Tropical Tiger Spy (Shifting Sands Resort 1)

“Nothing like that.” Tony shook his head with confidence. “Most shifters are peaceful and perfectly legal. We only deal with the criminal elements, and our records aren't public.”

“Ooo,” Amber couldn't help saying. “Criminal elements! You're like a James Bond superspy, aren't you!”

“But with a lot more paperwork and a lot less flying burning helicopters and disarming bombs,” Tony laughed.

Amber laughed, then sobered and bit her lip. “You said you have records,” Amber said, not sure how to proceed.

Tony was not oblivious to her train of thought, following her line of questioning to its logical conclusion. “You want to know if there are more like you. Maybe your parents.”

“I'm sure it's not as important as shifters disappearing today,” Amber sai

d, heart in her mouth. She gave a dry laugh. “And I have to hope they aren't on the wrong side of the law.” But if they were, would that explain why they gave her up?

The combination of the idea, and Tony's intoxicating closeness, made her feel dizzy and unsettled. Just a vacation fling, she wanted to scream at herself.

“I can check,” Tony said, making circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. “I will. If we've got any information, I'll find it for you.”

Amber let the air out of her lungs all at once, not realizing that she had been holding her breath. “I'd appreciate that,” she confessed in a small voice.

“It doesn't matter to me,” he told her gruffly. “Where you're from, who your parents are. I don't give a damn.” He looked at her so intensely, his brown eyes warm and direct. “I know who you are, and you're beautiful.”

Amber blinked at him, overwhelmed. She could no more doubt him than doubt the air she was breathing, but it made no sense. Tony's eyes were full of promises, not empty flattery–promises of love and life together. She tried to remember that this was a vacation fling, but could only see the warmth in his eyes and remember the way they had kissed and made love, and wonder if it could possibly be something more.

I don't get happy endings, she reminded herself fiercely. Too many times she had longed for stability, for family, only to have it ripped away.

Amber couldn't make sense of the emotion swirling in her chest. “I have to go!” she said loudly, in terror and confusion, and she scrambled backwards out of her chair, tipping it over. She fled over the sand, stumbling and staggering over the uneven surface ungracefully.

“Amber, wait … !” Tony said behind her and Amber ran faster.

The dragon lifeguard turned in alarm, hearing their commotion, but didn't uncurl itself from the lifeguard chair.

She made it back to the dining hall faster than she expected, badly winded by the uphill sprint, and she leaned against the stone wall panting.

“Amber!” It wasn't Tony, but Amber's alarm was no less. Jimmy was putting a cellphone in his pocket. “Your timing is perfect,” he said with a big smile. “I was just organizing a tour of Mr Big's estate gardens for a few of the guests. Wouldn't you like to join us?”

His whole vibe was of a greasy salesman, but the idea was so appealing to Amber that she instantly agreed. “Yes. That is perfect. When are you leaving?”

“The van is already gassed up and ready to go,” Jimmy said brightly. “Be at the resort entrance in ten minutes!”

Something about his eagerness left Amber feeling dirty, but she was too grateful for an excuse to escape to examine the feeling.

She didn't want to think about any feelings, too sure that she had made a terrible mistake in losing her heart altogether.

“Is his name really Mr. Big?” she had to ask.

Jimmy laughed. “Not Big,” he clarified. “Beehag. It's an old English name.”

“Ah!” Amber tried to laugh with him, but it came out very dry and humorless. She suspected the mysterious man was going to remain Mr. Big in her head for a long time.

Chapter Fourteen

Tony watched Amber flee with confusion and dismay, not even comforted by the exciting sight of her gorgeous little ass as she ran across the sand. What had he done wrong? He felt the pull of his mate at an undeniable level, but every time he got close emotionally, she seemed to get skittish, and this time he'd managed to scare her right off.

He scrubbed a hand across his face.

He'd also managed to tell her more about his agency than he was authorized to, and knew that was going to be some paperwork. There were a few shifters in his chain of command who might be tolerant about the slip due to the fact that Amber was his mate, but there were others who would definitely not.

And it was going to be a tough fact to prove, given that Amber was hell-bent on running away from him.