Embraced by Fire

by Delamore, Louise

  It was easier in the olden days. Pulling on his shirt, he imagined Kait bound to a stake in the middle of a village green. As virgins of old had once been offered to Dragon Lords, to pacify them in times of trouble. He’d never seen the temptation until now. Not that Kait was likely to be a virgin, but the idea of losing his freedom to a life-mate suddenly didn’t seem horrifying.

  What was he thinking? Madness. Of course losing his freedom was horrifying. He sat and tugged on his boots. He needed to focus on the mission not on the delectable Kait. Mission. Not Kait. Mission.

  He went into the kitchen and put on the coffee. He needed caffeine, clearly lack of rest was playing tricks on his mind. Food too, dragons didn’t like being hungry, made them cranky. He wondered if he should make Kait breakfast…

  Why not? A peace offering for being in the bathroom when she needed it this morning. He quickly collected the ingredients for pancakes, as well as bacon, bananas, and syrup. Shifting used a lot of energy.

  “Wow, something smells good.” He turned from the stove to see Kait leaning on the counter watching him cook.

  “Sorry about the timing on the bathroom this morning.” He slipped a couple of pancakes onto a plate for her.

  “That’s all right, I’m just not used to sharing.”

  Ryu hid a smile. He’d suspected she seldom had men stay overnight but knowing was better than guessing. He didn’t know why it pleased him so much he was an exception, after all he was there as her bodyguard not her lover, but it did please him.

  “Breakfast.” He handed her a plate.

  “Thanks.” She smiled in delight. “I could get used to this. Add an apron and you’d be totally domesticated. I never pictured you as the type.”

  Ryu turned back to the stove to hide his expression, not sure how he felt about her remark. He’d never been called domesticated before, the word he usually heard applied was feral.

  Chapter 22

  Kait ignored the considering looks sent in her direction when she arrived with Ryu in the morning, and hurried straight to her office. Ryu followed her.

  “I’m going to make some phone calls, then I’m going onto the floor to practice my routine. You are not to leave the building without letting me know. Is that clear?” Ryu looked at her hard.

  She nodded. “Yes. Although, I’m not sure it’s necessary, nothing happened last night.”

  He glared at her. “It’s necessary. Your car was a clear warning.”

  She stopped him before he could leave the room. “Why are you practicing your fire routine?”

  “I don’t know how long I’m going to be here, I want to be in top form if you need me.” His lip quirked. “And I enjoy it. Fire fascinates me.”

  “It would have to, otherwise you’d make a lousy fire-eater. Hey, that reminds me. The day I met you, you were outside smoking but your cigarette wasn’t lit. How do you do that?”

  He looked startled. “Not many people are that observant.”

  “Thanks.” She felt a rush of pleasure at his compliment. “Actually, I was surprised Rachael didn’t spot it. She’s obsessed with cigarettes.”

  “I’ve seen her smoking a few times, she said she was trying to give up. I only use cigarettes in my act, or if I’m rehearsing, but it’s often enough I know how hard it must be for her to quit.”

  “She’s been trying for ages.”

  “Nicotine has a powerful hold. Remember what I said, don’t leave without telling me.”

  As the office door closed behind him she realised he hadn’t answered her question. She still didn’t know how he breathed smoke without a lit cigarette. Performers and their secrets. She smiled naughtily, remembering Rachael calling him smoking hot.

  He certainly was that. She groaned quietly. She still hadn’t recovered from seeing him barely dressed this morning. Stepping out of the steam, muscles glistening, he’d looked like a gorgeous vision straight out of her fantasies. Except her fantasies never came up with anything that seriously sexy.

  Oh, cripes, he was going home with her again tonight. She might bump into him in the bathroom doorway again. Maybe this time she’d be brave enough to take a comprehensive look. She could ask what the tattoo on his arm meant, use it as an excuse to touch him. Stroke his caramel skin…She was going to have palpitations. She smiled to herself. She’d always wanted to use that word, palpitations.

  “Kait, how are you this morning?” Victor’s voice pulled her away from the vision burned forever into her imagination.

