Read Online Flowers and Fangs (Stake and Dust series, Book II) by Karen Michelle Nutt - Free Book Online Page A

can set it, but he'll need to be sedated for a few
days. I don't want him up on the leg and damaging it further. Would
you mind if he stayed here with me? I'd like to run some more test,
too and make sure there aren't any internal injuries."
    Sloane glanced at Derek who gave her a slight
nod. "Sure," Sloane gave her consent. "About paying you…"
    Dr. Sinclair waved her off. "Derek's got this
covered."
    Derek? Her gaze riveted to him and he
shrugged. "Don't sweat it. Mary here takes IOUs."
    "Funny." She pinched his cheek. "It's a good
thing you're so cute."
    Sloane wanted to argue more, but she didn't
have a whole lot of cash and she couldn't imagine this private
visit was cheap.
    After Dr. Sinclair sedated Lad, Derek strode
out of the room to have a word with the good doctor in private. She
couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could tell the two
were more than just casual friends. Was the doctor Derek's
girlfriend? Funny how that didn't sit well with her.
    When Dr. Sinclair leaned in and gave him a
hug, Sloane quickly looked away, not wanting to witness an all out
kiss fest. She would bet Derek was still a good kisser. Those full
lips would know what to do and she had a hunch his talented fingers
would, too. He wasn't a teenager any longer, but a man. Clothes
wouldn't hinder his advances. She closed her eyes and willed the
image of a hot naked Derek from her mind.
    "Are you ready to go?" She jumped at the
sound of Derek's voice and felt heat rise to her cheeks. She hadn't
seen the guy in years and had no business getting all hot and
bothered over him. She must be suffering from Stockholm syndrome.
Being attracted to Derek proved how irrational her thoughts were.
He kidnapped her for God's sake. Chained her to his bed. And he
fought to save you from a homicidal boyfriend with fangs. Okay,
the lines between good and very, very bad were blurred.
    She gave Lad a quick hug goodbye. "I'll be
back for you soon."
    "I'll take good care of him," Dr. Sinclair
reassured her.
    "Thank you." She followed Derek to the car.
The night turned cold and she zipped up her jacket. She couldn't
believe all that had happened in the last few days. It was like an
episode out of the Twilight Zone. It just couldn't be real and yet
she knew it was very, very real, terrifyingly real.
    Derek opened the passenger side for her, but
she just stood there, frozen and unable to force her limbs to move.
The last few days of chaos came crashing down on her in one large
wave, taking her breath away and making her eyes blur.
    "Hey…" Derek was at her side in two strides
and pulling her into his embrace. This man risked his life to save
hers, not once, but twice. He was paying for Lad's medical
treatment. With that alone she could forgive him for kidnapping
her. The tears came and he stroked her back in slow caresses. Yeah,
she'd been right. He did know what to do with his hands.
    She melted further into his embrace and
fisted her hands in his shirt. His scent wrapped around her senses,
reminding her how alive he was, how strong and brave… how very
male... She met his concerned gaze, but she didn't want his pity or
his concern. She… Oh hell in hand basket as her grandmother
would say when nothing made sense. And this didn't make sense. She
wanted him. Her lips instinctively found his. His hold on her
loosened, and he pulled back to look at her, searching her face for
obviously some clue as to why she just kissed him. She was about to
apologize for her bold move, but then his mouth swooped in to
capture hers. She was shocked at her own eager response to touch
his lips, but even more so that he seemed just as fervent to dive
right in, too. Did the Stockholm syndrome work in reverse?
    "Hmm…mmh." The sound of someone clearing
their throat made them both pull apart as if they'd done something
wrong and boy had they. "I thought you'd have been long gone, but I
see you've been…detained," Mary said with a bit of humor lacing her
words.
    Sloane met the