Guardian Dragons of Prospect Falls: (A Paranormal Shifter Romance)

by Serena Meadows

  “How about this,” he said. “I’ll stop kissing you until you tell me you're ready.”

  He was pleased to see the disappointment that flashed across Molly’s face, but she recovered quickly. “That sounds fair,” she said, but he could tell that he’d hurt her.

  “Just so you know,” he said, waiting to finish until she looked over at him, “it’s not because I don’t want to; if I had my way, I’d be carrying you back to the bedroom right now.”

  Molly gasped, and her cheeks turned pink, but she didn’t look away from him. “I’ll...remember that,” she said, licking her lips, killing him just a little.

  “For example, I want to kiss you right now, but instead, I’ll answer a different question,” he said, getting up from the couch and going to fire.

  He heard her sigh as he poked the fire, then finally ask, “Do I have any family, parents or brothers and sisters?”

  After putting another log on the fire, he went back over to the couch and sat down. “Your parents were killed in an accident when you were just a baby,” he said, pausing to let that sink in. “Your grandmother raised you until you were twelve, when she passed away. After that, you jumped from foster home to foster home.”

  “Where was I born?” she asked, a thoughtful look on her face that scared him. “I feel like it was the city.”

  He nodded. “New York,” he said. “As far as I know, you never left the city until you met me.”

  Relieved that it was going so well, he silently thanked Michael and Vincent for the information they’d dug up. “Did I go to college? I must have if I was working as an accountant,” she said, still thoughtful. “I feel like I did.”

  “You did, but it took you a while to get your degree. You worked full time to help support your first husband, who was in medical school,” he said, watching her face carefully.

  “I was married before?” she asked, her eyes wide with shock.

  “You married Toby right out of high school,” he said. “I think you wanted someone who belonged to you, and he was there.”

  “What happened?” she asked, her voice small.

  “You found out he was cheating on you, that he had been from the very beginning,” Adam said. “He was only using you to pay the bills; he’d been planning on leaving you as soon as he finished his residency.”

  Molly held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear any more,” she said. “That’s enough to tell me that I’m all alone in the world.”

  “But you’re not, Molly; you have me. The story doesn’t end there, remember?” he asked. “And we still have an entire lifetime ahead of us.”

  She took a deep breath and then sighed. “I think I need some time to process this all,” she said. “It just seems like a lot for one person to handle.”

  Adam reached out and took her hand. “Molly, in case you haven’t figured it out, you are an incredibly strong woman,” he said. “Most people would have been crushed under the weight you’ve had to carry but you made a life for yourself. If you stumbled along the way, well, we all do that.”

  She smiled at him. “Maybe that’s why I sometimes wonder if you’re too good to be true,” she said.

  “That’s just because you haven’t seen my faults yet,” he said, grinning at her. “Did I warn you that I like to steal the covers? And I always leave the top off the toothpaste. I hate to take out the trash, and well, there has to be a bunch more.”

  Molly laughed, a sound he had only heard a few times, and something deep inside him clicked into place. “It’s nice to hear you laugh,” he said.

  “I haven’t been doing much of that lately,” she said. “It feels good.”

  “I’d better go check on dinner,” he said. “It’s getting late, and we have a big day tomorrow.”

  “You can tell me all about it while I help you,” Molly said, swinging her legs to the floor.

  “Are you sure?” he asked. “You could just sit here and rest.”

  “I think I need to do something ordinary,” she said. “Let everything just go for a little while and pretend this is a normal night.”

  He nodded, understanding. “Okay then, you can make garlic bread and a salad while I finish the stew. But tomorrow is a bit of a surprise,” he said, getting to his feet and holding out his hand to her.

  She took it, and he couldn’t help but notice the tingling in his fingers where they touched hers. “You have to at least tell me where we’re going,” she said, letting him lead her to the kitchen.

  “Well, I can tell you this much,” he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Wear your hiking shoes, and bring a rain poncho.”

  “That’s it?” she asked. “That’s all you’re going to tell me.”

  “I can also tell you that we’ll be packing a lunch and leaving right after breakfast,” he said, going to the stove. “The bread is on the counter, and the salad stuff is in the refrigerator.”

  “Adam, that doesn’t help,” she said, stamping her foot. “I have to know how to dress.”

  He turned from the stove, a pleased smile on his face. “Layers, sweetheart, dress in layers.”

  She let out a loud huff. “I don’t think I like surprises,” she said.

  “You’re going to like this one,” he said, a big grin on his face, then turned back to the stove.

  ***Molly***

  Molly woke with the sun the next morning, feeling not fully rested, and briefly considered closing her eyes and trying to go back to sleep, but she wanted a cup of coffee more. Swinging her legs out of bed, she looked out the window, remembering the strange noise that had woken her in the middle of the night. It had only lasted long enough to wake her then faded away, leaving her wide awake for nearly an hour but afraid to get out of bed.

