“Where did you go?” Price asked me.
I turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mention our two weeks alone together and all of a sudden you go quiet and brooding. Where did you go?”
“Thinking about Percy and your brother. Touray isn’t going to let you just vanish for two weeks, and he’s sure as hell not going to let you go off the grid to my house with me.”
“Us,” Price said, kissing my hand again. “You’re important to him, too.”
I snorted. “Of course I am. He wants me to follow Kensington’s trace to the last artifacts.”
“That, too. But he likes you. And even if he didn’t, I love you and that makes you family. He’d die for you.”
“We should have invited him tonight. Let him really get a taste of family,” I said. “I’d pay to see him and my stepmom going at it. Wonder if Diamond City would even survive?”
“If she’s anything like your sister, it could be fun to watch. From what I hear, he nearly snapped Taylor’s neck during the hangar’s cleanup.”
“Everybody thinks she’s a pushover because she’s gorgeous and looks like she walked off the fashion pages. They think she’d be so afraid she break a nail or get a hair out of place that she must be a doormat. She flew in Iraq for military contractors and ended up fighting off insurgents in order to pull troops out of harm’s way. She’s got nerves of ice. After losing Josh, after your brother’s part in it, she’s not going to forgive him any time soon.”
Price shrugged. “Gregg isn’t used to having people challenging him. It’s good for him. Anyway, he didn’t kill her, the cops have been handled, and he’s made sure the place was cleaned up and better security established. She didn’t like that last one, either.”
“But . . . she’s family now,” I said, the corner of my mouth quirking up. Poor Taylor, she’d gone from having two obnoxious, overprotective brothers to four. Thanksgiving dinners were going to be entertaining, at the very least.
“Gregg’s bulked up the security on my place, too. We can go there if you like,” Price said.
I stared out the window a long minute. “You wanted to come to my house.”
“It’s not secure enough given what’s going on.” I could feel him looking at me. “What’s the matter?”
I lifted one shoulder. “It doesn’t really matter where we are as long as we’re together.”
“I know, but something’s still bothering you.”
“You wanted to know I trusted you. Coming home with me, living with me, that’s how you were going to know.”
We’d come a long way since that moment, but it felt wrong to back out of that deal. I didn’t want him to think I was weaseling out of it. I didn’t want him to doubt me.
He sighed. “I shouldn’t have pushed you that day. I was so out of my mind that I couldn’t see straight. Let me be very clear: I don’t care where we stay, so long as we’re together and I can keep you safe. I can’t do that at your home without letting a whole lot of people in on the secret of its location. I know you don’t want that. My place is the better option. Plus if you ever need somewhere to run to ground, you still have one, and I know where it is. Not that you’ll need it,” he added tightly.
“I like your place,” I said. “Especially your shower.”
“I like you in my place,” he said. “And in my shower.” He let go of my hand and slid his arm around me, snugging me against his side. Good thing I wasn’t in the habit of wearing seat belts. He pressed a kiss to my head. “I really like you in my bed.”
The gruff note of desire in his voice lit my body on fire. My stomach did a delicious flip as I imagined just what we’d be doing later, after dinner. I could hardly wait. Price and I hadn’t had any time to make love since he’d brawled with his brother in my sitting room. I squeezed my thighs together, remembering the feel of him, his touch on me, the glorious shattering he lifted me to.
“Maybe we should just go to your place now,” I said, twisting to nibble his ear, my hand drifting down to stroke him through his pants.
He groaned. “Don’t tempt me. Jesus, Riley. If you keep that up, I’m going to crash.”
I drew my hand away slowly, trailing my fingers along his hardening length. “I wouldn’t want you to crash.”
He sucked a breath in between his teeth. “I will get you back for teasing me,” he promised.
“You’d better.”
Mel lived in Uptown. It was one of the smaller places, but she had twenty acres of parkland that surrounded the main house. There were tennis courts and two guest houses. A brick-and-iron wall prevented intrusion. The guard at the gate let us in. We drove up the long drive beneath arching trees, their snow and ice-covered limbs gleaming in the moonlight. We arrived at the house. Several other cars already lined the circular driveway. Leo, Jamie, and Taylor were already here. We were the last to arrive.
Price parked, and I started to get out. He came around quickly, taking my door and offering me his hand. I took it and stood. He looked me over admiringly. I’ll admit, I’d dressed for the occasion. Maybe not all glitz and shine like Taylor, but I’d put on a sapphire wool dress, its soft fabric clinging to all my curves. It had a deep V-neck. It came down to just below my knees, and I wore a pair of black ankle boots with spike heels. My hair tumbled down my back and around my shoulders. I’d even put on some lip gloss and mascara.
