Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart (The Cedar River Series)

by Murray, Gemma K.

  I found a spot to sit down. I spread my blanket out on the log and got comfortable. I had always loved Bowie. But this love was changing and growing deeper so quickly that it was terrifying me. Why did I agree to go the movies with Lance? Because he was my friend, just like Viv was my friend. I wouldn’t have hesitated to tell her “yes.” Did I think Bowie was blowing things out of proportion? To me, yes, but I also knew Bowie better than I think even I realized. His alpha male personality was saying, “she’s mine and no one else’s.” He saw Lance as competition. Deep down, I believe he knew that Lance and I were friends, but it was that alpha male/dragon thing that had us where we were at this point.

  I looked up at the stars, “Mommy, what do I do? Can you give me any sign?”

  Within moments, I heard someone walking across the snow towards me. I took a deep breath and smelled Bowie. “What are you doing here? You’ve got to be to the station early tomorrow. You should be in bed,” I said without turning around.

  He chuckled, “I should be, but you wouldn’t be there. I knew I wouldn’t get any sleep. So I came looking for you. Callum told me where you’d gone. Of course, that was after he threatened to tear me a new asshole for making you cry.” He sat down next to me. “Did I make you cry?” he asked.

  I refused to look at him because tears were falling freely down my face.

  “Oh, kitten,” he said, putting his arm around me and drawing me nearer. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just old school in my way of thinking, you know that. Men and women can’t be just friends, in my opinion. It gets all tangled up.” He wiped away my tears. “I also know I haven’t been clear on what this is between us, probably because I don’t know either. I know I don’t want just a quick fuck. I know I love you. I’ve always loved you, but this tastes different to me. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

  I nodded, “But you know Lance is my friend, right? Just like Viv is my friend. My cat didn’t like him as well as she likes you.”

  Bowie smiled, “I like that…a lot.”

  “She tries to claw her way out to get to you, she likes you that well.”

  “But you know Lance was hoping of more, right?”

  “I was hoping for more with him, too, Bowie.”

  The hurt was back in his face. “Bowie, stop that! I would never have dreamed that this would have happened between us. You have always been my buddy. I thought you were trying to protect me when you got all alpha male, I didn’t realize you were jealous.”

  Bowie put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “I was so pissed off the night he took you out. Then, he got back to the station and he smelled like you. I could have driven his head through the nearest wall. That’s when I realized my feelings for you were changing. But, if I’m going to be honest, I think it all started when I caught you and Connor Pierce parking. I’d never experienced a rage like that before. By the way, how could you have sex with that little punk?”

  It was my turn to chuckle, “It seemed like the thing to do before I started my senior year. I don’t have any other explanation than that. But I will tell you he was the first and the last, Bowie.”

  Bowie stiffened beside me, “Kitten, you really shouldn’t have said that.”

  “It’s the truth, and if you deserve anything from me, it’s the truth.”

  “Let’s go up to the house,” he said as he offered me his hand.

  We raced back to the house. Because I’m lighter, I was able to beat him back. I waited for him on the porch. I stood under the porch light. He was laughing and breathless when he got to the porch.

  “Out of shape, copper?” I teased.

  He smiled broadly, “Kind of looks like it. Or maybe I’m just getting old.”

  “Ah, there is that age factor. You are getting ancient, Sheriff Golden.”

  Bowie swung me off the porch and held me against him, “I’m going back to my house tonight. I don’t trust myself to stay under the same roof with you. Stop by the station tomorrow night after you get out of the movies? If it’s early enough, and I’ll take you to dinner.”

  “Why, Sheriff? Are you asking me out on a date?”

  His smile turned dragonish in nature, “Maybe I’m seducing you.”

  I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him goodnight. “Seduce away.”

  He kissed me and stood under my bedroom window until I turned on my light. I blew him a kiss and watched until his taillights disappeared into the night.

