“Did you always want to work in security, Dante? Is that why you started the company?” She turned her hand under his, tightening her fingers.
“I knew I wanted to be in business. I took a job in security after I finished my training. I liked doing that, but my bosses and most of my coworkers were human. I knew I couldn’t work there for more than five or ten years without someone spotting that I didn’t age as they did. So after I learned what I could from them, I started my business.” He lifted a shoulder.
“Did you meet Cael and Thane before or after you’d started your business? I know you said you went to Florida to check out the group there. Was that trip business related?” She leaned forward.
“The trip wasn’t related to business, but I had started it by that time. As I worked within the community, Sin started giving me more responsibility. I couldn’t formally be named to a position, but Sin sent me there to look around.” Dante squeezed her hand.
“Did you ever want to do anything else?” Cael took a drink of his wine.
“Not really. I did have a few other interests, but I’ve always loved cooking and ever since my mother started the business I’ve known that I’d step into it when it was time.” She shrugged.
“What was your relationship with your mother like?” Thane smiled. “Did she ever say anything about your father?”
“I had a wonderful relationship with her.” Moriah’s smile widened. “Some of my first memories with her were in the kitchen. Not the bakery kitchen, the one in our home. She’d take me in there, and we’d cook and talk. As for my father, she never told me anything about him, although I’m sure she knew his name at the very least. She wasn’t the type to sleep with someone if she knew nothing about them. Now, I have another question.”
“Ask away.” Cael reached over and patted her thigh.
“All right, Thane, did you always want to be a doctor?” She glanced at him. Hard to believe this was only the second time they’d talked.
“No, I thought that I’d try some business courses after I finished my training, but during training, one of my friends was hurt and I was with him in the office. I watched the doctor attending to his wounds. I was fascinated. I couldn’t get it out of my mind and decided to see if I found learning about it as interesting.” Thane’s teeth flashed. “I loved it and continued until I became a doctor.”
“When you talk about it, I can tell that you’re still excited.” She exhaled. No doubt about it. It was written all over his face.
“Yes, I love it, and I don’t know what I’ll do when I have to stop. There’s nothing that appeals to me as much.” He frowned.
“You’d have to stop?” She frowned.
“Yes, especially since the hospital where I work has so many humans. They’d notice I don’t age as they do, although moving hospitals or going to other cities could extend it. It’s going to be hard to come back anyway even years later because of all of the new methods to identify people.” His voice lowered. He glanced down and shook his head. “After that, I have to leave. I’ll probably spend some time exclusively in the clinic while I work out what I want to do.”
She bit her lip. Damn. That would so suck. Was it possible she’d have to give up baking because others would know that she wasn’t human? Maybe she had options he didn’t. She could hire someone to manage the bakery, and no one would see her. Leave everything in someone’s hands and start a different bakery in a different part of the city.
“I wouldn’t like to think of giving up what I do.” She exhaled heavily. That might happen to her.
They talked quietly of lighter things for the rest of the meal. The food and company was great. It was easy to relax with them. When they finished eating, they guided her out of the restaurant and to their car.
Dante drove, but not back toward Stone Cliff. A flash of red-orange light cut through the night as he pulled into a parking lot. Brilliantly colored balloons rose over head. She drew in her breath. The balloon fest. It’s time for it already?
“Your cousin mentioned you tried to come to this every year.” Dante parked the car.
“Yes, but this year I’ve been so caught up in other things that I didn’t even realize it started.” Warmth swelled through her.
Ford, Dante, Cael, and Thane definitely deserved a thank-you. She’d almost missed it. The balloons were so beautiful. She could spend hours watching the flare of the flames as they lit the colorful silk from inside. They floated through the air like brightly colored lanterns.
Thane helped her out of the car and they walked to the festival. They guided her through the long rows of booths. Crafts sat on tables and shelves.
