by KD Jones
“Michael is going to wait tables?” Father Raphael asked, disbelieving.
“Yeah, why?”
Before he could respond, they heard a bang by the front entrance. A few seconds later Michael came into the room.
“The front door was stuck, and when I pushed to open it…the handle came off.” He lifted his hand, showing them the metal doorknob. They both broke out in laughter.
Father Raphael shook his head. “Are you sure you want Michael to help?”
Michael looked between the two of them. “Help with what?”
She came over to stand in front of him and took the door handle from him smiling. “How good are you at carrying things?”
“Pretty good.”
“Well, I’ve got a job for you.”
She told him about the diner and he stepped back, shaking his head. “No way. I’m no waitress.”
“Men are called waiters, and the way I see it, it’s the least you can do considering that Jerry was hurt by a demon.”
“Michael, you will do this.” Father Raphael stepped forward.
“Fine, but I won’t wear those short outfits.”
She giggled when an image of him wearing one of her outfits popped in her head. “Just jeans and a t-shirt is all you need.” She tilted her head. It actually might be good for business to have a hot, sexy man like Michael bringing coffee to the female patrons.
“Great, I’m going to take a nap before we have to go get the diner ready for dinner shift.” She hopped out of the room.
*****
“Did the demon say anything else?” Father Raphael asked.
“Just that he would be back.”
“You’re going to have to do something about that.”
“Kill him?” Michael asked with a hopeful tone.
“No, you’re going to have to seduce Cassandra away from the half-demon.”
Michael blinked. “You want me to have sex with her?”
“No, not necessarily. I don’t want to know about it if that happens. I’m just saying, spend time with her. Win her over.”
“Why me?”
“You’re the young and attractive one. Besides, I’ve seen her looking you over.”
“She has? When? How? Did she say anything about me?” Michael was suddenly very interested.
“Of course she doesn’t talk to me about you, that would be awkward. Just, give her a different option besides the half-demon.”
Michael looked toward the stairs. “I’m trying, but I can tell she doesn’t trust me yet.”
“That’s the point I’m trying to make here. She doesn’t fully trust either of us, and she needs to. We’re here to help her. The half-demon has an agenda, we just don’t know what it is yet.”
“I’ll keep working on befriending her. I’ll do everything that I can.”
Raphael patted him on his shoulder. “I know you will. Now, let’s talk about the training we need to do to help prepare Cassandra for the next demon attack.”
Epilogue
Later that evening
“Order forty-one is ready!” Father Raphael called out from the diner’s kitchen.
Cass smiled at him as she walked up to get her customers’ plates. “Just call out ‘order’s up.’”
Father Raphael blushed. “Right.”
“How are you holding up back there?”
“It’s taking a little time but I am picking up my speed. I’ve only had one plate come back because the hamburger wasn’t cooked the way they wanted it.”
Leeza stepped up to get the pot of coffee. “Don’t worry about that, Father, that’s old Pete Brown. He always orders his burger medium-well when he really wants it well done.”
“Why doesn’t he just order the first time the way he wants it?”
“He loves to correct people on things all the time. He’s too old to change, and it’s harmless. Jerry always cooked two burgers at the same time so when he sends the other back he has the well-done already plated.”
Raphael snorted as he went back to cooking. She turned to glance at Michael as he fumbled with the tray. He might be able to slay demons and fly, but carrying a tray with glasses on it was just not his talent.
Leeza leaned closer. “I have to admit, I first thought having them help us was a mistake. Now, I think it’s probably the best thing to happen to the diner. We’re drawing customers back. I just worry over your friend Michael.”
“Why? He’ll get the hang of carrying the tray. It’s just not natural to him to wait on others.”
Leeza giggled. “It’s not that; the ladies are flocking here in droves just to have him spill their drinks. The problem is, they’re very…touchy-feely.”
She looked over at what Leeza was nodding her head at. Cass rolled her eyes and groaned. “Come on Agnes, this is not an all-male revue club. Keep your hands off of his ass.”
Agnes was eighty years old, white-haired, with dentures. She gave Michael a wink. “It wasn’t his ass I was trying to grab, honey!”
