Hot Piece of Ash (Paranormal Dating Agency Book 28) Read online

  “Come sit with me when you get your food,” Kristin said. “Tell me if my brother was a jerk, so I have a reason to beat him up.” She grinned and Valentina felt more at ease. After making herself a waffle with blueberries and way more syrup than she should have, she made her way back. A few people glanced at her. Each smiled when meeting her eyes. No looks of disgust or judgment.

  Valentina slid into a seat at Kristin’s table. “This is great. I can’t believe how big the selection is.”

  “Yeah,” Kristin chuckled, “I’ll give my brother credit when it comes to feeding us. He got that right. Not sure about much else though.” Her smile told Valentina Kristin was kidding.

  “Ash and I watched the pirate play last night,” she told Kristin excitedly.

  “Oh, how did you like it?” Kristin cut her waffle into squares.

  “I thought it was great. The place where the pirate was cut looked so real, I was sick to my stomach for a moment.”

  Kristin’s brows drew down as she chewed. “I don’t remember anything like that. You sure?”

  “Oh, definitely,” she continued, “the fake skin hung like a fleshy flap of cloth. It was gross.”

  Kristin laughed. “Maybe I need to check it out again. It’s been a while.”

  “Are there other stories about the two pirates? You know, things from the locals. I’ve read up on the females and find them fascinating. Did you know they went by the names Andy and Mark when they were disguised as men?”

  “No,” Kristin replied, her brows high. “The men thought they were males? Not very observant then were they?”

  “From what I understand, pirates were intoxicated more often than not.” Valentina had come across that on one of the sites she read.

  “Did you see anything about their treasure?” Kristin asked. “The part in the play about the ship sinking and them throwing everything overboard is supposedly real. There honestly was a shipwreck. It’s one of the diving tours.”

  “Seriously?” She gasped. “I have to do that one soon. But, no, I didn’t see anything like that. Where did that info come from?”

  “That might be from the locals. The playwright did a lot of research with those who lived here when writing the play for us. You have a couple more days before you can move into your office, so maybe ask around if you’re genuinely interested.”

  She wondered if Smoke knew any stories. Her stomach churned with her half-digested waffle when thinking about her date with him. She was excited and nervous at the same time. Was she moving too fast? Would he get bored with her in a day and move on to the next beautiful tourist who gave him a look?

  Maybe it would be for the best. She kind of wanted to see where things were headed with Ash. She really didn’t see herself juggling two guys. It was too much work. Besides, it was highly unlikely they both wanted her in that deep, raw way she felt with Ash. She’d just have to wait and see.

  “Kristin,” she said hesitantly, “has your brother dated a lot of women?” Was that something one could ask a sister? “I mean if you wouldn’t mind telling me. I don’t want to seem nosey, though I am.”

  Kristin laughed. “Ash is the alpha, so every female wants to be with him. But, no, he’s honestly a bit shy around someone he likes, if you can believe that.”

  “Alpha?” she asked. “What’s that?”

  Kristin choked on her bite and slapped her chest. “Ah, fuck!” Kristin glanced at her watch. “It’s time to get to the office, or I'll be late.” She jumped to her feet with her plate and glass in hand. “Gotta go. See you around.”

  She was gone before Valentina got a chance to say goodbye.

  At the table next to her, she noticed a guy looking at her. She returned the look and saw it was Mark, the get-rich-quick teenager.

  “Hey,” she said, smiling, “how’s it going?”

  The boy smiled. “Uh, good. I heard you talking about the treasure. I mean, the pirates.” His smile slipped.

  “Yeah, I watched the play last night.”

  “Oh, right,” Mark mumbled. “I-I need-, have to go.” He jumped from his chair and hurried out the door. What was his problem? He didn’t even take his dishes to be washed. That boy needed to learn to be more appreciative for his job.

  Ash dialed his beta for the third time that morning. He couldn’t wait to tell him the great news. He’d barely slept the night before with his mate continuously on his mind. Even his dreams were filled with her and everything he’d love to do to her in his bed.

