Breath of Fire Read online

  He arched a brow, making him look a little sexy and a whole lot devilish. “No?”

  She grinned at him. “You did though. Didn’t you? I guess as a bartender you have a way of reading people.”

  Cripes, what was she doing? Fishing? Trying to figure out if he slept with a barrage of vacationers? Did she even want to know? Yes, she did. She really did. She wanted to know everything about him, his likes and his dislikes and every little nuance that made him tick. So much for her plans to avoid him and get him out of her system.

  He cast her a sidelong glance and watched her for a moment before saying, “You looked a little bottled up, Chloe. And I wanted to help.”

  She crinkled her nose and wondered if that’s how he helped all his patrons. “I guess I was.”

  “So what had you all bottled up?” he probed.

  She threw her hands up in the air. “My boss. My ex.”

  “Both?”

  “They are one in the same.”

  His eyes widened as understanding dawned. “Oh,” he said. “I see.” His fingers splayed over the small of her back as he escorted her to the mouth of the walking trail. “Tricky situation.”

  “You don’t know the half of it.” The aromatic scent of indigenous flowers filled her senses as she grabbed her shoes from her bag and slipped them on. Jared pushed a hanging branch out of the path and she listened to sounds of the animals coming to life around her as they intruded upon their territory.

  “Then tell me.”

  She rolled her eyes, gave a weary shake of her head, and decided to give him the condensed version. “My boss, soon to be ex-boss that is, sent me here to look for a dragon—”

  “Chloe…”

  She held her hand up and cut him off. “I know, I know, dragons don’t exist, but his real motivation was to get me out of the office so he could have his way with the new girl.”

  His hand tightened on her back, a comforting gesture, which she deeply appreciated. “I’m sorry, Chloe.”

  She made a very unladylike sound. “Don’t be. It was a wake-up call. That’s what I get for believing in fairy tales and happily-ever-after.” As she took in his strong profile she steered the conversation away from herself, probing for information. “So you said you’ve always lived here. Do you ever get the urge to go anywhere else?”

  He gave a moment of hesitation before saying, “No. I like it here. My family is here.”

  “Family?”

  “Yeah.” He waved his hand in front of himself. “All the people who live here are my family.”

  “But they’re not blood relatives?”

  “Technically, no—”

  “So you don’t have any biological relatives here, your parents, siblings, no one special to go home to at the end of the night?” she questioned.

  “No one,” he murmured. “I’m the last in my bloodline.” Chloe glimpsed sadness and loneliness in the depths of his eyes before he quickly blinked it away. “And I wouldn’t have slept with you if I had someone special.”

  Feeling sheepish, she nudged him with her elbow and tried to lighten the mood. “Now why is a sweet, hot guy like you still single?”

  He flashed a wolfish smile. “You think I’m hot?”

  With that Chloe laughed out loud, and Jared effortlessly took the reins and redirected the conversation. He gifted her with an amused look. “I could ask the same about you.” His voice dropped an octave. “Why is a sweet, gorgeous girl like you still single?”

  “The fairy tale, remember. No man has ever lived up to the magical Prince Charming, especially my boss.”

  “So you said your boss is soon to be your ex-boss.”

  “I can’t very well go back and work for him.” She ran her fingers along a few hanging leaves, examining the smooth texture as she shook her head. “I don’t suppose you have any openings at the bar?”

  Jared’s gaze moved over her face and the teasing warmth left his eyes. “You don’t want to stay, Chloe. There is nothing here for you.”

  Chloe swallowed, and duly noted his subtle reminder that this thing between them was just a fling. Honestly, when she slipped between the sheets with him, she hadn’t anticipated that she could so easily fall for him.

  “Tell me about your parents, your heritage,” he said.

  “My heritage?”

  “Yeah, where are you ancestors from?”

  “Well, I was born in Australia but we moved to Canada when I was a baby. I lost both my parents a few years back and I don’t have any other living relatives that I know of.” They walked in silence for a moment, the tall canopy of trees keeping the blazing sun off their bodies, and she thought about how much she missed her mother and father. “My dad was a hematologist at the university,” she said as an afterthought.

