The man dusted himself off and got to his feet easily. Simone rushed to help him but the guy evidently didn't need her help. He hoisted that cumbersome statue up on his shoulder and stared at her.
“That, um, that looks really heavy,” Simone stuttered. And uncannily lifelike.
The gargoyle looked like it could be alive. The details on the statue were impressive, with every tooth and claw carefully and artfully sculptured. Those red ruby eyes winked and glittered in the dim morning light and seemed to be following her movements.
Simone tore her eyes away from that vivid statue and focused on the man. She had to crane her neck to look up at his face now that he had drawn himself up to his full height. The man was definitely more than six and a half feet. Standing so close to him, Simone was suddenly aware of the heat radiating from his body.
And the heat seemed to be spreading through her body like wildfire, sending sparks of electricity to all her nerve endings. She had the craziest urge to touch him, to feel that solid body against her fingers.
So she did.
Her arm seemed to move on its own accord, and she pressed her palm against his chest before her brain could wake up and scream a protest.
The contact jolted them both.
They both sucked in a sharp breath at the same time and jerked. It felt as though she had been struck by a thunderbolt, a thunderbolt of lust and desire.
Simone pulled her hand away in shock. She was out of her mind, and way out of line.
She should be checking the man for injuries, not checking him out. The man in front of her was hot, hunky and sexy as sin. But...that wasn't the point! She gave her head a hard shake and scowled.
Focus, Simone! Do the right thing!
She gulped and took a small step forward. “Shall I call an ambulance? Are you...are you bleeding, sir?” she managed to stammer.
“No.” The man's frown deepened as he stared at her forehead. “But you are.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Simone lifted her hand to her head and wiped away the blood from her forehead.
“Oh. I must have bumped my head against the steering wheel,” she mumbled. “It's just a scratch. It's nothing.”
“It's not nothing.” The man's expression hardened. “You need to get that looked at.”
Simone squinted at him. She had felt the impact when she collided into him. Yet there was no blood on him at all, not even a bruise on his fine, hunky body.
Stop! Stop gawking at him!
Simone grimaced and opened her car door. “I'll drive you to a doctor.”
“I don't need a doctor. You do,” he said firmly. “I'll drive.”
“No, no, I...”
“You're the one who's bleeding, not me,” he pointed out.
“But...”
He tsked and ushered her to the car. He just had a very confident, authoritative air about him, like he had the entire situation under control.
“Um, the brakes,” Simone stuttered, finally finding her voice. “The brakes aren't working...that's why I...” She gestured between him and the car.
The man nodded grimly and got into the driver's seat. “Let me take a look.”
He drove the car a short distance and tested the brakes. The brake lights flashed and the brakes worked perfectly. The man reversed the car and tried again. Again, her car was on its best behavior.
Simone threw up her hands when the man got out of the car and reported, “The brakes seem to be working fine.”
“My car is a little temperamental. It's a third-hand car, so it's quite old.”
“You should get a new car. It's not safe,” the man said sternly.
Simone shrugged. She had just bought this car, and it had taken her a long time to save up just to buy this bone shaker.
“It's all right. It behaves most of the time,” she said, opening the door for him. She gestured at his heavy, unwieldy statue. “I'm okay to drive,” she said resolutely. “Do you want to put that in the trunk?”
“Why, yes,” the man said, his smile widening to an impish grin. “I'm sure Lester will be very comfortable in the trunk.”
“Lester?”
He nodded at the statue. “His name is Lester. He's a gargoyle.”
“Oh. Okay,” Simone said with a nervous smile. Was it weird that his statue had a name?
As the man moved around her car, she saw that he was wearing running shoes and she wondered if the man had been out jogging when she veered into him. It was a rather chilly and foggy morning to be out and about, but the man was powerfully built and his broad, muscular body was giving off enough heat to sizzle the air around them.
So the cold probably didn't bother him at all.
But why would he be out running with a heavy stone statue in his arms? Weight training?
It sounded ridiculous to her, but there were people who did all sorts of ridiculous things in the name of fitness and fashion.
Maybe jogging with a statue was the latest fitness fad. Welcome to the new normal, she supposed.
As the man was lowering the stone gargoyle into the trunk, she thought she saw the thing vibrate. Those ruby eyes were glinting and glowing with...rage. Yes, the statue looked positively furious as it glared at the man. Even the tail seemed to be twitching with fury.
The man let out a low chuckle. “Okay, maybe not.” He hefted the statue out and opened the back door of her car.
“I'll just put Lester in the back seat, if you don't mind,” he said. Simone thought she heard him whispering something to his statue before closing the door.
Simone swallowed. Was it the new normal to be talking to statues?
CHAPTER SIX
Simone opened the passenger door and said as calmly as she could, “I'll drive us both to a doctor. There's a very good doctor in the next town.”
The man folded his lengthy frame into the passenger seat and smiled appreciatively at her as she got into the driver's seat. Simone took a deep breath and started the engine.
