Rhia squeezed her eyes shut to force away the image of him in that leather harness and loincloth. It didn’t work. Caelius was a dancer and a bodybuilder. It was that simple. If she scoured the internet long enough, she was pretty sure he’d show up somewhere modeling low-slung jeans or lying on a beach with a gorgeous woman wrapped around him. Why on Earth would he want to spend time with me?
Shaking her head to knock out all the crazy shit running through it, she turned and almost screamed when she bumped into Scott.
“Geez, Scott. You scared the crap out of me. I didn’t realize you were behind me.”
“Sorry, Rhia. I was just checking to see if you were coming to the back. We need to get the scones brushed and in the oven. Your young friend leave?”
Well didn’t that put everything back into perspective? Young. Despite his protestations that her age was nothing to him, Rhia knew she was walking on a narrow wire that would dump her fifty feet down a rocky ledge and crack her ego all to hell and back. Yup, best to put this night into the “well, wasn’t that interesting” pile and get back to reality.
“Yes. He’s gone.”
“Nice kid.”
“Yep. Nice kid.”
Chapter 4
“This is the fourth day in a row you’ve shown up before closing, Caelius. I’m positive there are a thousand better things you could be doing.”
Chuckling, Caelius slid onto the comfortable stool and grabbed the menu from her hand. He smiled when he spotted a patch of flour clinging to her cheek. Without thinking, he reached up and smoothed the white powder away. His eyes zeroed onto her neck, specifically to the pulse point beating rapidly against her skin. He let his finger trail along her delicate jaw and slowly removed his hand when she blinked a few times and swallowed hard.
“I like the desserts here.”
Snatching the menu back, she rolled her eyes and feigned exasperation. The slight twitch to the edge of her lips was a dead giveaway that she fought a smile.
“You get the same thing every time, so I don’t know why you’re bothering with this thing.”
“I was planning to get something different tonight.”
Slapping the menu down on the counter, she cocked a hip and crossed her arms.
“Okay, take a look and tell me what you want.”
He kept his eyes locked to hers and waggled his brows. Satisfied with her flushed cheeks, he glanced to the laminated card and gave his order. He fought a grin when he heard her snort.
“Damn, Caelius. It’s the same thing. Apple pie with ice cream. How’s this different?”
“I’m only getting one slice instead of two this time.” He enjoyed her soft chuckle.
“Fine. I’ll be right back. You want it piping hot or just warmed?”
“Warm. It melted the ice cream too fast last time, and I ended up with pie soup.”
She gave him a grin. “You got it.”
Caelius watched as she pulled the dessert from the cabinet and cut him a large slice. She placed it in the microwave and headed to the back to get the ice cream. He’d observed her doing this each night, and it never got old. In fact, he thought she was becoming prettier every time he saw her. Tonight, she’d worn a dark blue T-shirt and her eye color had morphed into a rich bluish gray. She was stunning. He knew he was toast. It was that simple.
Lifting a brow, he glanced to the two dark-haired males hunkered over their coffee cups at the end of the counter. They weren’t fooling him in the slightest. Their eyes were latched on to Rhia’s every movement until she disappeared into the back. He wondered if he had that same glazed, appreciative expression on his face as well. They both looked to be in their early forties and possibly related. He hated that they were closer to Rhia’s age. Even as he fought the urge to jump up and smash their heads against the counter, he realized he couldn’t blame them. She was a living magnet. Huffing out a frustrated breath, he wished they weren’t handsome. It only made him more paranoid. Any red-blooded male would be insane not to take an interest in her.
He’d come back the first night just to assure himself that she wasn’t perched at a bus stop, and that’s when he’d noticed them both lingering at the counter until closing. They were friendly enough, and it seemed as if she’d waited on them before, so he hadn’t been overly concerned. The second night, he’d conducted a drive-by out of blatant curiosity and sure enough, they were back. The decision to start making his presence known was immediately sealed.
