Jack broke the silence that had fallen over the room. “Flame, I’d like you to meet my brother, Ethan.” Ethan swore he heard some tension in Jack’s tone, but it didn’t matter to him right now. All he cared about was talking to Flame.
He watched her grin disappear briefly as she appeared to look in Jack’s direction, but then her smile came back, lighting up her face when she veered her gaze back toward Ethan. She strode across the room on her long legs, which were peeping through her flowing white skirt. Flame’s off-the-shoulder, white peasant blouse gave Ethan a glance of her cleavage, adding to his enticement. She wasn’t quite as petite as the other women, but her curves and height of approximately five feet eight inches suited his massive size perfectly. She called to him. Her soul beckoned for his. When she finally reached him, she wrapped her arms around him, pressed her body tight against his, and kissed him on the cheek. She fit perfectly molded to his body.
“I’m so happy to meet you,” she whispered seductively in his ear before stepping away from him to join the other women.
Thankfully he wore his rumpled white shirt untucked from his jeans. He prayed his new friends didn’t notice the growing bulge of his cock. I have to get to know her. “I’m very happy to meet you, too.”
“I didn’t know you had a brother, Jack,” Raine stated. “Have you two got plans for the night? We’ve decided we’re all going to McLeod’s Pub tonight. We would love you guys to join us.”
“Unfortunately, I have to work, so we won’t be able to come,” Jack said with tension in his voice.
“Well, I’m not working, and I’d love to join you at the pub. What time are you meeting there?” Ethan asked eagerly.
“Around eight o’clock, and don’t you dare be late,” Flame said seductively as she stepped forward and tapped him on the nose playfully with her index finger.
“No, ma’am, I can guarantee I won’t be late.” Ethan shivered at her small touch, wanting to go back to the sensual embrace he had experienced with her earlier.
“We better go,” Jack said. Ethan noticed the change from his easygoing manner when they entered the shop to underlying anger waiting to boil to the surface.
“All right, ladies. I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight.” They waved and smiled as Jack and Ethan walked out the door. Ethan ventured one last glance at Flame, then let the door shut and headed to Jack’s parked vehicle.
As they drove back to his brother’s house, they sat in silence. He noticed Jack’s white knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel. “What’s wrong?” Ethan asked, concerned at the change in his brother.
“You didn’t have to go out with them tonight. You’re supposed to be watching them, not in the midst of them. How can you observe anything strange when you won’t take your eyes off Flame?”
“You forget I’ve been a spy for many years, and I’m a keen observer whether I’m hiding far away or in the center of the room. I’m not your baby brother anymore. I’m thirty-two years old and on equal footing with you. You’re only three years older than me, so try to remember I’m not a child.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. But be careful with Flame. She’s taken.”
Ethan’s heart sank, as he’d forgotten his brother telling him Raine was the only available woman in the group. “I’ll remember that.” However, Jack’s reminder doesn’t mean I can’t find out about her man and see if she’s happy. I can’t help the feeling growing inside me telling me she belongs to me.
Chapter 3
“What the hell were you doing?” Ivy asked Flame with her hands on her hips.
Flame turned to her earth sister and realized all three of them were facing her, seemingly awaiting her answer. She decided to feign innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She placed one hand to her throat for dramatic effect.
“Oh, no, you don’t, Flame.” Raine waggled a finger as her. “I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us when I say you were up to something. We can see right through you, so there’s no sense denying your behavior. Now, tell us what’s going on.”
“You guys are relentless. I suppose you’re not going to let this drop until I tell you?”
“You supposed right,” Skye interjected, crossing her arms over her bosom.
“All right, you guys caught me. I confess. I tried to irritate Jack when I greeted his brother. Are you happy?”
“Why did you want to do that to Jack?” Ivy asked, with confusion running across her features.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, Flame,” Raine said. “I believe the constant bickering going on between Jack and Flame is not because they love to antagonize each other, which I also believe they do, but because there’s something deeper pulling them together. Whatever the connection is, it’s scaring the hell out of both of them. Am I right?”
Flame watched as all their gazes returned to her. “Well, no, ah…okay, maybe I think he’s cute.”
“You are such a liar.” Raine playfully pinched Flame’s arm. “You think he’s more than cute.”
“No, I don’t. I think he’s overbearing, bossy, and obnoxious. How could I possibly have romantic feelings for someone with those qualities?” Flame countered, feeling justified in her response.
“Did you ever stop to think he cares about you, and he appears bossy because his words aren’t coming out quite right? Jack treats us three the same way, but we’ve been noticing the sideways glances he steals of you and the way he looks like he wants to pounce on you like a cat in heat,” Raine lectured. “You guys have it so bad for each other it’s ridiculous. My advice is to kiss him and get it over with. Then you’ll know.”
“You guys are forgetting one thing in your master plan.”
“What’s that?” Ivy asked.
“Did you notice his brother, Ethan? He’s gorgeous, sweet, and I wanted to place my hands all over him. Now how can I possibly be interested in Mr. Grumpypants when I could have an amazing time with Ethan? And tonight, I plan on getting to know him better.”
