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Copyright ? 2014 by Vivian Arend
ISBN: 978-1-941456-50-7
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations.
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We are wild as colts unbroke, but never mean.
Of our sins we’ve shoulders broad to bear the blame; But we’ll never stay in town and we’ll never settle down, And we’ll never have an object or an aim.
No, there’s that in us that time can never tame; And life will always seem a careless game.
“The Rhyme of the Restless Ones”—Robert Service
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Jim Halcyon was in lust.
Or maybe obsessed was a better term. Whatever it was, he couldn’t pull his gaze away. Her bright coppery tones reflected the overhead lights, sparkling back as she rotated before him. Soft edges, infinite value—not because she was so rare, but because of what she represented.
This time, she wasn’t getting away from him.
“You’re the easiest person in the world to distract,” Damon Black taunted.
Jim instinctively closed his fingers over the coin lying in the palm of his hand, tempted to slam the fist he’d formed into the pretty-boy face of one of the only shifters brave enough to mock him.
His best friend peeled his grasp open and withdrew the small copper disk, placing it and its protective plastic case on the bar counter in front of them. “Now that you’ve seen for yourself Lady Luck is here, let’s talk. How have you been? I haven’t seen you much in the past month, and phone calls and texts don’t cut it, since you suck at doing anything other than yattering about work.”
“I’ve been busy,” Jim snapped.
Damon raised a brow, his unspoken see what I mean? coming through loud and clear.
Jim let out a long, slow breath. Fine, he’d humour the blond bastard. “You know, for someone who swears he wants me to relax, you might let a fellow have some quality time with the woman he loves, instead of rushing the moment.” Jim deliberately lifted the coin in the air, twisting slowly so the casino lighting bounced off the cut lines, making the ancient artifact shine like a brand-new penny.
“Fine by me.” A gloating grin drifted over Damon’s fair features. “Since this is the only time you’ll get a chance to fondle her, you may as well make the most of it.”
“Ass.”
Damon chuckled. “Three years running I’ve won the bet. You must miss having Lady Luck in your life.”
Jim forced down a growl of discontent, but facts were facts. It wasn’t because he hadn’t done his damnedest to win, and no way Damon could claim otherwise.
The trouble was every man had a fatal flaw, and Jim Halcyon’s was women. Blonde, brunette, short or tall, there was so much to love about women. Plus, there were so many women to love, and Jim happily obliged as many as possible.
His dedication to the task had inevitably led to his downfall during their previous contests. Not because he’d been fucking around, but because every damn time he’d ended up acting as a white knight to some damsel in distress. He had no proof, but he was almost certain the ladies had been setups put in place by his rival.
Damon might be a great friend, but the joker never gave an inch.
Not about anything—and lately his neurotic energy seemed focused on make Jim relax. It was like being friends with an overenthusiastic border collie.
Other years their challenges had taken them around the world to all sorts of exotic locations. They’d wined, and dined, and partied like animals as well as completing their task. This time, though, the lucky piece was the only part of the competition Jim was interested in, as he’d informed his friend months ago. Set up something fast and to the point—make it over quickly so Jim could get back to work a.s.a.p.
Damon had refused to give up any advance details, damn near dragging him to Vegas and holding Lady Luck as bait until Jim finally agreed to show up without specifics.
“This year’s going to be different,” Jim insisted. “I refuse to get caught up in any sob stories that might steal victory from me. Let’s get rolling. What’s the challenge?”
Damon gave him a long, hard stare, his bright blue eyes far too astute. “Dude, stop and breathe for a minute. You can’t keep going like a madman or you’re going break something. Or someone.”
“Exactly. So hurry up and let’s start relaxing.”
Damon rolled his eyes.
“I’m winning her back,” Jim warned.
His friend shook his head slowly, as if realizing something. He spoke in a far softer voice. “It is just a game, right? A chance for us to let off some steam. You don’t really believe your luck for the coming year depends on winning the coin?”