  Chapter Twenty-One-Bowie

  When I opened my front door, the house felt cold and empty. Or maybe it was just the way I felt. Leaving Ana was hard. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It would tear me apart. I looked around this place that I called home and realized this was not where I wanted to bring Ana home to live with me.

  I got out my bank statements to see where I sat with my savings. Dragons are hoarders by nature, but I never paid too much attention to my finances as I should have. This whole thing with Anastasia had me re-thinking things. Mom and Dad had offered me a few acres on the family compound for me to build a house. I had turned them down because I didn’t want them knowing just who I was bringing home or what nights I spent elsewhere. But now…things were changing. I was ready to settle down with one woman and we could raise a brood of kids.

  My parents would love having Anastasia and I closer to them. Then that little voice in my head yelled, “Slow down, cowboy! What about Ana? Is she ready to settle down? And who says she wants to spend forever with you?” I walked away from the table and sat down in my recliner to think.

  Dreams of Ana and poachers haunted me all night long. At four o’clock in the morning, I got up and made a pot of strong coffee. I didn’t have to be into the station until eight, but I wasn’t sleeping anyway. I poured the coffee into a thermos and drove out to my parents’ house.

  The house was quiet. No movement whatsoever. I sat there for an hour watching. Then, the upstairs window opened and I saw Ana poke her head out. She smiled a sleepy smile and waved at me to come up. I was out of my truck and up the front steps before she could close the window. I started the coffee pot knowing everyone would start getting up soon.

  Ana shuffled down the stairs in her pajamas, her hair a mess. She was shaking her head at me as I leaned against the counter. “What are you doing here so early, Bowie?” she whispered.

  I held out my arms to her and she walked into them. “I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t know where else to go. I came here. Did I wake you up?”

  She lifted her head to look at me, “Not really. I didn’t sleep well last night. I kept having dreams of running through the woods and looking for something. I don’t know what it was, but I was so scared that I’d lost it.”

  I poured her a cup of coffee and we went to sit in the living room. I sprawled out on the sofa and she curled into me, watching the horizon just start to get light. I don’t know what happened because the next thing I knew Mama was waking me up.

  “Bowie, it’s seven o’clock.” I opened my eyes to find Ana covering me like a blanket.

  “I’m sorry, Mama.”

  “For what, son? For falling asleep? There’s no crime in that. I’ve made some breakfast for you if you want to eat before you head to work.”

  I tried to peel Ana off me carefully, but she woke up. “Mmmm,” she murmured with a stretch.

  “Stay here and sleep, babe. I’ve got to get to work,” I whispered.

  “No, I want to get up. I have to work on my paper while I have the chance. I have to have it e-mailed to my professor before Christmas Day.”

  She got up and offered me her hand. I took it and we went to eat breakfast.

  Papa was smiling at Mama over scrambled eggs and bacon. “Son, you know it would be easier if you would just spend the night here. Either that or take me up on our offer and build the perfect cottage down near the lakeshore.”

  I sat down and looked at him. I don’t know how he did it, but more often than not, my father knew what was bothering me. �
��I’ve been thinking about that offer, Dad. Maybe we could talk about it. I’m just trying to sort some things out before I start building a house.” I looked at Ana who had a glimmer in her eyes.

  “I can’t imagine what you need to sort out,” Papa said with a wink at Mama.

  I finished breakfast and kissed Mama good-bye. I nodded toward Ana and then headed for the door.

  “I’m not finished yet,” she told Mama as she got up to follow me out.

  Ana grabbed Brady’s coat off the hook before she came outside. “Have a good day at work, Bowie,” Ana said.

  “Get your paper written so we can have some fun later. Have fun with Lance, but meet me at the station and we’ll have dinner at Pete’s,” I said.

  She smiled deeply. “Thanks for understanding, Bowie. It means a lot to me.”

  I kissed her as passionately as I dared on the front steps of my parents’ porch. She sighed when I let her go. All was right in my world…at least until I walked through the station doors.

  Chapter Twenty-Two-Ana

  I finished my paper for my anthropology class and sat reading a book that I’d brought home with me. Papa was working in the woodshop. Mama was at the Kennedy’s helping with the new cubs. The boys were all at work so boredom set in.

