Pursued by a Werewolf (Mystic Isle, Book 4) (19 page)

“Have you told him you’re interested?” Trust Cal to be logical.

She squirmed a bit.

“Not in so many words.”

“Maybe you should tell him how you feel before you get frustrated by his lack of response… Hmmm?”

“We’re not human, Cal. He should be able to tell at fifty paces that I’m into him.”

“Yeah, if he knows it’s you and is paying attention.”

“So what, I need to whack him over the head with a skillet?”

He stared down at her for several heartbeats.

“I like it when you get fired up.”

She almost snorted. “You’re the only one.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” He stared at her for a long moment and then nodded toward the ocean. “Want to go for a swim?”

She didn’t really feel like getting wet and sandy today. Part of her wanted to go find Thane wherever he was and tell him that she’d been thinking of him nonstop. She dreamed of him every night. But Thane wasn’t going to break his own rules for her. She was just another
werecougar
in a long line of beauties ready and willing to throw themselves at his feet.

“Yeah. A little exercise might be nice.” Burn a few calories. Blow off some steam. Let Latham fend for himself for a few more minutes.

She twisted her coffee mug into the sand so it would stay put then let Cal pull her to her feet. His strong, warm hands held onto hers for beat longer than necessary and a sizzle of awareness traveled up her arms. Where Thane was dark and dangerous with long black hair and a perpetual five o’clock shadow, Cal was clean cut and sexy as sin. How had she never noticed how gorgeous his eyes were?

Trying to ignore the feelings fluttering around in her belly she stepped back and tugged her shirt over her head. The rest of her clothing fell into a pile and she let the big cat take over. The change itself wasn’t pleasant. In fact, it still scared her sometimes when her bones started to snap and contract. Her muscles contorted and fur blossomed from her skin.

But the big cat inside wouldn’t be denied and in true form, she felt at home. Sand squished between her paw pads as she walked to the ocean’s edge. The cool water swept around her ankles, luring her deeper.

The distinct sound of a zipper drew her attention. Cal was shirtless. Her night vision was flawless and she didn’t miss a detail. He shoved his pants down long, toned legs and the second he was nude, he began to shift into a long, lean snow leopard. He watched her with beautiful green eyes and tipped his nose up, scenting the air.

He leaned back, tail in the air and stretched. His muscles rippled beneath the thick coat of fur.

She turned back to the ocean, determined to stop staring. But Cal Demetriou was pretty stare-worthy.

She’d just waded into the water when a blur raced past her, leaping over a wave. Cal moved through the water with powerful confident strokes, easily putting distance between them.

She swam after him, fighting the waves.

Moving parallel to the shoreline, she craned her neck left and right. Cal had disappeared. Feeling a trickle of alarm, she turned back toward the beach.

Where was he?

Half way back something grabbed her tail. Panic and adrenaline flooded her. She hissed and swallowed a mouthful of water. Her mind went blank just as her tail was freed.

A head popped up next to her. Cal!

Cat got your tail?
His happy voice filled her mind.

Relief and irritation clashed between her eyes. She tread water until she’d shifted back into her human form.

What was wrong with her? She wasn’t an emotional wreck. She wasn’t a namby-pamby woman who fell apart in the face of danger.

Except all of the evidence led her to a different conclusion; she was that woman. She was an emotional wreck. She did fall apart when something grabbed her tail. Her mind had gone blank. She’d been ready to meet her maker.

Where had her fight gone? Where was that eternal soul that was ready for battle, willing to dig her way out of any problem? Where was the resourceful woman who’d landed the job as Latham’s right hand woman?

That Rosanna was stronger. Capable. Resourceful.

This person, this being, was a shell. Same exterior, empty and hollow. When had that happened?
How
had it happened?

You okay? I’m sorry. I thought you knew it was me.

She shook her head weakly and he shifted back before her eyes. The waves rocked them up and down gently.

Cal stared at her with concern for a long moment. Her earlier irritation was replaced by relief.

“I didn’t know where you’d gone,” she said but the words came out as a whisper.

