Strange Neighbors (39 page)

   Big thanks to my friends Daniel Walsh and Pam Claughton, enthusiastic baseball fans, for answering hundreds of stupid questions from this faithful football follower.

   Thanks again to Susan Grimshaw, bookseller for Borders who mentioned my concept to my Sourcebooks editor, Deb Werksman. And to Deb, for taking a chance on me! I was terrified, but she had more confidence in me than I had in myself.

   Hey, Deb, I did it! I freakin' did it! What's that you say? You want me to do it again? Oh, boy. Can I have a day off for good behavior?

Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a scrumptious, satisfying reading experience.

   She holds a degree in behavioral sciences, worked as a psychiatric RN for several years, and spent a few more years working for the American Red Cross where she still volunteers as an instructor. She credits her sense of humor to her former careers since comedy helped preserve whatever was left of her sanity. She is a multi-published, award-winning author of humorous erotic romances.

   Represented by the Nancy Yost agency in New York, NY, she lives in beautiful New Hampshire with her truelife hero husband and a spoiled brat cat.

Where there's fire, there's Ash

Check out my news, contests, videos, and reviews.

http://www.myspace.com/ashlynchase
Find me on MySpace and be my friend.

   And you can always chat with me online at my fan loop:

   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ashlynsnewbestfriends/

For more from Ashlyn Chase, read on for an excerpt from
The Warewolf Upstairs
Coming soon from Sourcebooks Casablanca

After the arraignment Konrad asked Roz to join him for lunch. Fortunately, she had no more cases so they decided to grab takeout and enjoy a long walk home. The sunny sky held the promise of a warm, spring day.

   "You were brilliant." Konrad hoped he hadn't blown his chances with his sexy attorney and neighbor.

   "Aw, shucks. I'll bet you say that to all the public defenders."

   His smiled faded and his gaze dropped to the sidewalk. "It really was my first and only arrest, but I know how you feel about the guys you defend. I guess you aren't interested in me now. I was hoping to ask you out."

   She touched his arm and the spot tingled. "This is different. You were innocent."

   If only… Konrad hated to deceive her, but there was no way he could explain his abilities without exposing what he was, and therefore, the existence of his kind. Not to mention that he needed time to discover if she could be his mate. He had the sneaking suspicion that the beautiful lawyer might just be the one—and he had to check out that theory. If he didn't, he could spend his whole life wondering.

   She smiled up at him. "So, where do you want to eat lunch? Indoors or out?"

   He contemplated her soft expression, and glanced up just in time to witness a child drop his mother's hand and dart out into traffic. The mother screamed and Konrad dropped their bag of take-out, rushing after him without a thought. He scooped up the little boy seconds before a car's brakes squealed.

   The car hit Konrad, but as he staggered, he held the boy steady. The tot was untouched.

   The mother cried out, "Oh, thank God!"

   Even though Konrad limped to the sidewalk, it was mostly an act. The car's bumper was slightly dented, so he had to make it look good.

   As he passed the boy to his relieved mother, he winced.

   She hugged her son close and stared at Konrad. "Oh my goodness. Are you hurt?"

   "I'll be fine. Probably just a bruise. Nothing broken."

   The driver of the car rolled down his window and yelled, "Hey, lady. Keep your friggin' kid out of the street."

   Konrad turned to him and said, "We're fine. Thanks for asking."

   The driver flipped him the bird and sped off.

   "If you hadn't been there…" Tears welled up in the mother's eyes and she bit her lower lip.

   "I'm just glad I was able to help, ma'am."

   He glanced at Roz for the first time since he'd bolted into the street. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide with awe.

   "Are you sure you're okay?" Roz asked. "I mean, you took a pretty hard hit."

   "Nah, I'm made of strong stuff. I drink lots of milk— rich in calcium."

   The woman grappled for her purse. "Sir, let me give you a reward."

   "Aw, heck no. I'm just glad I saw what was happening in time to stop it."

   "I insist."

   "Tell you what. Take the money and buy one of those child harnesses." He ruffled the boy's hair. "Some precocious children need to be protected from themselves."

   She smiled and nodded. "Thank you, I will. I'm truly grateful." Then she squinted at the kid and said, "You're in the dog-house, young man. And just for that, I'm getting you a leash!"

"I can't believe you saved that child without getting killed."

   "Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I wasn't thinking at all—just reacting to the situation."

   "You were so brave and so selfless." And so amazing and so… hot!

   He smiled and placed a finger under her chin. Tipping her face up, he bent low, hovering just over her lips. "Can I have a kiss as my reward?"

   "I'm sure the boy's mother would have kissed you if you'd asked." Roz was teasing, but also trying to keep her distance. After all, he had just been in trouble with the law.

   "I didn't want to kiss her. I'm asking you."

   Aw, I'm melting. Roz slipped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. He held her in a surprisingly gentle embrace and closed the short gap between their lips.

   The pressure was just right. Firm, but not bruising. He opened his mouth slightly and slanted his head, allowing her to deepen the kiss if she wanted to. She answered by slipping her tongue past his teeth, but something sharp pricked her.

   She almost pulled away, but his big paw of a hand cradled her head and kept her mouth fused to his. He slipped his tongue past her lips and lapped at the sore spot. Suddenly, the pain faded and disappeared.

