by Linda Wisdom
Shar beamed “Exactly. Perhaps it will be easier for her once she truly comes to realize her destiny is down here. Many of us go through this time where we think life is better up there, but it doesn’t take us long to realize we need to be with our kind. While she’s there, I need to know she won’t make any undesirable alliances. I know what can happen during this time.” He coughed uncomfortably.” “Iif you’re there, you can befriend her in order watch over her properly. She’ll have her time away and come back ready to work for the family’s best interests.”
Brady wasn’t sure he liked the idea of anyone having to live Below even if this Raven had obviously grown up here. Still, he’d be a fool to turn down the job when Shar was offering a lot of money. “Just tell me where to catch up with your sister and I’ll make sure she’s kept safe and sound,” he assured the creature.
“Oh yeah, I’m only too happy to keep the lady under observation,” he murmured, lifting his glass to catch the bartender’s eye. In seconds, he had another JD on the rocks sitting before him.
This was the cushiest job he’d had since, well, ever.
Feeling a twinge in his thigh where a knife had sliced in too deep, he stretched out his leg. At least the bastard with the knife wasn’t going to cut anyone ever again. When he looked up again, his charge was missing.
Fuck!
“Hi, Mike, could I have a Tie Me To The Bedpost! please?”
Brady didn’t need the burning sensation across the mark to warn him who was standing nearby. He looked up and found Raven standing at the end of the bar. The drink name fostered all sorts of fascinating images, every one of them having to do with the two of them naked, a variety of silk scarves, and massage oil. If he wasn’t careful he was going to explode here and now. He shifted to give his aching balls a little more room.
“Sure thing, Rae.” The bartender left Brady without hesitation and mixed the drink quickly, adding a bright orange stirrer in the glass before handing it to her.
She offered Brady a brief smile and concentrated on her drink.
There was never a better opening. “Interesting drink name.” Okay, not scintillating conversation, but he was never one for small talk.
“The gift shop has a tropical drink book and Mike’s letting me try every one listed in the book,” she replied, edging up onto a barstool.
“Are you going through it alphabetically or by the most interesting ones first?” he asked, intrigued by her vacation hobby.
“Rae’s trying the fun sounding ones first.” Mike grinned. After catching a look in Brady’s eyes he quickly moved on to another customer at the other end of the bar.
“You do pretty well with that board out there,” Brady commented. “No offense, but aren’t long boards pretty heavy for someone as lightweight as you?”
Raven grinned. Brady couldn’t believe that this beach babe grew up in the Underworld where the a black on black wardrobe, deathly pale skin, and red glowing eyes were the norm. No way anyone would assume she was related to Shar.
“The good thing is once I’m out on the water the waves do all the work for me. I’m just out there for the ride. As for when I’m back on land, it takes some muscle to bring it in. I consider it a good upper body workout.” Her comment immediately brought Brady’s gaze to her tits. She ignored his less than subtle perusal and sipped her drink. She smiled and nodded. “This is definitely another one I like. I’m Rae.” She held out her hand.
Brady found her skin warm from the sun but not moist like Shar’s skin had been. He didn’t miss the small shock that zipped along between their hands and judging from the slight widening of her beautiful blue eyes, she felt it too. He silently applauded her for not jerking her hand back.
“Brady. So are you here for the surfing, Rae?” Damn, he might be better at this small talk than he thought he was.
“Sun, sand and relaxation. What about you?”
Since he’d planned on striking up a conversation with her as soon as he could, he had his story prepared. But now that he’d met her and gazed into eyes he felt he could drown in, he wished this meeting wasn’t deliberate. He wished they could have run into each other in a bar, talked a bit, he’d invite her out for dinner, and maybe there was a chance more would happen. They were going to be there for a month, so there was hope. Instead, in case Shar had a way of watching, he was determinedly keeping his eyes on her face and not on her barely covered breasts. Was there a chance she was tanned all over? He wouldn’t mind finding out.
“I’m here on some R&R. I’ve been overseas a lot and wanted some downtime,” he said, knowing his vague answer would imply he was in the military instead of his usual gig as an independent contractor. He sorely needed the sharp bite of the JD he was sipping. Since he’d quit smoking, he needed something to keep his hands busy. Hell, he felt like a hormonally challenged teenager. Was there something about Raven that gave off some sex pheromones? He wouldn’t be surprised given the way bartender Mike hovered nearby. As it was all Brady had to do is look at the sunny blonde sitting nearby and he felt his tongue hanging out and his dick all ready and willing to dive into action.
Down, boy, he mentally admonished his randy body part. We don’t want to be pulled down into some demon world, do we? We’re here to protect Raven, not fuck her.
Except at that moment Raven leaned forward, resting her forearms on the bar top which gave him an even better view of what looked like a perfect set of tits. Not so large they’d smother him and not so small he’d never find them. Nope, just the right size for him.
She was still looking at him in a calculating way he swore was a tactic he’d used many times. He never minded a direct woman. It was always nice to know you were on the same page.
He waited for her to suggest they meet for dinner. He’d respectfully decline and still manage to be in the hotel restaurant the same time she was. He didn’t want to appear too eager to spend time with her.