  Jared furrowed his brow as though in deep thought.

  Unease hit her. “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” Emotions passed over his eyes as he stopped and turned to her. “It’s just—” He opened his mouth to speak but then shut it again.

  She raked her eyes over him. “Jared?”

  “Nothing. It’s nothing,” he replied soberly.

  As she studied him, it was clear that he was withholding information. But what? And why? She stepped into him, their groins bumped, and his muscles tightened.

  His eyes darkened with lust as he glanced at her lips. He parted his mouth. “Chloe—” His voice fell off, and his eyes widened. “Did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  He spun around and a few twigs snapped beneath his feet as he positioned Chloe behind him and scanned the area. “It sounds like a wounded animal.”

  “I don’t hear anything.”

  “Come on.” He grabbed her hand, ventured off the walking path and cut through the dense foliage. A moment later he stopped and with a nod he signaled toward an injured mongoose, clawing to free itself in the overgrown flora, its legs tangled in the vines. Chloe sucked in a breath. Immediately, Jared moved toward it, but Chloe put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.

  “I don’t think you should touch it just yet.” She switched to scientist mode. “They’re quite vicious and we’re not suited up. Let’s go back and get—”

  “It’s okay. I’m just going to take a look,” he assured her.

  With his back to her, Jared bent down in front of the animal and despite his own best interest attempted to free its legs. “Hey, little guy,” he whispered. “Looks like you got yourself into a nasty fight and ended up in a tangled mess.” The mongoose made a threatening sound and in a movement so fast that it caught them by surprise, it swiped at Jared, its long claws slicing through his flesh like a hot knife through butter.

  Chloe gasped and stiffened. “Jared.”

  He held his hand up in a silent message, assuring her he had everything under control. Chloe winced, fearing his instinctive human reaction to the attack, but he surprised her by lowering his voice even more. “Easy there, little guy. I’m not going to hurt you.” He put his hand on the animal and it miraculously relaxed.

  The soft, gentle way he talked to the mongoose seemed to calm and soothe the animal. As Chloe watched in silence, she found herself smiling. Jeez, he was a regular old Crocodile Dundee. Chloe found herself fascinated by his nurturing nature and his ability to calm the frightened creature as he freed his legs.

  A moment later the mongoose squirmed and climbed to its feet. “Go,” Jared said and the animal scurried away.

  Chloe watched on in surprise. “How the heck…?”

  His eyes snapped up as if he suddenly remembered she was there. “He wasn’t that badly hurt.”

  “Really?” She cast him a dubious look. “From where I was standing he looked pretty beaten up.”

  Jared stood, and brushed twigs and grass from his knees. When he turned to her, she took in the deep slice marks on his arm. When she took note of how badly he’d been lacerated, her eyes widened and moved to his as she steadied herself. “You’re hurt.”
/>   His mouth was set in a grim line and he shook his head. “I’m okay.”

  “You’re not okay.” She grabbed his hand. “Come on. I’m taking you back to my room to get you cleaned up.”

  Once again an array of emotions passed over his eyes and he hesitated for a moment, but when she leaned into him and touched his arm to examine the depth of the wounds, she felt something inside him give, soften.

  “Chloe,” he dipped his head and longingly breathed her name into her hair.

  She tugged on his hand. “Jared, come on. Let me bandage you.”

  A few minutes later, once she had Jared sitting on a chair in her suite, she warmed a cloth and cleansed his wounds. As she washed away the blood, she noted the way he shook under her ministrations. She also noted the way his cuts had already begun to heal. How odd. “My, you sure heal quickly.”

  “That’s because I take my vitamins, and you’re so nurturing tending to all my wounds.” His sensual mouth turned up at the corners. “You’re a regular Florence Nightingale.”

  “And you’re a regular Crocodile Dundee,” she teased in return.

