Ice Moon Read online

  He shoved his cell phone in his pocket, his gaze penetrating my defenses. “Do me a favor first. Let me take you to dinner. You have my word, no matter how bad I might want to, I won’t touch you.”

  I blinked, surprised by the tears threatening to blur my vision. “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  I sighed. “Why spend more time together, when you of all people must understand there’s no future, no chance of a relationship?”

  “Because it’s got to be pretty lonely in that tower you lock yourself away in. If I can’t be more, I’d like to be your friend.”

  My pulse raced. I shook my head. “I’m sorry. It’s definitely me, not you. I…I can’t.”

  He groaned, but it almost sounded like…a growl. “Taryn, you can do this. Sherri is staying late tonight with Charlie, and you need to eat anyway.”

  I stared at the ceiling. There was nothing I wanted more than to spend time with him. Not only was he gorgeous with a kiss that lit a fire in me, literally, but he was also kind to my little boy. The memory of Charlie’s smile after helping Jared work on the deck was etched in my mind. I gnawed the inside of my cheek, struggling to raise my emotional barriers, and finally met his eyes.

  “It’s a bad idea.”

  “Then it’s my bad idea.” The corner of his mouth curved, threatening to weaken my resolve.

  “Are you oblivious to the danger you would be in?”

  He shrugged, that lopsided grin setting off a hundred butterflies in my stomach. “Not oblivious, but also not afraid. You shouldn’t be either.”

  “You’re not going to give up, are you?”

  He shook his head, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Not a chance.”

  “I’m only agreeing to one meal.”

  He chuckled. “For now.”

  I raised a brow. “Forever.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You might enjoy yourself.”

  I sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  Before he could say anything else, I walked back to my office. Part of me was still in shock. I was going to dinner with a man. This was crazy. I jumped when I turned around. Jared filled my doorway, but his smile was gone.

  He took a deep breath and looked my way, his brow furrowed. “Who comes in here?”

  Weird question. I hooked my attaché on my shoulder and grabbed my purse. “All my employees and sometimes I have clients in here, why?”

  “Nothing. Curious, I guess.”

  He did not look like it was nothing. I waited for him to head for the front door and followed. After setting the alarm, I locked the glass double doors and started for my Escalade.

  “Wait. Can we take my truck?”

  “Okay.” I looked over at his full-size Ford pick-up. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride in mine? Your tools would probably be safer here…”

  “My tools will be fine, and Tank is with Charlie. I swear it’s clean inside.”

  His truck. All right, I could do this. Jared opened the passenger door and I climbed in before he offered to help. He closed the door and came around to get in the driver’s side.

  The interior cab smelled like him. Suddenly, I wished I could close my eyes and breathe him in, like keeping your first boyfriend’s shirt so you could put it over your pillowcase and drift off to sleep pretending he was beside you. Or maybe I was the only one who did that.

  He drove out of the parking lot carefully, and although the night air was brisk, he kept his window cracked, the cold sting of the wind sending a shiver down my back.

  “My jacket is behind the seat if you need it.”

  “You could roll up your window.”

  He shook his head slowly. “No, I can’t.”

  I wanted to be annoyed, but his profile made it clear he wasn’t being a jerk, he was tense. His hands gripped the wheel like a lifeline, and his eyes never left the road. I reached back and grabbed his coat. It was a leather bomber jacket, and wrapping it around me was as close to being in his arms as I would ever get.

  He pulled into the local pizza joint. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

  Jared jumped out and vanished inside before I could question him further. I sat in the cab of his truck, completely confused, and more than a little curious. Rather than second guess my choice to agree to a meal, I opened the glove box. All the usual paperwork, proof of insurance, registration, and a badge with Tank’s picture. I leaned forward for a closer look.

  A service dog badge. Why would Jared need a service dog?

  He came out with a box and a bag. I quickly closed the glove compartment, feeling guilty for my intrusion.