Glancing in the rear view mirror, she saw that the blood had already dried on her forehead. It was just a shallow cut, nothing more. She felt fine and all her faculties were working fine. But she couldn't say the same for the man sitting next to her.
He was good-humored and handsome, and he had a roguish smile that could melt the panties off any hot-blooded female. His steel gray eyes were intelligent and sparkling with joy. He seemed delighted to be in her company.
Not only was he very good-looking, he seemed genuinely caring and considerate. In fact, he seemed more worried about that small scratch on her forehead than about himself. And he was the victim of a car accident, not her.
But...his behavior, or rather, his close relationship with an inanimate stone statute, was just a little bit odd.
But everyone had their own little quirks and habits. Some people talked to plants, others talked to statues. She'd never tried it, but maybe talking to statues was a great stress buster.
And almost being flattened by a car had to be a very stressful experience. It was all her fault.
She would drive him straight to the doctor and make sure that he was attended to pronto.
“Can you, um, tell me your name?” Simone asked as she eased the car back out onto the road.
“I'm Breene Magnus. And you are…?”
Simone blushed a little when she saw the way Breene was staring at her. He had turned to face her, and he seemed to be focusing solely and intently on her. He was giving her his full, undivided attention as he waited expectantly and eagerly to learn her name.
“Simone Dixon.” She cleared her throat and continued, “I'm actually on my way to Redrock Valley. There's a doctor there that opens pretty early, Dr…”
“Dr. Emerson,” Breene said at once, beating Simone to it.
Simone nodded and smiled, remembering her kindly family doctor. She wondered if Dr. Emerson would remember her.
“I live in Redrock Valley but I haven't seen you around,” Breene said, studying her with
a slight frown.
“Oh, I don't live here any more. This is my old hometown. I moved away when...” Simone's voice quavered and she bit her lip.
She didn't want to mention her disastrous marriage. Giving her head a firm shake, she shook away the unhappy memories and focused on the road ahead.
“So you're coming home,” Breene said, sounding pleased.
“No. I'm just here to attend a wedding.” Simone gave him a quick smile. “A girl I used to go to school with is getting married. Teresa and I used to be really close.” Simone sighed. “But after I moved away, we lost touch.”
Unconsciously, she grimaced and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She'd moved away from Redrock Valley after marrying Trent. That was the biggest mistake of her life. After she got married to Trent, she lost touch with almost all her friends.
Trent was jealous, volatile, manipulative, and he tried to control every aspect of her life. He forbade her from contacting her friends, isolated her and made her feel so worthless and scared.
That horrible marriage had cost her so much. She had lost her friends, her life, herself. And something so very precious.
Simone realized that she had fallen silent for a long time. She turned to see Breene staring at her with a hard look on his face. He looked almost angry.
“Who hurt you?” he snarled.
Simone started. How did he know?
She feigned a laugh and said quickly, “What are you talking about?”
“I'm talking about you,” Breene answered very quietly. His searching, penetrating gaze never wavered from her face.
Simone waved a hand, feeling as though the air had suddenly heated up around them. Her heart was beating a little too wildly and her skin felt like it was burning. The way Breene was looking at her made her feel things she hadn't felt in such a long time.
Simone kept her eyes on the road, hoping that he wouldn't see the flush creeping up her face.
“Anyway, what was I saying?” she tittered. “Oh yes, Teresa found me on Facebook recently and we reconnected. It was so good to hear from her. She invited me to her wedding, said I had to come since we haven't seen each other in ages.”
Breene nodded, his lips curved in a sly smile. “Teresa,” he murmured.
“Yes, Teresa Joyce. You know her?”
He coughed and gave a non-committal grunt.
Simone glanced at him and shrugged. They were nearing Redrock Valley.
“You know what Teresa told me?” Simone let out an excited laugh. She hadn't been back to her hometown for so long. This felt so surreal.
Simone rounded her eyes dramatically. “Teresa said she's getting married…
In a castle, Breene mouthed.
“...in a castle!” Simone hooted. “Can you believe it? It must be that old castle overlooking the town, but that castle has been empty for so long. We used to think it was haunted!”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Breene turned to glare at the gargoyle lounging in the back seat when he heard Lester's jarring laughter in his head.
During the daylight hours, Lester's body was frozen in stone but his mind remained alert. He was aware of everything that was happening around him, and he often served as Breene's security camera from his perch atop one of the tall pillars at the castle gates. He could see for miles around the castle, and he would warn Breene of approaching sightseers and tourists.
The gates were always locked, but curious tourists liked trekking up the hill to peer through the gates at the remodeled castle and taking selfies and wefies.
She's thinks your castle is haunted! Lester cackled. And she's one of Teresa's guests. Don't think I don't know what you're up to when you tried to stuff me in the trunk.
“Shut up!”
Simone gasped. “What?”
Breene shook his head rapidly. “I wasn't talking to you.”
She swung her eyes to the road again, her brows deeply furrowed. She looked both offended and worried.
“I was talking to Lester,” he explained.
“Lester,” she said slowly. “Your...um...”
