Burn: Dragon Shifter Romance

by Ava Frost

  She sensed that observation now, towards her.

  With a deep, inward breath, Isabelle reminded herself that she wasn’t that young kid anymore. She was twenty-one, an adult, and a woman.

  Let him observe all he wanted.

  With that final thought in mind, she gave him a bright smile. “Good seeing you, James. Been keeping my dad company?”

  “Yeah. Your old man’s lonely and wants golfing company. I keep telling him it’s a boring sport, but he never listens.”

  Isaac chuckled, and Isabelle nodded her head in amusement. “He’s right, dad.”

  “Don’t listen to that guy,” Isaac scolded. “I’m finally accepting the fact that I’m old, while James here is busy with his fitness routines and dating all kinds of women.”

  The image of James with women in his arms had Isabelle freezing, so she changed the topic until the coffee was served by Santiago. The thing was, she wasn’t blind – but it wasn’t exactly a conversation she wanted to be a part of. He was too tempting for words – and painfully close.

  Too close.

  Focus, Isabelle.

  Thankfully, James left early, giving Isabelle one last smile as he did so. It made her stomach flutter, and she wondered if she was insane or if she simply needed to get herself in order.

  Probably the former.

  Relieved that he was gone, she turned to her father and leaned forward.

  “So, dad, the favor.”

  “Shoot, honey. What is it?”

  “You know I’m having this interview, right? In two months.”

  “Of course. It’s all you’ve ever talked about.”

  “That’s because it’s very important to me,” she said earnestly. “I know I said I needed no help from you…but I was just wondering if you could maybe hire me as an intern for a few weeks. I just want to add some experience to my portfolio instead of lounging around here doing nothing.”

  Her father’s clothing line business was a far cry from her creative writing degree and her interview for a newspaper company, but it was better than nothing. Isaac seemed to think so as he nodded his head approvingly.

  “Consider it done. So you start Monday?”

  She grinned. “Monday it is! And don’t give me a boss job. Treat me like a real intern.”

  “Real intern job. Fine, consider it done!”

  “You are awesome,” she declared before giving him another bear hug. He chuckled, obviously pleased.

  They caught up for an hour or two before Isaac finally stood up. “Sorry, honey, I have a phone call to make.”

  “It’s okay, dad. I’ll see you Monday.”

  But her father shook his head as he made a move to walk back to the house. “Actually, I’ll be off to New York for the next few weeks. But just go to my office and he’ll take care of you.”

  Isabelle blinked. “He?”

  Isaac grinned.

  “James is taking over my role for a while. Don't worry, kiddo. You'll be in good hands.”

  And then he sauntered off, leaving her staring in his direction long after he was gone.

  Working closely with James, her childhood crush? It was a disaster bound to happen. It was a catastrophe.

  It was…exciting.

  With a sigh, she leaned back on the patio couch and decided two things at once. First, she wasn't going to be stupid anymore and would start acknowledging him– properly – like the adult she was.

  Second, she was going to impress the hell out of him. For work purposes, of course.

  Easy as pie.

  Chapter 2

  Mondays were always busy for James, and this Monday was no exception. He was managing a different aspect of the business than he was used to, making this day particularly hectic. As the marketing head for the Indigo clothing line, he was more involved with drawing boards and marketing designs than operations, and it was a role he absolutely enjoyed.

  As a major investor and temporary head man in charge while Isaac was gone, he couldn't exactly coop himself up in his office and ignore everyone.

  The better part of his morning was loaded with meetings, from the discussion of a newly opened shop interested in reselling their upcoming line, to the review of the new supervisor applicants for one of their main boutiques. By the time the clock hit nine in the morning, he was loaded up on coffee and trying to decide whether he should talk to the reseller or check out the supervisor candidates first.

  Then Isabelle walked in his office and he forgot about both.

  She looked fresh that morning, wearing a yellow summer dress that emphasized the blue-gray of her eyes and strappy sandals that accentuated the long line of her legs. Her black hair was pulled up in a simple chignon, and she looked at him for a long second before giving him a shy smile.

  His stomach jumped to attention. She'd always been a pretty girl, but she used to be so small and usually liked wearing jeans and t-shirts. The sight of her yesterday was like a shock to his system, delightful and breathtaking.

  The sight of her now, with her dress highlighting all her curves, made him painfully aware that she'd grown up.

  Beautifully.

  “Good morning, James,” she said sweetly once she was in front of him. He stood up and walked around his desk, and was surprised when she held out her hand. He took it and shook it, finding her grip strong and professional.

  And warm. Soft.

  “Good morning, Isabelle.”

  “I'm ready for my first day,” she said cheerfully. “Where are we off to?”

  Her energy reverberated around the room, and James found himself smiling in response. Talking to the reseller could wait, and so could the pending supervisors.

  With a nod, James announced that he would love to give her a tour of the building.