  Jared handed me the pizza. “Sorry, I should’ve consulted you on the order, but I was pretty sure you’d turn me down tonight, and I figured if by some slim chance you said yes, you wouldn’t want all of Lake Tahoe whispering about you dating your contractor.”

  I smiled. “You did a lot of thinking.”

  “I had a few days while someone was avoiding my calls.”

  I laughed before I could stop myself. “I wasn’t avoiding you, I was trying to figure out what to do.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not ready to talk about that. Let’s start with pizza first.”

  “Smells great.” I peered in the bag. “Garlic bread, too?”

  He nodded and turned on the engine. “First we’re going to the cabin.”

  My smile faded. “Cabin?”

  “Yeah, my family has a big one up here. We all have keys. It’ll be quiet so we can talk, and it’s got a dynamite view of the lake.”

  I shifted in my seat, staring out the window. He had to understand now why I didn’t like to be touched. It wasn’t even that I didn’t like it, so much as I didn’t want to hurt anyone. In fact, if I was being honest, kissing Jared had been…hot. To say the least. And being with him only made me yearn for more.

  Silence blanketed us for the rest of the drive. He finally pulled into a mammoth multi-level log home on the lakeshore. To call it a cabin was doing it a huge injustice.

  “Some cabin.”

  He chuckled, turning off the engine. “Maybe, but calling it an estate or something like that sounds pretentious.”

  I opened the door and got out, balancing the bag on top of the pizza box. Jared came around and traded me the keys for the food. I unlocked the door, then followed him inside. A massive staircase sat across the entryway, to the right was a den, and on the left was a spacious living area with a vaulted ceiling and an impressive oversized fireplace.

  “Inside or outside?”

  His voice jarred me from my inspection of the property. “Inside.”

  “You got it.”

  The industrial-sized kitchen was finished with gleaming stainless steel appliances. “Wow. Your family must do a lot of entertaining.”

  He shrugged, placing the food on the counter while he took down a couple of paper plates. “Our family is big and it keeps growing, so if we all want to get together, this place can hold all of us at once.”

  I pulled out a piece of pepperoni pizza and a slice of garlic bread. Jared went into the living room and sat on the curved leather sofa. I took a spot a few feet away.

  He chuckled. “I’m not going to bite.”

  “And I’m not going to take any chances.”

  He raised his large hands in mock surrender. “Fair enough.”

  The second my teeth sank into the warm, melty cheese, I almost moaned out loud. It had been way too long since I had pizza. “Are you going to tell me why it was so important that we have dinner?”

  “Because when you started dodging my calls I realized something.”

  I swallowed. “What’s that?”

  “You didn’t mean for me to find out about the Pyrokinesis, but my shirt spilled your secret without your consent.”

  Good thing I hadn’t taken another bite yet, or I would’ve choked on my food. “Perceptive.” I raised a brow. “And you must have Googled.”

  He nodded with a gentle smil
e. “I did a little research.”

  I set my plate on the coffee table, my appetite gone. “Are we here to discuss a fee for you to keep your mouth shut?”

  “You have got to be goddamned kidding me.” He tossed his plate on the table, his gaze pinning me to my seat. “You seriously think I brought you here to blackmail you? What have I ever done to give you such a lowlife opinion of me?”

  Nothing. He’d been professional, polite, and amazing to my son. I cleared my throat and stood up, breaking free of his heavy stare.

  “You haven’t done anything, but life has taught me people can turn on a dime and I’m always ready to pivot.” I crossed over to the fireplace and sat on the stone bench in front of the empty hearth. “So why are we here exactly?”

  “I wanted to level the playing field.” He pulled his hair back from his forehead. “But maybe you don’t give a shit anyway.”

  I raised a brow. “Level it how?”

  His eyes met mine. “I was going to trust you with a secret, too. Thought that’d make us even and we could start over.”

  “Start over?” I sighed and got up. Standing at the French doors, I stared at the smooth lake surface, calming the building heat in my head. “After that kiss, you have to know there is no future which includes me. I’m a ticking bomb.”