  I took a shower and gave myself a mani/pedi. I had packed some fire engine red nail polish and decided that would be perfect for my date with Bowie. I fussed with my hair and make-up. I spent time being a girl which was not normal for me. I’m more of a wash and wear kind of girl. You know… a tomboy. Growing up with four boys didn’t give me a lot of opportunity to be a girly girl.

  I dug through my underwear drawer to find the golden brown bra and panties set I’d bought. They were such a deep, rich color. As I looked at them now, they reminded me of Bowie’s eyes. I pulled them on and put on my favorite jeans, low-riding and tight fitting. The butterflies in my stomach were performing some sort of elaborate ballet as I got ready. Hanging in my closet was one of those items of clothing that I had stolen from Bowie on my last visit home. I’d always loved wearing his clothes because he’s bigger than his brothers. That and he had always smelled like home to me. Hmm, maybe there was something there years ago and I hadn’t realized it. I pushed that thought from my mind and finished dressing. I put a black blazer over top of the t-shirt. It looked good. So, I found some bangles to add and a variety of necklaces. A final look in the mirror told me I looked good so I slipped on my boots and headed out. I had the keys to Callum’s car. He’d pick it up at the sheriff’s station when he got off work.

  The roads were slicker than I thought they’d be. So I had to drive much slower. I was so relieved to pull into the sheriff’s parking lot. My knuckles were white. I looked at the clock on the radio and decided I had enough time to leave the keys with Bowie. He was on the phone when I walked in. He looked up and saw it was me. He held up a finger so I looked around the office. It hadn’t changed much. A whistle from the doorway let me know he was off the phone.

  “Well, you sexy little witch. I hope this is for me and not Lance.”

  “All of what you see is for you. Even what you don’t see is for you,” I teased as I approached him.

  “Isn’t this my shirt anyway?” he asked. I tried to look innocent. “I’ve been looking for this shirt for quite some time.” He hooked a finger in the front of my shirt and took a look down the front.

  “Now, Sheriff. Isn’t that against the rules?”

  He acted as if he were thinking about it. “I don’t know, but weren’t you always the rule breaker?”

  I glanced at the clock, “Maybe we can break a few laws later, but I’m going to be late to meet Lance if I don’t get going now.” He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

  “I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Don’t eat too much popcorn. Pete’s saving us a couple of steaks for dinner.”

  My mouth started watering at the thought of Pete’s steaks. “Can you stay out of trouble while I’m at the movies?” I asked.

  “Just finishing up some paperwork, then I’m all yours tonight,” he promised. I waved good-bye to him and closed the door behind me.

  Lance was waiting for me at the ticket booth. “I thought you were going to stand me up,” he joked.

  I smiled at him, “I’d never stand you up. I had to stop and drop Callum’s keys off with Bowie.”

  Lance chuckled, “And Bowie let you leave looking as amazing as you do? Is he blind?”

  “Aww, you’re sweet. He was doing paperwork so I think he was glad to get me out of his hair for another couple of hours.”

  We found our seats and settled in. The movie was pretty good, or at least I thought so. Our movie theater often showed movies with a paranormal feel and this one certainly had that. I grabbed Lance’s hand a couple of times, it scared me that bad.

  When the movie let out, it was beginning to snow.

  “C’mon, I’ll give you a ride to the station. No sense walking in this if you don’t need to,” Lance said.

  I gladly accepted his ride. The last thing I needed was a sprained ankle or broken leg. The lights were still on inside when we got there. Lance insisted on walking me inside. Bowie was nowhere to be found when we got there.

  “I’ll go see if he’s in the bathroom,” Lance offered.

  Sure enough, he was changing for our date. Lance kissed my cheek. “Thanks for tonight, Ana. I had fun.”

  “Me, too. We’ll do this again, I promise.”

