Sassy Ever After: Dragon Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) (4 page)

“Was it more than a thousand?” Kai persisted.

“Oh fine.” She threw her napkin on her lap, sulking, as she took another sip of wine. “It was just that. A thousand.”

Kai didn’t say anything, but the thought of her giving Stuart money—and while he didn’t know the man, he knew enough from Barb Wolfe and her penchant for gossip—made his jaw clench.

“You know, he really just needs to find something he loves to do,” she said, making excuses for him. At least, that’s all he heard. “I’m lucky to have the ranch, to have found something I love to do. He’s just kind of… lost and looking. If I can help him find that thing, to be happy…”

“Sounds to me like he’s already happy,” Kai observed. “Taking your money.”

For a moment, she glared at him, defiant, and then her shoulders sank. Her whole body sagged in the chair. He thought he’d never seen anyone look so defeated.

“I care about him,” she said finally, crossing her arms and looking out the wall of glass at the slowly sinking sun.

“You care too much.” He wanted to gather her up, to comfort her, to kiss that sad, downturned mouth. Kai swallowed the urge. “You care about your horses and you care about kids like Evan—and his mom. You care about Stuart. You care so much about everyone else—but Jules… who cares for you?”

She blinked at him, speechless, drawing her lower lip in for a moment, her brow creased in thought.

“Your parents aren’t coming back to care for you,” he said softly, seeing the hurt in her eyes. “And I know what that’s like, too. Believe me.”

Her gaze dropped to the table but not before he saw how wet her eyes were.

“Have you ever flown on a plane?” he asked.

That startled a laugh out of her. “Of course I have. I’m not
that
sheltered.”

Sebastian was coming in with their main course—pork tenderloin, asparagus and roasted red potatoes—and Kai waited for him to go before continuing. Jules pushed her food around her plate, far less animated than she’d been when she came in. He was sorry for that—but he couldn’t help her if she didn’t first acknowledge that she actually needed help.

“You know how, on an airplane, they tell you to put your oxygen mask on first?” He cut his piece of pork—the knife went through it like butter—watching her nod. “Like, if you have a child or someone elderly who needs help—they tell you to put your mask on before theirs. Right?”

“Yeahhh.” Jules drew the word out, looking askance at him, like she knew where he was going. And of course, she had to know. It was obvious. She just didn’t like it or want to admit it, he thought.

“Why do you think that is?”

She chewed thoughtfully, taking a sip of wine before answering. “I’m not an idiot.”

“Right.” He gave her a nod and a small smile. “That’s what everyone thinks, every time the flight attendant gives that spiel. Of course, we know—we’re not idiots. But when the plane is going down, when everyone is panicked and the child on your lap grabs onto you for help… then what? Do we remember to put our masks on first? Or do we instinctively reach out to help the helpless?”

“Okay.” She sighed, stabbing a potato. “I get your point.”

“Self-sacrifice can be noble,” he told her. “The mother who gives her life for her child. The husband for his wife…”

“Go on,” Jules urged when Kai grew quiet.

He cleared his throat. “You have to pick your battles. If you keep giving and giving, well… eventually you’ll run out of oxygen.”

“I suppose you’re right.” The look on her face was pained.

“I have a feeling you don’t say that very often.” He chuckled when she stuck her tongue out at him and tried not to think of the things he wanted to see her do with it.

“I’m not telling you this from some lofty height,” he assured her. “I learned this the hard way. I’m only saying this because I don’t want you to have to learn that lesson as hard as I did.”

“Well… then thank you.” She was still scowling, but he’d gotten through to her. Then she looked up at him, lost and confused and quite frightened underneath that tough exterior. He knew she wouldn’t have allowed it, but he ached to hold her. “But Kai… I think it may be too late. I’m already out of air… or, to stop with all the metaphors… out of money.”

“I can help with that.”

She looked doubtful, but she didn’t refuse him. That was a great leap forward, as far as he was concerned, and he let it go until after dessert—lemon-ginger cheesecake. Jules exclaimed over it and thanked Sebastian a thousand times.

“I’m not used to all this luxury,” she admitted, sitting back in her chair with a happy sigh. “I usually open a can of soup or microwave a Lean Cuisine after working with horses all day.”

“I’m more of a steak, potato and beer guy,” Kai told her. “But I thought you’d like to see a sample of what money can buy.”

“It was really lovely,” she said as Sebastian took their dessert plates. “I’m so full, I think I need a nap.”

“They say exercise after a meal aids digestion.” Kai stood, holding a hand out to her.

“Are we going to do yoga?” She laughed, taking his hand and standing.

“Do I look like a yoga kind of guy?” He snorted, not letting go of her hand as he led her out of the dining room, telling Sebastian to bring them coffee in the sitting room.

The sun was a half-circle above the tree line as he opened a record player, turning it on.

“I haven’t seen one of those in years,” Jules said, looking over his shoulder as he put on a forty-five and set the automatic arm. “My parents had one. I think it’s in the attic.”

“Dance with me?” Kai turned to look at her and Jules hesitated for just a moment.

Then the music was playing with the fine, faint scratch of vinyl. There was something innately nostalgic about it. Jules let him put his arms around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. In the light of the setting sun, her hair’s auburn highlights burned like embers and they moved together as one.

“Oh you didn’t.” Her voice and laugh were soft when she recognized the song and he smiled, keeping her tight in the circle of his arms.

But of course, he had. Roberta Flack’s song filled the room and in his arms, Jules hummed along. Kai closed his eyes, entranced, taken back to the first time he’d heard her sing. Even her hum transfixed him, the vibration of it full and warm against his chest. She fit perfectly in his arms, just like he’d hoped she would. Some part of him had known all along.

“You should’ve been a singer,” he murmured, daring to stroke her hair, like he was taming a wild animal. “You’re wasting an amazing gift.”

