“Not bloody likely,” Ryce spoke up from the doorway of the infirmary. “I’ve got my hands full enough with this household stuffed with untried witches. I think adding Dimitre and Tatyana to our coven is enough for one year. I’ll stick with my little Latina from town who only wants me for my body.”
“Men!” Annali huffed.
“This is what happens when you get too much testosterone gathered together in one place,” Tatyana announced as she marched into the room. “Greetings, witchlings. I come bearing good tidings.” She nudged Ryce out of her way and brought Kaia forward. “Or good Kaia, in this case.”
“This infirmary isn’t big enough for the traffic flow in here ever since you woke up, Asher McBride,” Kaia announced. “So I’m kicking you out”
“Yes!” Asher shouted.
“But it’s bed rest for you still,” Kaia stipulated.
“Yes, but it will be my bed, in my room. Unless you’ve given it away to some foundling witch, Ryce?”
“No. All of the familiars are housed above the pool in the servants’ quarters. Your rooms are novice free. Kaia’s been stretched thin, though, so we’re all on our own for healing. Except for Annali’s endless supply of healing teas,” he stipulated. “I’ve got two dozen witches who swear by it.”
“Two dozen rather talented witches,” Tatyana remarked. “They all seem eager to use their new talents helping out around the house.”
“I did the same thing,” Annali remarked. “For me, it was the gardens. But since it’s so cold out, they are forced to express themselves indoors.”
“Not necessarily. Hunter has at least three of them out riding as we speak. I think he is trying to console himself after learning the horrifying news that his city girl has never been near a live horse in her life, never mind knowing how to ride one.”
Ryce groaned as if he were in pain when Tatyana said that, and she pointed to him and said, “See! That’s the exact reaction he had. ’Cept, he went a bit paler”
“That’s because Hunter has an actual tan. Ryce is that lovely British white,” Asher teased.
“You know, I’ve gotten nothing but abuse since I arrived. I think I’m going to take my leave before it gets much worse.” Ryce waved and left despite their group protest.
The High Priest of Willow Coven walked down the hall with a grin toying at his lips. He was incredibly happy. Not only was his family finally back together, but it was growing. At the moment, exponentially. However, the new witches would leave within a few months to make their own way in the world. Some would succeed, some would fail, and he could already see that some would end up facing white justice one day. Still, every last one of them deserved a chance, and if there were ever a time where he could influence that outcome, it would be while he had them within his coven, surrounded by the mature witches he was so proud of.
What gave him the most joy? Annali. Annali and Dimitre’s impending offspring. The birth of their baby was a dream come true for him. The first of a new generation born to his family of witches.
He couldn’t possibly want anything more.
Jacquelyn Frank is writing as JAX, and these are some of her most provocative stories yet! Don’t miss Dangerous, available digital first from eKensington in September!
“You could get any number of people to guard you,” he said at last, studying her stoic features very carefully. “There are some fine firms out there. Why did you pick NHK in specific, Ms. Candler?”
“Devon,” she persisted gently. Then more directly, “I prefer your ... umm ... style.”
“And what style is that?” Liam asked, a thrill of anticipation shooting down the back of his neck as he realized there was potentially a lot more going on here than the average babysitting job.
Devon stopped and looked at him. She suddenly kneeled before him in a graceful sweep of silk, her knees settling between the toes of his boots and her hands resting lightly on his knees. Their eyes locked with an instant sense of intimacy, and he held himself very still as he tried to decide how to react.
“You dislike my being this close. It makes you uncomfortable. If I close the distance, the discomfort increases ...” She demonstrated her point by sliding her hands up his thighs and leaning her body toward his.
For Liam, it was as if he’d forgotten how to breathe. Or move. It was as good as having her kneeling naked in front of him, an image he had no trouble conjuring in his active mind. She’d been hot-wiring his senses from the minute she’d entered the room, and now she was about to drive the car right off the showroom floor. He felt her ribs sliding against his inner thighs, the soft weight of her breasts a torturous brush over the material of his blacks. Devon’s scent flooded up and over him with a hint of orange citrus and some unidentifiable spice that blended so deliciously with the smell of warm, sexual woman. On the back of that scent came heat. It was a body warmth that, as she leaned even closer, penetrated in fast furious waves over his thighs, groin, and belly; methodically seeking its way up his chest. Completely out of his control, Nash’s body responded to her lure, hot blood pulsing low into his hips until he was hardening in answer.
Discomfited, Liam reacted by dropping the folder on the floor and grabbing her shoulders tightly.
“Defense,” she said quickly to make her meaning. “You’ve stopped me from doing what you don’t want me to do. But this is basic physics. You have to continually expend effort to keep me where I am. The threat stays, your energy is uselessly spent keeping me constantly at bay, and this doesn’t change. Not until one day when you weaken, or when you aren’t paying attention ...” She marked her line of reasoning by sliding her unimpeded hands all the way up the insides of his thighs until her fingertips flirted just shy of discovering her effect on him. “One day something gets by you and you’re victimized. There’s only one thing you can do to stop it. Only one thing, or you must face the inevitable.” Her hands twitched and he felt the brush of stroking fingers along the rigid length of his fly.
Liam exploded off the couch, hauling her up and shoving her backward. All he wanted in that instant was to get her as far away from him as he could reasonably manage before ... well, before. He wasn’t expecting her to stumble back awkwardly, landing hard on her bottom on the floor.
“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” he bellowed as he marched to tower over her, knowing that at his height and in the peak of fury he was beyond imposing. He told himself he didn’t give a damn, as his hands rolled into mighty fists. He fought not only his temper but an agonizing pulse of blatant sexual arousal. What in hell was she thinking?
“Offense,” she gasped out, her expression folding into a taut tension. “Don’t you see?” she panted softly. “Offense is the only true defense, otherwise you’ll always be fighting to protect yourself.”
eKENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2013 Jacquelyn Frank
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
eKENSINGTON is a trademark of the Kensington Publishing Corp.
KENSINGTON and the k logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-1-6018-3058-6
First electronic edition: May 2013
Hunter Page 34