She hesitated at a blown glass stall. A red, gold, and orange vase stood on a table amid others of various colors. Gorgeous, like a captured fiery sunset. She pulled her wallet out of her purse. Dante put his hand on hers and took out his. He paid for it and waited as it was carefully wrapped and boxed.
“Come on. We have one more surprise for you.” Cael put his arm around her waist and leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek.
She perked up and her heart accelerated. “Another surprise?”
“Yes, I think you’re going to like it.” Thane moved up beside Cael.
They led her to the wide, grassy area reserved for the balloons. The men didn’t wander. They led her to a purple and yellow balloon currently tethered to the ground. Dante waved to the man in charge. The blond-haired man walked over.
Dante gave him his name.
“Yes, I’ve been expecting you. Are you ready?” the blond-haired man asked.
Dante turned to Moriah. She looked up at him. Ready for what? She looked at the man and then to the balloon. Do they mean go up in the balloon?
“You cousin told us that you’d always wanted to go up in one of these. So are you up for a short trip?” Dante raised his brows.
Fluttering wings tore through her stomach. Hell, yes, she was ready to go up. It wasn’t as if she’d never tried to get on one. They’d always been booked.
“Yeah, I want to go.” She nodded and grabbed his hand. “Are you coming up with me?”
“Yes.” Dante slipped his arm around her waist and guided her forward to the basket.
As she reached it, Dante scooped her up and put her inside the basket. It creaked beneath her feet. Her heartbeat raced. Was this thing sturdy enough to hold her, Dante, and the pilot? From a distance, it looked way more secure and stable. Dante climbed in beside her, and the pilot followed him.
She clenched her fists. No backing out and being a pussy. It was safe. They did this every night. Soon, she’d be up in the air like she’d imagined.
The fire flared with a loud roaring whoosh. The basket rose, not with a lurch, but with a gliding motion as if levitating. She drew in her breath, and a smile spread across her face. So damn cool. As it moved higher, she gripped the basket as she peered toward the ground. Groups of people strolled below them.
“Are you enjoying it?” Dante wrapped his arms around her.
She leaned into him. “Yes. I thought I’d feel more movement, but we’re gliding.”
He chuckled, but pressed his lips against her ear. “Soon, you’ll actually be able to glide.”
She turned a little to look at him. “Really?”
“Yes, but we’ll talk about that more later.” Dante’s teeth scraped over the skin just below her ear.
He probably didn’t want to talk about it with someone listening. They had more to keep hidden than attraction. Their lives could be at risk if the wrong people learned of what they were.
Eventually, the balloon lowered to the ground. The basket settled, swinging and scraping against the grass until it came to rest. Once it did, she turned in Dante’s arms and gave him a fierce hug before rising on her tiptoes to kiss him.
“Thank you so much! I’ve wanted to do that for years, but could never get a spot. Hell, I might have chickened out if you hadn’t been here. That was absolutely fabulous.” She leaned back a
nd gazed up at him.
“You’re welcome. Let me go first, and then I’ll lift you.” Dante climbed out and then turned, lifting her from the basket.
She leaned into him as they made their way back to Cael and Thane.
“I can tell from the broad smile that you enjoyed your ride in the balloon.” Thane pressed his lips to hers.
She opened her mouth and brushed her tongue against his. He pulled her close. His tongue thrust deep, claiming. She slipped her arms around him. Tingles spread over her lips and down her body. The murmur of the crowd faded, and she sank against him. When he stepped back, she clung to him for a moment.
They wandered back through the festival, but eventually made their way to the car. Dante drove to her home. Her stomach clenched as Dante parked the car at the curb. Invite them in or hold back? Both had merits.
Thane helped her out. She walked beside them until they got to the porch. Her muscles tightened. She turned to face them.
“There are a lot of things I’m still not sure about, but I’d like you to come inside with me.” She looked from Dante to Cael and then Thane.
“While we’d love to come inside, we’re not going to pressure you when you’re not certain. We don’t want you to regret your first time with all of us. I don’t kid myself that any of us would be able to ignore what’s been building.” Cael shook his head.