  With that Jared laughed out loud. Pleasure raced through her at the alluring sound and it was all she could do to keep herself from impaling herself on him and riding his beautiful cock for the remainder of the day. Her nipples quivered in anticipation.

  Needing a distraction she said, “That mongoose sure did a number on you. After he’d sliced you, I thought he was a goner.”

  Surprise registered in his eyes. “Really?”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I expected you’d react differently.”

  He lowered his voice and gave her a tender smile. “It wasn’t his fault, Chloe. He was just scared and acting out of instinct. Once he realized I wasn’t going to hurt him, he calmed down.”

  The warmth and compassion in his eyes turned her insides to mush. God, Jared really was one of a kind, and she had to admit how much she was enjoying getting to know him, even if it wasn’t conducive to her plan to keep her distance and get him out of her system.

  She took a moment to think about how Michael would have reacted in the same situation. No doubt he would have used excessive force and killed the mongoose. Zoologist or not, he had very little patience or empathy for aggressive animals. But not Jared. Oh no, not Jared. He showed a real strength of character with the way he’d handled the situation.

  She shook her head in amazement. “You sure are different from the men I know. One in particular.”

  A warm palm cupped her face, and there was nothing impersonal in the way he was touching her. “And you sure are different from the women I know.” The inflection in his tone caught her by surprise and the air around them charged. She took in the hungry look in his eyes before he dragged her into his arms. Her body trembled and warmth pooled between her thighs as she gave herself over to the lust rising in her. Unable to resist, she tangled her hands around his neck and pressed her lips to his, for a deep, mind-numbing kiss.

  Oh God, what the hell was she doing? She was supposed to be keeping her distance, not complicating matters. But it felt so nice to be held by him. He broke the kiss and his attention drifted downward. He shifted and closed his lips over her breast, licking her nipple through the thin material of her shirt. Entirely lost in the moment, her need overshadowed sensibility. There was an undeniable connection between them that was too powerful to ignore, and she needed to answer the demands of her body before she splintered into a million tiny pieces. Tomorrow, when her brain was functioning properly, she’d figure out where she was going with this wild, crazy affair that was affecting her both physically and emotionally. But right now, everything between them felt so intimate and so right, and she was certain it was time for feeling, not thinking.

  6

  “Chloe, baby,” Jared murmured and tangled his hands through her hair. Emotions crept into his voice. “I can’t seem to get enough of you.” When she relaxed in his arms and dropped a soft kiss onto his cheek, he stood and carried her to the bed. He set her down on the cushiony mattress and she widened her legs in invitation, her silky locks spilling across the pillow as her body beckoned his. They exchanged a long lingering look as Jared stood over her, his body shaking with want as he took pleasure in her beauty. Jesus, she evoked such deep feeling in him it was all he could do to keep his control and keep his beast contained.

  “Tell me you want me,” he said in a soft tone, desperate to hear her say it.

  Color bloomed high on her cheeks and she looked up at him with pure desire. She lowered her voice to match his. “I want you, Jared. I want you inside me.” A rush of air escaped her lips as the fire in her eyes licked him from head to toe. His body quaked violently in response.

  In one fluid movement he tore off his swimsuit and climbed between her legs. He wasted no time in removing her clothes, wanting her naked and needy and writhing on the mattress beneath him.

  As her pussy glistened invitingly, he dragged her scent into his lungs and dipped a finger into her scorching, liquid silk. “So wet,” he murmured, lust making his voice raspy.

  With single-minded determination, he bent forward and made a slow pass with his tongue, tasting her sweet cream and loving the way she shivered beneath his mouth.

  Her hips came off the bed. “Jared. Oh, God…”

  Jared kissed a path up her body, taking time to pay homage to her beautiful puckered nipples before bringing his mouth to hers. Her hands raked through his hair and held him to her as his cock probed her opening. “You’re so damn beautiful, Chloe,” he whispered and in one quick movement pushed inside her warm channel.