“Gargoyle,” Breene supplied.
“Gargoyle. Yes, of course. Lester is your gargoyle,” she said calmly enough.
“Actually, he is my friend.”
A long awkward silence ensued.
Finally, Simone swallowed and asked, “Do you often carry your...friend around with you, Breene?”
“No, I don't usually lug Lester around. I usually leave him at home,” Breene replied matter-of-factly.
Simone nodded, as she tried to formulate a reply. Offering a weak smile, she said, “I...I'm really sorry I ran you and your...friend down.”
“We're not hurt.”
Speak for yourself, Lester huffed.
Breene hid a smile at Lester's grousing. Lester was back to his old grouchy self. The fall hadn't affected him too badly.
When Breene first rescued Lester from that evil sorceress, Lester had been so weakened, drained of all his strength and will. But with time and patience, Breene had drawn Lester out of his shell and given him back his confidence and character.
Lester was a feisty, sharp-tongued devil with a stout and faithful heart. And he was the only true friend that Breene had.
“What were you and Lester doing out on the highway so early in the morning?” Simone asked casually.
Go on, answer the lady, Lester said in a snide voice. Tell her you were trying to kill me.
Breene sucked in a long, steadying breath to stop himself from chucking the gargoyle right out the window.
“We...” Breene cleared his throat. “I was...taking a walk.”
“That's a long walk,” Simone remarked, arching a brow at him. “You're quite a long way from town.”
“I...well, we were...” He straightened up resolutely and announced, “We're training.”
“Training? For what?”
“For a...race.”
“What race?” She regarded him with genuine curiosity.
Breene gaped at her, his mind drawing a blank.
The amazing race, Lester supplied helpfully.
“The amazing race!” Breene shouted out the answer.
Simone laughed. “Really? You want to fly around the world with your gargoyle?”
Breene shrugged. He'd already done that. Thrice.
“Well, good luck,” Simone said.
“Thanks.” He could tell that she was both intrigued and amused. She didn't know whether to believe him or not.
“What do you do, Breene?” Simone asked. “Are you a professional athlete?”
He shook his head. “I'm a builder.”
“Builder? You build houses?”
“Yeah. Houses, buildings, schools, community centers, parks...”
“Wow.” Simone turned to him and grinned. “You're good with your hands!”
Breene bit the inside of his cheek. She assumed that he was a bricklayer or a workman. “Well...” he began uncertainly. He owned the construction company, but he didn't do the actual construction work himself. He had many good workers and craftsmen to do that. As the CEO of Magnum Construction, all he had to do was put his signature on the document and everything would swing into action.
“What about you?” he asked quickly, switching the attention to her. “What do you do, Simone?”
“I had a waitressing job in the city, and I actually like working in that bustling little diner. The pay was pretty good and the hours were decent. But my boss had to close the business and move back to his hometown. It's a pity, but family comes first.” Simone blew out a breath. “So right now, I guess I'm in between jobs. My best friend's husband, Nathan Chase, actually offered me a position in his security firm, but what do I know about security?” She laughed at the look on Breene's face. “No, he's not hiring me to be one of his bodyguards. It's actually a secretarial position, but I'm not one to sit behind a desk all day. I like being on my feet, and I enjoy interacting and chatting with people.”
&n
bsp; Simone smiled. She was getting her old self back. She had retreated from the world, afraid to open up and trust again after her horrible, bitter marriage and divorce. But slowly, with the help of some very good friends, she was getting her groove back.
“Do you like living in the city, Simone?” Breene asked.
Simone thought for a while. Finally she said, “I grew up in a small town, and my growing up years were really carefree, happy ones.” She quirked a lopsided smile and said, “I guess, no matter where I am, at heart, I am still a small town girl.”
“And here is your small town,” Breene announced as they turned into Redrock Valley.
“Wow. Things have certainly changed.” Simone looked around and let out a wry laugh. “Well, it's been ten years. Of course things have changed.”
She gasped suddenly and pointed to a tiny corner shop. “That candy store!” she squealed. “It's still there! I used to go there with Teresa after school!”
Breene turned to stare at her lovely, radiant profile. Her auburn hair looked like it had been set ablaze by the sun's rays and her green eyes were shimmering with emotion. He'd noticed that she was a pretty lady right from the start, but at this moment, he was left absolutely breathless by her beauty.
“Welcome home, Simone,” he said softly.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Simone sucked in a sharp breath at Breene's heartfelt words. Welcome home.
Yes, it did feel like she was coming home.
Simone pulled her car to a stop at the side of the curb and took a good look at the quaint little shops along the street. There were many new shops and eateries, but when she caught sight of her favorite bakery and book store nestled among the spanking new shops, tears sprang into her eyes. These were all slices of her childhood, and they were still here, standing proudly in the exact same spots to welcome her home. She blinked quickly, surprised and embarrassed at how emotional and teary she was.
“It's like you never left, eh?” Breene leaned over and whispered.
The Dragon Tycoon's Bride: Billionaire Shifter Paranormal Romance Page 2
