“Umm?”
I smiled. “Sorry, Amber must have forgot to tell you I’m crazy, creepy and don’t seem to have an off switch.”
“Crazy and creepy?” He arched a dark brow. “I think you’ll find some stiff competition in this town if you’re hoping for top spot there.”
“Stiff? Top spot?” My gaze went his groin as a slow grin spread over my face. As I traced my way up his torso I found him staring at me with shock etched on his face. “What? Was it something I said?”
Leaning against the peeling white doorframe, he nodded at me. “I’m Riston Wallace.”
“Nice to meet you, Riston. I’m Karri-Lynn O’Higgins. Most just call me Karri.”
“O’Higgins?” he asked, staring at me as though he expected me to pull a demonic bunny out of my pocket. I could. I didn’t.
“Yes.”
“Karri-Lynn?” The wide-eyed expression he gave me made me think that pulling the bunny out might just draw enough attention to get him to stop staring at me.
“Yes.” I would have offered more but he was beginning to creep me out and that was damn hard to do.
He reached out and made a move as though he were going to touch me, but stopped. “No. It can’t be. Kars?”
Kars? I hadn’t heard that nickname in a long time. A bit taken aback by Riston’s sudden weirdness, I just nodded. “Yes, people, or rather someone used to call me that. Why?”
Riston’s jaw dropped as his blue gaze raked over me slowly, lingering in places it shouldn’t. He shook his head and he drew in a sharp breath. “Jack’s daughter?”
That got me. Backing up, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously on him. “You’re not much older than I am. How do you know my dad?”
“You don’t know who I am?”
“I said you looked familiar. Do you know me?”
Riston was quiet for a moment. Something moved over his face that I couldn’t read. If I had to guess, I’d say he was digging for an answer that would make me happy. “I was, umm, I mean my father was friends with your father. I crossed paths with your father several times and knew that my dad thought very highly of Jack. In fact, I’d venture as far as to say, they were very good friends.” He drew in a deep ragged breath.
I arched a brow. “So, did we play together or something? You really do seem familiar to me. I can’t place you though. I have to say that I don’t remember playing with any little boys. I led a rather sheltered life when my parents were alive. In fact, I only remember playing with my dad and his best friend, RJ. I think they took pity on me because I was different from other children.”
A slow, lazy smile spread over Riston’s face. “Yes, you were.”
“Huh?” I waited for him to enlighten me. He didn’t. “I take it that we did play together or at least meet when I was little. Sorry about not remembering. Some of that time I try hard to block out that part of my life. Especially the day I lost my parents.”
“You were there....”
I put my hand up, already knowing where he was going. “Yeah, I watched it happen. I do my best not to think about that anymore.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to....”
“No. You’re fine.” As I stood there it hit me who he reminded me of. My brow furrowed as I lifted my hands towards his crisp blue eyes. I’d seen eyes just like that almost daily when my parents were alive. But it was the day they were killed that I began to believe they belonged to my guardian angel. The man, my father’s best friend, RJ, who’d come in and took hold of me, saving my life, had eyes just like his--as blue as the sky, with black thick eyelashes lining them.
I moved Riston’s face from side to side before lifting his wire-framed glasses off his face. It was him. No. That couldn’t be right. “What the ... .? No. It’s not possible.”
Moving into him, I stared at him with questioning eyes as an array of emotions tore through me. Closing my eyes, I remembered being there the night my parents died, outside of the car on the ground at my father’s side. Trying desperately to save him somehow, to keep him with me anyway I could even though I was just a child. Things, monsters like I’d never seen before were all around me, trying to break through the magikal barrier that was up. RJ had swept onto the scene then. He went at the monsters, taking them down one by one before staring down at my father, then me. He picked me up fast and cradled me to his chest as he stared down in horror at my father.
