Chapter Four
There’s a party going on as Jacques swooped low across the ocean in dragon form. Gliding around the enormous rocks protecting Pantelleria’s shorelines, there are far too many bodies and scents of liquor fermenting with the salt of the ocean for his liking. His right wing, stiff from the hours of flight time, tightened.
He jerked it back against his side, the cramp running down the muscle of his wing into his back, spasming. Below him, churning salt water and jugged rock peaks await his landing.
Jacques twisted his body to the side, pulled in the other wing in a dive. His pain filled cry swallowed by the sloshing waves and the party on the beach.
The water was like a giant ice slap against his face, with eyes wide open he tried to maneuver around the rock formations, but a wave swelled and shoved his body against a large boulder.
If his ribs hadn’t healed from the beating they took months ago, the rock had smashed them again.
Under the water, he fought to bring his head up for air. This had been a stupid idea.
He’d blame his dragon later. Right now, he needed to get out of the cool waters and hit the beach. Caught against the rock he lost grip on his duffel, both wings stuck to his back, he used his arms and legs to paddle around another formation and break his head up out of the waves.
Clear of the rocks, his dragon retreated, leaving him vulnerable and naked at the edge of the shore. To exhausted from his flight across the ocean to reach the island, he gave in to the shift. His human body picked up in the waters like nothing more than a sea shell and washed up into the sand.
He slunk, crawling on his belly away from the bon fires and the bodies. Sinking his elbows in the mud for leverage he pulled his way to a secluded spot around a cluster of sharp rocks. Safe from the eyes of the party goers, he just hoped none of them decided to come his way looking for a private spot. The rocks and the shadows of the night would turn them away. Unable to move another muscle his arms slid out from under him, and he turned his head to the side before passing out.
When next his senses awoke, he heard voices.
Inside him, his dragon slammed him awake. Jacques rolled over, threw his arm over his eyes against the bright sun penetrating through his closed lids and groaned.
And then he heard the voices again. Two women, laughing and chatting. One voice tickling through to the back of his mind. His dragon’s sensitive hearing picking up the soft lilt of it.
As the voices grew closer, his heart pounded harder in his chest.
“I’m not leaving until I find a shell.”
“Oh, come on Liv. You’ve had all afternoon to find one.”
“And you’ve had all afternoon to lay on the beach.”
Jacques shook his head, tried to get the water out of his ears. Then he heard a gasp. Something fell in the sand beside him, and when he pulled his arm back and opened his eyes, his dragon almost burst out him.
“OMG!”
At first, he thought he was seeing things, then with a blink he cleared his vision. He pressed the dragon side him down, tried to calm the spinning in his head.
Olivia Haralamb was sunk to her knees, there beside him, in nothing more than a skimpy two-piece bathing suit.
He could hear his dragon side saying, “I told you so.” And, he’d deal with his alter ego later.
Her blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail and the late afternoon sun peeked out from around her back. Another female, blond, but a bit shorter and skinner, looked down at him from over Olivia’s shoulder.
“I thought this was supposed to be the private area of the beach.”
“I don’t know but we have to help him.” Olivia’s gaze met his. Her hand touched his shoulder and his skin burned beneath her fingers. “Are you okay?”
She looked over her shoulder at the other female. “He’s cold. Grab the towels and we’ll cover him?”
The other female quirked a brow, “Are you kidding? You want to cover that?”
The other female leaned in closer to him, “He mustn’t be that cold, because it looks like he’s happy to see us.”
Olivia’s eyes grew larger as Jacques’s sex grew harder. Her simple touch on his shoulder hand ignited his blood to warm and his dragon’s instinct to claim his intended mate to rise.
“Sorry, happens when I wake.” He didn’t want to offend them. He fought the urge to reach up and grab her and pull her down against him. He wanted to feel her heat, but he could smell the fear on her lingering with the other female’s excitement. He tried to shift and cover himself but hissed as his ribs spasmed in protest. His back-shoulder blades ached where his wings had retracted, but the soreness had abated.
