It felt as if the temperature in the room was rising in response to his annoyance. Then, Casey remembered: he was a shifter. A dragon shifter, if she’d heard Jasmine right. Wonderful. I meet the most spectacular looking man in the world, and he turns out to be a dragon of all things. A lion, she could see. Maybe even one of the big cats, or a wolf. But a dragon? Something that didn’t even exist in this world? Come on.
“Jasmine brought me here because of this.” She held up her bandaged arm. A bit of blood still oozed beneath the gauze. “I was attacked by one of you guys tonight.”
“One of my guys?” He cocked an eyebrow. “You mean a shifter?”
“Yes, I mean a shifter. My English professor. Apparently, he can turn into a bear. Who knew?”
“So, why did he attack you?”
“Because he’s bat-shit crazy, maybe? You tell me.” Casey shook her head and took a deep breath. “He’s been giving me some problems for a while. Stalking me and...whatever. He caught me alone at the library and, well…” She pointed to her bandages. “This happened.”
“Casey, I had the kitchen make you a hamburger and—” Jasmine stepped through the door and froze, looking from Casey to Brady. “Oh, hi, Boss.”
“What’s going on, Jasmine?” Brady sat on the edge of his desk. “Why did I come up to my office to find...this?”
“I have a name, you know.” Casey straightened her back.
“I didn’t know what else to do,” Jasmine said. Her tone sounded apologetic, but Casey could hear the steel underneath it. Jasmine didn’t like being told what to do, even when it was her boss telling her. “I’m off the clock in a couple of hours. She’s going home with me.”
“And what’s she supposed to do until then?” Brady asked.
“She will go downstairs and have the stiffest drink she can find,” Casey said as she stood up and stumbled, still slightly woozy. Jasmine caught her arm and helped her to the door.
Casey paused a moment and turned back to Brady. Damn, but he was a good-looking man. Too bad he seemed like such an ass.
“Thank you for all your help, Mr. Markonian. It’s truly been a pleasure and an honor to make your acquaintance.” She rolled her eyes just in case the sarcasm in her tone hadn’t sunk in. With a smirking smile, she gave him a half-hearted salute and allowed Jasmine to lead her out the door and down to the bar. She sat as Jasmine left to get her a drink. The bartender glanced at her and smiled politely, then turned on his real smile for a blonde just over her shoulder.
The attitude on that guy, she thought, shaking her head. Brady, was it? He seemed like a Brady. Made sense, though. Handsome. Rich. Owner of a club. Of course he had to be a jerk. It was in the rule book of life.
What she couldn’t understand was that shock of desire she’d felt for him. At twenty-five, she’d come to the conclusion that sex just wasn’t worth the effort. Sure, it could be fun with the right person—or so she’d heard—but in the long run, it just confused everything. For the last four years, she had been about as sexual as a potato. There were just too many other things in her life that needed her attention. Puffing up a guy’s ego was not one of them.
But this guy...okay, yes, looking into his eyes made her heart stutter. And watching his mouth move as he spoke triggered many, many fantasies. And of course, imagining what might be hiding beneath that tailored suit would be one of her new hobbies. But men like that didn’t notice women like her. They noticed women who were more on their level, women with big boobs and big bank accounts and big hair.
Casey took a deep breath and sighed. Despite all that, he didn’t deserve her rudeness. He could have fired Jasmine on the spot and kicked them both out of his office. And anyway, it wasn’t like her to be so bitchy. If she didn’t do something to fix things, she’d be up all night obsessing about it.
Jasmine came back with a beer and set it down in front of Casey. “Here you go. On the house.”
Casey smiled faintly, distracted, and took a quick swig. “You said your boss was a nice guy?”
“Yeah.” Jasmine nodded, shrugging. “He’s really good to the shifter community. One time, he paid a waitress’s rent for a whole year while she was fighting her ex for custody.”
“He did?”