Maybe he needed to give them an obvious sign that neither of them would ever leave here with her. Perhaps he’d catch them out in the parking lot and ask them outright what their intentions were. He inwardly grimaced. No, that might cause Rhia to get angry at his behavior if they told on him. Hell. This was so confusing. If she’d quit politely refusing his offers to walk her to the parking lot, he wouldn’t be having this problem right now. The sound of the microwave timer jolted him out of his musings and into quick realization that a low growl was rumbling from his chest. He took a swallow of his coffee to calm down.
What he really needed to focus on was how to touch one of her pulse points. He’d been hard pressed on deciding how to make that happen. He seriously doubted she’d let him kiss her. She wasn’t anything like the females he’d encountered since his arrival on Earth. At the club, he could touch them all he wanted and spent most of his time after that just trying to get away.
However, this time Caelius knew he’d have to be careful. If a warrior fell into an Occasio surge at Heat Seekers, the other warriors would just drag him backstage. The female wouldn’t be the wiser, and he could recover enough to finally collect her before she got away. He’d seen that happen five times now and realized he hadn’t really planned for a different scenario. The only Insedi that hadn’t needed handling was the Trejani. From what he understood, the tough bastard had stayed upright the entire time and even had enough strength left to pin the Filia up against the wall before she hauled ass. Caelius hoped to have that much control when his time came. Hell, more like if it ever came.
Caelius straightened and smiled when Rhia pushed through the swinging doors, snagged his pie, and plopped a large scoop of ice cream on top. He thanked her, dug into the dessert, and watched from the corner of his eye as she wiped the counters down.
No. Touching her in public was out of the question. Falling off the barstool and getting hauled to the emergency room didn’t sound the least bit pleasant. Nope, he’d just have to bide his time.
Looking up to the clock, he grimaced. There were only five minutes left before Rhia informed the lingering patrons they were closing. He’d spend another fifteen minutes blending into the shadows across the street while he watched them cleaning the shop, and several more minutes to assure that Scott safely escorted her around the building and into the darkness of employee parking. Twenty minutes later, he’d be at the club and trying not to throw up while he touched every neck within his reach. Despite what he was feeling for Rhia, he couldn’t take a chance that a potential mate might be standing right in front of him. He groaned softly at the injustice of it all.
Knowing he was out of time, Caelius rose from the stool and slid in front of the cash register. Pulling his wallet out, he waited for Rhia to ring his purchase. He was surprised when she shook her head.
“Nah. This one’s on me. I made the pie, so I can say who gets a freebie.” He melted at the gift of her sweet smile.
“That’s nice, thank you.”
“Hey. What happened? Are those burn marks?”
Caelius glanced down to his wallet and chuckled. “Unfortunately, yes. My roommate played a trick on me and put it in the toaster. I didn’t realize it was in one of the slots until I tried to cook some toast.”
“Maxim, right?”
“Yep.”
“He plays tricks on you all the time?”
Snorting, Caelius shoved his wallet into his pocket. “You have no idea. I had to crawl on top of the apartment building this morning to get my favorite b
oots down.” Her eyes widened.
“You’re serious?”
“Yep.”
“You kick his butt?”
Laughing, he rested his arm on top of the register and leaned in. “No, but do you think I should?”
“Hell, yes. You’re big. He won’t stand a chance.”
“Maxim’s bigger.”
“Impossible.”
“Nope.”
Rhia opened her mouth as if to respond, yet quickly clamped it tight. She glanced down and then took a deep breath before raising her eyes again. He was surprised by the flush to her cheeks.
“I was wondering if you…no, never mind. Forget it.”
Leaning closer, Caelius urged her to continue.
“No, please ask. You’ve got my curiosity up. Ask me anything.” He’d never seen her twist her fingers together like that before. She was actually nervous. Now he was worried. He leaned forward and whispered, “Go ahead, Rhia. Ask.”
She straightened her shoulders and looked him directly in the eye.
