Denial (Goblin's Kiss Series Book One)

by Cyndi Goodgame

  Winding around roads and creating confusion for our pursuers was intentional. Trigger was enjoying it way too much. He was an action kind of guy and reminded us often that this is what he signed up for when he joined our little motley crew. Wicker was halfway there. He was the cold, calculating one of the group. His eyes were watching every direction for malcontent or evil deeds.

  And Ames. He was the leader of our crew. The mighty Robin Hood. He was constantly forming a plan and setting it into action making sure of the variables and reevaluating at every turn.

  And me. I was the outcast. I seemed to be the least informed, least useful, least controlled. Other than that, I am the reason for the whole fiasco in the first place. If I’d never been born, they wouldn’t be fighting for me.

  Trigger and Ames had some kind of silent communication going with their eyes because several times now Ames nodded or answered an unasked question and turned the car a different direction. They really were a great team despite their argumentative natures.

  Winding curves and squealing tires led us to safety just like they planned. We pulled into a four story parking garage and remained there for thirty minutes until the coast was clear.

  Back at the cabin we were all wired and jumpy with every little noise. Hours passed and Ames was calming, but not completely. Alert and needing to exert energy, I resorted to asking the three guys if they were up for a run. I miss running. And they needed the energy release more than me. Each of them looked like they wanted to punch walls and maybe even each other.

  Fortunately for all of us, they said yes.

  AMES

  The run was a good idea. Tired out, we all exited to separate places in the house for down time. I didn’t really want to be away from Emma, but I knew she needed time to herself.

  I...wanted to talk.

  Feeling way too female like, I went to the extra room and moved over the treadmill so I could burn a few more brain cells off before I got the bright idea to have a slumber party next.

  She had no idea why her overexertion of powers didn’t affect me the way it did others, but I had a hunch. Her ancestors saw to that. One day, I would be forced to tell her more.

  I heard the shower turn on and knew she’d gone into the bathroom. I stepped up the pace on the mill a little faster to stop the male brain in my body from seeing her naked in my mind’s eye. It didn’t go over well to face her next with inappropriate thoughts running through my brain, much less in the same bed.

  Although I knew inside I’d confirmed again today that it was more than just her body I wanted. She was graceful and poised even for the unpracticed warrior she was. Her heart was for others, not herself. And she looked at me as more than what I am. She saw who I was without knowing what stigmas my life has dictated to me.

  She thought I was brave. Little did she know, I was not brave enough to fulfill a duty owed to my father. Instead I continued to stand in the shadows of one who would see the people come to ruin before he let his precious servants get a day off.

  The shower cut off. I stood in the corner of the room long enough to hear the sequence of doors opening and closing to tell me she was in the bedroom. Open, shut. Open, shut.

  I stunk. A shower, maybe even cold at this point, would do me good.

  I grabbed a fresh towel out of the hall closet and opened the door of the bathroom.

  “Aaa!”

  The door slammed on my face, but not before I caught sight of bare legs. My eyes naturally started upward and as thankful as I was the door closed, it didn’t help my imagination.

  “You need to knock, Ames Cahn.”

  “I thought I heard you go in the bedroom,” I screamed through the door.

  “You.thought.wrong.” Boy, was she in an outrage.

  “I promise I didn’t see anything.”

  That was apparently the wrong thing to say too, because she started swearing words I didn’t know she used.

  Worse, I wished now I’d at least got to see her sweet perfections since I was being punished for it.

  “Emma, I promise I saw nothing.”

  Her voice softer now, “I believe you. I should have locked it. Now go away so I can dress.”

  “But I need a shower.”

  “I know. I can smell you from here.”

  Can she? I sniffed my arms. Okay. So she was right.

  “Almost done. Now back away from the door so I don’t have to face you after being naked.”

  Saying naked coming from her mouth even behind closed doors wasn’t helping matters. I backed up into my bedroom, our bedroom. That didn’t help my thoughts either.

  I heard the door creak slowly. I waited three counts of ten and started for the door trying to be a gentleman. This girl would have me—

  Crack! The door was against my face. I took a flying leap backward to see her standing in the doorway with wet hair hanging down soaking into her t-shirt and jeans. Bare feet and all the way back to her face, I didn’t hide my unfiltered tell-all eyes.

  Man, she was beautiful. Not an ounce of makeup. The familiar buzz in my chest when she was facing me took over control.

  “You look...” I swallowed my tongue.

  “Like a wet dog. I couldn’t dry my hair because I only had a small hand towel. And someone interrupted me.”

  She angered really easy but I could still feel her draw to me so I didn’t worry much.

  “Are you really that mad at me? I didn’t mean to open the door on you, Emma.”

  She blew out a long breath that made her hair fan out a little even while wet. Her cheeks were pink. “No, I’m not mad. I just didn’t want the guy I li—

  Her cheeks lit on fire like a hot burner. The level headed ladies man in me knew how to react to this kind of talk.

  “The guy you what?” I forgot how bad I smelled and took a step closer daring her to speak what I really wanted to hear.