A wet lock of his hair curled against his forehead giving him a roguish quality. And then there was the devil may care smile as he pulled her to him.

She tensed, afraid that their legs would tangle and they’d sink.

“Shh, I’ve got you.”

She glanced over his shoulder and saw how close they were to the shore. He did have her. Had he always been so ridiculously handsome? But his charm and compassion out-shined his tall, dark and handsome good looks.

A sigh escaped her lips and he chuckled. “I’m sorry I disappeared on you.”

“It’s okay. You were playing around. I get it… I just didn’t expect you to disappear.”

“Or pull your tail,” he murmured, studying her with an intensity that she felt all the way to her toes.

Holy smokes.

“What are you doing to me Rosanna?” This time his voice was barely a whisper and full of awe.

Whatever it was, she thought they were doing it to each other. But she noted the apprehension in his eyes. Cal might be a gorgeous, confident man, but he’d obviously been a little bruised lately. Just like her.

Was that it? They were at the same spot in life? Leaning on each other? Kindred spirits?

Did it really matter? All her girly bits were tingling with anticipation. Maybe that was the most important facet right now. Not tomorrow. But today.

She smoothed a palm up his chest.

“Say something. Tell me you feel something. Tell me I’m not out of my mind.”

She smiled, finding his vulnerability irresistible. “Well… I certainly feel something.” She shimmied her hips against his erection.

He groaned and his hands kneaded her hips. That felt so good. Being so close, letting the desire hum through her veins unchecked. She raked her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. The action sobered them both.

He cupped her cheek in his hand as his lips descended on hers. She’d kissed her share of men. Been held, even devoured. But Cal was a different breed. Far more thorough. And he held her like a cherished possession, one he never intended to let go of.

She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his hips. A wave hit her square in the back, pressing her harder against him, driving all her most erogenous zones against the hard planes of his body.

It wasn’t just the waves threatening to topple her.

Her hormones were on red alert. She kissed him for all she was worth, clinging to his solid strength. Most importantly, she lost all thought of place and time.

Until he lifted his head, inhaling deeply.

Another wave hit her, toppling them.

“You make it hard to stay standing.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m not complaining.” He stared at her for a long, thoughtful moment before brushing his lips across hers again.

“When you two are done, we still have a resort that needs attention…” The voice cut through her bliss. Latham’s voice.

The disapproval and impatience in his tone was like ice water down the back and she pulled away from Cal. But one look at him reminded her of her resolve. Her plan to find her inner goddess, embrace her power, and take what she needed.

“When the god calls,” she murmured. Cupping Cal’s cheeks between her hands she gently kissed his lips hoping to leave him wanting more. “See you later?”

He didn’t look happy with the interruption but he released his hold on her and nodded. “Later.”

He helped her to shore but Latham had already disappeared.

She quickly put her clothes on and tried not to think of the sand particles scratching her skin. When she turned and found Cal watching her, desire in his eyes, she gave him a peck on the cheek. “Until later.”

After she’d showered and dressed she found Latham in his office on the phone. Deciding it was better for everyone if she went back to her desk, she checked her messages. Something had to be up for her boss to seek her out before dawn.

True, the resort was a twenty-four hour a day operation, but they kept shorter hours than that.

And there it was. A call from the tower telling her Dameon Lebeau’s flight was ready to land.

As high rollers went, Dameon was enormous. And handsome. Dreamy really, if you liked tall, dark and ruthless. He was one vamp she’d certainly entertained bite fantasies about. While he was always polite, there was a moodiness to him that intrigued her. He was a man who kept his secrets close.

She hopped up from her chair and breezed back into Latham’s office. He’d just hung up the phone and his light blue eyes raked over her as if to check her readiness for the office. Inwardly she bristled. She’d never been anything other than professional on an island that catered to animal instinct. If she’d decided to indulge--

“If you indulge it’s no business of mine,” he cut her off, reading her mind as usual. “And yes, I know Dameon’s almost here. I just got off the phone with the tower.”