As I opened my eyes, I found myself cupping Riston’s face. Heat flared through me, stealing my breath and making my body cramp with need. Riston’s arms wrapped around me and he held me close to him, staring at me with nothing short of lust in his eyes. The heat, the power that ran through me demanded I get even closer to him. Since we were already pressed together, I did the only other thing I could think of, I kissed his jaw line lightly. It was a bold move, even for me.
The music playing from the front porch changed to a slow, orchestra-accompanied darker song. It thumped in my chest and my breasts heaved forward as my breath hitched. His hands seemed to be everywhere yet they never moved. Somehow, it felt as though he was caressing my back, arms, my face all while simply standing still.
Riston’s breathing was choppy at best as he stood there with his arms around me. If it wasn’t for the rise and fall of his chest and tightening of his arms, I would have thought him a statue. I couldn’t help but kiss his jaw line again, closing my eyes at the contrasting feeling of his skin to my lips. I sighed and he tightened his hold on me. The second he gently swayed our bodies to the music, I lost myself in his arms.
A flood of emotions continued to rage within me, leaving me clinging to him as we continued our torturously slow dance. It was beyond insane to think Riston was the same man who had saved me over twenty years ago. He was too young and too close to me, making my body do its own series of internal summersaults. The odds of him being the one that I’d come to think of as my guardian angel were a billion to one but it didn’t matter. Something about Riston called to my body on a carnal level, demanding my attention.
He held the lead, moving our bodies perfectly to the music as he held me equally as tight. What was happening? Why was I so drawn to him and why in the hell did I never want to let go?
The orchestra took a very dark, haunting twist and I instantly ran my hand up the side of his neck and clung to him. I couldn’t have let go, even if I tried. He felt so safe. It was something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Riston dipped me back a bit. Our eyes locked, leaving our lips dangerously close to touching. Every ounce of me wanted to kiss him, yet I stayed there, staring up at him with nothing short of rapture. He made a move and I thought for sure that he was going to kiss me. He didn’t. I bit back a plea for him to take me and let him pull me back towards him as we made another circle.
The minute his warm lips brushed over my neck before kissing my earlobe, I realized what it was I was doing--clinging to a man I didn’t know. I pulled back quickly and let my natural instincts for dealing with people kick in.
“If you’re not a member of the town’s welcoming committee, you should be.”
Riston moved towards me and stopped before pulling back to his spot. His blue gaze seemed to swallow me whole and I loved it. I had to fight to push thoughts of him above me, looking down at me while he slid in and out of my body from my head. He ran a hand over the back of his neck again and let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, I’ll have to check into joining that.”
“Let me know how that works out for you. If you get in, I’ll think about moving away and returning a week or so later in hopes of getting another greeting like that one.”
“Sounds good to me.” He licked his lower lip and bit it softly, doing nothing to help my state of need. “I’ll be sure to keep room in my schedule for you.”
Laughing, I glanced around the kitchen. The old, worn cabinets had paint peeling everywhere and the ceiling looked as though there had been water damage at some point. I sighed. “Do you think it’s safe to stand out here? I
’m a bit concerned that the ceiling will fall in on us.”
“Nah, this place just needs a face-lift that’s all. You’re not planning on trying to do it yourself are you?” he asked, not looking very sure of my handyman abilities. Not that I could even blame him.
“What? I’ve only hot-glued my fingers together twice and nailed my shirt to the wall once.”
A sly smile spread over his face. “Only twice?”
Rolling my eyes, I laughed. “Okay, three times but that has to stay between us. If it gets out, I’ll lose my fix-it girl status.”
“We wouldn’t want that to happen, Kars.”
Tipping my head, I stared at him. “Why do you keep calling me that?”
“Sorry,” he said, putting his hands in his front pockets. The action gave me a tiny glimpse of the perfect V etched in his hips. The man had the body of a god and I wanted to explore every single inch of it with my hands before using my mouth. “I didn’t know that you didn’t like it.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it, because I do. It’s just that I can only remember one person in my life calling me that and it sort of was his thing. No one else’s. It’s hard to explain.” That was RJ’s nickname for me.
