Page 4 of Bound By Fire and Magic
Get your head out of those memories!
She stalked down the stairs. Her soft soles didn’t make a sound, and he was making enough noise to cover it anyway. His glorious roars and growls shivered through her. Scary. Raw. Powerful. He’d made sounds like that when he came, throwing his head back and?—
Stop!
Elle reached the bottom of the stairs, her pulse thrumming. He raced out of the shadows, launching himself over one of the tables in a graceful flip and came to a graceful stop. After a throaty growl, he morphed to man with his back to her and hands braced on the table while he caught his breath. The gluteus maximus muscles of the finest ass she’d ever laid hands on were flexed and tight. His hair, in choppy lengths just like always, fell forward.
She opened her mouth, but before any words could come out, he spun to face her.
His expression went from fierce to surprised to shuttered in an instant. “Oh. I didn’t know you were here.”
She could barely see the Dragon tattoo that wrapped like a sash up to his shoulder. Dangerous and sexy and a little freaky in the way it moved over his skin.
She crossed her arms over her chest to hide her trembling hands. “Obviously.”
He made no move to grab up his clothes, but then again, he’d never been particularly modest. Besides, she knew that body, knew every line, every contour, every?—
Damn, why did her mind keep going there?
At least the shadows fell discreetly across his waist.
He flicked his head back in a vain attempt to get his hair off his forehead. She remembered well those silken strands sliding between her fingers.
What am I doing?
“Ellie, what are you doing here?”
Her mouth dropped open. “You have the nerve to ask me what I’m doing here? Hullo, this is my family’s property. You’re the one trespassing.”
“I didn’t see your car. Some warning would have been nice.”
“I’m so sorry to startle you by being on my own property.”
“Well, at least you’re sorry.”
She pulled back her retort when she saw the devilish glimmer in his eyes. He’d always known how to get to her. “My father built a covered parking area around back for the office staff. I guess that was after you left.”
When her father had convinced her that breaking things off with Kirin was for the best. When the hardest thing she’d ever had to endure was saying goodbye to him. Hard? Breaking things off had shattered her. None of those handsome Deuces at college made her feel the way Kirin had. Their paths didn’t cross for four years. But when they did, all of that desire flared just as hot as before. They’d had eleven months, two weeks, and four days together, planning a future together. Then her mother had disappeared.
Now that Kirin was close, now that she could smell him, her body tingled to life. Idiot. He might have been her first, but he hadn’t been her last.
But he was the only one who made you feel…
She killed the thought. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“It was either that or go Dragon in the woods. I’d hate to have to eat some vagrant who happened to see me.”
Because a wanton disregard for Rule Number One could result in execution. Taking the life of a Mundane was frowned upon, but the Concilium, the government that handled Crescent matters, would sanction that over executing one of their own for reckless behavior. Still, you never knew what they would decide. Most Crescents wouldn’t take the chance.
Kirin walked over to where he’d dropped his clothes and bent to pick them up. After sliding into his black briefs, he snapped his pants out in front of him, sending a million dust motes swirling in a frenzy. “Funny, us meeting here like this.” He pulled on his pants and buttoned them while keeping his gaze on her.
“Actually, it’s not funny at all.” The anger was there, as potent as it had been six months ago. “It’s annoying and unpleasant, and if you don’t leave, I will call the Muds to escort you off the property.”
“The Mundane police? I don’t even warrant a Crescent cop?” Crescents had their own police force, the Guard, that handled their more, um, delicate matters. Kirin raised an eyebrow at her but made no move to leave. “Is that how it is?”
“Yes, that’s how it is. Look, you got your Dragon off. No need to linger.”
He flinched. “So cold.” He picked up his shirt and shook that out too, watching the motes for a second. Then those green eyes lifted to her again. “I still dream about you, Ellie. I wake up and pat the bed because you lying there felt so real.” Those mesmerizing embers in his eyes tantalized her, as deep red as his Dragon.
