Free Midnight's Captive (Dark Warriors) by Donna Grant Page B

eyes open. Laura spotted a harlequin-colored Great Dane skid to a halt and collide with Charon.
    The dog went down on his front paws and ducked his great head beneath the car with his butt in the air and tail wagging. A moment later, the dog stood with a small solid white kitten held loosely in its mouth.
    “Duke,” Cassie admonished as she rushed to them. “I’m so sorry. Duke doesn’t understand he isn’t the momma to the kittens. He won’t let them out of his sight.”
    “Are you all right?” Charon asked softly near Laura’s ear.
    “I’m not the one who almost got taken out by a Great Dane. Duke ran into you.” Though she had barely felt the collision.
    Charon’s face was inches from hers. He was so close she could see the black ring around his deep brown eyes. Her breasts were crushed against him, causing her blood to sear her veins.
    If she were the take-charge kind of girl, Laura would close the space between them and kiss him as she’d been yearning to do. Instead, she stood there, hoping, praying he’d be the one to kiss her.
    Charon knew he needed to step away from Laura, but he couldn’t. His body was ablaze. For her.
    Her large pale green eyes watched him carefully, hiding her emotions perfectly so he had no idea what she was thinking. Was she appalled that he was so near her? Did she enjoy it?
    Damn, but Charon hated not knowing. Even that couldn’t put the distance between them. Laura’s luscious curves called to him, begged him to learn more of her.
    He’d been careful never to get too near her. Now he knew why. Somehow, someway his body had instinctively known its reaction to her. But now that he’d had that amazing curvaceous figure against him, he wanted more. Needed more.
    Charon didn’t know how long they stood there looking at each other. He was desperately trying to get his body under control when all he wanted to do was lean down and take her full lips in a fiery kiss.
    It was the crunch of rocks as Hal drew near that managed to bring Charon to his senses. He took a step back and looked away before he screwed up everything by kissing Laura.
    “Is Laura all right?” Hal asked, concern marking his face.
    Before Charon could form an answer, Laura said, “Yes, yes. I’m fine.”
    “Duke is a good lad, just doesna know his own size,” Hal said with a laugh as they watched Duke allow Cassie to take the kitten.
    Charon forced a smile when Duke came trotting back to him. More words were spoken, but he didn’t hear any of them as he absently rubbed the Great Dane. He concentrated on his breathing in an effort to stop himself from hauling Laura against him again.
    God, what was wrong with him?
    No woman in six hundred years had affected him so. Why did it have to be Laura? Why couldn’t it be a Druid, so at least Charon had the hope of something more?
    Charon waited for Laura to get in the car before he closed her door and walked to his side. He slid behind the wheel, wondering how he was going to sit alone with her for the next few hours and not touch her.
    They had just driven away from Dreagan when Laura asked, “Did you get everything you wanted?”
    It took Charon a moment to realize she was referring to the whisky and not her. He scratched his jaw and nodded. He’d come away with much more than he expected. And a lot to think over. “Aye. Con seems like a reasonable man.”
    “I shouldn’t have gone in the office with you. I didn’t realize there would be things to discuss I didn’t need to hear.”
    “Neither did I.” That had come as quite a shock to Charon, and he couldn’t wait to tell Phelan about it. “You did nothing wrong. I asked you to come, and if I had no’ wanted you in the meeting with Con, I would’ve asked you to stay back.”
    “I know,” she said, and fiddled with her purse strap. “The entire time we were there, it was like there was an undercurrent of something going on everyone knew but me.”
    Charon didn’t answer, because he didn’t know