minutes of arriving. What was so important he’d had to take Maira and Brann aside? “Not interested.”
“You don’t know what I’m offering.”
“Still not interested.”
“I noticed you came with Kade. You’re wasting your time there.”
“My time to waste.”
“And making friends with Maira won’t help. Enough have tried that trick.”
“Mind your own business.”
He held out his hand. “Justin Chambers.”
Amber ignored his hand. “You’re related to Jessica?”
“Our parents tell me we’re siblings, but I swear one of us was adopted.” He grinned and lowered his hand.
“Why are you hassling me?”
“Because I’m not blind.”
“How much?”
“What?”
“The bet. How much?”
“What bet?”
Amber let her gaze fall on the two boys who had watched Justin’s progress, or lack of, talking and elbowing each other the entire time. “And what were the terms? Dance? Flirt back? Kiss? Go with you to your bedroom?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
Amber smiled, her eyes cold. “You wouldn’t be the first, and you won’t be the last. Your mistake was thinking you could goad me into spending time with you. I’m a master at that technique. Run back to your friends and pay up. I have better things to do with my time.”
“Like what?”
Amber’s smile became warm and she handed him her drink. Without answering, she turned and wove her way through the scattering of people between her and Kade. He looked up before she reached him, his eyes meeting hers.
“What are you planning?”
“I thought we weren’t to use this method of talking?”
She came to a stop in front of him, her smile still in place. Maira and Brann nodded towards her and, with a grin and wave from Maira, departed.
“We’re shielded. I’m close enough to you it isn’t difficult. Now, what are you up to?”
“I hope I didn’t scare them away.”
“Amber.”
She grinned, placing her hands high on his chest. “Dance with me?” She took another step closer. There was only centimetres separating them.
Kade’s eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to prove?”
“Nothing. Just sending out a message. Think of it as a way to repay me for all the problems you’ve caused me.”
“Then we’re even?”
“Nearly.”
“Even.”
Amber let her hands travel up to lock behind his neck, pulling his head closer. Her eyes closed as their lips met and her heartbeat raced. Time suspended and sounds receded. Kade’s hands came to rest on her hips. Amber struggled to remember her plan. Then the fire in her veins turned to a crackle of energy in the air. She pulled back to stare up at Kade, a question in her eyes.
He didn’t answer. He grasped one of her hands and pulled her through the crowd, headed for the front door. People stumbled out of his way, their eyes falling on Amber. She kept a smile hovering on her lips. She didn’t know what was going on, but she wasn’t about to let anyone else know. This would work out much better. She knew they all assumed he was desperate to get her alone. Let them think that. And if Justin didn’t understand this message then he was blind as a bat.
Outside, Amber noticed Flinn striding down the street. Kade swore and moved quicker. As soon as they were out of earshot, Amber asked, “What’s going on?”
Kade dropped her hand and started to unbutton his shirt. “I need to find somewhere to stash you. Somewhere safe.”
“Why?” The crackle in the air made the hair on her arms sit up. “It’s that Pliethin again, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I have to get to it before Flinn.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s only one here. I don’t know how long it’ll take to regenerate. Months at least.”
“And then what? You go back to your people?”
Kade shook his head as he slipped his arms out of his shirt. “Take care of this for me.”
Amber automatically took the shirt he pressed against her and then held it away from her when something made her stomach itchy. She
“You don’t know what I’m offering.”
“Still not interested.”
“I noticed you came with Kade. You’re wasting your time there.”
“My time to waste.”
“And making friends with Maira won’t help. Enough have tried that trick.”
“Mind your own business.”
He held out his hand. “Justin Chambers.”
Amber ignored his hand. “You’re related to Jessica?”
“Our parents tell me we’re siblings, but I swear one of us was adopted.” He grinned and lowered his hand.
“Why are you hassling me?”
“Because I’m not blind.”
“How much?”
“What?”
“The bet. How much?”
“What bet?”
Amber let her gaze fall on the two boys who had watched Justin’s progress, or lack of, talking and elbowing each other the entire time. “And what were the terms? Dance? Flirt back? Kiss? Go with you to your bedroom?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
Amber smiled, her eyes cold. “You wouldn’t be the first, and you won’t be the last. Your mistake was thinking you could goad me into spending time with you. I’m a master at that technique. Run back to your friends and pay up. I have better things to do with my time.”
“Like what?”
Amber’s smile became warm and she handed him her drink. Without answering, she turned and wove her way through the scattering of people between her and Kade. He looked up before she reached him, his eyes meeting hers.
“What are you planning?”
“I thought we weren’t to use this method of talking?”
She came to a stop in front of him, her smile still in place. Maira and Brann nodded towards her and, with a grin and wave from Maira, departed.
“We’re shielded. I’m close enough to you it isn’t difficult. Now, what are you up to?”
“I hope I didn’t scare them away.”
“Amber.”
She grinned, placing her hands high on his chest. “Dance with me?” She took another step closer. There was only centimetres separating them.
Kade’s eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to prove?”
“Nothing. Just sending out a message. Think of it as a way to repay me for all the problems you’ve caused me.”
“Then we’re even?”
“Nearly.”
“Even.”
Amber let her hands travel up to lock behind his neck, pulling his head closer. Her eyes closed as their lips met and her heartbeat raced. Time suspended and sounds receded. Kade’s hands came to rest on her hips. Amber struggled to remember her plan. Then the fire in her veins turned to a crackle of energy in the air. She pulled back to stare up at Kade, a question in her eyes.
He didn’t answer. He grasped one of her hands and pulled her through the crowd, headed for the front door. People stumbled out of his way, their eyes falling on Amber. She kept a smile hovering on her lips. She didn’t know what was going on, but she wasn’t about to let anyone else know. This would work out much better. She knew they all assumed he was desperate to get her alone. Let them think that. And if Justin didn’t understand this message then he was blind as a bat.
Outside, Amber noticed Flinn striding down the street. Kade swore and moved quicker. As soon as they were out of earshot, Amber asked, “What’s going on?”
Kade dropped her hand and started to unbutton his shirt. “I need to find somewhere to stash you. Somewhere safe.”
“Why?” The crackle in the air made the hair on her arms sit up. “It’s that Pliethin again, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I have to get to it before Flinn.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s only one here. I don’t know how long it’ll take to regenerate. Months at least.”
“And then what? You go back to your people?”
Kade shook his head as he slipped his arms out of his shirt. “Take care of this for me.”
Amber automatically took the shirt he pressed against her and then held it away from her when something made her stomach itchy. She
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