  Drat, how long had he been staring at her while she thought about a mostly naked Ryu? Focus, Kait, focus. “Fine, why?”

  Victor’s brow creased. “Are you sure you’re all right? It must have been rough seeing your car like that.”

  Right, her car. “I’m fine.” She forced a smile she wasn’t feeling. “I’ve talked to the police and my insurance people.” When Victor didn’t look like he believed her about being okay, she added, “I mean, it was a shock, but there’s not much I can do about it.”

  Victor nodded. “That’s a very mature attitude. I hear Ryu took you home last night?”

  “Yeah, I needed a ride and both he and Rachael offered. To be honest, I felt safer with the extra muscle.” She wasn’t sure if everyone guessed Ryu had stayed the night, so unless they asked she wasn’t going to add to the gossip.

  “I’m glad. I’d have offered if I hadn’t been in a late meeting. We’ve worked together for a while now and I care about you. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

  “Thanks, Victor.” She was touched. Victor was such a private man his offer meant a lot.

  After he left her office, she was inundated with people poking their noses around the corner and into her business. Everyone wanted to know about the car, and they wanted to know why Ryu had taken her home…and brought her to work this morning.

  She was careful to be as vague as possible, and none of them were quite rude enough to ask outright if she was sleeping with him. Everyone that is, until Rachael.

  “Sooooo, Mac went home with you…” Rachael pretended to admire her fingernails while watching Kait. It was a trick Kait has seen before.

  “You know he did.” Kait prayed for the phone to ring so she didn’t have to talk to Rachael about last night.

  “Did you do what I suggested and play the damsel in distress card and ask him to stay?” Still admiring her nails, she was now looking at her other hand.

  “I didn’t have to, he insisted on staying.”

  Rachael’s hand dropped and she looked at Kait speculatively. “Did he now?”

  “Yes, he did.” Kait kept her voice bland.

  “When you arrived together this morning I wondered if he’d swung by your place to pick you up, or if you’d found the nerve to ask him to stay. This is even better.”

  “Why is it better?” Did she want to know Rachael’s convoluted thinking?

  Rachael waved her hand. “It’s always better if men chase you, makes them feel like they’re in control. Appeals to the barbarian part of their brains or something.”

  “Rachael, you chase men all the time.” Kait shook her head, bewildered.

  “Yes, but you only know I’m after them because I tell you. As far as they know, it’s all their idea.”

  “It wasn’t like that with Ryu. He was worried about me.”

  “Sure he was. I’m sure he was so overcome with worry he didn’t leave you alone for a moment. After all, who knows what terrible things might happen in your bed at night without him to protect you.”

  “I told you, it wasn’t like that.”

  “Whatever, I don’t care what excuses he used. I want to know what the sex was like.” Rachael leaned forward. “And I want every detail, because I specifically didn’t pursue him after I knew you were interested. I need to live vicariously, so spill.”

  Kait decided not to point out Rachael had tried her wiles on him and come to the conclusion he was gay. The thought gave her a buzz, a man who wasn’t part of “The R
achael Fan Club”.

  Looking at Rachael’s expectant expression, she wished she could tell her friend about a wild, crazy night filled with multiple, screaming orgasms, and sexual acrobatics that would make even Rachael blush, but she couldn’t.

  Or could she…She’d read enough, and heard enough of Rachael’s stories, she could probably bluff her way through. She could pretend shyness when it came to the details. Even if it had been that kind of night she wouldn’t give Rachael all the details, because she wasn’t that type of girl, and Rachael knew that. Despite what Rachael said, she wouldn’t expect much in the way of solid details. It would get Rachael off her back, and right now that seemed pretty desirable.

  “Your silence doesn’t bode well. Please don’t tell me he was crap in the sack, I don’t think I could stand it,” Rachel moaned.

  “He slept on the couch.” As temping as it was, she knew lying would blow-up in her face.

  Ryu would find out, or Rachael would, or goodness only knew what else. The way her luck was going lately, she’d get hit on the head by a falling anvil with the words, don’t suffer a liar to live engraved on it.