She’d always considered Latham as much of a friend as a boss. They looked out for each other. But sometimes she wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him to stay out of her mind.

His lips twitched and she knew he’d read her thoughts once again.

“Orders?” she said.

“Call Thane and have him meet Dameon’s plane.”

They took extra security precautions with some of their guests. Though they were open to all paranormals, several had plenty of enemies. Others were susceptible to kidnapping attempts. Dameon, well, he was in a class of his own.

“Anything else.”

“Call housekeeping and make sure his suite is ready.”

She nodded and went back to her desk. It amazed her that Dameon was so wealthy he kept a suite just for his own use year round. He’d selected it just before Mystic Isle had opened and he’d been renting it ever since. He flew in a few times a year to gamble, take meetings, and in his own words “relax a little.”

Her hand hovered over the phone. She had to call Thane. Talk to him. But hearing his voice wasn’t going to be easy. Especially after the kisses she’d just shared with Cal. Her head ached with confusion. But then, Thane had never given her any indication that he was interested in taking things further, breaking the unwritten rules.

Business. She needed to focus on business.

She snatched up the phone, held it to her ear and dialed the drop-dead gorgeous head of security.

“Blackledge.”

Right on cue, his voice swept through her, reminding her of the first time she’d heard him speak. He always enunciated clearly and now was no different, reminding her of the beginning of her crush.

“Dameon Labeau’s flight is arriving soon. Latham wants you to meet his plane.”

“Rosanna?”

“Yeah?” She wasn’t sure if he didn’t recognize her voice or if the question in his voice meant he had something he wanted to tell her. Either way, she didn’t want to prolong the agony. “Thane, I have another call.”

“Sure.”

He didn’t sound sure. Which was a first. When it came to confidence, he was blessed with double his share. One of the many things she found attractive about him.

She pressed the disconnect button and then dialed housekeeping.

“Make sure the bar is freshly stocked. And have the florist send up an arrangement. Mr. Lebeau prefers red roses.”

She always found Dameon’s taste in flowers interesting. None of the other men she knew gave a flip about floral arrangements much less had a specific request. But Dameon insisted he simply knew what he liked and what he liked was to be surrounded by beauty, which was why he came to Mystic Isle.

Rosanna couldn’t remember the last time she’d been
off
of Mystic Isle. Maybe it was time to fix that for real. Maybe she
could
talk Cal into running away with her.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Latham strode to the floor to ceiling windows where Dameon Lebeau stood, looking out at the new day.

“It’s good to have you back on the island.”

Dameon nodded in that empirical way of his. Class and breeding oozed out of him from the cut of his hair to the cufflinks on his perfectly starched shirt.

“
Merci
. It is good to be back.”

“You got here just in time.”

Dameon nodded. “The sun woke just as the wheels were touching down. Your man Thane, he drove slowly so I could enjoy it.” He glanced over at Latham with the piercing blue gaze Latham had known for more years than he wished to count. The vampire was cunning. Ruthless. Intense to his core.

But today Latham got the feeling that there was something deeper, something amiss in his friend’s life. Something that he was specifically not thinking about so that Latham couldn’t read his thoughts.

For a moment he wondered if he should mention that Valencia was in fact on the island. With their history and the fact that they were bound to cross paths--

“I’m ready to blow off some steam. It’s been a long year.”

“Well, as always, anything we can do to make your stay more--”

“She’s here, isn’t she?”

Latham didn’t need clarification. “Yes.”

Dameon turned back to the sunrise without a word. He was silent for several seconds and Latham saw Dameon’s shoulders rise and fall as he took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I think it’s time for a drink.”

Latham took his queue and turned to the butler with a nod. “Then I’ll leave you to it.”

Rosanna put in a full day. After seeing to a few last minute details for the upcoming wedding she headed to the Tiki bar in case Cal was still there. Her mind was made up. She had to get off the island. For a vacation or permanently, she wasn’t sure. But she was certain she needed to get back to the real world where there were real people and real problems.