Sacred Circle by Rachel James Read Free Book Online

who gives you a kiss that melts your soul,” he responded.
    Stunned by such a romantic insight coming from him, Brianna returned her gaze to the flashing landscape. She wasn’t going to start fantasizing about soul melting kisses, not with the clean smell of Devlin’s aftershave teasing her nose.
What about all those rippling muscles and his sculpted body?
her inner voice prompted. She ignored the question, opening her purse instead, and pulling out her compact mirror. The reflection that slid into view seconds later revealed a woman tired, worn-down, and not at all sexy. Her mascara streaks were flaky; her eye liner fading. She pulled the dropped napkin from the seat and wiped away the black marks streaking the underside of her eye socket. Then reaching into her makeup bag, she pulled out a lipstick tube and began smearing it on. A few moments later, a chuckle sounded and Brianna halted her movements.
    “What?”
    “Nothing, just amused by your attempt to improve on perfection.”
    Brianna gave a haughty sniff.
    “As my friend Tommy Cloisters would say, ‘There is no such thing as perfection, blue eyes. There’s only a hopeful illusion of it.’”
    “I like this Tommy Cloisters. Perhaps one day, you’ll tell me how you met such a sage philosopher?”
    Brianna snapped her mirror shut, and re-pocketed it in her purse. Settling back, she turned her gaze to Devlin’s profile.
    “Perhaps one day you’ll tell me where you went after leaving Green Sapphire, and what you’ve managed to accomplish since leaving.”
    “It’s a deal,” he nodded. He leaned over and turned the radio dial. “Care for some music?”
    “Yes, something soothing.” Brianna laid her head back against the headrest. “Something that makes these last horrible days a distant memory.”
    “Done. Cat nap if you can,” he advised, seeing her shoulders sag.
    The dulcet tones of Josh Groban filled the Jeep a few seconds later and Brianna tuned into the soft, soothing melody. In a matter of minutes, the rocking of the Jeep had her dropping into a deep sleep.

CHAPTER FOUR
A FEW MINUTES LATER
    Devlin lifted his foot from the accelerator, noticing the needle approaching eighty. He hadn’t meant to reveal his feelings quite so openly, but he had no intention of letting Brianna plunge herself into a pity party. He preferred her anger. And even though she appeared to have forgiven him for that day in the circle, he hadn’t forgiven himself for it. He should’ve felt the spell going wrong as it shifted. But he had been so intent on pleasing Brianna that he missed the signs. Thanks to a foolish, boyhood crush, he had managed to kill Brenda, his confidence, and any chance of pursuing Brianna romantically in the future.
    But that was then and this was now, he grimaced. He was fifteen years older and wiser—and certainly more realistic about pursuing Brianna as a permanent bed partner.
Right
, his inner voice supplied.
You just keep pretending you aren’t attracted to the clean smell of her hair, or the disturbing way the air around her seems electrified. And her lips?
    Devlin checked the rear view mirror, studying the green eyes glittering back at him. Forget her lips. Focus on the stupidity that robbed her of her heritage. And for God’s sake, stop replacing the Dark Time with visions of her body flexing rhythmically beneath yours in all-out ecstasy. They were driving home together, nothing more. Home! The word was laughable. Green Sapphire hadn’t been a home to either of them for a very long time.
    Turning his head, he gave Brianna’s body a raking glance. He had broken every promise he made to forget the past. And he had done it on a whim, hoping that things might be different between him and Brianna now that their lives had intersected again. How masochistic was that?
    Feeling the Jeep drift off the roadway, Devlin guided it back with a soft turn of the steering wheel. Hopefully, Brianna would remain asleep for the rest of the trip. Without