“And then there was the time…” Jasmine laughed quietly at the memory. “There was the time when he arranged vacations in Hawaii for all of the staff, all expenses paid. You should have seen the fights we got into to see who would go first.”
“That was nice of him,” Casey said, nodding her head. She hopped down from the bar stool. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Where are you going?”
Casey smiled. “I’m going to see a man about an apology.”
4
Brady
It wasn’t like anything exciting was going to happen.
Famous last words.
It had been a long night. A water main broke in the men’s bathroom, flooding the floor, and three of his servers had called off due to illness. Everyone was working double-time to make up the difference and he hadn’t had a chance to catch his breath. And he had really thought he could go home early. He should have realized that this was his home, like it or not.
All he wanted was a glass of whiskey and a couple hours of sleep on his couch. That wasn’t asking too much, he thought. He just wanted a chance to catch his breath, relax, and figure out how to fix things. So, when he opened his office door and saw a woman lying on said couch sleeping, he had been just a little surprised. That was the last thing he’d expected tonight.
Poor kid looked exhausted. He’d moved quietly, not wanting to wake her. Her left arm was bandaged, and he could smell the fresh scent of her blood. She grimaced and rolled her head from side to side as she slept. Nightmares. She cried out, frowning.
Brady knelt beside her for a moment and laid his palm across her forehead. In an instant, the frown was gone, replaced by a soft smile.
He stood and sat at his desk, studying her. This must be the friend Jasmine had talked about, Kristy or Casey or something. Now he knew why Jasmine had asked to take an early break. Whatever had happened to her, it looked like it hurt. Scratch marks, not too deep but deep enough to draw blood and hurt like a bastard. Panther, maybe. Possibly wolf. He couldn’t quite tell which species until he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on the scent. He caught it then, the sour stink of a bear. If she’d run into a bear shifter, she was lucky to be alive.
His gaze lingered on her. She wore jeans and a baggy sweater that had seen better days but did little to hide a very shapely body. He wondered if she was hiding on purpose. Her hair was wild and tangled, chestnut brown with just a hint of auburn and well-below shoulder length. Just the right length to barely veil her ample bare breasts as she sat atop him....
Brady blinked at the abrupt thought. Where had that come from? The woman was lying on his couch hurt and scared, and he was imagining her naked?
The floodgates had opened, though, and his years of celibacy hit him with a tornado of fevered images. Casey’s full lips opening under his. Her eyes half-lidded and gazing up at him with hunger. Her long legs naked and smooth and wrapped around his waist as he drove himself inside her…
Okay. Enough of that.
It was a pleasant enough way to waste time, entertaining increasingly lurid scenarios between them, but all of that was ruined when she woke up. Beautiful and sexy and vulnerable or not, once she opened her mouth, her attitude had ruined everything.
His office door opened and, speak of the devil, Casey popped her head into the room. “Hey,” she said, smiling faintly. “Can I talk to you?”
“Thanks for knocking.” Brady raised his brow and leaned back in his chair. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Casey entered and closed the door behind her. Brady gestured to the couch and she perched on the very edge of the cushion. Fight or flight mode, Brady thought.
“Listen…” Casey took a deep breath and met his eyes directly
. “I wanted to apologize. For earlier.”
Brady sat up in his chair. “Really?”
“I was rude and…” Her voice trailed away as her cheeks flushed. “I was freaked out, to be honest. I haven’t been around too many...”
“Shifters?”
Casey nodded. “Until tonight, it’s just been Jasmine.”
Her vulnerability made him feel things he did not want to feel. Human or not, the woman was afraid and in pain. She needed help.
“Have you lived in the city long?”
“Five years. I moved here for grad school.” Casey eased back onto the couch. “I’m from a farm upstate. I didn’t know anything about anything before I came here.”
“And who did this to you?” Brady glanced at her bandaged shoulder. The gauze would need to be changed soon. “A teacher?”
“English professor.” Casey smiled bitterly. “English professor by day, bear shifter by night.”
“You didn’t know?”