“So Brady.”
“So Rae.” He grinned, mimicking her tone.
Her voice was low and held a husky tone that flowed over him like warm water. “Do you surf?”
Chapter Two
“Not good, Rae. Not good at all,” Raven muttered, as she stripped off her bikini and stepped into the shower that resembled a rock waterfall. “Why not bore the man into a coma? There were a million questions you could ask him other than if he surfed?” Which surprised her when he admitted he did surf but hadn’t had the chance to go out for some time. Still feeling like an idiot with her question, she made her escape as soon as she could and retreated to her suite before she screwed up any more. Who knew carrying on a conversation with a human man could be so difficult?
She stood under the flowing water and looked at the bottles of body washes and bath oils set on the shelf like a smorgasbord of scents. Shopping proved to be a feast for the senses as well as the eyes as she indulged in bright colored clothing with not a hint of black anywhere along with cosmetics and bath and body products that would keep her smelling delicious for a lifetime. After settling on a bottle of body wash guaranteed to make her smell like crème brulee, she took her time with her shower. A lavish application of matching body lotion left her glowing all over.
“Brady Hayes.” She rolled the name around in her mouth liking the way it sounded. She appreciated what she’d seen the moment she stepped out of the water and noticed a man who sat head and shoulders above the others. Rugged, muscular and above all else, hot. Now that was the kind of vacation souvenir that didn’t show up in any of the gift shops.
A few bills slipped to one of the bellmen earlier gave her the information that Brady’s suite was two doors down from hers. Not that she planned to visit him on the spur of the moment. She just liked having the knowledge. In her family, knowledge was better than gold.
As Raven left the bathroom, the sharp tang of something unpleasant struck her nostrils. She muttered a nasty curse used in her world and walked over to the coffee table. A many-petaled flower lay on the
wood and she knew it hadn’t been there when she went in to take her shower and definitely wasn’t something the hotel maid would have brought in. The purple petals were so dark they appeared black with sharp spines shooting out of the middle. The Astay flower was a rare species in her world and highly prized. She personally considered them ugly and smelly. And she knew this could only come from one individual. “Bastard.” She made a face and went to the closet, digging in the rear for a small leather case. The only thing she’d brought from her world. Demon magic insured no one would see it. Gray dust from one of the vials sprinkled over the flower caused the bloom to disappear in a puff of disgusting oily smoke.
“Yuck.” She coughed and waved the fumesaway from her face. She stared at the burned mark on the table’s surface. She dug through the case and found a tube of a dull yellow colored salve that smelled just as bad as the flower, but she knew it was effective for what she needed it for. A smear of the salve on the wood returned the surface to its usual highly polished sheen.
“It seems some don’t understand what one month of not contacting Raven means,” she murmured, returning the case to the closet then viewing the contents. The idea of wearing something that would catch Brady’s eye was foremost in her mind. “You’re not here for that, Raven, you’re here for sun and surfing,” she told herself. Her gaze settled on a white lace dress that didn’t look the least bit old fashioned or virginal.
Just the ticket.
*****
Brady felt his jaw drop to the floor when he watched Raven walked into the restaurant. The strapless white lace dress that looked as if it could slide off her body if she breathed wrong exposed a hell of a lot of tanned skin. Blue stones dangling from her ears matched the one that he’d seen in her navel that day. Not that she needed any jewelry to make her stand out. When she acknowledged him with a smile, he gestured for her to join him. One look at her and he knew he wasn’t about to have her sitting by herself. Some guy would be hitting on her before she could sit down. He hadn’t missed the lustful looks directed her way as she crossed the restaurant. It was amazing she still had her clothes on.
“Take pity on me. I’m not too keen on eating by myself,” he explained when she took the seat across from him.
“I don’t think anyone has ever pitied you,” she teased, accepting a menu from the maitre‘d.
As dinner progressed, Brady refused to believe that this woman who looked as if she was made to spend her days in the sun was Shar’s stepsister. They were about as opposite as two creatures could be. He wondered if the mark had made a mistake because there was no way she wasn’t human. Except while the mark didn’t burn each time he looked at her, there was a definite tingle.
“So where are you from, Rae?” Yep, he was getting better at this small talk.
“The southern hemisphere,” she said with a vague wave of the hand. “What about you?”
“My birth certificate says Seattle, but my old man was in the army so I guess you’d have to say I’m from all over. We moved pretty much all over the world.” He gazed at the creamy expanse of skin above the band of lace that caressed her tits. The swell of her breasts rose up just enough to catch a man’s attention. He noticed he wasn’t the only one.
You’re here on bodyguard duty, bub. You’re supposed to keep her safe from harm, remember? The brain in his skull reminded him. I don’t think Shar meant that you could ogle his stepsister even if she looks like every man’s wet dream.
You can’t tell me you’re not going to jump a sweet thing like her? The brain in his pants had other ideas.
Brady decided to let them fight it out while he listened to Raven’s story. He had to admit she was good. She made herself sound as if she hatched from The Brady Bunch. Considering what he already knew about her he thought she obviously had no idea how scary that concept was. But then he’d never been a fan of The Brady Bunch. In his opinion, they practiced way too much togetherness.