  Dammit. He was getting hard again. Time for another cold shower. He’d never been so clean before. Finally, his beta picked up.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Ash growled.

  “I tried calling you last night. Where the hell were you?” Smoke blurted. “You won’t believe what happened to me yesterday.”

  At the same time, they said, “I found our mate.” They each paused. Then together, “You too?”

  Ash shook his head. He and his beta had spent way too much time in each other’s company. “Wait,” he said. “Where did you meet her?”

  “I saw her on the beach just before I left. She’s gorgeous. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I’ve never been so hard for so long. It’s been a while since I’d had blue balls.”

  “Smoke, too much info, bro,” Ash growled. Yes, they were a team, but even teammates didn’t share everything. But he knew they were talking about the same female. “Did you notice Val is human?”

  “I thought I scented that, but she was there and gone so quickly, I didn’t get much.” He growled. “You spent the night with her, didn’t you, douche bag?”

  Ash laughed harder. “Chill. I didn’t sleep with her. Yet. We just hung out and watched the tourist play. She isn’t that kind of girl. She’s quite shy.”

  “Shy?” Smoke said, “Well, we’ll get her over that quickly—”

  “Smoke,” Ash warned, “she’s our mate, and you will not do anything stupid. She’s not the normal female you seem drawn to.”

  “You know I don’t sleep with any of them. I keep my pants on. My dragon can’t stand being with a female who isn’t his mate. Now he’s thrilled. I had to fight him to keep from busting out and flying home last night.”

  “Oh, something else,” Ash said, “I didn’t tell her we were shifters. Did you?”

  The silence on the line concerned him.

  “You know,” Smoke’s voice was filled with sarcasm, “I’m sure she’ll figure it out once we shift and scare the living shit out of her, and we never see her again. Dumbass, what were you thinking? We have to tell her.”

  “Well you didn’t tell her, either,” Ash growled.

  “I barely had any time with her,” Smoke muttered. “What’s your excuse?”

  “It wasn’t the right time. I can’t just spring on her, ‘hey, babe, the men you’re going to spend the rest of your life with are mythical creatures that can eat you in one bite.’”

  Smoke groaned. “Don’t talk about eating her. I’m getting hard again, dammit.”

  Ash sighed and wiped a hand down his face. This trio thing was going to be interesting. He and their mate would have to get used to his beta. She’d have a perpetual blush on her face. She’d adjust. He knew his mate might be shy but she had a steel inner core. Soon they’d be joined, and their clan would be safe.

  “Speaking of that,” Ash said, “have you talked to Dr. Ishman yet?”

  “Not yet. I have a call scheduled with him in an hour. He returned my call while I was on the plane; he said he’d gladly come to the island and test the cone for gasses.”

  “Good, I don’t want to take any chances with our people in the danger zone. If we don’t have to evacuate the island, I don’t want to.”

  “If you remember what Isa said,” Smoke snorted, “then we don’t have to worry now that we have our mate. The island magic will become strong again. The volcano will be fine.”

  Ash was surprised Smoke had been listening, much less remembered that. Well, that
wasn’t really true. Smoke was a great beta. Ash just found it hard working with someone who was his opposite in temperament. But that was why they were perfect for each other.

  “There was more that Isa said,” Ash answered.

  “What was it?”

  “The magic will repair itself after we get our mate to fall in love with us. And we’ve mated.”

  “Shit,” Smoke mumbled, “and you had to be the one with her most of last night.”

  Ash grinned even though the joke was at his expense. “Yeah, whatever, asshat,” he pretended to be mad.

  “Fine. I’ll try to salvage what you screwed up before we spring on her that she’s ours. You need to tell her what we are,” Smoke said then hung up.

  Fucking hell. How was he going to bring that up in conversation without her jumping on a plane and flying away as fast as possible?

