

  More than enough.

  He turned on his heel and stalked away from her cabin. There was no way in hell that he wanted to hear her flimsy excuses when she broke out of Richard’s embrace.