by Jill Haven
“You’re cooking?” Ace sounded surprised.
Caught off guard, it was only a tight grip on the spoon that kept me from flinging it across the room at him. Tension flooded my body, forcing my muscles to lock up in uncomfortable positions. Ignoring him for a moment, I checked the gravy and the biscuits, then closed my eyes once I was satisfied that they were okay. I needed to calm down. I needed to breathe.
I opened my eyes and somehow, I just knew Ace was right behind me. “Don’t touch me.” It wasn’t that I didn’t crave his touch, but my mind was so chaotic that I needed the time away from him. I needed to be able to process what I was thinking and feeling without him overwhelming me with his existence.
There was a sharp breath behind me, like I’d physically hurt him, but I heard the quiet sounds of him moving away.
“Trouble in paradise?” Ten drawled from the stairs.
“Tennyson,” Ace warned, sounding unusually serious for once. I ignored both of them, turning my attention to breakfast. Too bad I didn’t know where my headphones were. I could have used some background music.
When I looked over my shoulder, both Ace and Ten were sitting at the small table staring at me.
I stared back, although neither looked away. “Do you mind?” I asked curtly, not enjoying the scrutiny. My cheeks were already flushed from the night before, from what I’d asked Ace to do, and I didn’t want to dwell on it more than I already did. Their attention wasn’t helping.
“Just enjoying the view, Pretty Eyes,” Ace said with heat in his gaze. The seriousness had faded, smugness creeping around the edges.
Ten snorted, doing something on his phone quicker than my eyes could follow. “Bet you got a better view last night.”
My shoulders tensed, something that didn’t go unnoticed.
“I can smell it on both of you,” Ten said calmly. “I can see it all over your face.”
Crimson, I discreetly sniffed my shirt. I was wearing different clothes and I’d scrubbed myself in the shower twice, but apparently that wasn’t enough. The timer beeped and I pulled out the biscuits, setting them to cool on a rack. The only sounds were the tapping of Ten’s phone and the faint drumming noise of Ace’s fingers on the table. It was like they were playing a waiting game, seeing how long before I would break before I came clean.
I spun, catching both of their attention. “Ace and I were intimate. Once. It’s not going to happen again. In fact, let’s pretend it never happened.”
Ten blinked, then smirked, whereas it took longer for Ace’s surprise to morph into the smugness I expected. “I wouldn’t bet on it,” Ace drawled.
I bit back a groan and turned back to the gravy. I would never defeat his ego. Maybe I didn’t regret the sex, but there was no way it was happening again.
I hoped.
It wasn’t much longer before we were sitting down at the table, Ace on one side of me and Ten on the other, plates in front of us. Ace and Ten were giving the meal a rather skeptical look, but I was already digging in.
“Have you had biscuits and gravy before?” I asked, torn between amused and apprehensive that they wouldn’t eat it.
Ace and Ten exchanged a look, one I couldn’t read. “What if you’re poisoning us?” Ace asked, although I thought he was being sarcastic.
I gave him a flat look. “You’re my protection. What good would it be to poison you?” And okay, I’d admit, if Ace disappeared—when he disappeared—I would miss him. The thought made me squirm, so I shoved it aside.
“Tell us more about the attempted kidnapping,” Ten said, setting his phone on the table. “They got you entering the house. Did they say anything?”
I shivered at the memory, a chill running down my spine. To my surprise, without being overt about it, Ace reached over and squeezed my free hand in a comforting gesture before going back to eat his breakfast. It wasn’t one of his flashy gestures, over-the-top and wanting sex. It was simply comfort, an acknowledgment he was there and that he understood.
I tried not to blatantly stare at him, but it was difficult. Had I judged him wrong? Judged all shifters wrong? Well, I amended, maybe not all of them. “One of the men kept saying I’d sell twice as well because I was attractive, and they’d see how many babies they could get out of me in a year.” I snorted. “Whatever drugs they were on, I hope I never take those. Babies. Yeah, right,” I scoffed.
Ace was gripping his fork so tightly I thought it might bend. Ten was watching him with an apprehensive look, which made me shift in my chair, uncomfortable. Then Ace’s eyes closed and he growled, a deep, reverberating sound that I swore made the house shake.
“Ace,” Ten said quietly.
My heart was racing, although whether I was more concerned about comforting Ace or running from him, I wasn’t sure. When he turned to look at me, his eyes were different, still a gorgeous ocean-sea blue, but this time with a vertical slit like a cat.
“Ace.” Ten spoke more firmly now, a hint of desperation in his voice.
Whatever the bond was inside me pulled at me, wanting desperately to offer Ace some comfort. I should have ignored it, but I went with my instincts instead, reaching out to put a hand on top of his. “Ace,” I said, my voice as calm as I could keep it. “I’m okay, Ace.”
He curled his hand around mine and closed his eyes, taking in and letting out a few deep breaths. By the time he finished, when he looked at me, his eyes were normal again.
“Are you okay?” I asked, not faking the worry in my tone. Ten was still watching both of us like a hawk, as if it was up to him to intervene in case something happened.