  He crossed to me, so close I could hear his breathing, but he didn’t try to touch me. “Taryn, look at me.”

  I shook my head. If stared into his eyes, I’d cry. He’d seen enough weakness from me already.

  His rough finger caressed my jaw, sliding down to my chin and sending tingles through my entire body. Gently, he turned my face until I met his eyes. He whispered, “You aren’t a bomb, and you don’t scare me. We just need to be careful.”

  I lost myself in his gaze, and I wanted to surrender to hope. I pressed my lips together, struggling to hold back the tears. “Why do you care?”

  His barely there smile warmed me. “You try really hard to hide behind that Ice Queen disguise, but that’s not who I see. I see a girl who had to grow up fast, and a mom who would sacrifice everything for her son. You’re beautiful, Taryn, inside and out, and I want to get to know the woman you keep hidden away.” He lowered his hand and my body ached at the loss. “If you’re willing, I’ll walk through the fire with you.”

  A tear escaped down my cheek. My voice wobbled, a raspy whisper. “I don’t think I can control it anymore. If I get riled up, good or bad, things burn.”

  He stepped even closer, his lips hovering over mine, his breath cooling my skin. “Then we take it slow. We wait.” His mouth curved into a sexy grin. “The best things are worth waiting for.”

  My pulse pounded in my ears, heat smoldering deep in my belly. I’d never been so tempted. “This is a dangerous game.”

  He didn’t back away, making me ache to touch him. “Sometimes those are the best kind.” His fingers brushed mine, tentative before taking my hand. “Come and sit with me.”

  I wasn’t burning him. Yet. I got up and found a place on the couch again. “If I feel it getting out of hand I’m back on the fireplace.”

  “Fair enough.” Jared stared at our joined hands and then met my eyes. “There must be a way to control this. You had Charlie.”

  “Yeah, but being with Noah was different.” I shrugged. “I never got hot like I did when I was kissing you.”

  “Noah was Charlie’s dad?”

  I nodded.

  “And you never burned one of his shirts when he kissed you?”

  I shook my head.

  Jared squeezed my hand with a raised brow and crooked grin. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  I laughed, stunned by the sound. Laughing felt better than I remembered.

  His rough thumb slid across my knuckles. “Smiles look great on you.”

  “Shhh.” I grinned. “You’ll ruin my reputation.”

  He tipped his head back and chuckled. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  Oh, I hoped that was true. If he told someone about my issue with fire…if anyone discovered Charlie’s scar…

  I could lose my son.

  I pulled in a slow breath. Just thinking about Charlie being taken from me stoked the flames. Jared let go of my hand. “Talk to me. What’s happening?”

  “It’s coming.”

  “Did I upset you?”

  I shook my head. “No. Yes.” Breathe. “Oh, god.”

  Jared got up and opened both of the French doors, the cold mountain breeze blew through the room. I shivered, closing my eyes, silently begging the embers to cool. I looked up into Jared’s eyes. No fear, just determination.

  I swallowed hard and forced the words from my lips. “You can’t tell anyone about the fire. They’ll take Charlie. I can’t lose him. I won’t.”

  He left the doors open and sat beside me again. “Is that what set you off?”

  He slid an arm around my back, but didn’t pull me close. I trembled, aching for the comfort of an embrace. It had been years since my last hug, since I allowed someone to touch me.

  “This has to stay between us.”

  “Just between us.” He leaned closer, barely brushing his lips to my forehead.

  I lifted my chin to see his face, his mouth dangerously close to mine. “I’d kiss you if I could,” I whispered.

  Jared’s breath caressed my skin. “I have other shirts.”

  I smiled, and kissed him.

  Chapter Ten

  Jared

  Her lips were soft and warm. I wanted to pull her tight against me, to feel her heart pounding with mine, but I didn’t. If we had another fire incident, she might never kiss me again. For now, I let her take the lead. Her tongue brushed my lips in a cautious exploration that had me growling deep and low into her mouth as the kiss deepened.