  Rachael flopped back in the chair. “Bent spoons! Kait, what am I going to do with you? You let a sex-god sleep on your couch.”

  “It’s my life, Rachael. Who I sleep with, or don’t as the case may be, is my business.” She bit her tongue when she saw Rachael’s hurt expression, but she didn’t take the words back.

  “I’m sorry, Kait, please don’t hate me.”

  “I don’t hate you. I know you want what’s best for me, but I need to take these things at my own speed.”

  Rachael sighed. “I guess I have been pressuring you,” she muttered.

  “I know you think my sex life sucks,” and it does, she added to herself, “but it’s my sex life.”

  “I know. It’s just that the rest of your life is so sorted. You’re capable, and smart, and everyone we work with respects you. Heck, look how calmly you dealt with what happened to your car. I’d have been a mess.” Rachael looked at her hands, but this time she wasn’t checking her nails.

  Wow, it sounded like Rachael actually admired her. “I’m sure you would have coped, and believe me however it may have looked I wasn’t calm.”

  “No, I’d be a mess. And that’s it you see, your sex life is the one place I can give you advice, the one thing I’ve got sorted that you don’t.”

  “That’s not true, Rachael. You’re a wonderful person.” Kait stared in amazement at the insecurity she could see on Rachael’s usually supremely confident face.

  Rachael sniffed and wiped beneath her eyes in the classic gesture of a woman wearing mascara. “Thanks. Friends?”

  Kait smiled. “BFF.”

  Rachael chuckled wetly. “I can’t believe you just said that, what are you, twelve?”

  Kait relaxed at Rachael’s response. “We’re friends, Rach.”

  “Cool.” Rachael stood. “I’m going to leave you to get on with your work before I make more of a fool of myself.”

  After she left Kait stared at the empty doorway. Rachael’s summary of her capabilities, outside her sex life, left her feeling ready to take on anything—even Ryu, enigmatic, attractive, and all round fascinating man.

  Chapter 23

  Ryu watched Kait cooking dinner and decided she was right, there was a pleasant domesticity to sharing a meal. A mournful meowing caught his ear. Sookie had been banished to the study again after she attempted to maul him a few minutes ago. He disliked locking the cat in, it was her home after all, not his, but he didn’t want to be covered in cat scratches either. He deliberately shut out the sound and focused on the appealing curves of Kait’s hips.

  No, better not do that either. He dragged his gaze upwards, watching the river of her hair rippling loose past her shoulders. Damn, but the woman was tempting. Travelling in the close confines of his car, then being alone with her was testing his self-control to its limits.

  At least tonight he’d organised a distraction. “While I was out today I picked up a copy of Blade Runner, we were talking about movies last night and you said you’d never seen it.”

  Kait glanced over her shoulder with a surprised smile. “Great thought. I’ve wanted to see it for years, but neither Rachael, nor Johnny,” her voice hitched on his name, “are into sci-fi.”

  “We can break out the popcorn and watch it tonight.” He watched her in concern. Johnny’s deception was hitting her hard. Another reason to be glad he’d brought the movie, she sounded like she needed a distraction.

  During dinner the conversation meandered away from the trivial and Ryu listened as Kait talked about her childhood, of growing up with parents whose personalities filled the room, and struggling with self-esteem. His heart ached at the thought of such a beautiful woman, inside and out, not realising her own value.

  In turn, he found himself sharing the pain of his parents’ deaths, and the hardship of going to live with his uncle, something he didn’t share easily or often.

  “My uncle was a martinet.” Ryu stared at his food. “My parents dying threw me, and my uncle…his attitude damaged my self-confidence. He never forgave my mother for marrying my father. He was convinced the outcome of such a union was an abomination. I understand what it’s like trying to discover your inner-strength. I joined the military right after school to get away from his influence.”

  He paused, turning his glass in his fingers, remembering. He’d escaped but the price was high. “I did things I wish I could undo, because I lacked the confidence to say no.”