“Okay. What the hell. Would you stick around after we close and follow me back to my house?”
Caelius felt his heart race and knew his eyes had peeled wide. Was he dreaming this? He realized too late that he should have spoken up instead of standing there like a mute. Suddenly, her lips parted and she blushed.
“Ah, shit! That didn’t sound right. Uh…what I meant was I need your help with something. I have a dresser I’ve been trying to move from one room to the other, but it’s too heavy. I’d ask Scott, but I know he hurt his thigh playing racquetball, and the idiot would try to move it anyway.” She blinked a few times and took a deep breath.
“So…since you look like you can pick it up with one finger, do you mind helping me out? If you’ve got somewhere else to be, I’ll understand. No worries.”
This was it. This was his chance. He tried hard to school his features and not look like an overeager suitor. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the shit out of her.
“Sure. I don’t mind at all. I have no other plans.” Gods! He’d move a thousand dressers just to see that glorious smile.
“Great. That’s good. Okay. Just sit tight. Let me help Scott with closing and I’ll be right back.”
Caelius plopped down on the stool and tried to get his heart under control. He glanced over when he heard the front door swing open. Rhia’s two admirers were standing in the doorway and looking at him with dejected faces. The one with dark blue eyes spoke up.
“Lucky bastard.” Then he smiled.
Grinning at the admitted defeat from his silent opponents, Caelius chuckled and nodded.
“Yes, very much so.” He smiled when they threw a little wave and disappeared into the night.
* * * *
Hey. I won’t be coming in tonight. Sorry for waiting until the last minute, but I’ve got something important to take care of. If it doesn’t take long, I’ll try to come in.
Caelius turned the ignition and waited for Petrus’s response.
No worries. We’re good. Nikos was off, but he came in anyway. Chiron needed him for a new act.
Good. That’s good. Okay. See you later.
Closing his barriers, Caelius waited for any sign of Rhia’s car. Scott had appeared nervous when he discovered that he was still in the shop after closing. After Rhia told him that she was going to use him for furniture moving, the man still insisted on walking her to the parking lot. He couldn’t lay blame there. It was his employee and he was used to watching out for her. It gave him some comfort knowing Scott would be around if he couldn’t be there.
Caelius tapped on his steering wheel with impatience until he saw a little red Dodge Omni ease from the parking lot and swing out onto the street. The lights flashed once, and he pulled out behind her.
“Well, shit! So this is the car that keeps breaking down. No wonder!”
The damn thing really couldn’t be called red. It was faded with time, and the paint blended in nicely with the rust working up the back quarter panel. The thing had to be at least twenty years old, if not older. He felt lightheaded thinking how easily someone could carjack her. The cardboard and duct tape over the passenger-side back window wouldn’t keep out the elements, much less a fully-grown male with nefarious intent. The whine of the transmission gave him additional pause. He didn’t know much about cars, but that squealing sound didn’t bode well.
Gut churning with angst at the discovery, he realized he now knew what the Trejani and Severus had felt when their mates drove similar disasters. At least they were able to rectify the situation. He was helpless to intervene. He knew her well enough to know her pride would never allow him to replace the heap of junk. Maybe if he had it stolen, she’d acquiesce? That thought was immediately pushed to the side when he envisioned her stubbornly taking a bus each day while she repeatedly refused his offer of money. Son of a bitch! Until he discovered if she was his mate, or not, he’d have to stay away from expensive gifts.
After the third turn and many miles of darkened road, Caelius continued to shake his head in disbelief. The neighborhood was declining with each passing mile. He sighed in relief when she pulled up in front of an older home instead of moving further into the even seedier side of Austin. There were enough streetlights to give an illusion of safety, and he didn’t see any disreputable humans lurking about. At least the area didn’t look completely unredeemable. That thought quickly faded when he pulled along the curb and got a good look at the front of her home.