“It’s not like you guys wear a sign around your necks.” Casey’s smile grew more natural. “Is there a secret handshake or some kind of signal to get in your club?”
Brady grinned despite himself. “I’d show you the handshake, but you have to have at least four paws to do it right.”
Casey laughed at that, and for a moment, Brady was struck speechless. Her entire being transformed when she laughed. He’d thought she was beautiful when she was sullen and rude, but now he didn’t know how he was supposed to react to this side of her.
“Cute and funny,” Casey said, still smiling. “Nice combo.”
“I could say the same to you.” Their gazes met and held for a few long moments. Am I actually flirting with her? he asked himself. “Where are you sleeping tonight?”
Casey’s brows shot up, instantly on guard. “Is that some kind of invitation or…?”
“No, no.” Brady’s smile remained. “Are you going back to your home or a hotel or something?”
“Jasmine’s letting me crash on her couch for a while.” Casey turned more serious. “Is Jasmine in trouble for what she did? She was just trying to help me out. I asked if I could come—”
“It’s fine.”
“So, you just act like a hard-ass.” Casey nodded, a teasing smile in her eyes. “Noted.”
Brady needed to get some of his distance back. He liked her, and that was not good for him. He had a feeling that if he allowed himself to like this woman, like would lead to love and trust, pain and heartbreak, and he just couldn’t do that again.
“Is there anything else you wanted?” Brady managed to make his tone cold and aloof. He saw the flirtatiousness in her eyes flatten into disappointment. He hated to do it, but this was better for both of them.
“Are you working tomorrow?”
“I’m always working. Why?”
Casey sighed. “Well, I was going to ask if you would mind helping me get some stuff from my apartment. Jasmine’s got classes all day and you’re the only halfway decent man I know around here.”
“Halfway?”
She smiled a little. “Maybe three-quarters. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
It would be so easy to just say no. So easy to make up a day filled with business meetings and deadlines and anything else he could think of to avoid spending more time with her. Who would blame him if he did? After all, she wasn’t his responsibility. She was a fully grown woman who lived independently and could take care of herself, right?
He glanced at the bandage on her arm. If her stalker had been able to do that in a public place, who knew what he might do if he caught Casey at home alone?
“Okay,” he said, exhaling loudly. “I’ll pick you up at Jasmine’s at ten.”
Casey’s smile melted into relief, and before he knew it, she was on her feet and at his desk, pulling him to his feet for a hug. As her arms wrapped around his waist, he allowed himself to relax a little, feeling a little drunk from the warmth of her body, the sweet rose scent of her hair. The feel of her breasts pressed against him was almost too much for him to take at the moment. Reluctantly, he straightened, taking a half-step away from her.
Her cheeks were flushed as she gazed up at him. Don’t look at me like that, he thought, fighting the urge to sweep a wayward strand of hair from her cheek.
“Thanks, Mr. Markonian.” She nodded and began easing her way towards the door, walking backward awkwardly as she kept her eyes on him. If he wasn’t mistaken, he thought he saw her gaze dart down the length of his body, darkening the blush on her cheeks.
The thought made him smile. And instantly hard. “Call me Brady.”
“Okay, Brady.” She paused at the door, looking back at him. “You know, I just realized...you don’t even know my name.” She smiled again, lighting up her entire face. “I’m Casey. Casey Donahue.”
Brady dipped his head in a nod. “Pleasure to meet you, Casey Donahue.”
“The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure,” she said with mock formality and bowed at the waist. Then, still smiling, she waved and closed the door behind her.
Brady was left feeling as if a hurricane had swept through his life. It wasn’t a good idea to help her. He knew that. He knew that if he had any bit of intelligence, he would make up an excuse for tomorrow and stay away from her.
But he also knew he wouldn’t be able to do that. The dragon within him had stirred, awakened by Casey’s scent. It wouldn’t let him walk away. It had already decided that he would have her. Brady had no choice in the matter.
Brady sighed in resignation. Fine. But he had a feeling that this was going to get messy.
