“I really don’t think they were kissing,” Gwen said again.
Kira scoffed and waved a hand. “Doesn’t mean he should be running around like that. And that woman had her hands all over him. You can bet if any of the women in the pack did that, there would be complaints.”
“There was a woman there,” Gwen pointed out, sounding amused. “He was probably coming in from a patrol with the special ops. That’s probably why he was shirtless.”
“I really don’t need you to make excuses for him.” Kira’s voice came out sharper than she intended, and she winced.
Gwen was quiet.
Kira took a deep breath. “Sorry. I probably ought to have some time alone. You can drop me off at my house.”
Gwen nodded. She gave Kira a sympathetic look as she drove her to her now-empty house. It was a modest, three-bedroom bungalow that had belonged to her grandmother. As Kira started out of the car, Gwen reached over to touch her arm.
“If you need to talk, I’m here.”
“Thank you,” Kira said automatically.
She quickly left the car and sped into the empty house. It was so silent that her eyes started to fill with tears again. Gwen was right. She needed something to occupy her mind. So she closed the blinds and cleared the living room as best she could, then grabbed the notebook she had scratched various spells in.
No demons had been seen for six months now, but she couldn’t be too careful. She flipped to the net-like protective barriers, like the one that covered the town, protecting it.
She took a deep breath and started to weave her magic, trying to forget the sight of Joshua with that woman. Especially since Joshua avoided her as much as she avoided him.It’s crazy,she thought, unable to stop the stray thought.He was once the man of my dreams. And it turns out he’s just an asshole who only cares about himself.
No, not crazy,she corrected.He’s just a really good liar.
Chapter 2 - Joshua
Kira Smithson stood near Gwen and Rafael, Lianne in her arms as the young girl squealed with delight and thanked her for whatever gift she’d just been given. Kira wore a powder-blue blouse that highlighted her creamy complexion. Her black hair was twisted into a bun, and she wore a string of pearls.
If he was honest, Joshua didn’t particularly like it when Kira put her hair up. He understood. He couldn’t stand to have his own hair touch his neck, and hers had lovely Irish curls that could get quite frizzy in the humidity of the island. Still, he liked to see when it did curl, rather than having it captured so tightly as it was. Not that he’d tell her that. He could well imagine the disgust she’d fling at him for daring to comment on her appearance.
“Maybe dinner?” a voice said at his elbow.
Joshua blinked, turning toward the woman. She had sleek red curls and a too-bright smile. Her green eyes darted toward Kira, her annoyance obvious.
What had she been saying? Joshua quickly charted the conversation he hadn’t been paying attention to. Right. She’d just gotten a new dress, but she had nowhere to wear it. It was the latest in the long line of flirtatious quips. Now she’d decided to abandon the coy approach and outright state what she wanted.
It had been a bad idea to let her touch him yesterday. He’d just come back from a patrol with the special ops as they looked for any signs of demon activity. This woman, Poppy, he thought her name was, had been at the park, wearing skintight jogging gear and looking as though she’d picked the spot specifically to pick him up.
His wolf growled lightly in his chest. It tolerated him sleeping around only because Kira wasn’t an option. But to be so close to another woman with Kira in the same room? It wasn’t having any of this.
As though drawn by his thoughts, Kira glanced over at him. The disgust was written heavily on her face, making him flinch. She looked away too quickly to see the flinch. He wished she would look a little longer. Wished her harsh expression would soften and she’d crook a finger at him, inviting him closer.
No.
No, he didn’t wish that at all.
He was glad that she kept him far away from her. There was nothing between them. Nothing could be between them. Keeping his distance was best for both of them. If Kira softened toward him, he wouldn’t be strong enough to keep this barrier in place.
“Joshua?” Poppy said. Her lips were tilted downward.
“I thought I was clear yesterday,” Joshua said, trying not to look at Kira. He’d been allowing a lot of contact—too much, really—until he happened to have glanced behind him just in time to see the back of Kira’s head in Gwen’s car.
Poppy was pretty. There was physical attraction there. Joshua couldn’t lie about that. But with Kira this close? Physical attraction wasn’t enough.
“Yesterday? You said that you were too busy. I thought…” Poppy’s shoulders hunched as she bit her lip. Her cheeks turned pink.
And there he went, being an asshole again. Joshua fought not to kick himself. He let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry that Iwasn’t clearer, and I apologize for leading you on. There are plenty of men on the island. You’ll find your true mate, Poppy.”