His lips twitched and it looked like he was doing his best not to smile. “I’ll stop.”
Suddenly, the idea of Riston calling me Kars sounded appealing. “You can call me whatever you want. It was just different to hear it again after so many years. It just reminded me of someone I once knew.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“I honestly don’t know anymore. At one point I thought him a god. I was six so that tends to happen.” I winked. “I’m not sure how I feel about him now. I promise to stop associating you with him.”
“Ohmygod, don’t you dare step too close to her, Riston. She bites and won’t sit still for her shots,” Amber called out from the front entrance.
“I resent that statement. I so sat still for that last round of them. Besides, I’m harmless.”
“Really? Then would you like to explain the chest full of weapons in your attic?” Amber mused.
I shook my head and covered my eyes with my hand. “No, but I’m sure you will.”
“Riston, you have got to see the chest of weapons that used to be her dad’s. They look like some of the ones you collect.”
That piqued my interest. “You collect weapons?”
“Sort of.”
Amber grabbed hold of his arm and tugged hard. “Come on. You’ll love them. I promise.” She glanced at me. “Karri doesn’t mind, do you?”
Like I can really say no now.
I smiled. “Nope. I just got them out of storage so it would be neat to see all of what’s in there. I never got to look through it when I was little. What I did see looked kind of cool.”
And damn deadly.
Amber paused. “Wait, you mean you just finally got your parents’ things out of storage? Karri, you’ve had the keys since you were eighteen. You had to have at least gone and got photos or something. You didn’t have one to show me of your family.”
“I still don’t.” I forced a smile to my face. “I only grabbed a bit from the storage units. I might have some pictures in the boxes that are here. I honestly don’t know, though. I wasn’t there when things were originally packed and put into storage. And I just sort of grabbed some things at random when I stopped in to pick stuff up.”
“But weren’t you the least bit curious all these years, at least for the sake of nostalgia to go through your parents’ things--your things even?”
Wanting to be close to family and friends was a very Amber thing to do. I’d grown numb to it over the years. Riston watched me close as though he were personally awaiting my answer. I said the first thing that popped into my head. “I wasn’t really ready to deal with that part of my life, Amber. To be honest, I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to.”
“But, Karri, don’t you want to remember all the good times you had with them before they passed? Don’t you want to ... ?”
“Be reminded that I’m alone in this world? That they were the only people who understood who and what I am and that they’re gone?” I asked, not showing any signs of the tears that wanted to run free. “No, not really.”
“You’re not alone, Karri.” Amber winked. “You’re sort of stuck with me.”
“And you,” I put a lot of emphasis on the word, “are the only reason I’m standing here. I’d still be in New York if I hadn’t missed you so much. Not that I have anything against the Midwest but it wouldn’t have been my first choice. Though,” I glanced at the wall and shook my head. “this place seems familiar to me. Like I’m supposed to be here. It’s weird.”
Riston coughed.
“So, have you found someone to put your other house up for sale yet?” Amber asked.
Taking a deep breath, I prepared to tell her the truth even if it wasn’t what she wanted to hear. “Amber, I’m not selling my other house. In fact, I’m not selling my apartment in New York City either.” My job demanded I keep various safe points and I considered my homes just that. There was no way I was giving them up.
She wrinkled her nose. “But why? It seems silly if you’re going to be living ... Karri, you told me that you were moving here.”
I glanced around and wiggled my feet. “Uhh, just in case you missed it, I did move here. I just can’t always be here. I’ll do my best, hon, but in all honesty, it’s hard for me to find down time. This will be a place I come to relax and get away from the hectic thing I call life.”
“Quit your job. You don’t need the money.”
Riston continued to watch me closely. I shifted a bit and focused on Amber. “I can’t. Not yet just anyway.” No. I had a group of men to save. Hell, to be honest, I had a world to save but one who fought evil always did so it seemed to lack luster.