5
Casey
Brady was in front of Jasmine’s apartment by 9:45 the next morning.
“He’s early,” Jasmine said as she peeked out the window. She cradled a mug of coffee against her chest. “Did I forget to mention that he’s notoriously early to everything?”
Casey stepped out of the bedroom. “I think you kinda left that out.”
“Oops. My bad.” Jasmine laughed as she took in Casey’s outfit. “Girl, what are you wearing? Are those my workout clothes?”
Casey looked down at herself. She had foraged through Jasmine’s closet and dressed the way she always dressed: baggy sweatshirt, comfortable jeans, a pair of Chucks. She’d washed her face, pulled her hair back into a long braid, and called it a day.
“What’s wrong with the way I look?”
“C’mere.” Jasmine gestured for her to come to the window and pulled the curtain back. On the street below, Brady leaned against a black SUV. A man in a black suit sat behind the wheel. Brady looked markedly different than he had the night before. Wearing jeans and a white tee beneath a flannel button-up shirt, he looked even better than he had in his tailored suit. A quick little gasp escaped Casey’s lips.
“You see that man down there?” Jasmine let the curtain fall closed again. “You are going to be alone with that burning hot guy for most of the day. Is this how you want to look to him? Like a repressed librarian from 1983?”
“It’s not that bad,” Casey said as she looked down at herself. Her 32D breasts were only faint bumps beneath the baggy shirt. Her butt was non-existent in her comfy jeans. She thought of the women she had seen at the club the night before and realized that Jasmine was right.
“Honey, it’s bad. Super bad.” Jasmine put down her coffee and grabbed Casey by the hand, leading her back to the bedroom. “You need help.”
Ten minutes later, Casey emerged as a whole new person. Jasmine had dressed her in a pair of better-fitting jeans that accentuated her butt. Her top was a silky, long-sleeved blouse in a shade of blue that almost perfectly matched her eyes. Casey had refused to wear anything skin-tight or revealing, so the blouse was a fair compromise. It clung to her, but not in a way that made her feel totally exposed. The final touch was a little bit of mascara and lip gloss. Understated and classy.
“Why do you always wear your hair pulled back?” Jasmine untangled Casey’s bra
id and let the loose waves flow over her shoulders. “You look like you just walked out of a damn shampoo commercial. Show it off.”
Casey stood in front of the mirror, fighting the urge to grab a sweatshirt and cover up. She’d always felt self-conscious, so shrouding herself in oversized clothing had given her a shield to hide behind. To see herself like this...it felt strange.
“You look great,” Jasmine said and smiled. “Brady won’t believe it when he sees you.”
“Brady’s not interested in me.” Casey couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “No, he’s not interested. Besides, didn’t you say he’s a prince or something?”
Jasmine nodded. “Yeah. And?”
“And I’m not exactly the kind of girl you take home to meet the Queen.”
“Well, who’s saying you have to have a relationship with him?” Jasmine’s smile slanted. “Do a little hit-it-and-quit-it.”
“Jazz…” Casey shook her head. “No. The last guy I was with—”
“You mean the guy you were with four years ago?”
“Yeah...” Casey brushed away the unwelcome memories of her first serious relationship. Paul had been more than enough reason for her to give up on dating.
“I don’t want to rush anything.” Casey tugged at the silk blouse, pulling it away from her breasts. “Why is this so clingy?”
“Look out there at that man and tell me you don’t want to rush things.” Jasmine handed Casey an empty duffle bag. “Have fun today.”
“Oh, I won’t.” Casey smiled and kissed Jasmine on the cheek. Then it was off to a whole day alone with Brady Markonian. God help her.
Other than a few polite pleasantries, they rode to Casey’s apartment in silence. It turned out that both the SUV and the driver belonged to Brady. Casey tried to glance at Brady from the corner of her eye, but every time she looked at him, he was staring out his window, chin resting on his knuckles, seemingly oblivious to her presence.
Into The Dragon's World Page 2