“Well, I can’t help but agree with you about Ethan,” Skye relented. “He’s very attractive. But so is Jack. In fact, they have the same tall build, bright blue eyes, and short black hair. The only thing different is that Jack has dimples. Maybe you should think about having both of them as partners.”
“I don’t think so. Maybe you and Ivy can handle two men as mates, but I’m a one-man woman. Now, I have something I want to talk to you three about that might put an end to this inquisition. Did Jack by any chance mention when Ethan came into town?”
Skye leaned her back against the front counter and answered, “I think Jack said he arrived late last night. Why?”
“Well, late last night, I experienced my first sexual heat, the same thing Ivy and Skye went through when their mates came to town. I felt completely out of control, and I don’t want to go through it again.” Flame fanned herself and rolled her eyes. “Then I saw Ethan and felt an extreme pull to him, as if my soul reached out to his and they magically intertwined. Ladies, I think I might have just found my mate.”
The women cheered and swarmed Flame, wrapping their arms around her in a group hug and jumping up and down like schoolgirls. Flame felt their love and support for finding her mate.
* * * *
“Wait here for a minute,” Jack said as he grabbed the keys from the ignition. He went to his front door to unlock his house and ran back to his vehicle. “Here are the keys for the SUV. I’ll call for a ride to work. Go back to Elemental Magic and hang around the area. I want you to make sure the women are safe and also to scout for Hunters. I have to get some sleep before I go to work.”
“Oh, that’s probably why you’re so cranky.” Ethan took the keys and climbed over the console into the driver’s seat.
“Please be careful, Ethan, for your sake and theirs.”
“I haven’t made it this far in life without being cautious. I’ll see you later.”
Jack watched his brother pull out of his driveway and waved as
he drove away. His bed beckoned him, so he headed into his home for some much-needed sleep.
Jack woke up half an hour earlier than his alarm clock with thoughts of Flame running through his mind. She teased me while she hugged and kissed Ethan. I saw the look of triumph in her eyes. Why can’t I show her the loving man I can be? God, I want her to be mine.
As he lay naked in bed, he grabbed his stiff cock and started to stroke his shaft. He imagined the way she looked in her sexy white outfit from this morning, beautiful, enticing, and exquisite. Her long leg peeked out through the slit in her skirt, and he pictured himself running his tongue along its smooth length. He longed for her to lift her skirt and sit her wet pussy down on his throbbing rod. Tightening his grip on himself, he started to pump his hand on his shaft faster and harder. The fantasy of being inside Flame’s wet snatch had been too much to take as he cried out, shooting his cum across his tight, muscular abs and smooth chest.
While waiting for his accelerated heart rate to get back to normal, thoughts of the women’s powers started swimming in his mind. He would swear Flame possessed the powers of fire which would explain his incredible pull to her. Since he was a phoenix shifter, he wielded fire, felt no effects of the heat of flames, and could never be burned. They were mates on a higher level, but after the display he saw today with Flame and his brother, he knew Ethan would have the same connection with her. How could he resist such a gorgeous creature? He decided to stop in McLeod’s Pub after his shift ended. Tonight he vowed to make his feelings known to Flame once and for all, before he was too late.
* * * *
Wanting to make a good impression, Ethan arrived at McLeod’s Pub earlier than eight o’clock. He sat at the bar nursing a coffee while waiting for his new friends to arrive. He’d been keeping an eye on the women at the shop throughout the day, with his excitement of spending an evening with Flame mounting as each hour crept by agonizingly slowly. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary, and no one had been lurking around except for him.
First to arrive of the group were Skye and her two mates, Conner and Dillon. She introduced them to Ethan, and they found a table large enough to fit the gang. He noticed how protective the men were of Skye, flanking her tightly on either side and then scanning the room in a casual manner. These men have a gift of something, but I’m not sure what. They’re different. I think I need to talk to Jack about telling these people the truth. They need to be prepared for the Hunters. He and Jack had always followed a code of keeping their presence hidden from the world and not sharing their phoenix-shifting abilities with anyone. But since Skye also had special powers, maybe the time had come for him to put some faith in a new group of potential allies.
They made idle talk until Ivy walked in, followed by two hulking identical twins. Skye must have seen her, too, as she waved them over from across the room. Ethan recognized the men instantly. One of them had been the man from the picture, but damned if he knew which one. More introductions were made, and Ethan noticed the exact same behavior in these two men toward Ivy as Skye’s mates had shown. However, he noticed both men lifting their noses in the air and sniffing as if they were bloodhounds. I have a feeling I’m surrounded by more magical beings then I originally thought.
For the first time in Ethan’s life, he started to feel a kinship to relative strangers. No wonder Jack has formed a bond with this group. He couldn’t help himself. His thoughts trailed off as a loud squeak from the pub door hinges caught his attention. As he looked up, Flame sauntered into the room. She wore low-rise, skinny-legged jeans with a short green T-shirt whose hem sat right above her belly button. Her hair flowed down her back while sensuality oozed from every swaying movement she made. I’ve never wanted anyone more in my life.
