Bodyguard (Shifters Unbound #2.5) by Jennifer Ashley Read Free Book Online Page A

is to
that."
    "You arrogant . . ."
    Ronan saw her hand coming at him, fingers
stiff, right for his eyes. He ducked out of the way in time, but
the move made him lose his hold. Elizabeth kicked out, not
contacting him, but with enough force to twist from his grip and
land on her feet. She never touched him, and yet, there she stood,
a couple yards from him, hands on hips, breathing hard, triumph on
her face.
    Ronan growled. "You fight dirty."
    "I learned how to a long time ago."
    "You know something, Lizzie-girl?"
    Elizabeth canted one hip . . . Aw, wasn't
that adorable? "What's that?" she asked.
    "I fight dirty too."
    Before Elizabeth could scream, Ronan ran at
her and lifted her again, letting the momentum carry them forward
until her back was against the outside wall of the Den. Ronan
pinned her tightly, his body against hers, so that she couldn't
squirm, kick, or do any neat karate moves with her hands.
    Elizabeth struggled, and she glared, and the
more she glared, the more Ronan wanted to laugh. She smelled sweet,
like the honey she'd poured on her toast. One drop of that honey
lingered on the corner of her mouth, and Ronan leaned down and
licked it away.
     
    * * * * *

Chapter Six
     
    Elizabeth froze. She felt the moist heat of
his mouth, the flick of his tongue, the warmth of his lips. He was
strong, his hands on her waist attested to that, yet his touch on
her mouth was everything that was gentle. Elizabeth hung in his
grasp for a long moment before she returned the faintest of
pressures.
    They were face to face, so close that
Elizabeth saw the faint line of scar that laced from the corner of
his cheekbone up the bridge of his nose. Where he'd broken it, she
surmised.
    She did nothing. Ronan studied her a long
time, his eyes warm, his gaze sliding to her lips.
    Slowly Elizabeth brought up one hand to cup
his cheek. She let her thumb drift over the firm line of his mouth
before she closed the inch between them and kissed him again.
    Their lips fused, unmoving heat, slow
goodness. Elizabeth felt the thump of his heart, the beat of hers
in return, the Texas sunshine soaking into her bones, as hot as her
blood.
    "Oh, give me a break," came a male voice from
the porch. Scott, finally out of the shower and shirtless, leaned
on the railing, his dark hair wet. "You told me not to touch the
humans, Ronan. Why don't the same rules apply to you?"
    Ronan eased out of the kiss. Slowly, he
lowered Elizabeth to her feet and turned around.
    "I'm taking Elizabeth to her store," Ronan
said, voice neither harsh nor conceding. "Mabel is to be protected.
She can move around Shiftertown, but not out of it, and one of us
is to be with her at all times. Tell Rebecca."
    "I'm not a babysitter," Scott growled.
    He was defiant, but Elizabeth sensed him
backing off under Ronan's stare. Elizabeth had seen these dynamics
before, at every home she'd lived in. Sometimes the adult radiated
menace and the kid took a step back, shoulders slumping in
submission; sometimes it was kid who was in control.
    Ronan was definitely in charge here. "Not a
babysitter," Ronan said. "A protector. We all are."
    "Bodyguards," Elizabeth said. Scott flicked
his gaze to her, then took it instantly back to Ronan. "Not my
choice, but Ronan's right," Elizabeth went on. "Mabel and I need
protection until we figure out how to be safe from these guys. I'd
really appreciate it if you made sure Mabel was all right. And if
anyone comes looking for her, I'll be glad to know you and Rebecca
are around."
    Scott's gaze flickered again, but the enraged
defiance eased out of him.
    "Well, if you're going to stroke my ego, all
right then," Scott said. "See, Ronan, you only have to ask
nice."
    Ronan shrugged. "Elizabeth's nicer than me.
Go tell Rebecca, and don't be a shithead."
    Scott gave him a sneering look, but it was
more mocking than angry. "I'll tell her I found you kissing
Elizabeth. I thought you said you'd conquered your mating frenzy a
long time ago."
    "Go," Ronan