  True rescue only came with Adrian taking him onto the team and introducing him to other shifters. For the first time in his life he wasn’t alone—he wasn’t a freak.

  “We’ve all done things we regret, or failed to do things we should have.” Her eyes were soft, and he sensed not the pity he dreaded but simple empathy.

  She leaned forward, her smile growing. “You seem confident now. Although, even at school I never saw any insecurity.”

  “I know my skills now, and my worth. I work with good people. It makes a difference.” He let his gaze linger on her face. “You’ve found your self-assurance. Ever since I started working with you I’ve admired your strength.”

  “I try.” Pink starred her cheekbones and she looked flustered at his praise.

  Not wanting her to feel selfconscious, he collected their plates and offered to do the dishes while she poured the rest of the wine and made popcorn. Soon they were ensconced together on her couch watching Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer lock horns as Dekard and Roy in a dystopian Los Angeles.

  Relishing the warmth of Kait’s body seeping through his t-shirt and jeans, Ryu surreptitiously moved closer. When she rested her head against his shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he slipped an arm around her and pulled her closer still.

  He struggled to concentrate on the movie with her body so close to his. Feeling as he did about her, he should be keeping a distance between them, not sitting on the couch snuggling. Ignoring his inner voice shouting: What are you doing? He leaned against the arm of the couch so her head rested on his chest and his arm circled her back.

  Her fingers curled tightly into his t-shirt as Dekard shot Zhora. Ryu realised for a man used to action he felt curiously content lying there with her. Her hair tickled his nose and he stroked a hand across flames muted by the flickering darkness. With a little sigh she shifted, and his fingers resting at her waist unexpectedly encountered skin. His breathing suspended for one heartbeat, two…

  Slowly sucking air into his lungs, he eased his tingling fingertips further beneath the hem of her shirt, luxuriating in the warm silk of her skin. Had she noticed? Glancing down, he watched her face. Lit by the dancing colours of the TV screen, her expression didn’t change. Her eyes remained fixed on the adventures of the remaining replicants and the Blade Runner after them. With a happy sigh, he closed his eyes and absorbed the world through the tips of his fingers.
/>   He imagined trailing his fingers up to the soft curving side of her breast. Lifting her so she covered him fully instead of lying against his side. Arranging her legs so she straddled him, and bringing her lips down to meet his. He could almost taste the sweetness of her kiss, the warmth of her mouth. He licked his lips. Magic.

  Fantasies aside, he was glad she was lying against his side or he would be obliged to move his hips to hide his body’s response. As it was, he was safe as long as she didn’t look down. Lying there with his eyes closed, a soft snore unexpectedly broke through his meditation on the joys of the flesh.

  Glancing down, he saw Kait’s soft lashes resting against the delicate rise of her cheekbones. His lips twitched and he suppressed a chuckle so as not to wake her. Unbelievably, while he had been thinking salacious thoughts she’d fallen asleep. Moving slowly and cautiously, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. She nuzzled her face into his neck, and even in sleep she wrapped her arms around him. His heart clenched at her obvious trust.

  He shouldered her door open and wondered if he should remove her clothes. Jeans were not the most comfortable things to sleep in. The image of her long bare legs flashed into his mind. No, there was only so much temptation he could cope with in one night. She would just have to sleep as she was. He placed her carefully on her bed.

  “Ryu?” Her words were blurred with sleep, and her hands tightened instinctively around his neck as he moved to step back.

  Gently he unhooked her arms. “You fell asleep.”

  “Oh, cripes.” She sat up, suddenly awake and clearly embarrassed. “The wine must have been too much for me.”

  He brushed away her concern. “Get some sleep. I’ll be on the couch if you need anything.”

  She glanced back into the lounge. “I didn’t even see the end of the movie.”

  “We’ll watch it again another time,” he said, closing the door.

  Another time, had he really said that? Another time suggested tonight wasn’t a one off. It suggested more movies, more nights cuddling, and a future beyond this mission. He took a deep breath and made his way over to the couch. He needed sleep, not future fantasies.