  Her hand slid up my thigh, and gradually, I noticed the heat rising. Stealing one last slow peck, I rested my forehead on hers. “Might be as far as we get tonight.”

  She pulled back, staring at the discolored spot on my jeans where her hand had been. I caught her chin raising her face to meet my eyes. “No beating yourself up.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not.”

  “How can you be so calm about all this?”

  I was 99.9% sure if I brought up werewolves right now, any progress I’d made with my mate would be out the window. “I Googled Pyrokinesis, so I’m kind of an expert now.”

  She smiled, rolling her eyes. “I was being serious.”

  “I know.” I took a breath, reminding myself I had promised to level the field between us. “You’re not the only one with…issues. While we’re sharing secrets, I think I owe you one.”

  Her smile faded. “First, I have a confession to make.” She shifted on the couch, but didn’t move away. “While you got the pizza, I stumbled across Tank’s service dog card.”

  I raised a brow. “Stumbled across it inside my glove box?”

  “I said it was a confession. That implies some guilt, right?”

  I chuckled. “True.” I took a deep breath, my pulse racing. Too bad Tank wasn’t with me now. “Having him around relieves some of my anxiety issues.” I cleared my throat, loathing my weakness. “I dropped out of medical school because I have claustrophobia. Bad. I couldn’t explain it to my family, so it’s been a secret festering inside me a few years now. Tank senses when I’m upset, and having him in my truck with me helps me control the panic when I drive.”

  “That’s why you didn’t want to ride in my car.”

  I nodded. “Also why I don’t roll my window up on my truck. I need the air or I can’t breathe.”

  My fingertips tingled, my chest constricting, shorter shallow breaths. Ah fuck. I got up and leaned against the open French doors, hoping the cool breeze would ease the anxiety swelling inside of me. I’d never said the word claustrophobia out loud to anyone who wasn’t a paid shrink before.

  It never occurred to me my body would react so strongly to my adm
itted flaw.

  Taryn came over, standing on the other side of the doorframe. Her scent filled my lungs, soothing my torment. “Since you made it into medical school, I’m guessing the claustrophobia kicked in during college?”

  “Yeah.” Smart woman. Mine. I wished I was stronger for her, less broken. I wished plenty of things. Finally, I met her gaze.

  “I had a girlfriend, Bailey.” Just saying her name ripped at the wound that never healed. Jesus, I could almost smell the reek of death, choking me. No escape. Blackness danced at the edge of my vision. Fuck.

  Her arm slid around my waist as my balance faltered. “Let’s get to the fireplace.”

  I sat on the hearth, struggling to slow my breathing. Taryn went back to the kitchen. Ice cubes clanked into a glass before I realized she’d touched me when she helped me sit down. No fire, no burns.

  With a glass of iced water in hand, she settled in beside me. “When I couldn’t control the Pyrokinesis anymore, I had a few panic attacks myself. Sometimes cold water helps.”

  I took the glass, shaking my head. “Sorry. I’ve never talked about this out loud. Didn’t expect it to hit me this hard after so many years.”

  She nudged me with her shoulder. “Welcome to my world.”

  I took a swallow and huffed out a breath. “Our world sucks.”

  She stared into the distance. Her voice soft enough I probably wouldn’t have heard her if I weren’t a werewolf. “Charlie is the only reason I go on.”

  The raw pain, the emptiness in her tone, froze me where I sat. What had she endured? Kilani had told me Taryn couldn’t ignite fires with her mind when she dropped out of school. What changed?

  I set the glass aside and risked taking her hand. “I’m glad you did.”

  She turned, her gaze wandering over my face. “You make me wish for things I can never have. You terrify me.”

  “Don’t say never.” I lifted her hand to my lips, kissing the back of her fingers. “We’ll figure this out, but you can’t give up.”

  “Why do you care? We haven’t spent much time together, and I wasn’t very friendly for most of it.”