The Charmer by Autumn Dawn Read Free Book Online Page B

lightning down on his head. Someone
else would have made dire threats against his manhood and
commiserated with her.
    There were definite disadvantages to having a
friend who knew you so well.
    Wiley regarded her with a touch of
skepticism. “I know you’re attracted to him. I saw you eyeing his
backside earlier.” When Jasmine flushed and mumbled, she went on
knowingly, “And if he’d hurt you, or you’d hated it, you’d be upset
in a different way. So come on,” she coaxed. “Spill the beans.”
    Jasmine kneaded the back of the chair and
then grumbled, “It was...okay.”
    Wiley’s eyes brightened and she sat up
attentively, drawing her other leg under her. “Just okay?”
    “Bah.” Jasmine hunched her shoulders and then
admitted with extreme reluctance, “All right! Better than okay.
More like…” she hesitated as she allowed herself to recall the feel
of Keilor’s lips on hers, his gentle hands. A shudder passed
through her and she admitted softly, “All the stars fell and lit up
my sky.”
    Wiley’s eyes widened. “Wow,” she
breathed.
    “But it’s not going to happen again.” She
walked around the chair and sat down. Drawing her knees to her
chest, she hugged them protectively. “I’m not going to let that
snake get within ten feet of me next time.”
    They sat in silence for a while, each with
their own thoughts. Finally Wiley stirred and sighed with regret.
“I guess we won’t be going home any time soon.”
    Jasmine grunted. She wasn’t the sort of woman
who gave up easily, and it galled her to admit she felt cowed, but
the memory of Keilor’s brand of sensual domination was enough to
wipe out any immediate plans for escape.
    She groaned and buried her face in her knees
as the memories flashed across the backs of her eyelids. “A gun,”
she muttered, scrubbing her face. “That’s what I need the next
time. A gun to shoot the son of a bitch before he gets his hands on
me.”
    Wiley turned troubled eyes on her. “I don’t
want anyone to get hurt, Jas,” she said slowly. “Besides, he
doesn’t seem like the kind of man to take it well if you turned a
gun on him. He might...take it personally.”
    Jasmine stiffened, considering the
ramifications of a really enraged Keilor. If he did what he’d done
to her that afternoon over a minor infraction, what would he do to
her for threatening his life? It didn’t bear thinking about.
    Besides, she didn’t think she could shoot
him, not even a warning shot. Just the thought of it turned her
insides cold. She sighed, admitting temporary defeat.
    She’d have to sleep on it.
     
    “Of course it would work,” Jasmine insisted.
Gravel crunched under her boots as she followed the path to the
stables. This pair was made of a tough black fabric with panels
that breathed, and were much better suited to the warm, humid
climate than her leather-hiking boots. Her brown ponytail swished
across the back of her neck and her black T-shirt while she checked
out the area, taking mental notes.
    They were speaking in Pig Latin again to
ensure their privacy. Acting on a suspicion, Jasmine had subtly
tested her Haunt guard’s hearing and found it amazingly acute. She
didn’t dare risk whispering as they had yesterday.
    A groom led a haltered riding beast past
them, and she saw Wiley raise a bare arm to shade her vision as she
eyed the stocky creature. The lucky girl had the good fortune to
end up in the Haunt world with a tank top. The beast turned too
intelligent eyes back at them and stared evilly, snorting in
contempt for good measure. It had the body of a horse, but it
sported more muscles than a body builder. More disturbing, its gray
hide was covered with scales, and it had the clubbed tail of a
stegosaurus. Rhinoceros-like horns sprouted from its nose.
    She nudged Wiley. “The Arnold Swartznegger of
horses.” Wiley’s snort of laughter made her smile as well, and she
felt her shoulders relax a bit. They could do this.
    Jayems hadn’t seemed to