“Probably went skinny dipping and passed out after the party last night.” The other female, tossed her blond hair behind her shoulder. Her dark mauve lips smirked thinking she had him pegged.
“Marissa.” Olivia shifted her gaze back to the other female. “You shouldn’t always assume things.” Jacques noticed how the bit of color which had rose in her cheeks from her observation of him, slowly started to fade.
His dragon rumbled in his chest, but Olivia seemed too distracted with her friend then to notice. He pushed up on his elbows, despite the discomfort of his ribs. Cupping his hands over his privates to shield the females would do no good.
His dragon would have nothing of it. Too proud to hide what he had to offer to his intended mate, but now wasn’t the right time to try and seduce Olivia.
“At least grab a towel.” She said to Marissa, who bent over and searched through their bag. Jacques kept his eyes on Olivia, no one looked as sexy or beautiful to him, then she did.
“Do you know where are your clothes are? I could fetch them for you?”
“In the water. Probably at the bottom by now.”
“Do you always go skinny dipping in the ocean?” Marissa handed Olivia the towel, but not before she took another eyeful of his manhood.
Jacques debating on how to answer. Admitting the truth of what happened may not surprise Olivia, but he wasn’t sure if Marissa understood about dragons. Not all humans knew they still existed and he didn’t need the government breathing down his neck for breaking rules on top of disobeying his orders from the Giresun pendragon, Blake.
“It depends on the location and the company.” He didn’t miss the flutter of Olivia pulse or the blush deepen across her cheeks. He found it adorable, whereas Marissa looked at him with lust in her eyes and her scent becoming stronger.
His senses all become attuned to Olivia. “I appreciate the towel. If you let me know where you’re staying, I’ll see that you get it back.”
“We’re at the Miramare.” Marissa said, turning to pick up the beach bag again.
“Do you need help up? Are you going to be okay?”
He saw the concern in her eyes and he reached over and touched her arm. Certain the other would not see, he flashed his dragon’s eyes at her. Her lips formed an ‘O’. “Actually, if you could do me a favor.”
“Oh no you don’t. I saw this coming. You’re one of those perverts on the beach. Olivia get away from him. I’m calling the authorities.” Marissa pulled her cell phone out of her bag.
“No. Wait. I’m not a pervert.” Jacques tried to sit up and winced. “Don’t you recognize me?”
Marissa held the phone mid-dial.
Olivia tilted her head. “We’ve met before.”
“Unless there is more than one Charming in your life, Princess.”
She put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “You’re the one on the ferry and out at the mansion on St. Ives.”
“In the flesh.” He winked at her.
Marissa rolled her eyes. “You know this guy?”
“My father…” Olivia’s eyes narrowed on him. “You’re in trouble.”
“It’s not how you think?” Jacques tightened his grip on her arm as he felt her pull away from him. “Just give me a chance to explain.”
“Explain what?” Marissa crossed her arms.
Jacques tried to get up, but pain shot through his ribs and down the middle of his back. He hissed and pushed forward, but Olivia put her hand on his chest.
“Your hurt.”
His heart nearly jumped through his chest at her touch. “I can’t walk off this beach like this, and I can’t have you calling anyone. Help me. I’ll do whatever you ask. Just don’t blow my cover here.”
Olivia bit her lip in thought. She glanced at his eyes, hoped she could see the silent plea in them, before she glanced over her shoulder at Marissa.
“Anything?” Marissa asked.
“Anything,” Jacques said, his eyes locked on Olivia.
“We could use a tour guide for the next couple of days until we go home.”
“I was thinking more like a man slave.” Marissa tilted her hip and left her brazen gaze roam over him.
Jacques didn’t like the way the other woman admired him, not with his intended mate so close. And neither did Olivia, it appeared, as she leaned over him with the towel about to cover him from view.
“What do you say Charming? You wish to be my man slave?” Olivia asked, a wicked smile on her lips.