“We want you to be certain in mind as well as body. Once we have sex with you, I don’t know if we could let you back away if you had second thoughts.” Thane smiled. “So for tonight, we’d like a kiss, but we’ll be back and we’ll call you.”
Thane slipped his hands down to her hips. He lifted her. She braced her hands against his shoulders. His lips brushed hers. Heat spread through her at the light contact.
She opened for him. His rich flavor burst over her, maybe a mixture of the coffee he’d gotten at the festival and him. Her fingers threaded into his hair. His tongue swept in and retreated. The big tease. She pressed closer.
Thane groaned and lifted his head. “Sunshine, I love kissing you, but we have to stop.”
“Why?” She tugged at the longer strands on top of his head.
“Cael and Dante want a kiss, and then we have to go home. You need to be sure. When you are, we’ll give you what you need.” He lowered her to the ground and nudged her hand away from his hair.
“I do want a kiss.” Dante stepped up. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight to him. “This isn’t easy for us. We want you, too, but we don’t want you to regret it. Now, give me a kiss hot enough to torment me all night.”
She laughed. “Now, that doesn’t sound very nice, but okay.”
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and lifted her mouth to his. His warm lips pressed against hers, and he took control. She groaned. Even his kiss was bold and brash. His tongue thrust, exploring, maybe claiming. He wasn’t the only one playing this game. She darted her tongue against his. Her nipples hardened, and she strained up against him. What would it take to steal the big man’s control?
His arms tightened, and his teeth scraped over her lips. He groaned. Tingling sparks danced across her skin.
“I can’t wait until you’re sure, Moriah. I’m going to enjoy exploring and claiming every inch of you.” He took a deep breath and stepped back.
Cael eased forward. “Seeing you in their arms is so right, sunshine. I’m going to steal a quick kiss, and then we have to go home before our good intentions fly out the window.”
He ran his hand over her shoulder. She eased forward. This should feel so weird, kissing three men, but it didn’t.
Cael’s hand moved up and down her back. Each warm stroke drew her even closer. She rose on tiptoes and curled an arm around him.
His lips pressed to hers. She opened for him. His tongue swept in, darting deep. She moaned and gripped his shoulder. Provoking man.
She nipped at his lower lip and thrust her tongue deep. A hot current sizzled through her. Kissing him was so good.
He pulled back. She held on, but straightened and exhaled. Damn, they were really going to go home after she invited them inside.
He rested his head against hers. “I don’t want to leave you.”
Chapter Seven
Moriah bustled around the shop, locking up and finishing some last cleaning chores. She glanced at the clock on the wall. Past closing time. Ford said he would be here about now. He wanted to talk to her. Annoying male hadn’t given her a single clue about what though.
Not that she’d seen much of him in the last week. He’d been gone more than he’d been home lately. When he was there, excitement sparkled in his voice as he talked about everything he was learning and his future training.
He’d found his place. She was still searching in spite of the good date she’d had with Dante, Cael, and Thane. There might be a place for her with them. Would it work long-term? How the hell was a marriage or whatever with three men supposed to work anyway? They’d talked to her, but four people in a relationship might be impossible. Two was hard.
She pulled out her phone. Maybe Ford had decided to wait to talk and forgot to call. She dialed and tapped her foot. There wasn’t much more she could do to keep herself busy. If she wasn’t expecting on him, she’d be out of here in less than five minutes.
“What’s up, Moriah?” Ford asked.
“I was wondering if you’d decided not to come. I’m almost finished cleaning, and everyone else is gone.” Moriah leaned a hip against the counter.
“I’m just down the street. I’ll be there in a couple minutes,” Ford said.
“All right.” Moriah grabbed a loose napkin beside the container.
Bang! She jolted away from the counter. That was from the back. Her heart slammed in her chest. She stared toward the door to the kitchen.