But he did know one thing. He wanted to be alone with her and find out just what was under that wisp of lace called a dress. For now, he’d behave and concentrate on his mahi mahi and coconut ginger rice and try not to notice that Raven ate with a sensuality that was downright appealing to his senses.
“Is that why you went into the military? Because of your dad?” she asked, picking up one of her coconut shrimp.
“They let me play with guns,” he admitted, doubting the flippant comment would unsettle her the way it had other women. Judging from her grin, it didn’t. He watched her bite into her shrimp and had a momentary vision of her biting into him that same way. He decided there was no way Shar could keep on an eye on what was happening here. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hired Brady. He glanced at the tiki torches dotting the pathway to the beach.
“How about a walk on the beach?” he suggested after taking care of the dinner check. He had never been this attracted to an assignment before. But then, he’d never been with anyone like Raven before. If he wasn’t mistaken, that attraction was very two-sided and he wanted to capitalize on it.
Her face lit up at his suggestion. “I’d love it.”
She’s a job, bub.
Brady muted the volume to that part of his conscience. Yeah, he planned on keeping her safe even if it appeared the one he needed to keep her safe from was him.
The moment they reached the beach, Raven slipped off her sandals and dropped them to the sand. Brady followed suit with his shoes. Soft giggles escaped her lips as they walked along the water’s edge with the waves slowly foaming around their bare feet. Pretty soon they were far enough away from the hotel that the evening breeze carried hints of the band playing in the resort’s bar. Raven hummed along to the faint music and executed a few dance steps that even in the sand looked graceful.
“You act like this is all new to you,” Brady commented.
Her smile dimmed. “In a way, it is. I’ve never traveled much.” She moved a step ahead of him and stopped facing him. “I like you, Brady.”
“Thanks. I like you too.” Finally, he could say something that wasn’t a lie. He found lying to her burned through him like an ulcer. She was gorgeous and funny and sexy and he couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed spending time with a woman the way he did with her. It was more than the idea of taking her to bed. He enjoyed talking to her too and that was something Brady didn’t always consider when he was with a woman.
Raven moved closer until her breasts brushed against his shirtfront. A rich scent of something that seemed familiar coupled with a hint of citrus teased his nostrils. Underlying it, he could inhale the even richer scent of an aroused woman. She was rapidly becoming an addiction to his blood and that proved dangerous. He wondered if Shar would insist on a slow and painful death if he knew Brady was having some pretty wild thoughts about his baby stepsister.
She fingered one of the buttons on his button-down print shirt. He’d figured if he were going to a Pacific island he’d dress the part and picked up a variety of shirts worthy of Magnum.
He slipped an arm around her waist, bringing her even closer against him.
“You going to slap my face if I kiss you?” he whispered, needing to find out just how sweet she tasted.
“Not as long as you kiss me now.” She lifted her face. With the pearly rays of the moon playing over her delicate features, she looked like an ethereal goddess. He refused to believe she could be from the dark side.
Never one to turn down an invitation, Brady kept one arm around her waist and lifted the other so he could trace her face with his fingertips. He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip, feeling the soft plump skin give way under his touch. He followed it with the lightest of touches of his lips. As their lips met, the same shock he felt when they first touched hands was stronger this time. It was as if a soft voice in his head urged him to take it all when what he really wanted was to take it slow and easy. He wanted to savor this woman the way he enjoyed a glass of single malt Scotch. One sip at a time.
He nibbled his
way across the slightly open seam of her lips then delved inside to find her taste headier than the Scotch he first compared her to. Her tongue danced with his, mimicking what his body wanted to do with her. His mouth then slid up to her ear, finding that sweet spot just behind her lobe. Her soft moan spurred him to nibble further while his hand at her waist moved upward to cover her breast. He felt her nipple push hard against his palm. He moved his hand in a slow circle, feeling the plump contours. Needing more contact, he edged his knee between her thighs. In response, she rotated her hips, rubbing against him.
“Brady,” she moaned, moving her hand down to caress the bulge tenting his shorts. That electric shock fairly screamed through his body. Hell! If it happened just from her touch, what would happen when they got naked together? Forget Shar. He wanted Raven in his bed.
“I want to look at all of you.” This intense desire was new for him and would probably get him in a shitload of trouble, but he had to know how close reality was to his imagination. “I want to dance naked with you in the moonlight.”
Her smile sent a wave of heat through him as she leaned back at the waist and gave a sexy little wiggle. The top of her dress fell as if by magic. Hell, for all he knew, it was magic. Her skin gleamed like pure gold under the moon, her tits high and firm, the peaked nipples a deep pink color with arousal. His mouth fairly watered for a taste and he was never one to deny himself. He dipped his head and covered one breast with his mouth, his tongue curling around her nipple, feeling it harden even more against his tongue. Her throaty moan was music to his ears.
Then sanity reared its ugly head and while he was willing to ignore it, he knew he couldn’t do anything that would embarrass Raven. He was past caring if anyone else was taking an evening walk on the beach, but why give them a show? He reluctantly dragged his mouth from her breast. Her sigh of disappointment told him she felt the same way he did.