by Amelia Jade
It’ll be safer this way. It won’t hurt as much. If nobody knew she existed, nobody would come after her.
With the coming of Palin though, she was starting to wonder if her self-imposed isolation was hurting more than it was helping. What else might she have missed out on by cutting herself off?
The idea of becoming a socialite didn’t ring with her either. Sandy knew she wasn’t interested in that sort of lifestyle. But maybe she could entertain the idea of having a few friends. It might not be that bad. It’s not like she had money anymore. Nothing for anyone else to want.
Her smile grew larger as she came to the decision that it was time to come out of her shell. Heck, maybe with some friends they could give her some pointers on how to run the farm more profitably. That alone would be worth it. After all, she didn’t think she could count on Palin for more than the next couple of weeks at best.
“What do you think, Champ?”
He perked up, his medium-length hair reflecting the oranges and reds against his golden and brown coloring. With a sigh he heaved himself to his feet, seemingly understanding that his master needed his presence closer. Giving a longing look at the fire, as if to say “why can’t you sit closer to it?” he padded over to her.
Sandy reached out her hand to pet him, but he stopped halfway. His ears perked up, his entire body language changing in a heartbeat. He looked toward the front door. Then the back, as if unsure of what he was hearing. Whining softly he moved to her side, but he didn’t come in for a cuddle. She swallowed nervously as she heard him growl.
He was protecting her.
Something made a noise by the back door. It was on the far side of the house, cloaked completely in shadow. Outside thunder rumbled overhead, and the storm grew even worse. Rain came pouring down in torrential sheets, hammering against her roof and the glass windows, drowning out any sounds.
Her eyes darted toward the shotgun, but it was at the front door, too far away. If someone was coming in, she would never make it in time.
“Palin?” she called out nervously, hoping it was just her barn guest coming over to the house.
Maybe the roof was leaking and he couldn’t stay dry. That was probably it.
Champ growled again, louder this time. He’d never growled at Palin. The two of them were best friends. If it was the big man at the door, she’d expect her dog to be whining at the door to get him inside already.
It wasn’t Palin. Which meant it was someone else.
“Hello?”
Wood cracked as someone tried to force their way in through the front door.
Champ barked.
Sandy screamed.
The thunder boomed louder.
Chapter Fifteen
Palin
He was halfway to the house when he heard the scream.
Sandy!
Taking off at a run for the house, he abandoned all pretense of sneakiness and secrecy. His mate was in trouble. That was all that mattered.
At first he’d crept from the barn, hoping to get the drop on whoever or whatever was out there. Wild animals were known in the area—they’d seen coyote and wolf tracks on more than one occasion in the field. Although Sandy kept no livestock, plenty of others in the area did, and every now and then the local predators got bold enough to try and make off with one.
Palin hoped that perhaps he could sneak up on them and teach the animals to respect his scent and to give her house a wide berth. He didn’t want them getting comfortable enough to be wandering around near the farmhouse, that was for certain.
Lightning flashed overhead and his keen eyes saw tracks in the mud leading up to the farmhouse. He didn’t recognize them. Too small to be his own, and too big to be Sandy’s, they clearly belonged to someone else.
Terrified of what he might find, Palin charged recklessly for the house, barreling through the front door. It was already open, confirming one of his fears. Someone was in the house. Sandy screamed just as he came inside. Champ was snarling loudly, and someone cursed as the dog lunged forward.
Palin didn’t have time to see who it was, however, because he was hit from the side by a flying body. The pair went down in a heap, knocking over furniture and crashing into a table. Palin hammered an elbow down into the intruder’s back, driving him into the floor. In a rage he picked the woozy human up, twirled them around, and sent them hurtling through the front window.
Glass shattered and rain began pelting the inside of the house, including Palin. He spun, taking in the mayhem that lay before him. Two more attackers were in the house. One of them was wrestling with Champ, the big dog giving as good as he got, while the other advanced on Sandy.
She had snatched up the poker from the fireplace and was waving it back and forth menacingly, doing her best to hold him off, while desperately calling for her dog. Palin had to make a split-second decision. The dog, or his mate.
Or did he?
Charging into the fray he lifted his forearm, slamming it into the back of Champ’s target as he flashed by. The attacker was stunned and started to drop. Champ bore him to the ground, going for the neck.
“Good boy,” he muttered, coming up on Sandy’s attacker from behind. “You picked the wrong house to rob,” he spat, one hand closing around the back of the man’s neck like a vise.
Palin hauled him from his feet and shook him like a rag doll. Then he turned and sent the man barreling through the front door with an underhanded softball pitch. The limp body flew through the opening, clipping its feet on the frame on the way out, which started it spinning before he splashed down into the mud on the front porch.
Champ yelped as his attacker regained his senses, but the intruder didn’t push his attack. Seeing Palin headed his way he scrambled to his feet and took off.
“Champ, stay!” Palin commanded as the dog started to give chase.
The collie half-breed halted immediately.