  “The guy...” she looked at her feet, “The guy I think is a good body guard.”

  Oh, I wanted to guard her body alright. “No. The word you were going to say started with an L.”

  She fiddled with the doorknob showing me her hands were shaking.

  “I understand,” I told her letting her off the hook but strutting with the “guessed knowledge” she did like me too. All but confirmed. I had to solve this curse thing.

  She told me again to take a bath while watching her prance right past me as I retreated to the bathroom a happier man.

  EMMA

  We needed a plan. I waited till Ames was long out of the shower, dressed, and smelling way too good to approach the next step. The warm buzzing feeling moved through me when he sat on the sofa next to me and his hand landed behind me on my shoulder. I would not think clearly with his hand touching me.

  We discussed strategy and remaining hidden until it all dies down.

  That night I couldn’t sleep. I awoke sometime in the dark and felt the unusual cold that had been absent lately. His warmth affected the way I slept, but I’d never tell him.

  My pillow crinkled reminding me of my hidden reminder of the day I’d met Ames. He didn’t know I had it. I took a second to move it somewhere safer, but read it first in the moonlight. The words that he’d covered with some kind of illusion, but I knew were real. My eyes were not like the sun and my hair wasn’t golden either. I still wondered what he meant by it as it creased so easily from the wear and tear. His handwriting was inscribed in my brain now. I think I would recognize it anywhere.

  I looked around in the dark not seeing him and heading out of the room to check. He wasn’t in the house. Curious, I looked out the back door where a large pine wooden deck was built.

  He was there, lying back in the lounge chair looking up at the sky.

  Of course, the door creaked open making him lunge off the front of the chair and face me where I stood totally forgetting what I had on. I didn’t remember this yet, as I was fully aware at the moment of what he was not wearing.

  A shirt.

  Sc
anning every inch of his chest and memorizing each muscle might just become my favorite pastime if I’m ever allowed the privilege again. His tattoo screamed secrets I already had an inkling to. When I finally forced my eyes to his face, his eyes were down, down on my legs. I wasn’t wearing the sleep pants I’d been wearing. The last two nights I’d been all wrapped up in them and twisted in the covers to the point the blood was cutting off circulation. So I ditched them.

  Instead, I had my sleep shorts that were packed at the bottom of my duffle bag.

  Hoarsely I asked, “Can’t sleep either.”

  He fisted his hand causing an angled pose with muscles flexing.

  Oh, gawd. I needed to look away! When I looked back, he was seated again. My breath hitched hopefully silent enough as I sat down in the chair beside him.

  “I met you once when you were seven. I was ten.”

  So he was only a few years older.

  “I thought when I met you...when I was sent to bring you to my—to Joshlin, that you would be hateful, spiteful once you knew who you were. It was a prejudgment on my part based on how Joshlin and his cohorts run around every day. I am sorry for that.” He raised a glass and took a drink.

  Was it water? I heard the ice roll around and fall back down when he finished off the last of it.

  “No biggie. I prejudged you as a sexist pig that lacked brains cells, resembled the typical jock hot stud, and focused on gaining the attentions of the entire female population of Johnson City High.”

  His hair fell in his eye to the side as a smile slid up at the corners. “Hot stud?”

  Oh boy! “Well, you know...you are...never mind what you already know.”

  He chuckled under his breath then added, “Only to you.” He pushed the hair that fell back up out of his face. I didn’t get how it could do that. Fall perfect across his forehead all sexy and then straight up all messy and sexier! He had the perfect guy hair.

  “Not hardly. And you’re just trying to make yourself look humble. Sooo not working. Besides, you’re more than just that. You have a great heart, and a fierce protector badge.” I couldn’t say hot again in front of him.

  “You are the first one I have ever heard give me any type of description in that way.”

  “Maybe they never really saw you.”

  AMES

  “Maybe.” I sighed too heavy knowing the conversation couldn’t get better if she knew more about me. “I know that you are uncertain about what you want for your future, but I would like you to consider staying here with me.”

  I know I sounded like a desperate idiot, but I didn’t want to see her leave or go to humans again or be taken by the other realm. She didn’t know what it would mean to see her not in my home.

  When she was silent too long, I started to shut down. “Or...”

  “Yes. Yes. I will stay.”

  I looked over again now feeling stronger seeing her soft smile. Her eyes kept the same timid glow that held me to her. And I couldn’t wait any longer.

  Stepping to her chair, I held out my hand.

  EMMA

  His hand was in front of my face, but more noticeable, was the naked man chest with the strangely familiar tattoo I’d avoided days ago in the bedroom. He was no teenage boy the way his body was built. That scared me to death.

  Worse, the tattoo was a personal familiarity to me. A small circle with nothing around it was an odd tattoo for someone to choose.

  I really didn’t see how I could avoid his hand no matter how nervous he’d know I was once he took it. Standing close enough our body heat mingled, I was completely startled when he pulled me against his chest. Where I tensed, he seemed to lose tension. Funny.

  I knew as soon as I looked up what might happen. Was I ready for that?

  Nevertheless, I did.