   Roz let her body mold to his and felt petite in his arms. Now, that's a first.

   The hot, drugging kiss continued, right there on the sidewalk heedless of passersby and traffic. The world fell away and soon the only thing she could name that existed outside herself was his arousal nudging her stomach.

   She even wanted to incorporate the hard length inside her body and join with him completely. Whoa, where did that thought come from?

   "It came from us, darling."

   Roz snapped out of her trance. Pulling away, she mumbled, "Wha… What just happened?"

   Konrad kissed her forehead and smiled. "I think it's called telepathy."

   "You heard me too?"

   "Yes, as if you were speaking inside my head."

   Shocked, Roz lost the power to communicate—or breathe.

   Konrad stroked her cheek with his thumb. "It's never happened to me before, but I've heard of it. Certain members of my family can do it with their m… Uh, people they're very close to."

   She inhaled deeply and tried to steady herself. "Well, I've never heard of it happening to anyone, at all." Suddenly she remembered what he'd heard and heat rose to her cheeks. "To tell you the truth, I'm a little embarrassed you overheard what I was thinking. I'm not sure I want anyone listening to my warped mind."

   Konrad wrapped an arm around her and gave a side squeeze. "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul how warped you are."

   "Hey!"

   He laughed. "I was just messing with you. I think you're beautiful. Inside and out."

   She gazed at him as if mesmerized. No man had ever said she was beautiful, at least not convincingly. But his eyes were telling the truth. He really thinks I'm beautiful!

   "Inside and out."

   "Now cut that out. I just said I don't want you listening to me while I'm thinking."

   "Then don't think so loud."

   "Don't think so… what?"

   "I doubt I hear all of your thoughts. Just the ones that come across clearly."

   Roz crossed her arms and pouted. "Oh, that's just great. So, now I'll have to keep my mind a jumble in order to have any privacy?"

   Konrad shrugged. "This is new to me, too. I guess we'll have to figure it out together. Let's go home." He kept his arm around her and guided her to walk beside him. She wanted to slip her arm around his waist too, but regardless of what just happened, it seemed too soon.

   "Maybe I can talk to my brother about it. He might know if there's a shut off button."

   "Has he experienced telepathy?"

   "No, but he… Well, he's closer to the rest of the family than I am. He can probably ask them for me."

   "Oh, so you've had a falling out with your family?"

   "You could say that."

   "I don't know what I'd do without my mother and brother." My step-dad can go to hell, though.

   "What did your stepfather do?"

   "Oh, damn. Did I think that out loud?"

   He smiled. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. But I'd like to know so I don't do the same thing."

   She snorted. "If you did, the circumstances would be totally different." Like, mutually consensual.

   "Oh, no! You mean he…"

   "Get the fuck out of my head, will you?"

   Konrad stopped walking and leaned over to give her a warm, tender hug. Then he whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

   She gently pushed him away. "It wasn't when I was a kid or anything. I was in high school, and it only happened once. He came home from a party drunk. My mother went right to bed. He—he came into my room uninvited and tried to kiss me a little too amorously. He put his hand on my breast and I shoved him off."

   "Crap. That must have been frightening."

   "Yeah, not to mention disgusting."

   "Did your mother ever find out?"

   "Yeah, I told her, even though he told me not to. He said it was my word against his and he'd deny it. But I figured she deserved to know."

   "That was brave of you. A lot of girls would have kept it bottled up inside and acted out in some other way. Did she protect you?"

   "She booted his ass soon after I told her. Then we both went to counseling."

   He squeezed her shoulder and continued walking. "Thank God for that. Some mothers don't believe their own daughters. I saw some of that as a teacher. That's when the kids act out to get the attention of someone— anyone who might help."

   "Yeah, in that way I was fortunate."

   "How old were you?"

   "Seventeen. Too old to call anything that might have happened statutory rape, but too young to be a legal adult."

   "Damn. If he'd pushed it, I hope you'd sue his ass off."

   "That would have been difficult. My stepfather was a lawyer. He said he'd make me look like I was totally crazy if I tried to ruin his reputation." She looked up at him with a sad smile. "And what teenager hasn't acted totally crazy from time to time?"

   Konrad shook his head. "Well, at least you got counseling to help you put it in perspective. Is your mother okay?"

   "My mom is strong. She put us kids first. Like I said, she threw him out and threatened to take him for everything he owned if he contested the divorce."

   "Did anything happen to your brother?"

   "No, except he wanted to kill my step-father when he found out. He was always my protector."

   "Well, now you have me."

   Surprised, Roz stiffened momentarily, then offered him a weak smile. "Thanks, that's sweet of you, but we just met."

   "So?"

   Roz chuckled. "Seems like I've picked up another protector whether I like it or not."

   "Oh, you'll like it, all right."

   She halted and her eyes widened.

   "Oh, no. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Please don't worry. I'll never pressure you." A second later, the thought, "I hope" popped into his mind.

   Roz took a couple of steps away from him. "You hope? What the hell does that mean?"

   "I—I would never… It's just that I'm so attracted to you, it's like… I can't explain it. Just know that I'll never hurt you—or let anyone else hurt you, either." He shook his head vigorously. "Never, ever." He enveloped her in a tender hug. "I promise."