“Go see Sandy.” He glanced at his mate, who was backed into a corner, her head darting left and right as she waited for someone else to appear out of the shadows. “Sandy, it’s fine,” he said, wanting desperately to go to her, but knowing he needed to ensure the attackers didn’t do any more damage on their way out.
Champ went and sat at Sandy’s right-hand side, his flanks pressed against her. The presence of the hundred-pound canine seemed to calm her slightly.
Palin looked out the doorway, but the three figures were busy darting up the driveway. He could have caught them—and he contemplated doing so—but Sandy started calling out to him from inside.
He shut the door as best he could, noting the broken frame around the lock. It looked as if someone had hit it with a blunt instrument. Or even kicked it in. His gaze went out the window he’d broken, staring thoughtfully up the drive at where the attackers had disappeared.
“Palin. Are you okay?”
He strode over to her, and without checking to see if it was okay he swept her up into his arms, holding her tight. “I’m fine,” he assured her. “They’re gone.”
She shivered, the temperature plunging inside now that it was exposed to the elements. He started to stroke her head and rub her back with his hands, providing warmth. To his approval she pressed against him harder.
At first she was nearly catatonic, not responding, simply leaning against him and letting Palin touch her, but after a bit she started to relax.
“I brought some tarps for the barn,” he said when reason returned to her eyes. “I’ll put them up over the window. It’ll be okay.” He looked over the damage again. “I’m sorry about that by the way.”
She shook her head. Whether that meant it was fine, she didn’t care, or that she was pissed he didn’t know. So Palin just kept on doing what he was doing, until another gust of wind swept through.
“I’m going to go put those tarps up,” he said, stepping away from her. “I’ll be right back. Champ will stay with you.”
But he didn’t get six inches before Sandy threw herself at him, shakin
g her head. “No. Please. You can’t go. Stay with me.”
“I’m just going to the barn. We need to put something up over the window, otherwise the house will be ruined.” He smiled and tilted her face up to him. “It’ll be okay. They aren’t going to try and rob this place again anytime soon.”
He tried to step away from her, but this time it was Sandy’s words that made him stop. “They weren’t trying to rob it,” she whispered. “I know what that’s like. They were here for me.”
“How can you know that?” he asked, wondering what she meant by knowing what it’s like. Had this happened before?
“I recognized one of their voices,” she said softly, slumping weakly. “They’re one of Rusty’s workers.”
“WHAT?” he bellowed, spinning on the ball of his foot and heading for the door. “How dare that scumbag piece of trash send his men here to terrorize you? I’ll kill them all!” he roared.
Palin only had one thing on the brain: There would be blood. Rusty’s blood, and that of the men who broke into his mate’s house. They would pay with their lives, and then everyone around would know not to touch his mate. It was time the humans learned what the wrath of a dragon was truly like.
“No, Palin! You can’t just go over there and kill them.” Sandy leapt into action, racing around in front of him, trying to block him as he headed for the door.
He was beyond reasoning, however, his dragon was in control and its raw, primal instincts were taking over. Protect. Kill any threats. Nothing could get through that. There wasn’t even a response; he simply stepped around his mate and kept going. The warrior was free, and it was going to do what it did best. Cause mayhem and destruction.
Then, just before he left the house, Sandy said the one thing that could make him stay.
“Kiss me!”
He froze, unable to move, frozen to the spot as if an ice dragon had gotten to him. What had his mate just said? Palin’s head cranked around, his stare boring down upon her. Two unassuming brown eyes stared back at him. He expected her to wilt, to look away, but as they locked gazes Sandy stood taller, her spine straight.
“Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come over here and kiss me?” she snapped now that she had his attention.
“Are you serious?” he asked. Gone was the anger, gone was the monumental fury that had momentarily consumed his entire being. In its place now was an eager hunger that until she’d said those two words, he’d managed to keep contained and mostly hidden behind playful flirting.
If his dragon’s desire to fight had been strong, it’s desire for love was like a bonfire to the candle of fury. Incomparable on scale. Palin took one step toward her. She still didn’t back away. If anything her resolve grew stronger as she realized her plan was going to work.
“I don’t say things I don’t mean,” she said, her voice the only thing that betrayed the tension within her. “You keep flirting with me, saying you want me. I’m telling you now you can close that distance and kiss me. Show me you aren’t all talk. That you’re the real deal.” She smiled slightly and hit him with her ace in the hole. “You told me you never lied to me. Well, here’s your chance to prove it.”
Palin reached out and shoved the door back into its frame. The howling wind died slightly, but with the window still open to the outside it wouldn’t go away permanently.
“How do I know you aren’t just doing this because you know it’ll work? How do I know you truly want it?”
“You don’t. You’re just going to have to trust me.”
Palin took another step forward. Sandy was shaking now.
“Do it,” she hissed.
His dragon took over and Palin closed the distance in two long strides. Champ barely got out of the way before he picked his mate up and promptly set her down on the dining room table. Their mouths met, lips parted in hunger, need overwhelming all reason and logic as they kissed furiously.