  As their bodies fused as one, he made sweet love to her, both giving and taking, their lips never breaking intimate contact. With long, luxurious strokes that drew out her pleasure, he moved inside her. Pumping gently and slowly at first, controlling the depth and pace until her legs wrapped around his waist, demanding more. Answering her needs, he rammed harder, pounding into her until all coherent thought fled. Jesus she was tight and hot, making him so crazed with need that it was all he could do to keep control. The beast inside him growled and he desperately fought it off. As perspiration broke out on his forehead, his breathing grew heavy, labored, and he struggled to maintain his human form.

  Her pussy spasmed and she gave a broken gasp. Passion-imbued eyes met his. “Jared…”

  “I know, baby. Let it go.” In no time at all, her warm cream coated his cock and he knew he’d reached the point of no return. He buried his face in her neck and splashed his seed high inside her. Her sex muscles tightened, milking him. A feeling of love and contentment washed over him as he drove home, concentrating on the points of pleasure as he pumped every last drop into her welcoming body.

  “Fuck, Chloe…” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as a barrage of emotions overcame him. He brushed his mouth against hers; his throat clenched. For the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to love. He pulled her impossibly closer and tried desperately to inflate his lungs as his overwhelming feelings made him lightheaded.

  He rolled off her and drew her into the circle of his arms, and as her body melted against his, he quivered, needing more. His mouth crashed down on hers for another round, and in no time at all their hands began racing, and their bodies shifting for a better fit as they once again lost themselves to passion. They spent the rest of the day in each other’s arms, where he took her again and again, until they were both left sated and spent.

  As the moon made its first appearance in the sky, Chloe gave a sleepy sigh and snuggled in next to him. She dozed off in his arms, while exhaustion pulled at him, but he forced it back, not wanting to retreat to his mountain just yet. He let his glance roam over her naked body, and despite all the passion they’d shared, wickedly erotic ideas danced in his head. Ideas like climbing between her legs and awakening her with his tongue. As his thoughts wandered, Chloe writhed and moaned in her sleep. Her head flew to the side and Jared touche
d her cheek in concern.

  “Chloe, are you okay?”

  Her eyes widened and she smiled. “For a minute there it felt like you were kissing me.” She winked and gestured with her head. “Down there.” She dropped a soft kiss onto his cheek and shifted closer. After a long moment she inched back, nibbled her lip and confessed, “Actually, last night that happened to me too. I felt you touching me when I was at the bonfire.” She looked down sheepishly. “In fact, after I went to bed, I felt you touching me again, and before I knew it, I had an orgasm. That’s never happened to me before.”

  Jared’s heart galloped as he recalled his memories and emotions from the previous night. The way he’d visualized himself making love to her when she was standing in the surf, and again later after she’d retreated to her room. And just now, he’d been thinking about diving between her legs and ravishing her.

  Oh God. She was feeling his emotions. The connection between them was even stronger than he’d imagined. His mind raced, searching for a logical explanation as to how this human woman could be his life mate and coming up with only one—she had to have dragon blood in her. It was the only thing that made sense.

  Had her dragon blood lain dormant until she’d met him? Throughout the centuries could her blood and the blood of her people have become so diluted her line could no longer summoned magic from it, but enough traces still remained to help spark his? She’d said her father was a scientist who’d studied blood. Could he have known about the threads of dragon blood in his daughter’s body, and most likely in his?

  Suddenly Chloe’s eyes widened and she ran her fingers over his arm. “Jared, the cuts, they’re gone.”

  “I heal quickly,” he rushed out.

  She inched back and gave him a suspicious look. “No one heals that fast.”

  As exhaustion pulled at him, he could feel the animal inside him itching to get out, clawing its way to the surface, eager to greet its mate in its primal form. Christ, he knew he needed to talk to Chloe, to tell her what was going on, but it would have to wait, because in a few seconds he’d be fully changed, and the last thing he wanted was for her to see his beast. Not yet. Not before he had a chance to explain things. And what if she was completely repulsed by him? Oh fuck, he needed to get out of there. Now.