  The Indigo clothing line was made up of different clothing styles for different reselling needs, catering to boutiques all over the states. They had two original main boutiques, selling a variety of their most popular fashion trends – one in New York and one in California. They had, however, only one main office located in California, where every department took up a whole floor. At the very top was her father's office, and further down were the marketing, planning and design offices, among others. At the first floor was the main boutique, and just behind the building was a vast parking lot and an area leading to the basement, where production occurred. While Indigo didn't cater to large resellers like department stores, they still had lots of orders they needed to meet.

  James explained the general process of the workload per department to Isabelle, taking his time as they strolled the area and he introduced her to some of the key workers there. She was polite and friendly, asking them questions without being too nosey and absorbing every bit information they threw at her. When the tour finished at the warehouse, she turned to him expectantly.

  “So, what's my job as an intern?”

  “Your job is to tag along and be my assistant. For now. You up for it, kid?”

  Blue-gray eyes met his. “I'm not a kid anymore, James.”

  That, she wasn't. He acknowledged her statement, nodding his head.

  “You up for it, Isabelle?”

  The excited smile that bloomed on her face shot heat down his loins. He tamped it down and reprimanded himself in his head as she responded with an easy yes.

  Best friend's daughter. Not appropriate.

  To distract them both, he proceeded with the tour and listed down all her new tasks.

  *******

  An hour later and they were back in his temporary office, where he talked to the potential reseller over the phone to discuss price dealings. Isabelle had listened in for the first few minutes – but her closeness as she leaned in distracted him, so he gave her the task of checking the supervisor applicants to keep herself busy. She sat on his couch and studiously did what she was told, glancing at him every now and then before returning her attention to the papers in front of her.

  Once he was done, he made a report of the
phone conversation before standing up and rolling his shoulders.

  “Good deal?” she asked curiously.

  James shook his head. “Not really.” He started to explain what it was they looked for when negotiating with potential resellers, and what didn't make the cut. Then he turned to the folder she'd closed. “If reading that list is taxing, I can always give you a new task.”

  Isabelle smirked. “Are you kidding me? I love reading whatever I can get my hands on. I'm done with this and I'd love to give my take, if you want to hear it.”

  James raised a brow and sat on the chair opposite the couch. “Shoot.”

  “This has already been screened by your HR, correct?”

  He nodded. “Screened and approved.”

  “Then go for the newbie – always.”

  James tilted his head. “That’s a pretty confident statement.”

  “It’s because I’m confident about what I’m saying.”

  “Fine, the newbie – any valid argument on why?”

  A thoughtful look crossed her face as she obviously thought over her answer. She leaned on the couch she was sitting on, getting comfortable. “Well, this is how I see it: those with experience will definitely do a great job because they already know what they’re doing, but the new ones will probably win over them in one very important aspect. Know what that is?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Energy. The drive to please because they have something to prove. Trust me. I’m a new graduate and if this was a company for writers, I’d be very eager to please you. I’m very eager to learn whatever you teach me as an intern, in fact. That beats experience, in my opinion.”

  Her words were said in a matter-of-fact tone, but it didn’t matter, because they took on a different meaning in his mind as his gaze focused on the way her mouth rolled over the syllables. Unbidden, images of her, very eager to please him in bed, rolled in his brain and took over. They were followed by images of him teaching her things – and said things were not necessarily office-related.

  James hardened in his pants immediately, arousal shooting through him like a bullet. He inwardly cursed himself and tried to remain calm as she continued talking about her idea.

  Jesus. She was nearly half his age. He needed to remember that.

  Grown up. Eager to please.

  “Well, what do you think?” she asked, crossing her legs and leaning over.

  “It sounds plausible,” he said carefully. Actually, it was a very smart take on things – one that he happened to share. Curious at the extent of her knowledge, James asked her questions related to marketing ideas and some business practices, listening intently as she answered in her calm and confident manner. Isaac had once mentioned his daughter had no interest in taking over the business once he retired, and that much was obvious in her college course choice – but it seemed that she knew a lot more about it than she let on.

  “You’ve been researching,” he commented in surprise.

  Her expression told him that she expected him to be surprised. Isabelle shrugged casually. “My dad talks about it from time to time and thinks I’m not paying attention. I am. It’s just that I like writing more than I like anything else.”

  He thought that statement over. Then he stood up and decided to give something a shot with her. “Well, since you’ve done your research and all…care to write a thought piece about it? We’re about to release a new collection and have been thinking of getting a thought article out.”

  “Thought article?”

  “Thoughts on the collection, some experience of the customers and a detailed review.”

  This time, it was her turn to be surprised. “You’re trusting an intern to write you an article?”

  James grinned. “Didn’t you just say it? Newbies have energy and the drive to please. I’d like you to put that to good use, along with your writing skills. You can even use it as leverage for your upcoming interview.”