Dragon and his mate, wrapped up in one another, uncaring about the world outside them. His desire to inflict death and destruction faded, though even her mouth on his neck and teeth tugging gently on the lobe of his ear couldn’t snuff it out completely. His mate had been threatened, and he wouldn’t forget that any time soon.
For now though, he gave his mate the attention she deserved, the attention she hadn’t realized she craved. Their bodies pressed together, rain occasionally blowing across the house to land on them. Neither noticed, too preoccupied with one another. Touching. Caressing. Squeezing and rubbing.
Palin hadn’t realized the passion trapped deep within Sandy, but he was getting a taste of it now, and he knew instantly he was addicted. He wanted more. She was the one for him, and until he could claim her there wouldn’t be anything else upon his mind.
Now if he could only hold himself back until she was ready.
Chapter Sixteen
Sandy
Her plan had been borne from desperation.
Somehow Palin had come in and dispatched Rusty’s farmhands with terrifying ease. They’d gone running like coyotes before a donkey, fleeing scared into the night. She’d seen him throw a man through her window, and pitch a second through her door in a feat of strength that defied belief.
Now that same strength was benefitting her, as she ran her arms over his biceps of steel and his titanium-like chest. He was so solid. Everywhere she touched he felt like he was carved from stone or shaped from molten-hot metal. There wasn’t a bit of softness to his body. Not even between his legs.
Adrenaline had driven her this far—well, adrenaline and a mix of curiosity she refused to admit to—but as it began to fade, reality started to set in. She was kissing Palin. She, Sandy Talbert, was locking lips with the hunky hired help.
Oh, and she wasn’t just liking it, she was loving it. His strength, so strong and powerful with the intruders, was gentle and supportive with her. Fingers of steel were no more than brushes of velvet across her cheek as he stroked her face. Soft lips parted once more, his tongue hungry and demanding, but light and warm in touch, a vertebrae-tingling combination that had her melting into a puddle in his arms.
Her plan was working, and working better than she’d ever imagined.
Better? Or worse?
When he’d somehow wormed his way into her confidences in a matter of a few conversations and convinced her to accept his offer of help, Sandy had never envisioned that it would end up like this. On the table, legs wrapped around his waist, and the beefy hunk of man-meat kissing her like she was all he ever wanted. After all, who expected that?
Things had changed rapidly, and despite her continual denials of his advances, she’d let herself open up to him more and more. It had all been leading to this. It had always been leading to this, she realized.
Palin’s hands began to wander from her back and face, running over her ribs and cupping her ass. He made no attempt to remove her clothes. Not yet. Not with the rain coming inside. She gasped in surprise when one of his hands slid up her inner leg and didn’t stop, brushing against her, making her ache for more.
When she didn’t stop him, her mind too preoccupied with the pleasurable sensations he was feeding it, Palin continued. Each time his index finger found her peak, leaving her throbbing and panting in his grasp.
It didn’t take long for his sure touch to push Sandy further than anyone had ever gone before. Her thighs shivered and shook, threatening to slide down if she didn’t focus on keeping them in the air, giving Palin the ability to work his magic. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she hung on for dear life.
“It’s okay,” he whispered into her ear, running his tongue over the outer edge, from top to bottom and back again.
Sandy nearly climaxed then and there. Her eyes shot open. The ear had never been an erogenous place for her, but the way Palin touched her she knew that she had to have more. Quietly she begged, pulling on his head as well until he got the point.
Another shiver more powerful than the last rippled down her s
pine, the flesh tightening, making the hairs stand on end. She was so close, the edge to the abyss near. It wouldn’t take long for Palin to force her over it. Sandy didn’t have to do anything; she just needed to let him go on. At any point she could stop him, but she didn’t. Her breath came in short gasps, lungs working overtime to compensate.
“Palin,” she moaned.
The pressure of his hand increased without warning, and instead of falling over the edge, Sandy slid off it like a runaway boulder, freefalling into the abyss beyond. Her arms tightened around his neck and she shouted his name, her body convulsing into him. Palin held her tight, moving in time with her, slowing as she did. Then Sandy was draped across him, shuddering as her body slowly came down from the high of an orgasm.
“Oh wow,” she gasped eventually, at a loss to say anything more profound. Her brain was more than a little mush, and so her word choice was limit. “Wow.”
He smiled and kissed her forehead with that same gentle tenderness that seemed out of place from a man so large. She basked in the heat pouring off him, letting the warmth drive out anything else, snuggling into it and relaxing as she enjoyed the high that came with such a powerful release. Would it always be like that with him?
A part of her wanted to find out then and there, craving more. Reality intruded upon that dream however, as a particularly powerful gust of wind splashed them both with rain as it lashed at the house. Overhead it drummed wildly against the roof as well. She sat up, her spine straightening from the cool droplets. Palin took that as a sign she was ready for more, and they began to kiss again.
She rested her hands lightly on his chest, then as her resolve hardened she pushed against him, separating them. “Palin.”
He stopped immediately, perhaps recognizing the tone of her voice. “What’s wrong?”
She shivered. “Nothing’s wrong. It just doesn’t feel…right. Do you understand?”