Food apparently forgotten, Ace pulled out his phone and dialed, putting it in the middle of the table on speakerphone. It rang twice before someone answered.
“What did you screw up this time?” The deep voice sounded resigned.
I stared at the phone. Ten was laughing as silently as he could, and Ace’s expression didn’t change. He still looked about five seconds from ripping someone to shreds. “That’s not why we’re calling,” Ace said, his tone deeper than normal. It reverberated in my bones, making me shiver. I was both terrified and turned on.
“Glad to know you got laid.” There was a rumbly sigh from whoever it was.
I dropped my fork, the clang echoing loudly. How the hell could he tell just from that?
“Bishop,” Ace said sharply, not looking at me. “You’re on speakerphone, and that’s not what we need to talk about.”
Bishop. Recognition hit me like a bolt of lightning. The voice had sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it until the name. He’d been one of the visitors the first time Ace had dropped by. I shifted uneasily in place, memories flashing through my mind as Ace recounted the events of the last few days.
I didn’t realize I was tapping my fork restlessly, marked by the sound of the tines clanging against the ceramic, until the fork was gently removed from my grasp and Ace took my hand instead, twining our fingers together.
By the time Ace was done talking, I hadn’t done much more than just stared at where he was touching me. Maybe I was hallucinating. He wasn’t even looking at me, his attention on the phone like he could see whoever was on the other side.
A heavy silence hung in the air, like it was taking Bishop time to process everything. “You need to keep an eye out for shifters, and keep your eyes on Beau,” Bishop said, his voice grim. “It sounds like they’re trying to steal him to use him as a baby-maker. It seems to line up with what’s happened with the other clans, but the question is why?”
I blinked, bemused. “Why would they want me to make babies?” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that, and I still found it strange. Maybe they wanted me to sire children, or something. People had probably been kidnapped for weirder reasons.
When I tuned back into the conversation, I saw Ten staring at Ace, who was rubbing his forehead.
“Ace?” Bishop said patiently.
“We’re getting there,” Ace said finally. “What if the E
arth Dragons are having the same issues the Blood Dragons are? That could explain why they’re after him.”
“To rebuild their population,” Ten agreed with a hum.
“Carlisle said something about most of the eastern clans suffering from the same low birth rate.” Bishop sounded like he was lost in thought. “And Beau’s the fourth divine we’ve found. More people know they exist now.”
I thought about joining the conversation, but mentally shrugged instead. It was just easier to keep my mouth shut. Besides, it wasn’t like they could make me do anything. Nor did I know enough about what they were talking about to offer an opinion.
“Your mission is to keep Beau safe,” Bishop said sternly. There was a pause. “Not that it will be difficult for Ace, given what he’s already accomplished,” he drawled.
I ducked my head, covering my eyes with a hand as I tried to hide my blush.
“You should see them,” Ten said, apparently the troublemaker. “So cute.”
There was a clang as Ace threw a fork at Ten, only for him to dodge it and the utensil hit the wall uselessly.
“We’re not dating or anything,” I muttered, my words stubborn.
No one answered that, and I couldn’t really blame them. I didn’t believe it myself.
“Ace and Ten, keep an eye out, scout and do regular patrols when you can. I’m sending in some reinforcements to help find where the Earth Dragons in that area are living so we can keep a better eye on them.”
I could practically hear Bishop thinking on the other end of the line.
“If you could keep the human confined to the house, that would be best.”
“I have a name—”
“He has a name—”
Ace and I spoke at the same time, cutting Bishop off. Ten snorted, and while I could feel Ace looking at me, with the way my cheeks were red, I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.
“I’m going to work,” I said firmly. “My farm doesn’t run itself.”
“Stubborn,” Bishop sighed, but it sounded endearing. “All of them.”
I stared quizzically at Ace, but he shook his head.
“Call me when your reinforcements arrive,” Bishop ordered. “Or if anything changes.” Before anyone could reply, the call ended.
Uneasy, I went to move but realized I was still holding Ace’s hand. Dropping it like a hot potato, I stood, not sure what to say and instead going to the sink and starting on the dishes.
“I’m heading to the city to get a security system,” Ten announced, causing me to nearly drop the plate I was cleaning.
“Why the city?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. I knew we didn’t have much in our little town, but how far away would he have to go?
“He custom builds this stuff,” Ace explained.
When I turned to Ten, he shrugged. Then he was standing, moving to grab what looked like keys and whatever miscellaneous stuff he carried in his pocket. “It’s a long drive, so I need to get started.”
Something crackled in the air between Ace and I, an awareness that we were about to be left in the house together. Alone. I gulped.
Ten chuckled, and glancing over my shoulder, I caught his wink to both Ace and me. “Behave yourselves,” Ten said, laughter an undercurrent that was barely there.
“We’ll be angels,” Ace said in his drawl, his arm draped over the back of my chair almost arrogantly.
“Speak for yourself,” I muttered without meaning to. Ace and Ten both laughed.
Stupid shifter hearing.
“Later.” Ten waved to us and then left.
Deciding that shoving dishes in wet, soapy water was preferable to facing Ace, I dragged my attention back to cleaning up the kitchen.
