A Very Jaguar Christmas Read Online Free
Author: Terry Spear
Anderson intervened.
She wished Everett hadnât seen her in the confrontation. She regretted biting him a couple of years ago when he tried to break up a fight between her and her rotten cousin, especially when she learned how many stitches heâd needed. But his sister had warned her never to tell him she was sorry for what she had done, that heâd worn that bite as a badge of honor until it healed and faded away. Demetria couldnât believe it.
He was still devastatingly handsome, his dark frown and tense posture indicating he had been poised to lunge at Bruce if necessary. He must have thought she was a wild, cantankerous she-cat.
But then Bruce had poked at her, and his aggressive action had spurred Everett on. When heâd bumped into her to get to Bruce, heâd brushed his delicious jaguar and hotly aggravated male scent on her, and sheâd enjoyed it as if heâd rubbed her with his body in courtship. Maybe this was supposed to have been part of the training plan.
Knowing her history with Everett, she didnât think so. Sheâd been so ready to prove she could handle Bruce, but Everettâs reaction had startled her. That rarely happened to her. She was quick and usually focused when anyone threatened her.
Was Everettâs reaction to Bruceâs posturing just because he was keeping his promise to Matt to protect her?
She growled a little. Tammy had told her that Everett had promised Matt heâd keep an eye on her, and she didnât want Everett feeling like he had to keep that promise. Demetria could protect herself.
Even so, when Everett had finished tossing Bruce to the floor, she had met Everettâs gaze. A queer little flutter had ruffled through her belly. She swore Everett was looking at her with interest, and not just regret that their mutual friend had died.
Then she saw the man Everett was teamed up with. Howard Sternum was casting her a sardonic smile. He had earned the reputation of being the hardest man to deal with on a mixed team. He really needed this training, but she wouldnât have wished him on anyone.
She went up to the board and saw the name of the Enforcer she was to work with. But his name had been crossed out, and no one else had been added to take his place. She read the instructions Tammy had given her. âNo,â she said in a frustrated way. She didnât need a teammate for this, but she was totally irked that Brayden Covington needed their intervention again. He was most likely at Rubyâs Burgers, and she had to pick him up before he got himself into trouble.
Demetria had hoped Braydenâs stepdad would step up to be the father the boy needed. She hated that Brayden would not be able to stay with family and in his own home, but if his stepdad wasnât going to watch over him like a good jaguar dad should, foster care was for the best.
She was used to dealing with teens who werenât getting along at home. Sheâd been glad when her dad left for good so she wasnât put in a similar circumstance when she was a kid, though his leaving had been hard financially on her and her mother. Unfortunately, she had her dadâs short fuse, and if someone was hurting a kid, sheâd be right there to protect the child and take the adult down. That made her somewhat of an anomaly within her branch. Other Guardians would just talk their way out of the confrontation with a difficult parent or guardian. She didnât have any qualms about getting physical to get her point across.
She jumped into her Jeep Renegade and headed downtown, ready to handle the case, though she wondered how she was going to be graded if she didnât have a teammate from another branch. She sighed. She was ready for a break for the holidaysâdoing some shopping for her mom for Christmas, taking in the lights at night, and enjoying Christmas carols at one of the local theaters. Maybe even watching some Christmas stories on
She wished Everett hadnât seen her in the confrontation. She regretted biting him a couple of years ago when he tried to break up a fight between her and her rotten cousin, especially when she learned how many stitches heâd needed. But his sister had warned her never to tell him she was sorry for what she had done, that heâd worn that bite as a badge of honor until it healed and faded away. Demetria couldnât believe it.
He was still devastatingly handsome, his dark frown and tense posture indicating he had been poised to lunge at Bruce if necessary. He must have thought she was a wild, cantankerous she-cat.
But then Bruce had poked at her, and his aggressive action had spurred Everett on. When heâd bumped into her to get to Bruce, heâd brushed his delicious jaguar and hotly aggravated male scent on her, and sheâd enjoyed it as if heâd rubbed her with his body in courtship. Maybe this was supposed to have been part of the training plan.
Knowing her history with Everett, she didnât think so. Sheâd been so ready to prove she could handle Bruce, but Everettâs reaction had startled her. That rarely happened to her. She was quick and usually focused when anyone threatened her.
Was Everettâs reaction to Bruceâs posturing just because he was keeping his promise to Matt to protect her?
She growled a little. Tammy had told her that Everett had promised Matt heâd keep an eye on her, and she didnât want Everett feeling like he had to keep that promise. Demetria could protect herself.
Even so, when Everett had finished tossing Bruce to the floor, she had met Everettâs gaze. A queer little flutter had ruffled through her belly. She swore Everett was looking at her with interest, and not just regret that their mutual friend had died.
Then she saw the man Everett was teamed up with. Howard Sternum was casting her a sardonic smile. He had earned the reputation of being the hardest man to deal with on a mixed team. He really needed this training, but she wouldnât have wished him on anyone.
She went up to the board and saw the name of the Enforcer she was to work with. But his name had been crossed out, and no one else had been added to take his place. She read the instructions Tammy had given her. âNo,â she said in a frustrated way. She didnât need a teammate for this, but she was totally irked that Brayden Covington needed their intervention again. He was most likely at Rubyâs Burgers, and she had to pick him up before he got himself into trouble.
Demetria had hoped Braydenâs stepdad would step up to be the father the boy needed. She hated that Brayden would not be able to stay with family and in his own home, but if his stepdad wasnât going to watch over him like a good jaguar dad should, foster care was for the best.
She was used to dealing with teens who werenât getting along at home. Sheâd been glad when her dad left for good so she wasnât put in a similar circumstance when she was a kid, though his leaving had been hard financially on her and her mother. Unfortunately, she had her dadâs short fuse, and if someone was hurting a kid, sheâd be right there to protect the child and take the adult down. That made her somewhat of an anomaly within her branch. Other Guardians would just talk their way out of the confrontation with a difficult parent or guardian. She didnât have any qualms about getting physical to get her point across.
She jumped into her Jeep Renegade and headed downtown, ready to handle the case, though she wondered how she was going to be graded if she didnât have a teammate from another branch. She sighed. She was ready for a break for the holidaysâdoing some shopping for her mom for Christmas, taking in the lights at night, and enjoying Christmas carols at one of the local theaters. Maybe even watching some Christmas stories on
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