Cursed by Fire (Blood & Magic Book 1) by Danielle Annett Read Free Book Online

out. “This isn’t over.”
    “Oh sweetheart, it’s over.” He settled his weight more firmly against me.
    My chest was on fire, my struggles picking back up, in an attempt to escape. It felt like a truck was parked on my lungs.
    James seemed oblivious to my struggles until I heard him cough, his grip on my arms tightening.
    “Um hey, Aria, you might want to stop doing that,” he said. His voice took on an unusual husky quality.
    I ignored him and continued my struggle.
    “You so did not win.” Defeat was not an option.
    “Ari, seriously, you need to…stop,” he said on a growl, and that’s when I felt his hard length against my lower stomach.
    Shit! I froze.
    “Really James?!”
    “Hey, I’m a guy, you can only expect so much from me.”
    He grinned and I had the sudden urge to smack him upside the head. If only I could get my arm free.
    “You going to get off of me?” I asked, rolling my eyes at his pleased expression.
    In one fluid movement, James was off me, standing several feet away. I made to smooth out the non-existent wrinkles in my shirt and readjusted my braid before standing up. Going for casual.
    “Umm, you ready to get moving?” I asked, avoiding eye contact.
    James began to laughing, causing me to jerk my head in his direction.
    “God, Ari, you are such a prude.”
    “I am not!” I snapped.
    Still rocking his shit-eating grin he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever you say. Why don’t you go shower while I clean up here. Or better yet, I could join you.”
    My mouth hung wide open, was he kidding? He had to be kidding.
    James folded over and holding his stomach, began laughing so hard tears leaked from his eyes. “God if you could see the look on your face,” he said between gasping breaths.
    I walked towards the locker room, seeming to ignore him as I passed by. When I was only inches away, I gripped his bicep and bending my knees, pulled him over my shoulder as I tucked my body in. James sailed through the air and having been caught off guard, landed in an ungraceful heap a few feet away.
    He turned to me, a shocked smile on his face. “You fight dirty.”
    I continued on my way. “I’m not a prude.”
    James chuckled, “Whatever you say, Ari. Whatever you say.”

A fter a quick shower in the gym locker room, I was grateful I’d decided to wear layers since I hadn’t thought to bring a change of clothes. Throwing my sweat soaked under tank into the empty locker that was reserved for me at the gym, I threw my black cotton tee back on over my sports bra. Dressed and with my hair freshly plaited I made my exit and waited for James by the gym’s front doors.
    Playing with the leather bracelet around my wrist I wracked my brain over James’ comment earlier. I wasn’t a prude, despite what he may think. He just happened to be like family and feeling him hard between my thighs was just… weird.
    It didn’t help that I’d been experiencing a two-year-long dry spell. One I had no interest in rectifying.
    Don’t get me wrong, James was practically sex on a stick and he could easily walk into a bar and walk right back out with any girl of his choosing, but he was also like family. Aside from Mike, James was my next go to person. I looked at him like a brother, albeit a hot brother, but a brother nonetheless. Maybe more like a step-brother. So I wasn’t a prude, I just wasn’t into crossing boundaries and James and I certainly had lines that should not be crossed. His friendship would never be something I’d risk so carelessly and relationships were something I considered fleeting.
    I was just about to head outside for some fresh air when a hand touched my shoulder, causing me to practically jump out of my skin.
    I turned with a dagger raised before realizing it was only James.
    Shit!
    “You have got to stop sneaking up on me,” I said, putting my dagger away and swatting him on the shoulder with my free hand. “You know I’m always jumpy after a spar session.”
    James quirked