Price put his hands on my hips and drew me against him. His cock was still hard. He rubbed himself against me, and it was my turn to moan as I gripped his shoulders. He chuckled triumphantly. “Turnabout is fair play, right?” He bent and nibbled my neck where it joined my shoulder, then sucked lightly. My knees sagged.
“Oh hell,” I whispered, tilting my head to give him better access.
His mouth nibbled lower. I trembled at the sandpaper scratch of his jaw against my skin. He licked the cleft between my breasts, and I shuddered, my nipples hardening as strands of lightning desire whirled through me.
“You are not playing fair,” I whispered.
“No? Then I suppose I should stop.”
He straightened. Instantly, I wanted him back. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get a handle on my raging hormones. Stepmom. Family. Dinner. I opened my eyes. Price was grinning wickedly at me.
“You are not a nice man,” I said.
“Never said I was.”
“You’d better eat a good dinner, because when we get home, I’m giving you a workout.”
“Home,” he repeated, taking my hand. “I like the sound of that.”
“You won’t when you find out that I leave my dishes in the sink,” I said as we walked toward the front door. Nerves fluttered in my stomach. I wanted Mel to like Price. I was pretty sure Leo did, and Taylor—well, she was still pissed over Josh in general and she’d lumped Price into her fury. She’d come around.
I rang the doorbell. My stepmom answered. She was dressed in a green silk sheath with a gold necklace made of skirling wires and delicate tracery, and set with diamonds and emeralds. Jamie had made it for her a few years back. Her red hair had cranberry highlights and curved around her pale face in an elegant bob. Her fingernails were glossy burgundy. A matching bracelet circled her left wrist, and she wore several rings.
I started to smile and move in for a hug. But she only nodded and lifted her fingers to warn me back.
The fluttering nervousness in my stomach hardened into worry. Did she already hate Price? Without giving him a chance? It wasn’t like her. She always gave everybody a fair shake.
“Riley. I’m glad you’ve come.” She gave me a penetrating look, meant to tell me something, then held out a hand to Price. “You’re Clay Price? I’ve heard about you.”
As they touched, I felt a pulse of magic from her. Whatever she communicated made Price’s
head snap back. Instantly, he went into predator mode. His gaze swept the foyer behind Mel, his body coiling.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered.
Mel gave a brittle smile. Then, “we have unexpected company for dinner tonight. It’s quite a surprise.”
“Who?”
“Come see.” She cast another look at Price. I’m not sure what she wanted him to know or do, but he held my hand tightly, staying slightly ahead of me.
We followed Mel into the sitting room. “Look who’s here, everyone. Riley and her beau.” Mel stepped aside.
Jamie and Leo stood rigidly on opposite sides of the room. Taylor was at the bar. She looked shell-shocked. All of them stared at the person sitting in the chair by the fireplace. He stood slowly, and I felt the air leave the room. My mouth fell open, and I was filled with a tangle of hope, hate, fear, and love.
“Dad. You’re back.”
The End.
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Acknowledgments
As always, writing a book, while a solitary experience in many ways, is also a group production. First, I want to say thank you to the best readers in the world. You have both inspired me and made it possible for me to write books. I can’t thank you enough. Nor could this book be possible without my amazing editor, Debra Dixon, and my agent, Lucienne Diver. Both are creative and hard-working, and I couldn’t do this without them. Thank you also to the fantastic staff at Bell Bridge Books. You have been so amazing to work with. I also want to say thank you to the Word Warriors. Every day they provide encouragement, snark, commiseration, and celebration. The writing process can be difficult, but they smooth the way. Thank you also to Devon Monk for her support and friendship, for teaching double points, and for long coffee breaks. Finally, I want to say thank you to my family. I couldn’t do this without them. And wait! One more finally! I want to say how much I appreciate all the support of my friends online and off. It’s been a tough year on several fronts, and you’ve made every day better.
Author the Author
Diana Pharaoh Francis is the acclaimed author of a dozen novels of fantasy and urban fantasy. Her books have been nominated for the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award and RT’s Best Urban Fantasy. Edge of Dreams is the second in her exciting new urban fantasy series—The Diamond City Magic novels.
Visit her at dianapfrancis.com and find her on Facebook.
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