  It was a sound she recognized, but she couldn’t remember where she’d heard it. Still, it had made her shiver with fright the night before and left her a bit trepidatious this morning. The feeling that something was out there looking for her had been stirred to life last night and was still with her this morning. After she was dressed, she walked over to the window and looked outside at the sunny morning, and the feeling faded away.

  She was surprised to find Adam already in the kitchen, and more than happy to take the cup of coffee he offered her with a smile. There were faint lines around his eyes, and she wondered if he’d slept as badly as she had. “I thought I heard a noise outside my window last night,” she offered, sitting down at the table and sipping her coffee.

  Adam looked alarmed for a second, then said, “We’ve had some bear problems up here; they like to get into the garbage and occasionally they’ll break into an unoccupied cabin if there’s food left behind.”

  “So, we’re not in any danger?” she asked, something about mention of bears tickling at her memory.

  “Not really, and not during the day,” Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. “There are certain rules we need to follow, but if we’re careful, they’ll leave us alone.”

  Molly was relieved. “Okay, well, then I guess it was silly that I stayed awake worrying then,” she said.

  “The best thing you can do is stay inside,” he warned, his voice hard. “If you think you see a bear or anything out there, come get me, but don’t go outside.”

  She was bit surprised by his tone, but nodded her head. “Message received,” she said. “Now, what’s for breakfast? I’m starving.”

  Adam relaxed. “Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you understood. I guess that was a little harsh.”

  “It’s okay, you’re just trying to keep me safe,” she said, then got to her feet. “I’ll make breakfast if you pack our lunch.”

  He grinned at her. “That’s a deal, but make lots. I’m starving.”

  After breakfast, Adam slung the backpack with their lunch, water bottles, and a few emergency items on his back and they started up a trail that led into the mountains. Molly knew that she still had a question she could ask, but as they hiked through the forest, she decided that nothi
ng was more important than the moment and let it go. There would be plenty of time for questions later; she didn’t want to miss the beauty around her.

  Adam scanned the trees like he was on his guard as they walked, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary and decided that he was just being overly cautious. “Do you always hike like something’s going to jump out of the woods at you?” she finally asked.

  “Sorry,” he said, stopping to wait for her. “It’s a habit.”

  They walked on the trail steep enough that talking wasn’t possible, and Molly felt herself beginning to tire and slowed down. When Adam realized that she’d fallen behind, he stopped again. “It’s not much further, and then we’ll have a good long rest and some lunch.”

  “Good. I’m a little out of shape,” she said, panting just a bit.

  When she was ready, they set off again, this time climbing the steepest hill yet, and her chest was burning as they crested the top. Adam stopped again, but this time, he had a big smile on his face. “We’re here,” he said. “Can you hear it yet?”

  Molly stopped to listen, but all she could hear was the air rushing in and out of her lungs, then she realized that it was more than just her breath. “A waterfall,” she said, grinning at him. “It’s water rushing; that’s what I hear.”

  He nodded. “Not very many people know about this place,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

  She took his hand and warmth traveled up her arm, filling her with a wonderful feeling that was different than the usual heat touching him brought. Only a few more steps brought them onto a small plateau, with a waterfall tumbling over a cliff that rose hundreds of feet into the air. At the base of the waterfall, grass and other aquatic plants flourished as if they were in the tropics, and for a second, she wasn’t sure she was seeing things right.

  She looked over at Adam, too astonished to speak, and he laughed. “It’s a garden of Eden in the middle of the woods,” he said. “The pond is fed by hot springs from deep inside the mountain, and it doesn’t freeze even in the dead of winter.”

  Molly was entranced. “So, the water is warm?” she asked, walking over to the pond and trailing her fingers through the water.

  “Like a nice warm bath,” Adam said. “Unless you get close to the waterfall; that water is ice cold.”

  “Thank you for bringing me here,” she said, taking deep breaths of fragrant air and feeling some of her stress melting away. “It’s wonderful.”

  “I thought you might like it,” Adam said, his voice husky.

  She turned and looked back at him, sucking in a breath when she saw the desire in his eyes, and for a moment she was sure he was going to take her in his arms and kiss her. But he stood staring at her, his teeth clenched together, and she realized that she was going to have to kiss him. It was shocking to imagine herself walking over to him, and she felt a moment of uncertainty, afraid that he might reject her, but the look in his eyes told her differently.

  Chapter Ten

  ***Adam***

  Adam had never seen the look that appeared in Molly’s eyes, but he couldn’t miss the desire that followed, and it took all his strength to let the moment pass. Then she was suddenly standing right in front of him on her tip-toes, her lips pressed against his. When her tongue darted out of her mouth and slid along his lips, he gasped, and she slipped it inside. She kissed him for several long glorious seconds, then stepped back and beamed at him.

  “I just wanted to see what it was like to kiss you,” she said, then walked over to a big tree by the water. “I’m starving; what did you pack for lunch?”

  He could only stand staring at her for several long seconds, then he followed her, his mind reeling from the kiss. “Umm, sandwiches and some fruit,” he managed to mumble, watching her sink onto the ground.

  His knees still a bit weak, he sank next to her and handed over the backpack, unable to stop staring at her. She turned and smiled at him. “You never said I couldn’t kiss you,” she pointed out. “That not kissing stuff was your idea.”