  Chapter Eleven

  As she roamed the trails close to her bungalow, Valentina couldn’t get the stories about Bonnie and Read out of her mind. It was the only thing that kept her mind off dating two gorgeous guys at the same time. Her date with Smoke would be here soon. The thought alone made her stomach roll. Why was she so nervous? Was it because she had such a great evening with Ash? She felt safe with him. Every time that she thought of him, she got butterflies in her belly.

  Her fingers went to her lips. She traced them , thinking of how wonderful his mouth felt on hers. Remembering how he’d held her, she shivered. He made her feel safe but also desirable. How could she want him naked so fast? She’d only met him yesterday. Maybe she had a hidden kink she didn’t know about until now.

  She actually felt like a schoolgirl with her first crush. Then there was Smoke. He made her feel the same way, and hadn’t even kissed her, just touched. Oh, that touch, though. The memory of it caused her body to heat. These men would drive her crazy with need.

  A cool breeze made her shiver, and the sunlight dimmed. She glanced up and noticed she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. The trail she was on took her into the woods behind her section of the resort.

  Picturing the property map in her head, she tried to recall where this trail came out. The offices and bungalows were in this general direction from the café.

  Something about this place didn’t feel right. The first thing she noticed was the dying trees. The ground was covered with brown shriveled leaves, which looked dried up and crunchy. Was there a parasite or something killing them?

  Chills raced down her back. The sensation that she had eyes watching her made her glance around. A voice whispered on the wind. Was that her name she heard? Goosebumps rose on her arms. Her pulse thumped.

  The one thing to pop into her mind was the ghost mentioned in the play. Anne Bonnie’s soul supposedly roamed the woods looking for others who would steal her treasure. Of course, Valentina didn’t believe in ghosts. They were like vampires and shifters—urban myths that couldn’t possibly be real. Or, then again, maybe they could be.

  There it was again. Her name. The trees had blocked almost all the sun where she stood. A twig snapped, and she spun around, seeing nothing. A nervous laugh came from her. Maybe she should turn around and go back since she wasn’t sure where this led.

  “I’m making myself crazy,” she said out loud, taking a step back and touching something.

  “Yes, you are.”

  With a scream a banshee would be proud of, she sprang away from what she’d bumped into and grabbed onto a tree. Where she had stood was a big man, a foot taller than she was with a scowl on his face. He took a deep breath.

  “Are you lost?” he asked. “This is mostly used by employees. The resort is that way.” He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder in the direction she’d come. “You should stay where you’re supposed to.”

  After staring at him for a moment, she realized she recognized him. “You’re the pirate in the play who got cut last night.” Her eyes went to his bare arm, where she saw a red outline at the exact place the sliced flesh was. No stitches or bandages that would have been there if it was real.

  He crossed his arms over his broad chest. “That was part of the show.”

  If that was the case, then why was there a scar on his skin. No, that wasn’t right. If it was real, he’d have it wrapped up. Why was this not making sense?

  She held her hand out. “I’m Valentina Lombardi, the new VP of PR.”

  His eyes narrowed on her. What? Did he think she was lying? The nerve.

  He finally shook her hand. “Tom Harlan.”

  Oh! That Tom. Kristin’s cold husband. She’d heard so much about him. Yes, she now understood what Kristin was talking about when she said he could be mean.

  She thought of Kristin and decided she’d be nice for her new friend’s sake. Though Valentina didn’t have it in her to be anything but professional to a co-worker, she didn’t have to accept rudeness either.

  “Tom, it’s great to meet you. Kristin has said so many wonderful things about you. And you’re an incredible actor. That fight scene and injury you faked definitely freaked me out. It seemed so real.”

  “I’m good at what I do.” His eyes narrowed more.

  “So, Tom, what do you do here? Hang out at the beach all day while your wife works? Go out to the bars when your wife is sleeping from being exhausted from working all day?”

  This was so unlike her. Passive-aggressive much? She was defensive for her friend. Plus, this Tom guy was an outright jerk.