  His eyes, lips, stubble were all waiting. Without meaning too, my hands went to his chest where the darkened circle the size of a dime hid just beneath my hand. I thought it was a strange tattoo for two people to share. But stranger was the mark matched my own that had remained hidden from all, but thankfully not across my chest. Not even my family knew it was there.

  He leaned in and I fervently hoped he hadn’t heard the enigmatic sigh that escaped my lips. He was so close, so I my hope was wavering.

  I bridged the gap deciding right then it was what I’d wanted the most...him.

  Snap!

  Ames flipped around and covered me with his body. I so did not pay attention that his rear was up against me. Nope! I didn’t notice.

  “You heard that too?” he asked me in a deeper than usual voice.

  “A trap?”

  “Mmhmm!”

  He wasn’t moving and I was considerably trapped against the corner of the chair.

  “Inside.”

  Guessing that was an order, I scooted in the second he moved. I let him worry about the sound for the seconds I needed to regain my composure that I was about to kiss Ames Cahn.

  “What are you going to do?” I knew I should be alarmed like him, but I wasn’t feeling it.

  “Wake up the guys and meet me at the front door in three minutes.” He returned to me and looked down with a smirk. “With clothes on.”

  Harrumph. For some reason that smirky smile made my heart jolt. And he needed a gosh dern shirt.

  AMES

  We searched the perimeter. Four traps were closed with nothing in them but Sycamore branches and grass. Trigger laughed at me since first arriving that the “old-fashioned” bear trap would just be a nuisance.

  Guess again. I just knew an animal didn’t set them off by the fact that not one animal was caught in four traps. What’s worse, four traps most likely meant someone or something was toying with us. Knew we would know. Waiting to pounce.

  We took turns on watch while Emma slept through the night. She’d insisted on taking a turn, but fell asleep propped up beside the back door. I picked her up and moved her to the bed not letting my mind enjoy the idea of what I touching to mover her. I took turns watching her and the woods.

  At one insistent clicking noise that wouldn’t stick with a solid meter, I walked to the wood line to find the culprit. A rabbit or squirrel or something.

  “All you goblin men have violence on the brain. You think it is a solve-all, but you’re wrong.”

  She woke up.

  “Maybe we goblin men have more than violence on our brain when something important to us lies close enough we vow to die before anything would get near her.”

  I loved the way her face just paled and she had no reply. My point was well made then.

  Neither of us found sleep again and we had at least three hours before sunrise.

  But it came. It proved boring in the danger department yet easily nerve wracking in the comfort level with Emma. She felt the same as we waltzed around each other all morning. I asked her if I could make her lunch. When her smile lit the room around me on fire, I set out to make her the best red wine spaghetti and meatballs I’d ever attempted. She’d already learned I could cook and often commented on how well I was at it therefore making me want to impress her more.

  It never took much to impress human girls, but with Emma and her unfortunately accurate assessments of me last night, I was determined to not live up to the stereotype she’d originally placed me in.

  With the table set, she came in from the bedroom she’d hid in for an hour. I was curious, but didn’t ask.

  At the table she sat waiting and watching me. No pressure.

  She went overboard with how much she loved it. I didn’t mind, but the two twits at the table with us kept making annoying cat noises and twirling their finger in the air when she would look away meaning she had me wrapped.

  So what if she did. Was that so bad?

  We kept the conversation light though Trigger had a way of always coming back to some form of perverted comment about the way the food looked or how the food was arranged. I just wanted to plaster him to the wall.

  “Oh, you two
just get it on and ease the tension in the room. It would make us all a little less edgy.” Trigger had no qualms about embarrassing the crap out of her.

  Her wide-eyed innocence only urged me to beat them down more. She took the trash back out front and Trigger took the opportunity to shoot his mouth off like he does.

  “Human girls are even more emotional and irritable than any of our kind.”

  “I hardly see how that’s possible,” Wicker chimed in acting less like himself every day. “And another thing, don’t let them hear you say something like that or that you even think it. You’ll be treated like a pariah for a week until you can gravel yourself back into their good graces or seduce them into what they want only, not what you want.”

  Trigger snorted.

  “Just saying.”

  “And you’re the expert?”

  “Three sisters!”

  I stayed the heck out of that dangerous conversation.

  Emma returned and offered to clean the kitchen letting me get in some time on the Xbox. Trigger played against me in a game of World at War Zombies while Wicker took first watch around the house. I didn’t bother telling Emma my reasoning for extra detail was the loaded question of why all the traps were closed when Trigger checked this morning. She needn’t worry.

  Engrossed in the game, I didn’t hear her move to the back of the house. Feeling nervous and oddly cold at the moment, I went to check on her.

  When she wasn’t anywhere in the cabin, I knew of only two things I could confirm. I wasn’t wrong about the chill her body left when she was far from me and I knew something was wrong.

  EMMA

  I will just go for a short run in the back. It has been so long my legs might give, and I will stay on the perimeter. Besides, they found nothing last night or this morning and all probably amounted to a bunch of hoopla guys needed to feel important.