  There was no other description for what happened next except that her eyes lit up, sparkling with so much happiness that she practically jumped off the couch as she stood up and gave him a hug. Her body melded with his, a warm softness enveloping him before she removed her arms and stood back a few steps.

  She beamed. “You’re not going to regret this, James. I’m going to make you proud.”

  His erection stood very proud indeed.

  But in his mind, he was already regretting this.

  *******

  When the workday ended, he was almost on the brink of asking her out before common sense took over and he thought better of it. On one hand, dinner with his best friend’s daughter was nothing out of the ordinary.

  On the other, it would most likely lead to him taking her home – then perhaps, unable to resist kissing her before she left his car.

  It wasn’t going to happen.

  Before he could change his mind, James bid her a polite farewell and left before he did something he would regret.

  Chapter 3

  The days flew by for Isabelle as she got busy with her internship and the special task James had given her – a task that she was thankful for and loved researching. Writing always made her happy, and writing for a professional business like the one her father owned gave her a special kind of joy.

  While she was close to her father, they never really talked about the business details– except the random tips and advice – because he liked to keep it out of their personal lives. Touring the building he worked in, talking to the employees, gave her an idea of what kind of a boss he was – and it made her proud that her father was apparently the easygoing, compassionate kind who treated everyone equally.

  Other than giving her an insight of her father, the busy hours also gave her an excuse to avoid the ever-distant James Lucas.

  James had always been friendly with her when she’d been a kid tagging along, even while she was a shy one – but lately, she noticed that he didn’t seem to want to do anything with her. Oh, he was polite – painfully so, making sure she had everything she needed before her day started and ushering her to her designated floor for said day. And then he’d be cooped up in her father’s office, only seeing her again during the last hour when she went back up for their daily briefing. They would talk about the progress of her writing research, and he would tell her about the things he took care of in her father’s absence.

  At the end of it all, they would talk about things like books, traveling and whatever passion they felt like discussing, and he would let go of his politeness for those few minutes as he would smile at her enthusiastic attitude. He had the kind of smile that made her breath catch in her throat oftentimes, sexy and seductive without him meaning it to be – he just had that kind of effect. It would sometimes make her forget her trail of thoughts, though thankfully she never stuttered in front of him anymore.

  And then the work day would end, and he would be back to his polite self, never once offering to take her home or invite her to dinner. It wasn’t even that he was too busy – oh, no. On more than one occasion, Isabelle would find James with a different woman in his arm as he walked through the building and took said woman to his car. For dinner, perhaps. And maybe more.

  It obviously meant one thing: he simply wasn’t interested in her enough to want to have dinner.

  Which was too bad, because she was more than interested in him.

  The fantasies for him when she was a teenager were back – only, now that she was an adult, said fantasies had become so much dirtier than she’d ever thought possible, making her feel uncomfortable and aroused at the most inopportune of moments. She knew it was wrong – knew she was playing with fire just by thinking of him the way she thought of him.

  But she couldn’t help her own thoughts any more than she could help her feelings of affection for the man.

  So she distracted herself with work.

  Isabelle talked to employees – interacted with them daily, got to know them better as time progressed and her internship for Ind
igo extended beyond the few weeks she had planned. She bonded mostly with the marketing writers and one of the fashion designers in the design team, Samantha, who became her daily lunch buddy. Samantha was smart and creative, and perhaps the sweetest girl she’d ever met.

  The day the article Isabelle had written was finished, they went to dine in a very nice restaurant in the area, where Samantha scanned her work and laughed at Isabelle’s humorous approach. Then the fashion designer let her in on a little secret.

  Chewing on her steak, Samantha gave Isabelle a very sly smile.

  “What?” Isabelle asked as she ate her own pizza and truffle fries.

  “Want to see the new collection we're planning to release?”

  “There's a new one coming out? I thought I was writing about the new one.”

  Samantha winked. “This one's coming out in a few months – the secret collection. It's all very hush-hush, but I wanted you to know firsthand because...my original pieces are part of it!”

  The smile on the designer's face was practically contagious, and Isabelle couldn't help her own smile from coming out as she squeezed Samantha's hand.

  “Oh, wow. I'm so happy for you! When can I see it?”

  “Now, after work. Are you free?”

  Technically, she was supposed to finish up her editing after work, but that could wait. Isabelle grinned.

  “Free as a bird.”

  *******

  Samantha led her to a part of the design building most employees didn't access – the so-called secret room, which not everyone was aware of. It contained the initial designs of the secret collection, created every few random years to boost the company ratings and showcase new designer talents. The last secret collection was done five years ago, and the one before that was nine years ago. Apparently, this year's secret collection theme was something about releasing the inner beast, and without further ado, Samantha drew the curtain hiding the area and let Isabelle see what was inside.

  Inside was a mess of papers stacked haphazardly on top of each other – and a line of burlesque-type clothing in its finishing stages. There were some that were already finished, and Samantha pulled Isabelle's arm closer to let her get a better look.