Lost Without Them
Page 14
Sam frowned and looked around her to Cody. “What will we do about the ranch?”
“I have a suggestion,” Dastan offered. “How about Dmitry and I take over?”
Keegan frowned. “You guys? Cowboys?” She shook her head. “I just don’t see it.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Me either.”
“Why?” Dmitry asked.
“Do you two know anything at all about ranching?” Cody asked.
Dastan shrugged. “It’s been a long time, but I’ve run ranches before. The new stuff we can learn. You’re not going to be able to stay there forever. People will begin to question why you don’t age. Dmitry and I no longer need to be with Keegan. We’re free to do what we want. I personally would like some time away from the dimension. To see how the other half lives for a while. In fifty or sixty years or so, you can return to the ranch, and we’ll trade back off.”
Sam looked at them thoughtfully. “Interesting idea.”
Dmitry smiled as he stared up at the stars as they slowly began to appear in the night sky. “I like it.”
“A Persian and a Russian in the middle of Montana,” Keegan said with a giggle. “The West will never be the same.”
“Damn straight,” Dmitry drawled.
Keegan glanced over at Sarah as an idea came to mind. Perhaps her friend just needed a little time alone with the shifters to get to know them. “I was just thinking. Dastan and Dmitry will need some help at the ranch. Maybe Sarah should go with you. Act as your housekeeper.”
Sarah’s eyes widened as she shook her head quickly from side to side. Almost frantically.
Dastan leaned closer. “Keegan? What are you doing?”
“Trust me,” she whispered. “She dislikes you for some reason. I think it’s time you got to know each other.”
“I don’t have a problem with it,” Dmitry drawled, his lips spreading into a wicked grin. “I’ve always liked blondes.”
Sarah scowled at him. “I would not be dinner. I would be the help. And you keep your hands off the help.” She turned her scowl to Keegan. “That is if I decide to go.”
“I would really appreciate it, Sarah. You would be doing me a huge favor,” Keegan replied.
“Keegan,” Sarah murmured as her scowl turned to a look of sudden fear.
Keegan almost felt bad for her but didn’t really. Dastan and Dmitry were definitely intense, but they would never hurt her or make her do something she didn’t want to do. Sarah couldn’t be any safer. Maybe that was what her friend needed. A little bit of intensity in her life.
“Please?” Keegan whispered.
Sarah sighed and glared at Keegan. “Fine, but you owe me. Big.”
Keegan smiled, pleased that Sarah had agreed without her having to resort to playing the lead councilwoman card. “Great. You will accompany them to Montana, and you can keep me informed of their progress with the ranch and let me know if they get into any trouble.”
“Don’t worry, beautiful,” Dmitry said as he reached over with his foot and rubbed her calf. “I won’t touch you until you beg me to.”
Sarah jerked her leg back and frowned at him angrily.
Beside her, she heard Sam snicker and Cody cough.
“You’re a wicked woman,” Sam murmured in her ear.
“No, just an observant one.”
“So it’s settled,” Sam said as he obviously tried to hold back an amused laugh. “Tomorrow we’ll head back to the ranch and introduce the three of you to the hands as the new owners.”
* * * *
Later that night, Keegan snuggled closer to Cody’s body as Sam settled in behind her. The only thing that covered them was a sheet, which felt good against her skin. The warm sea breeze blew off the beach through the open french doors of her bedroom. With a deep, contented sigh, she smiled at just how things had worked out. But her smile faded somewhat as she thought about Sarah.
“Do you think she’ll forgive me?” Keegan whispered to neither man in particular.
“If you’re right,” Cody said, “I’m sure she will.”
“The three of them do look good together, don’t they?”
Sam snorted. “Yeah, if you like feral animals circling each other.”
Keegan snickered softly. “It wasn’t that bad, was it?”
Sam adjusted his arm around her waist. “All night, I kept waiting for Sarah to explode. Dmitry just kept doing stuff to antagonize her. Dastan just watched her like he wanted to eat her for dinner.”
Keegan grinned. “You noticed that too, huh?”
“Hell, you couldn’t miss it.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t notice that before.”
“Has she always disliked them?” Cody asked.
“She dislikes all shifters, although she’s never said why. The few times I’ve tried to drag it out of her, she just changes the subject.”
“Can shifters and witches, you know…” Cody asked.
She looked up at him and grinned. “What? Fuck?”
Cody returned her smile. “I have no doubt they can do that. I meant can they be a couple?”
Keegan’s smile widened. “Of course, although it’s rare. There are vampire and witch unions, vampire and human unions.”
Cody brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. “And of course, witch and human unions.”
“Can’t forget that one,” Sam murmured as he kissed the side of her neck, sending shivers of delight up her spine.
“No, definitely not,” she whispered just before Cody’s lips covered hers in a sweet kiss.
Loose Id Titles by Trista Ann Michaels
Blood Rite
Darkness Falls
Dead Reckoning
Deadly Crimson
Leave Me Breathless
Lost Without them
Shutter
* * * *
The ENTWINED FATES Series
Captive
Destined for Two
Mercenary
Remember Me
Slaves
Trista Ann Michaels
I live in the land of dreams, where alpha men are tender, heroines are strong and sassy, and villains are brutal and conniving. When not deep in the mind of my next serial killer, ghost, or futuristic space pilot, I can be found in the mountains of Tennessee, spending time with family and friends. At least until the next story calls.