“Karri, are you in trouble?” she asked, suddenly looking a bit pale.
I’m always in trouble.
“No. It’s complicated, Amber, and to be honest, I’m good at what I do and wouldn’t have a clue as to what to with myself if I wasn’t busy all the time. It won’t matter much soon.”
“Why is that?”
Shit. I hadn’t meant to say that. “Weren’t you going to show Riston my father’s chest of weapons. Maybe he’ll be able to show me how to use them all.” I laughed on the inside. I already knew how to use them all.
Riston didn’t look too happy about my request. I wasn’t really sure why. Maybe he thought I’d put my eye out or something.
Not waiting a second more than need be, Amber headed toward the staircase with Riston in tow. As I followed them up, I realized what a great view of his ass I had. It was apple-shaped, I was sure of it.
Amber let out a soft laugh. “Karri, stop staring at Riston’s ass.”
It didn’t surprise me that Amber knew what I was doing. She’d lived with me long enough to know how I was. “I can’t help it. It’s right there. Mmm, close enough to touch.”
Riston glanced back at me with a shocked expression on his face and missed a step. Somehow, he managed to avoid falling flat on his face. Amber and I snickered. “I really need to have warning cards drafted up for everyone I introduce you too, Kari. They should have to sign off on the hazard better known as you.”
“Want a picture of me naked to use? We could ghost it down and have the warning printed over it?”
Riston shook his head. “It seems like just yesterday that you were coloring and....”
Amber gasped. “Tell me that you don’t already know her.”
“Why?” I asked. “Am I really that bad?”
“Just crazy, sweetheart.” She snickered as she headed into the attic and went straight for the chest. “Case in point.”
“Hey, don’t blame me for what my father owned. I have my own set of weapons.”
“You do?” they both asked.
Riston slowed his pace and I accidentally ran right into him. Running head
on into a cement wall would have hurt less. I lost my balance and went backwards fast. In a flash, Riston was turned around and seizing hold of me. He pulled me to him and the burning deep inside me returned. I gasped and he smiled.
I sensed someone coming and stilled. Unsure who it was and picking up on even more than one, I placed my palm on Riston’s chest. “I forgot something. Feel free to look around with Amber. Oh, and thanks for the catch. You have amazing reflexes for a human ... errr ... hunk. Yep, hunk. Where is my head at?” I cringed at my slip of the tongue.
For a moment, I wasn’t sure he even heard me. He was staring at the doorway looking as though he sensed someone too. “What?”
“Riston, are you okay?”
“Stay here with Amber. I’ll be right back,” he said, as he went to go around me.
I caught hold of him and tugged gently. He glanced back at me and winked. I couldn’t help but step closer to him. Before I knew it, I was pressed tight to his chest and staring up into his crisp blue eyes. I went to my tiptoes, putting my lips dangerously close to his. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he dropped his head down just a bit. Our lips brushed slightly and my power slammed to the surface.
Amber cried out and I jerked away from Riston fast, ready and willing to kill whatever had caused her fear. When I looked down to find her clutching her hand to her chest with tears in her eyes, I ran to her. I dropped down and took hold of her injured hand quickly. The minute I spotted the African-throwing knife lying half in and half out of the chest I knew that she’d cut herself on it. With its multitude of killing points, it was not a toy.
“Honey, we’re home!”
Amber’s eyes widened at the sound of Branson, one of my men’s voice. “Your hunky movers are back. Think you can get them to shift into something cool? I want one of them to turn into a monkey.”
“Well, one’s a Fay so no on him. One’s shy about getting naked in front of people he doesn’t know but I’ll ask. He’s a lycan so you’ll have to settle for a wolf. The third will dance naked in a rainstorm so I’m guessing he’ll do it if you promise not scream or faint. He’s a different situation. He can shift into several different large cat breeds. Oh, Branson, the Fay, is an ass so he still might work for something close to a monkey.”
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