  His lips turned up at the corners a slight bit. “I help out on the scuba and volcano tours, when I want to.”

  Valentina smiled at that last bit. Of course, when he wanted to. “I’m a scuba diver too. I’ve had my gear shipped down here. I should be getting it soon. Maybe you can show me where the good spots are. I’m sure you know everything around here.”

  He stepped toward her, anger in his eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

  She swallowed hard, eyes searching for a weapon if the need should arise. “Nothing. Just that you’ve been here long enough to know what’s fun or boring.” Okay, being nice wasn’t working. She just wanted away from Kristin’s husband. God, what an ass. “Maybe we’ll hold off until I’m settled, and we’ll speak then.”

  He looked her up and down. “Probably don’t need any weights to hold you down. You’ll naturally sink being big and all.” No. He didn’t just say that. The side of his mouth tipped up. The bastard knew he was being a dick. She swallowed her anger, not giving him the satisfaction.

  She wanted to say so much, but it just wasn’t her. She didn’t curse people out for being assholes. She cleared her throat. “Anyway, see you around.” She scooted behind him, headed back along the trail.

  “Where are you going?” he asked. “The employee section is that way.” He pointed in the direction she was originally going.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “That way.” He gestured in the visitor resort direction.

  Thank god for small miracles. “Yes, I’m going to the employee area.” She hurried past him and kept going, chin up, not looking back. She felt his eyes on her the entire time, or it could’ve been her overactive imagination, and the heebie-jeebies this section of the woods gave her.

  When the sun filtered through the leaves again, she breathed a sigh of relief. Reaching the tree line, she stepped out into a park-like area where several people were sitting at picnic tables talking. A few others were reading by themselves.

  She noticed more patches of ground where the grass was yellowish and dying. No rhyme or reason to the placement, just scattered here and there. For being a tropical paradise, the island had fewer than stellar attributes. Maybe they needed to water more.

  As she walked toward the other side where she glimpsed the office building, she heard a voice she recognized. Mark. She thought back to earlier when he got weird and ran out of the cafeteria. She walked behind where he sat and slowed to listen to him to make sure he was okay. He seemed normal now, sitting with some other older
guys at a table. Teenagers could be strange around adults.

  In the teen’s hand was a gold circle that appeared to be a gold coin. It looked like something you’d find in an archeological dig. All the guys were staring at it. Was it real or just something bought at the souvenir shop? She heard him say something about water in a crater uncovering it. What did that mean? Someone found it where an asteroid crashed?

  Not worried about him any longer, Valentina continued forward to her bungalow. Suddenly, everyone around her stopped what they were doing and looked up to the sky. She followed their line of sight and saw the top of the volcano shoot out steam that rolled over the edge.

  She didn’t know anything about volcanos, but that scared the shit out of her. Was it going to erupt? The others in the park went back to what they were doing. No screaming of “we’re all going to die,” or “run to the water,” so everything must’ve been okay. She’d ask Kristin about it.

  Valentina would’ve liked to have known if there was a chance of her waking to find herself a resident of a new Pompeii.

  Chapter Twelve

  She made it back to the bungalow in plenty of time to get a hot shower and wash and dry her hair. Smoke was taking her on a tour to the other side of the island. He’d said to dress comfortably and to be sure to wear sensible shoes. Guess they'd be doing plenty of walking. Just because she was big didn’t mean she wasn’t active. She tried to take a five mile walk four to five times a week.

  After drying her hair, she applied a little makeup to her eyes, hoping that would make them stand out a little. When she went to the closet, she checked for a nice top to wear, deciding on a light purple button-down. She liked this one because it brought out the color in her eyes, and it hung just right, not too tight, not too loose. Then she chose a pair of black shorts since they were going to be walking, and she didn’t need to get overheated. But they were Bermuda style so her thighs wouldn’t rub and she wouldn’t get any chub burn. That sucked major ass.

  She was checking herself in the floor-length mirror when she heard a knock on the front door. At least he’s punctual.