  Bowie came down the hall dressed in blue jeans that hugged every inch of his body. He was tucking in his shirt as he walked. My cat started purring as soon as she caught his scent.

  “Hey, gorgeous. How was the movie?”

  “It was good. You may actually like it, too.”

  He buttoned up his jeans and grabbed his jacket. He leaned down to kiss me. “You smell like Lance,” he whispered against my lips.

  “Well, what should we do about that, Sheriff?”

  My answer was a growl as he locked up the station and escorted me out of the office. We walked to Pete’s. Bowie waved to Pete who was tending bar when we walked in. The hostess showed us to a quiet little table with a corner booth. Pete brought out a beer for Bowie.

  “Anastasia Plum. I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  I stood up to hug the burly man. “I’ve been busy, Pete.”

  “Sure, move off to the big city and you forget where you come from,” he teased. “What can I get you to drink, Ana?”

  “I’d like a whiskey neat, Pete.”

  He arced an eyebrow at me, “You sure she’s legal, Sheriff?”

  Bowie looked at me with that cocky grin, “I hope so, Pete, otherwise I’m going to be in big trouble later.” Pete guffawed as he walked away.

  “You got big plans for later?” I asked as I scooted closer to Bowie who put his arm around the back of the booth.

  “You bet I do. I intend to find out what you have on under that outfit.”

  I felt warm desire spreading through my body. Pete delivered my whiskey to me. I sipped it slowly. I sure didn’t want to miss out on Bowie’s big plans for later. This is a night I definitely needed to remember.

  Our steaks arrived cooked to absolute perfection, rare and delicious. I was so hungry. Bowie cut off a piece of his steak and held it up to my mouth. I let him feed me. It was a dragon thing to do. My cat appreciated it. The woman side of me enjoyed the sensuality of it, too. Occasionally, he leaned over to kiss me. Then, it hit me. He was staking his claim in front our community! Slick moves, I would give him that. I cut off a piece of my steak and fed it to him. His eyes lit up when he took the steak.

  Without taking his eyes off of me, he motioned for our waitress. “Could we get a box for the rest of this? And our check, please?”

  “I can get you the box, but Pete says dinner is on him tonight.” Bowie looked at her, shocked.

  “Pete said that Ana is a hero and tonight the hero gets to eat for free. He says to tell you that he’s on
ly paying for yours because it was your ugly hide she saved.”

  Bowie laughed out loud as she walked away. The waitress returned with a box big enough for both of our meals to fit inside. “Pete says to tell you that if you put this food in the oven at three hundred and fifty degrees for fifteen minutes, it will still be edible. There’s also a piece of chocolate fudge cake waiting for you at the hostess stand.”

  Bowie thanked her, “Well, Ms. Plum, are you ready to leave?”

  I scooted out behind him and carried the box. Bowie stopped for the piece of cake on our way out.

  “Does chocolate stain?” he asked as we walked back to the station.

  “It can. Why?”

  “I’m just imagining that eating that cake off your body might be the perfect dessert.”

  My body was overheating. Good grief! What had I been missing all of these years? “You do understand that these panties can be tossed, right?” I asked him.

  He gripped my hand tighter, “I may have them framed.”

  I stumbled. He’d caught me off guard with that comment. “How in hell do women ever tell you no, Bowie?”

  He looked at me with that cocky look he has that makes me so mad, “Who says they do?”

  “Am I going to be just a notch in your bedpost, Bowie Golden?”

  “There are no notches on my bedpost, kitten. Women have never been inside my house, other than you and Mama, which means that you will be the first and last woman in my bed.”

  I was a little shocked, but not really surprised. “You do get where this is going, right, Annie?”

  I took a deep breath, “One step at a time, Sheriff. You may be a lousy lay which will tell me that this is going to be a very hard night to get through.”

  Bowie said, “We’ll see.”

  It was a short drive to Bowie’s house. When I walked inside, I knew in my heart that this was the point of no return. He put the steak box in the fridge and hung his coat on the back of the kitchen chair. I dropped my purse on the table and hung my coat over his.