Keeping my hands to myself was definitely going to be a problem.
10
Ace
The simmering sexual tension in the air was a good backdrop for watching Beau do anything and everything to his house that didn’t involve me in an attempt to not end up in my lap, because let’s be real. That was where he wanted to be.
“The farmhands will be here soon,” Beau announced, turning to look at me and pinning me with those bright amber eyes. They darkened as they met mine, the thread between us pulsing until Beau coughed and looked away.
“I’ll help,” I said, and I meant it.
The look Beau gave me was doubtful. “It’s not easy work.”
“I know.” A flash of irritation crossed my face, and I tried to keep it out of my body language.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
Beau worried his lower lip with his teeth. “If you’re sure,” he said finally.
I wasn’t certain if he meant it to be insulting or not, but I bristled, unable to keep my tone as light as it usually was. “I’m more than a pretty face.” My voice was lower than I meant it to be, but what he said stung. What did he think I did in my free time? Rest? It took a lot of training and exercise to do my job. “I know what hard work is.”
Beau studied me for a moment, then gave a quick nod. “If you want to stop, feel free to at any time,” he said, like that was a stipulation.
Like hell I would stop. My nod was sharp, and when he went outside, I followed. “You’ll need some gloves,” Beau said, moving toward the closest large building and pushing the large door open. “We got a delivery of hay bales—” he pointed toward a couple of pallets on the far side of the barn, “—and they need to be piled up with the rest.” The giant pile of hay bales outside and to my left was the final destination.
My ego wanted to complain. I was a trained mercenary, a dragon, and he wanted me to move hay bales? It was almost insulting. But I was going to prove him wrong, prove to him that I could do hard work and do whatever he thought I couldn’t. “Okay,” I said instead. “What will you be doing?”
Beau shrugged. “This and that,” he said nonchalantly. “Come find me when you’re done.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, although I took a moment to appreciate the view of his ass as he walked away. It was a nice sight. “It can’t be that hard,” I muttered to myself. The joke was on me.
Within an hour, the farm was swarming with humans, which meant I couldn’t show off like I wanted to. I had to have reasonable strength, which meant not piling three hundred-pound bales on top of each other and carting them from one spot to the other. Instead, I had to do it one at a time.
To my delight, Beau had settled into some sort of supervisory duties and was working on the small garden that was close to the house. His farmhands were coming and going, smiling and exchanging small talk. Each time I put a bale down, I would glance his way. Most of the time he was watching me. Our eyes would meet, his cheeks would bloom red, and he’d look away.
It was adorable. And tempting. And difficult to resist.
Giving my hands a break, I ducked out of the barn and made my way up behind him. “There’s something sexy about a man who works hard,” I purred.
Beau’s hands clenched around the shovel he was holding, because apparently, he didn’t appreciate my breath against his neck or my sneakiness. “Go do your work,” he muttered, but when he turned his head enough that I could see him, I could see how dark his cheeks were.
Catcalls from a couple of the farmhands echoed from the distance, which made Beau scowl harder. It didn’t completely erase the pleased gleam from Beau’s eyes, but by the third time I’d snuck up on him and copped a feel, whatever his workers were saying was taking a toll, and that wasn’t okay. I squeezed Beau’s shoulder and then turned to face the farmhands who were staring at me, amusement written all over their faces.
They looked a lot less amused when I narrowed my eyes. I was cocky and confident and happy-go-lucky, but I could also be scary as fuck. From the way their eyes widened, they figured it out. With a satisfied feeling in my middle, I went back to moving hay bales.
I was three quarters of the way done by the time Beau showed up. “It’s lunchtime,” he said am
icably.
I looked around wildly for a clock and then realized I didn’t have one; I’d left my phone somewhere else. So much for being prepared and keeping an eye on Beau. Sigh.
“Come eat with us.” Beau sounded more insistent that time, like he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “You need a break.”
I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead, grimacing at the sweat there, but he wasn’t wrong. “Where am I going?”
“We break in the shade over there.” He nodded to one of the other buildings.
When he started walking, I followed him, although I wasn’t entirely certain he had realized I didn’t have anything to eat. By the time I settled down on one of the log stumps, he was back by my side, handing me a cooled lunch bag and a couple chilled bottles of water. I stared at him.
“There’s more water in the cooler,” he said almost defensively, nodding to the big blue box.
“Beau’s got a boyfriend,” one of the farmhands—his name was Devin—sang.
“Lucky man,” another drawled. “He’s hot, too.”
Beau’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, any words coming out as a stutter instead of something actually understandable. I laughed, drinking the first water bottle in one go before grabbing the food.
“Too bad for you all.” I winked at Devin. “You’d have to work hard for someone like me.”
Despite his apparent discomfort, Beau came and sat next to me, and quietly we ate our matching lunches before getting back to work.
While logically I had known farm work was hard work, it was different than actually doing it, and by the end of the day I was drenched in sweat and more than ready to be done. Ten still wasn’t back from his shopping trip, which meant it wasn’t going well, but I would worry about that later. I stripped off my shirt as I headed inside, tucking it into my back pocket like I had seen the other farmhands do.