Thick bushes grew to either side of the stairs leading up to the porch. A bulb burned next to her door, yet she wouldn’t be able to see anyone that chose to hide amongst the shrubbery. They could seize her and be inside before she could reach the door. Still reeling over the snatch-and-grab scenario, he grimaced further upon discovering the concrete sidewalk and stairs were severely cracked and unleveled. She could trip and injure herself very easily.
He jumped when a light rap sounded on his window. She was peering inside the car with raised eyebrows and questioning eyes.
“Are you coming?”
Releasing the seat belt, he crawled out of the vehicle and looked around.
“That thing you call a car is on its last legs, and you definitely need to move somewhere else, Rhia. This place looks dangerous. I worry for you.” He was surprised by her chuckle as she walked on a well-worn path next to the decrepit sidewalk.
“Yeah. Easy for you to say, Mr. Jaguar. I did good finding this on my measly salary. I’ve got plans. They’re just not feasible for about another year. I’ll be all right.”
Following behind her, he wasn’t surprised by the flimsy door without a deadbolt anywhere in sight. One kick and it was done for. Every protective instinct crawling around in his body demanded he snatch her up and take her back to his home. In the same instant he chastised himself for the thought. She wasn’t his and it wouldn’t do him any good to pretend otherwise. Despite his repeated protestations that their age difference didn’t matter, she changed the topic each time he hinted at something more. She treated him like a friend, not a potential lover. Tonight he would find a way to touch her wrist and his future with her would be known.
Caelius was surprised as soon as he walked through the doorway. Despite the age of the home, the interior disguised what held it together. The walls carried a coat of new paint, and the hardwood floors were gleaming. Even her furniture looked relatively new. A plush leather couch and matching recliners sat behind a large center table filled with fresh flowers. Spectacular images of mountains with misty fog covering the peaks and sunsets dipping into turquoise waters were strategically mounted around the room. The whole setup provided a sense of peacefulness and quiet solitude. That was immediately broken by the horrendous sound coming from the alleyway running alongside her driveway.
Chapter 5
Striding to the nearest window, Caelius pushed the curtain aside and scanned the dimly lit alley. He chuckled when he saw two cats fighting next to sever
al overturned trashcans. Glancing down, he spotted a screw tightened halfway into the wood just above the lower window frame. It would be unseen from the outside, but accessible for the homeowner. It was a poor man’s equivalent of a window deadbolt. His gut lurched at the thought that she, too, knew this neighborhood was rife with danger, but was helpless to change her circumstances. Turning away from the sight, he frowned when he spotted her leaning against the wall and grinning.
“You always jumpy like that, Caelius?”
“Only when it comes to your safety. The screw in the window frame was pretty shrewd, Rhia. However, it won’t stop someone that intends to get inside. Nothing but a thin pane of glass stands between you and danger.” His frown remained when she shrugged and placed her purse on the bar counter separating the living room from the small kitchen.
“I know. At least it forces them to break some glass and navigate through the shards. By the time they get to me, my gun will be pointing in their direction and that should give them time to rethink their stupidity. Did you happen to catch the little sticker on the window pane?”
Turning back to the window, Caelius spotted the clear square disk stuck in the center of the glass and tried to read the backward words placed next to a picture of a handgun. He rose up and laughed.
“Armed by Smith and Wesson. Go ahead, make my day. I actually know the meaning behind that. Dirty Harry, right? That’s a classic. I’ve seen them all. That’s a pretty big gun.”
“Yup, and I know how to use it.”
Grunting, he moved to the counter, leaned against it, and crossed his arms. “Well, that gives me a small measure of peace, but I’m still concerned.”
“That’s sweet, Caelius, but I’ll be fine. I’ve been living on my own for over three years now since my divorce. I’ve learned to be cautious. I saw how you were eyeballing those front shrubs. I usually have my pepper spray at the ready, but with you trailing behind me like a personal bodyguard, I figured I didn’t need it.” Turning, she motioned for him to follow her into a narrow hallway.
Fueled by Lust: Caelius (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 4
