Jared Ayers works outdoors, embracing a solitary life, hiding from his inner demons. But after so many of his Pack brothers have found their mates, he starts wondering if there might be a mate in his future too. His world turns upside down after he's hired by the "Ice Queen of Lake Tahoe". One touch is all it takes. One touch to send the wolf howling within...
A gifted psychic with pyrokinesis, Taryn Goldstone wields fire beyond her control– sometimes with dire consequences. With Jason, she discovers that some flames are meant for passion–and healing. She has enemies who covet her powerful gift, but they are about to learn just how far a wolf will go to protect his mate.
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She smiled,
a bashful, real, breathtaking smile that warmed my entire body. I gripped the
door tighter to keep from touching her and breaking the spell.
“Before you
go…I need to ask. This is really awkward, and I’ll pay you for your time.” She
cleared her throat. “It’s just for show, for my company.”
I raised a
brow. “Sounds great so far.”
She rolled
her eyes. “My firm sponsors the annual Masquerade Ball here in Tahoe every
year, and this time I promised my new community relations manager I would go.”
She stared
up at me like she expected me to say something. Problem was, I had no clue what
she was talking about.
“And you
need me to…build a stage or…?”
Color
flushed her chest. I could almost feel the heat on my skin.
“No, I need
you to be my date.” I struggled to keep my jaw off the floor while she
backpedaled.
“Not like a
real date. It’s just that tickets are sold per couple, so I can’t go alone, and
I don’t want to involve Charlie. I wouldn’t ask, but you probably guessed I
don’t really hang out with people. There’s no one else for me to ask. We
wouldn’t have to stay long and you’ll be paid for the time…”
“Yes.”
Without thinking, I placed my finger over her lips to quiet her and be sure she
heard me. My heart stuttered the instant I touched her skin, and deep inside of
me, my wolf howled. The lights brightened as my pupils dilated and contracted.
I blinked hard and shook my head. What
the hell… “Don’t pay me. I’ll go because I want to, not because it’ll help
your business.”
I dropped my
hand, half expecting her to slap me, but she didn’t move away. A fine line
creased between her eyebrows. “Are you all right?”
That
definitely depended on her definition.
From the
depths of my soul, my wolf recognized her. Taryn was my mate. Mine. This cool,
distant woman, with another wolf’s child. And yet, maybe I’d sensed it before.
Maybe that was why I took this job up the goddamn Mt. Rose highway just as
winter was coming in. Had I been drawn to her and her little boy?
I stared
down into her eyes, my voice barely a whisper. “If I stay here any longer, I’m
not going to be able to stop myself from kissing you.”
Her throat
bobbed as she swallowed, but she didn’t back away. Her blue eyes searched mine.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
I closed the distance between us, my lips claiming hers. Light burst behind my
eyelids as I carefully slid my arms around her. Her body was warm right through
my clothes, and while her kiss started out tentative, gradually she returned my
caresses and her hands glided up over my chest, until I smoldered to have her
even closer.
Suddenly,
she pushed me away. I let her go, struggling to catch my breath. Her eyes
welled with tears. Shit. Had I scared her somehow?
She shook
her head. “This was a bad idea.”
“Nothing
about that was bad.”
Her fingers
trembled at her sides. Without my heightened sense of hearing, I never would
have been able to make out her words. “Look at your shirt.”
I tipped my
head down and frowned. There were two brown streaks on the front of my shirt,
like I’d left an iron on it too long. The heat I’d imagined from her touch
hadn’t been in my imagination.
“This is why
you don’t like to be touched.”
She didn’t
acknowledge me, just took another step away. “I’m sorry, Jared. I can’t
explain, just…just go.”
I glanced
down the hall. “That’s why you keep your distance with Charlie.”
“Walk away,
Jared.”
I shook my
head. “I’m not afraid.”
Her eyes
narrowed. “You should be.”
Author's Bio:
Lisa Kessler is an award winning author of dark paranormal fiction. Her debut novel, Night Walker, won a San Diego Book Award for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror as well as the Romance Through the Ages Award for Best Paranormal and Best First Book.
Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.
When she's not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, performing with the San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.
Connect with Lisa Kessler
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Thanks for sharing Ice Moon!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy the book!
Lisa :)