Cass rolled her eyes and went to protect Michael’s virtue. Several times through her shift she heard the bell on the door go off and looked up expecting it to be Ari. She hadn’t seen him since she’d told him she needed some space. She was still mad at him and wasn’t sure if she could really trust him, but she couldn’t help but miss him. She wanted answers about her past and he was now the only person who had that information.
Mercury Rising
7even Circles
Book 2
Preview
Cass groaned when Michael’s fist hit her shoulder. She was able to turn at the last minute, but Michael moved faster than she expected. She twisted to hit him with her elbow.
“You have to move faster, Cassandra.”
She glared at him. “I’m trying.” She straightened and moved in a circle, facing him. She had to admit, Michael was hot. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and sweat was beading on him. One little bead began to run down his chest, over his nipple and right between the ridges of his six-pack. Cass was so distracted by Michael’s amazing body, she didn’t see him move until he knocked her down.
“Umph!” Her back hit the ground and Michael was on top of her, pinning her.
“You can’t let yourself get distracted.”
“It’s easy for you to say, you never let anything distract you. It’s like you’re an unfeeling machine.”
“Is that what you think?” Michael’s eyes glowed a brighter blue.
She felt the heat of his body against hers. Suddenly, she was aware of every inch of him that touched her. His thighs, his hips, his—holy smokes! That couldn’t be what she thought it was. Did Michael have a hard-on?
“We’ve been practicing for a month now, and I have had to watch you in your tight outfits, molding against your breasts and ass, and pretend it doesn’t affect me. Well, it does.” To emphasize his point, he rolled his hips against hers and she felt his hard shaft. She was speechless.
“I’m not a damn robot.” He leaned down and kissed her.
It was a heated kiss, and it stole her breath away. She opened up for him and let his tongue dance with hers. It was hot and sexy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
They had been dancing around each other for a while now, both ignoring the sexual tension between them. She wasn’t sure when it started or how, but it was a real thing now that couldn’t be overlooked. She was a little disappointed when he released her from the kiss. A voice broke them apart.
“Sparring sure looks different than how I remember it.”
“Ari? You’re back.”
“Yeah, I’m back. I can see that you missed me?”
She pushed Michael off her so she could stand up. She walked over to Ari and stopped right in front of him. Then she reached up and slapped his face—hard.
“What the hell?”
“I know I told you I needed space, but where the hell have you been for the past month and a half?”
About the Author
KD Jones has published over 30 books in five different series. She has been a huge fan of both romance novels and science fiction novels since she was 16 years old. Her favorite television shows growing up were Star Trek and Doctor Who. When not writing, she can usually be found curled up on the couch with a good book, working on her hobby of photography, or spending time with her family. As a single working Mom she wants to show her son that a person can follow their dreams no matter how old they are and where they are in life. Dreams can come true if you work hard and believe in yourself.
KD Jones Book Series, Book List
Katieran Prime Series
Katieran Prime (Book1)
Prime Commander (Book 2)
Prime Medic (Book 3)
Kiljorn Prime (Book 4)
Prime Deliverance (Book 5)
Prime Salvation (Book 6)
Colonial Prime (Book 7)
Katieran Prime Celebration (Book 7.5)
Kiljorn Commander (Book 8)
Katieran Prime Miracle (Book 9)
Colonial Commander (Book 10)
Galactic Cage Fighter Series
Rage (Book 1)
Talon (Book 2)
Taurus (Book 3)
Zara (Book 4)
Hammer (Book 5)
Zen (Book 6)
Torch (Book 7)
Maxim (Book 8)
Ronin (Book 9)
Nigel (Book 10)
Earth Evolution Series
Desolation (Book 1)
Resistance (Book 2)
Atonement (Book 3)
Strange Lake Falls Series
Strange Lake Falls Vampire (Book 1)
Strange Lake Falls Werewolf (Book 2)
Strange Lake Falls Vampire Mistress (Book 3)
Strange Lake Falls Panther (Book 4)
Strange Lake Falls Gypsy Wolf (Book 5)
Inter-Galactic Bounty Hunter Series
Inter-Galactic Bounty Hunter (Book 1)
Tempting Bounty (Book 2)
Polar Bear Express Series
Her Big Bad Polar Bear (Book 2)
Leaving Triad Series
Leaving Triad (LT Book 1)
Patrolling The Stars (LT Book 2)
