Fire Rising

Laith’s next words were stopped when they spotted Banan and Jane leading a woman to the manor. The woman wasn’t quite as tall as Jane, and her wavy, sandy-colored hair lifted off her shoulders in the breeze. The woman pushed her bangs out of her eyes, which caused her not to see Duke come bounding around the house.

The Great Dane stopped next to her, but his sheer size caused her to have to quickly regain her balance when the dog leaned against her. That’s when Tristan saw her wince and protect her left arm by holding it tightly against her.

“Who is that?” Tristan asked.

Laith watched them a few more seconds before he said, “I gather by the way Jane is fussing that she’s Sammi, Jane’s half-sister.”

While Banan took Duke’s collar, Jane ushered Sammi into the house. Just before Sammi walked in, her head turned and she looked right at Tristan with her powder-blue eyes. It was like a punch in the gut.

Startling, disconcerting.

Amazing.

The surprising connection that seemed to zip between them left him pitching, tumbling. Plunging.

And he wanted more. So very much more.

“Tristan?”

He pulled his gaze away from the now-empty doorway and looked at Laith. “What?”

“Whatever you’re thinking involving Sammi, I wouldna advise it.”

Tristan frowned and glanced at the house, wondering what kind of injury Sammi had. “What do you mean?”

“Forget it.” Laith gave a shake of his head, a wry smile upon his lips. “I’ve got to see what happens next. Come on. Let’s go meet Sammi.”

The fact that Tristan wanted a closer look at the woman should have been enough to make him walk the other way. He was just getting ensconced in his life at Dreagan. Phelan and the other Warriors were complicating things enough. Tristan certainly didn’t need a woman added to the mix.

Yet he followed Laith into the manor. The sound of voices came from the kitchen. As they stopped at the doorway of the kitchen they saw Elena pouring some tea and Jane fixing a sandwich while Sammi sat at the table desperately trying to stay awake.

He found his gaze drawn to her no matter how hard he tried to look away. Even in profile, she was beautiful with her long, graceful neck and her fall of sandy-colored hair about her. She sat tall and straight in the chair, as if it was as natural as breathing.

Tristan saw her fall asleep twice and jerk awake both times. The third time, she listed to the right. He rushed to her, grabbing her just before she hit the floor. Jane, Elena, and Banan turned as one from whatever they were doing to gawk at him.

He gazed down at the woman who slept in his arms, completely taken unawares as he looked into her oval face. Her cheekbones were incredibly high, her nose small, and her lips as decadent as sin.

Even in sleep, she made his body hunger to know her, his lips crave to taste her, and his hands ache to caress her. Desire shot through him like lightning, making him burn.

Making him yearn.

Tristan moved a strand of her hair out of her lashes and wished she would open her eyes so he could look into their cool color once more.

Then he remembered where he was, and just who he was holding. “I think the food is going to have to wait.”