Flames to Free (Dred Dixon Chronicles Book 1) by N.A. Grotepas

Author:N.A. Grotepas [Grotepas, N.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-08-11T16:00:00+00:00

23

“No thanks,” Hank said, turning his nose up at the beer.

I couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t the best, but it was what I could find in a pinch inside the tiny town’s gas station. Major brand. Tasted like urine, a quick solution to my problem—I was tense as hell and needed to relax. And the beer was my current crutch.

So sue me.

I steeled myself for the lecture I could feel bearing down on me about how crap Utah is for not having hard liquor for sale in grocery stores and gas stations. Hank would have preferred something different—Jameson Black. A glass of white wine. A shot of tequila. All things I’d seen him drink over the two months we’d been working together.

We sat on the porch in lawn chairs and watched the sun setting after returning from the minuscule gas station. It painted orange and pinks across wisps of clouds. On the other side of the street, the neighbor sat in his khaki one-piece jumpsuit and watched us.

Hank threw the toothpick he’d been chewing on out into the grass. “That guy’s unsettling.”

“I know. He’s been doing that for ages, since I was a kid really. I’m sure it’s harmless.”

“That you can think anything is harmless after nearly being crushed by a dryad, speaks volumes about your mental fortitude.”

I snorted. “He’s just an old man. Probably lonely. Most of these people are long-time empty-nesters. They’ve watched the outside world change and become so different from what they once understood.”

“How you feeling, Dred?” Hank asked, turning to look at me, maybe hearing something in my voice that I didn’t mean to be there.

I could see the pinks of the sunset reflecting in his eyes. The concern in his tone made my stomach do a flip.

This can’t happen, I heard a distant voice say in my mind.

Why not? another, more rebellious voice asked. He’s a man. I’m a woman. When was the last time I’d had a boyfriend? When was the last time I’d slept with someone I could still see myself with in a year, in two years?

I’m a picky woman. I wasn’t fond of one-night-stands, but I’d had a few—like you do, at times—and when that was the case, I was even more picky. Those flings, as infrequent as they’d been, had been attached to guys who’d never know the truth about me.

It wasn’t often that I met a paranormal human male that I wanted in an intimate way who knew my big secret.

“Like I’ll never trust another tree again,” I said, answering his question in a way that could deflect the probing.

We both laughed.

“Think you’ll have nightmares tonight?” he asked.

“Fairly probable. What I’ll never wonder again is if my grams is safe down here all by herself.”

“How’s that for a twist? I wasn’t expecting it.”

“She kicks more ass than I always thought. I wonder if my grandpa knew. Or was it like, he was gaslighted his whole life, like Darrin in Bewitched. Remember that show?”

“Oh yeah, of course I remember. I had the hots for Samantha.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.