“What was that, Moriah?” Ford’s voice hardened.
“I don’t know. It sounded as if it came from the back of the building.” Moriah edged down the counter.
Should she go check? It could have been a pan perched precariously on a shelf. Probably not though. The pans went in the same place every night. The noise had been different than the familiar metallic clang.
“Go out the front, Moriah.” Ford’s voice deepened.
Another bang came from the back. Moriah jumped and ran for the door. She turned the bolt and pulled it open. The door between the kitchen and the storefront slammed against the wall. Her heartbeat surged, and her chest tightened.
She ran out. Fuck! Which way? She turned and sprinted down the sidewalk. The large front window shattered. She gasped and jerked away. Arms wrapped around her, dragging her to the ground. Oh, crap. Glass bit into her arms.
She grabbed at the muscled form above her. Gray skin covered his shoulders, and his hair was red. Fuck, a Gobel.
Shadows and his hair hid his face. She struck at him, but kept one hand on his skin. Had he targeted her? Or had he broken in to steal something, thinking everyone would be gone? This thing was too strong, she couldn’t outmuscle it, but maybe she could weaken him. She pulled on his energy.
The thing scrabbled to his knees and pulled her up. Sharp daggers lanced through her scalp. She cried out.
A streak of movement flashed through the air. Something slammed into the creature on top of her. It toppled off, the second dark blur going with it. Pain sliced through her head.
She rose to her knees and turned to the two forms. Ford! That faded denim jacket with the school patches was unmistakable. He slammed his hand into the Gobel’s face. They wrestled and rolled around on the sidewalk. The red-haired figure tore away and ran down the street.
Her knotted muscles relaxed. It was gone. Thank God. Now, they had to clean up and call the police.
Moriah ran over to her cousin. Please, don’t let that thing have hurt him. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m all right. He’s gone for now.” Ford rose to his feet. “You need to call Dante or one of the others.”
&n
bsp; “Why?” She frowned. The police or a repair place were the normal options. “I’m not sure we should report what happened considering that the thing that attacked me wasn’t human, but nothing really happened.”
“Moriah, this thing came after you at your business. Even if it only wanted to attack someone, it now realizes you’re not human. I felt your power as you were pulling energy out of him. They need to know about the attack for that reason alone.” Ford sighed and rose to his feet.
When did he begin thinking so logically? Moriah exhaled and pulled out her phone. This call was not going to go over well. They had mentioned taking her to the community if she was in danger. This didn’t rate as that, at least not at this point, but they’d probably feel differently.
She unlocked her phone and dialed Dante. He’d probably be the most unbending about the entire situation. Thane was probably at work, and if she got Cael, Dante would be with him anyway. Nothing to do about it. He had to know about the attack, and if he didn’t hear from her, he’d raise hell.
“Hi, Moriah, how are you?” Dante’s voice sounded cheerful and happy. “Did you just leave work?”
That wasn’t going to last. If only she could let him remain that way. “Um, Dante, I’m still at the bakery. Something attacked me. Ford fought it and it ran off, but there’s damage to the bakery.”
“Are you all right?” Dante asked.
“Yes, I’m fine. I hit the ground, but Ford was there almost as soon as the guy was on me.” She exhaled. At least he hadn’t exploded yet.
“Thane called me just before you did. He’s off work. He can get there before I will. I’m at the community. Stay with him. We’ll sort out what needs to be fixed.” A growl rumbled in Dante’s voice. “I’ll see you soon.”
“All right.” She pulled the phone away from her ear. He’d hung up.
No one else was here. The lot was lit only by overhead lights and the muted glow from the store windows along the sidewalk. A weight settled in her stomach. Crickets chirped, but this place was creepy.
She walked over and stood beside her cousin. Chunks of glass hung at the corners of the big window. That was going to be expensive to repair. How had he even busted it? That wasn’t normal window glass.
Finding Their Flame [Stone Passions 2] Page 7