Raine walked in behind her, and Ethan felt a pang of guilt for not noticing her arrival at first. The women made their way over to the group, and Flame sat down beside Ethan. She touched his back and leaned over to whisper in his ear, “I’m so glad you could come.”
Between her hot breath and warm touch, shivers of desire coursed through him. He felt his cock stir as their thighs touched briefly while she turned to her friends. He gulped and pulled on the neckline of the black T-shirt he had borrowed from his brother. Behave yourself, she’s taken. He tried to find the words to answer her, but they seemed lost in his throat.
Turning toward Raine, he caught her looking at him but didn’t turn away in embarrassment. She sat on his other side, smiling coyly, and whispered, “She’s quite stunning, isn’t she?”
Ethan didn’t sense any jealousy or tension in her statement, only a factual comment. Finding his voice, he answered, “Yes, she is.” Wondering if her boyfriend would be showing up later, he needed to find out how much time he had alone with her. He leaned close to Raine and asked, “Will Flame’s partner be arriving soon?”
“What? I don’t know where you heard Flame had a partner, but she’s very single. I can’t stress that enough to you.” Raine’s smile grew even bigger as she patted Ethan’s hand and winked.
Feeling an instant connection with Raine, he whispered, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you’re trying to fix me up with her.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just filling you in and making sure you have your facts straight about your new friends.”
The two conspirators giggled together while all eyes turned to them. “Oh, no, Raine’s up to no good again,” Flame commented. “Whatever she said, don’t believe a word.”
Ethan faced the siren and said, “Well, she said you were beautiful, sweet, incredibly gorgeous, and stunning. No, wait, that’s what I’m thinking. She actually told me you were single.”
The group erupted with laughter, as the blush in Flame’s cheeks almost matched the color of her hair. He wanted to kiss every inch of her crimson complexion since he now knew she was single. I wonder why Jack told me she had a partner. He seems to know this group pretty well. Very strange.
“Is something on your mind, Ethan?” Flame seemed to regain her composure and looked at him with apparent concern.
“My brother told me you were seeing someone and to behave myself around you. I wonder why he thought you had a boyfriend.” He noticed her smile disappeared when he referred to his brother.
“I can’t figure out Jack.” She shrugged casually. “I have no idea where he got that idea from, but I suspect it’s part of his control issues.”
“Did you two ever date?” Ethan asked, searching for some reason why these two didn’t get along.
“God, I’d never date him. He’s so alpha male with me, it’s ridiculous. You are easygoing compared to him and way more likable.” The smile came back to her face and her eyes sparkled like emeralds.
“I’m a pretty observant guy, but I didn’t notice any tension between you two yesterday.”
“I’m guessing he might have been on his best behavior in front of you. Usually he comes into the store to lecture me. We argue all the time.” She waved hand in the air in a frustrated gesture, he supposed as if she were shooing Jack away.
A dawning came over Ethan, and he shook his head in disbelief. Jack, you dog. You want Flame for yourself, so you told me to stay away by lying to me about her being taken. Well, you had your chance with her and all you’ve done is fight, so now I’m taking my turn.
“How could he waste his time arguing with an attractive woman like you?”
She boldly placed a hand on his knee and squeezed it. “Come on, you charmer, I’m in the mood to dance.”
“How can I say no to such a sexy invitation?” He stood up and held out his hand to her. Without hesitation, she slipped her hand into his, and he led her off to the dance floor. The music blared around them with pulsing dance beats, but neither one let go of the other, working their bodies closer together with each passing song. Finally, a slow number lulled the two into a tight embrace as they swayed their bodies together in time with the music’s hypnotic tempo.
She
felt like heaven in his arms, as her sweet scent of magnolia and vanilla wafted around him. Never wanting this moment to end, he prayed the song would last forever. Suddenly, her body began to gyrate against his, making his burgeoning erection come to full attention.
“You have to take me home now,” she demanded while rubbing her breasts seductively on his chest.
“What about your friends? Won’t they be upset if we leave?” He wanted to take her home, but he feared he couldn’t trust himself to be alone with her.
“Trust me, they will completely understand. Come on, let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and led him off the dance floor. As they ran past their table of friends, Flame didn’t even stop. She shouted, “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
Ethan could hear the burst of laughter coming from his new friends as she led him out into the parking lot. “I live three minutes away by car. Please hurry.”
Not understanding what was going on, he took the lead while holding her hand and pulled her along to his brother’s SUV. He helped her in, shut her door, and ran to the driver’s side. When he climbed in, she sat writhing in the passenger seat while cupping her breasts. “If you don’t hurry, we might not make it.”
Chapter 4
When the sexual heat hit on the dance floor, Flame’s first reaction to the overwhelming need had been to try to fight it. However, she realized right away her desire had been too great a feeling to push aside. Practically blinded with cravings for Ethan’s cock, she guided him to her home as fast as she could.
He pulled into her driveway, helped Flame out of the passenger side, and shut the door. Her legs crumpled beneath her, but he caught her body and scooped her up into his arms. She glanced over his shoulder, holding him tight, and watched as the distance grew rapidly between the silver vehicle and their bodies.
Daisy Dunn Page 3