“You haven’t seen me ride a horse,” she countered and he chuckled.

“I’m sure you’re a gifted rider, too.” His fingers tangled in her hair. He wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her, but he knew better. They were both under the spell of the music, and he was content, for now, to have her in his arms. The song ended, but the automatic arm moved and reset the needle to the beginning.

“You’re going to play this all night?” She turned her face up to his, her arms around his neck now.

“As long as you’ll dance with me.”

She searched his face, looking for something—he didn’t know what—and then put her head back on his shoulder. They swayed together like that for another go-round or two of the forty-five he’d picked up at the vintage store downtown. He lost track of how many times the song re-played.

Kai’s hand moved to her lower back, pressing her closer, feeling the sweet heat of her breath against his neck. He wanted more—much, much more—but part of him could have stayed this way with her forever.

Then, Jules screamed.

She tore herself from his arms and bolted to the wall of glass overlooking the forest, her eyes wide with terror. Kai followed her, already scanning the woods for the thing that had scared her so much she turned to tremble, breathless, in his arms.

“What did you see?” he insisted, already reaching in his trouser pocket for his cell phone. “Jules, tell me. What did you see?”

“My… I… there were… people.” Her voice choked, barely a whisper. “Two… two people. Standing right there. I swear to God, Kai… I swear… I saw them.
I saw them
!”

“Okay.” One hand held her close while he dialed with the other. He didn’t see anyone, but he didn’t doubt she’d seen something. Maybe just a reflection of the two of them? He wasn’t sure, and wouldn’t be until…

“This is Cap.”

“South side of the house,” Kai said to Cap—the head of his security. “Did you see anything?”

“No.” Cap sounded more alert now. “Checking the monitors.”

“Shhh.” Kai stroked and petted Jules, who was still shaking in his arms. Whatever she’d seen had really frightened her. “It’ll be okay.”

“Nothing, Sir,” Cap assured him. “Not even a woodchuck.”

“What about the heat sensors?”

“Negative.”

“Thanks.” Kai ended the call and slid his phone into his pocket, trying to comfort the terrified woman in his arms. “There’s nothing out there, Jules. I promise you.”

“But I saw them!” Jules choked desperately, turning to hide her face against his shirt.

“Maybe you saw a reflection… or—”

“I swear I saw them!” She was adamant, tearing herself away from him to stalk over to the wall of glass, peering out. The sun was gone now, leaving a dusky dimness in its wake. “It was them… it was… them…”

“Who?” Kai asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Jules was quiet, hugging herself. She gave a little shudder and then shook her head.

“I guess you’re right.” She cleared her throat, rubbing her bare arms. “Probably a reflection. Just… seeing things. Too much wine.”

She gave a half-hearted laugh, turning as Sebastian came in, pushing a tray with their coffee.

“Oh, good—caffeine. I think I need to sober up.”

“Is everything all right, Sir?” Sebastian asked as he poured their coffee and the two of them settled into the chairs where they’d started their night with wine.

“Call down to Cap, make sure he’s on high alert,” Kai told Sebastian, watching Jules wince as she drank the hot coffee—black. “Not sure, but there might have been someone out there…”

“Yes, Sir.” Sebastian glanced at the glass wall, then back to Kai, looking concerned, but he left them alone again.

“You okay?” Kai asked softly.

“I feel silly,” Jules admitted, smiling at him, but her gaze kept going to the glass, as if she thought something—or someone—might appear. The night was coming on now, and their reflections were clear in the glass.

“Maybe this will make you feel better.” Kai stood, going over to the switch near the door and flipping it. A mahogany colored shade came down to cover the window from ceiling to floor as he flipped another switch to turn on the high, crystal chandelier overhead.

“Thanks,” she murmured as he came back to sit beside her. She was still shaken, but she looked less pale. Turning her attention from the now-covered window, she looked at him, tilting her head and frowning. “So tell me… you said you had a proposition?”

“I do.” He took the cup of coffee Sebastian had poured for him from the cart. “Are you ready to hear it?”

“I think so.” She swallowed, looking at him over the rim of her coffee cup. Roberta Flack was still playing in the background, soothing.

“This is something that will benefit us both.”

“Yes, you mentioned…” She put her cup down, her spine straightening as she faced him. “No selfless acts.”

“Gotta put your own oxygen mask on first.” He thought his plan was rather brilliant, really. It would serve to get her ranch back in the black again while serving him as well.

“Right.” She gave a little snort. “Although I’m not sure sex is exactly equivalent to oxygen. We can all live without sex.”

“Speak for yourself.” He laughed, then suddenly understood what she was saying. “Whoa… did you… you thought my proposition involved…?”

“Well, yeah.” She blinked, her cheeks pinking up considerably from their previous frightened pale. “It… doesn’t?”

“No, Jules.” Amused, Kai shook his head, feeling his mouth twitching at the corner. He met her questioning eyes. Those gold flecks had a depth in them he thought he could drown in.

Kai sat back and told her his proposition—one that didn’t involve any sexual contact between them at all. She didn’t seem displeased with his idea, but he was surprised to see the look on her face when he was finished was almost… disappointed. It took him a moment to figure out why—Jules had believed he was going to use sex as a bargaining chip. And when he hadn’t… well, she’d had to adjust her expectations.

He worked hard to keep from smiling at the revelation that she’d not only expected but
wanted
him to proposition her—sexually. Maybe the hold Stuart had over her wasn’t what he’d first assumed after all.

She told him she’d think about it and he walked her out to the waiting car. The driver stayed inside—Kai opened the back door of the limousine for her.

“Goodnight,” she said, still looking a little confused and overwhelmed. “Thank you for dinner. Tell Sebastian it was lovely.”