  Adam couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of him; it sounded loud to him, but Molly joined in. “Oh, Molly,” he said when he finally caught his breath. “You never cease to amaze me.”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I knew you weren’t going to kiss me, so I kissed you,” she said, but a blush rose to her cheeks.

  He reached out and stroked her cheek. “I love it when you blush like that,” he said.

  “That’s a good thing since I seem to do it around you a lot,” she said. “You have a strange effect on me, Adam, and sometimes it scares me.”

  “I’ll be careful, I promise,” he said, hoping that it was a promise he could keep.

  “I think you will,” she said, then leaned over and kissed him again.

  It was a sweet and simple kiss, but he felt it connecting them, and his heart swelled with joy; his crazy plan might just be working. When the guilt about the lies he was telling tried to intrude on the moment, he pushed it away, telling himself that he wouldn’t wait much longer before telling Molly the truth.

  When they’d eaten their fill, he packed up the trash and leftover food, then laid back on the mossy ground. Molly was staring at the clouds as they passed and trying to keep her eyes open, so he decided to push things just a little. “Let’s go swimming,” he suggested, rolling onto this side and looked down at her.

  “I don’t have a swimming suit,” she said, a look of wariness in her eyes.

  “There’s no one around,” he said, trying to look innocent.

  “You are,” she said. “I’m not going skinny dipping with you, Adam.”

  “Then leave your bra and panties on; it won’t be that much different than a bikini,” he said.

  Molly’s face turned an adorable shade of red. “Yes, it would be,” she said.

  “What’s the matter? Are you chicken?” he asked, rolling onto his back again.

  “This has nothing to do with being chicken,” she huffed.

  He knew that he was winning, and the thought of seeing her almost naked and wet drove him on, his promise falling aside all too easily. “Okay,” he said, “I guess it’s not my problem if you don’t want to swim in that nice warm water.”

  Molly sat up and looked over at the pond. “It is warm,” she said. “And I’m not chicken.”

  “Prove it,” he challenged, taking his opening when he saw it.

  “I don’t...” she started to protest, then instead got to her feet, a stubborn look on her face.

  He got up and followed her, shocked and a little guilty that his ploy had worked, but excited nonetheless. She started unbuttoning her shirt, then looked back at him and said, “You have to turn around until I’m in the water.”

  Adam winked at her and turned around. “Tell me when it’s safe,” he called over his shoulder.

  He heard her clothes hitting the ground, then the sound of her splashing into the water. “Oh, it’s so warm,” she said, and he couldn’t stop himself from turning around.

  “Don’t look,” she yelled at him.

  “Then stop making that noise and talking to me,” he said, with anticipation.

  He’d only gotten a quick look at her full breasts and rounded hips, but it had been enough to make his body begin to throb, and he had to remind himself that he wasn’t in control. When Molly finally called out that she was in the water, he had to take several deep breaths before he could turn around, and the sight of her nearly undid him. But he got control and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, buying a little time for his body to calm down.

  When he finally splashed into the water, it was a relief not to have Molly’s eyes so brazenly staring at him, and if he hadn’t been so close to being fully aroused, he would have teased her. Instead, he splashed her as soon as he got close enough, making her scream and splash him back. It wasn’t long before they were in a full-fledged water fight, both laughing and calling taunts back and forth like little children, and he was sure that he’d never been so hap
py.

  ***Molly***

  Molly was floating on her back, watching the clouds overhead, exhausted from their horseplay, but more relaxed than she’d been in days. She’d long ago forgotten that she was dressed only in a skimpy bra and panties, the fun of the afternoon erasing all traces of her bashfulness. It took so little effort to float in the warm water, she thought she could fall asleep right there under the blue sky.

  “It’s so easy to float in this water,” she said, all too aware that Adam was floating only a few feet from her.

  “It’s the combination of the minerals from the hot springs and the waterfall pushing the water up from under the surface,” Adam explained.

  “It must be beautiful in the winter,” she said, standing up in the water again and studying the waterfall.

  “And cold,” Adam said. “Don’t forget that water is ice cold already. Some people like to come up here, soak in the hot water, then stand in the cold spray from the waterfall.”

  Molly looked at the water cascading down onto the rocks. “You can stand in that?” she asked.

  Adam pushed himself down into the water, then came up, splashing her. “No, there’s a little cave behind the waterfall, silly,” he said.

  Molly noticed a path that ran around the pond and disappeared behind the wall of water. “Oh, I see a path,” she said, swimming toward the shore. “Are you coming?”

  “It’s freezing back there,” he said, making a face.

  “Since when are you chicken?” she called over her shoulder as she swam toward the path.

  “I’m not chicken,” Adam called back. “I’m smart.”

  She climbed out of the pond and stood, hands on her hips, completely unaware of what she was doing to Adam. “I’m going with or without you,” she said, a challenge in her voice.

  “I think I’ll just stay here,” he squeaked, then swallowed several times. “You won’t stay long.”