“No. It’s not polite. Mother would beat us if we didn’t use our manners in company.”
Her dragon sighed and rearranged her body so she could peer over Sasha’s collar. “You’re right. The Max man has beautiful lips. I wonder if we could kiss them.”
“Shush,” Sasha said to her dragon. “Let’s focus on Max and Noel.”
“Would you like to kiss Max?”
“Yes,” Sasha said without hesitation. “Now, please, let us concentrate.”
“Does…did Sheryl drink a lot?” Max asked.
Noel wrinkled his snub nose. “She smelled icky.”
“How did I not notice?” Max muttered, and a frown creased his brow.
“He looks tired and worried,” her dragon murmured.
“Yes.”
“We will kiss him to cheer him up,” her dragon said.
“He’s worried about Noel. He doesn’t need kisses,” Sasha retorted.
“What man refuses kisses? And especially from us. We are gorgeous.”
Sasha restrained her groan with difficulty. “Do you have someone to look after Noel?”
“No, that’s my problem. We’ll talk later.”
“Of course,” Sasha murmured.
“I like the soup,” her dragon stated. “Is it impolite to ask for more? I am starving.”
Sasha’s stomach gurgled. Loudly. Max stared at her. Noel’s almond eyes opened as wide as his rounded mouth. Then he giggled, an infectious laugh that had Sasha grinning ruefully.
“Pardon me,” she said. “It’s been a while since I ate.”
Max rose. “I’ll get you more soup.”
He refilled their bowl and his too. Noel shook his head when Max offered him a second helping.
“I like the beach,” Noel said. “Sometimes, I see dragons.”
“Interesting,” her dragon said. “He saw us, but does he mean he saw others as well?”
“What color are the dragons?” Sasha asked.
“Red,” Noel said. “Bright red like Max’s broom-broom car.”
“We’re not red,” her dragon said.
“No, which means other dragons have found their way here.”
“Noel likes to draw dragons,” Max said.
“Wait until he has me as his model,” her dragon said. “He won’t want plain old red dragons then.”
After the soup, they ate ice cream. It was cold on the tongue, yet creamy to taste. Max covered the white ice cream with a hot brown liquid, and the entire dish had her dragon pleading for more.
“We will have more food later,” Sasha promised. As a dragon, she used an enormous amount of energy, and earlier, she’d been too upset to eat. Ample food also made a curvy body, which had appealed to Bruceous. He’d told her so seconds before he’d groped her bottom. Bruceous was her best reason to lose weight.
“Have you finished eating, Noel?” Max asked.
The boy’s head drooped, and his eyes kept sliding shut. He didn’t answer Max.
Max pushed away his plate and stood. “I’d better get Noel in bed. He gets grumpy when he’s overtired.”
“Do you have aloe? If we place the salve on Noel’s face tonight, the sunburn will fade by morning.”
“I don’t know much about plants, but I have a torch in the kitchen drawer.” Max turned to Noel. “Let’s get you into bed.”
“Will Shasha be here in the morning?”
Max glanced at Sasha. “I’ve asked her to stay with us, but it’s up to Sasha.”
“I can stay,” Sasha said. “Noel, I’ll be here, okay? Good night.”
“Good night, Shasha.”
Max sent her a grateful look and guided Noel from the room.
“We’re lucky we have this offer of shelter,” her dragon said.
“We are, although we could’ve slept outside if necessary.”
“On the beach?” her dragon scoffed. “That sand stuff might look pretty, but it gets everywhere. I am certain I have some in my scales because they’re very itchy. We must wash my hide at the first opportunity.”
“We will,” Sasha returned. “Let’s check the garden for aloe.”
“What about this torch thing? Who keeps a flaming torch in a drawer?”
“I don’t know,” Sasha replied. “But it’s not as if we require light to search the garden. Our night vision is excellent.”
A quick search of the backyard produced aloe plus several other useful herbs. The garden had once been well-tended but held a shaggy, unloved air now. Sasha’s fingers itched to right the damage, but instead, she strode back indoors and set to work to make her salve. The familiar steps allowed her mind to calm and her thoughts to assemble themselves into a plan.
Not that she had any choice in the matter.
“You’re right,” her dragon said, having remained silent for a time.
Unusual for her dragon, who had an opinion about everything.
“We must stay here and investigate,” her dragon continued. “It was luck to discover the boy. He’s a strange wee fellow, but I took a liking to him. He’s not a chatterer.”
“No, you prattle enough for all of us,” Sasha said. “Right, the salve is ready for application. Let’s find Noel and sort out his face for him before he goes to sleep.”
She followed the faint sound of voices and stepped into a room with a narrow bed. Strange manmade things with wings obscured the walls, and several hung from the ceiling. A layer of dust covered them, a fact Sasha noticed because her mother would’ve sacked the servants for allowing laziness to defeat cleanliness. She made a mental note to clean the bedroom at the first opportunity because a young boy would not grow strong if he lived in a dirty room. Her mother’s wisdom, yet again.
“And they lived happily ever after,” Max said, closing the book he was reading to his brother.
“Hi, Noel. I’ve made something for your face. I bet your cheeks feel tight and sore.”
He squirmed, his teeth biting into his bottom lip.
Sasha smiled and handed the cup of salve to Max. “Here, you go. Just rub it into the sunburned parts.”
“I want Shasha to do it,” Noel said, wriggling away from his brother.
Max sighed. “He’s tired and grumpy. Would you mind?”
“Happy to do it for Noel.”
She sat in the space that Max vacated and smiled at Noel. “It will feel cold at first, but it will take away the sting.” With her fingertips, she gently rubbed in the lotion. A few minutes later, she sat back. “How does that feel? Better?”
“Yes.”
“Tell Sasha thank you,” Max said.
“Thank you, Shasha.”
“Goodnight, Noel. Sweet dreams.”
She stood and left the room. “We’ll have a drink in the TV room,” Max said. “I won’t be long.”
“What’s a TV?” her dragon asked. “Oh! Another adventure. Let’s search for this TV thing.”
“We have no idea where to look.”
“Ah, but now we have a chance to appease our curiosity,” her dragon said, sounding a trifle smug.
Sasha pushed open several doors and peered inside. One appeared more formal, and once again, the furniture held a layer of dust. Not this room then. The next one seemed more promising. She took two steps into the room, and Max appeared behind her.
“Would you like a glass of wine?”
“No, I’d prefer a hot drink if possible.”
“Tea?”
Since the beverage was familiar, she inclined her head. “That sounds perfect.”
“The light switch is to your right.”
Sasha had already worked out the light and pushed the button while Max padded to the kitchen.
Light filled the room, and her dragon clapped her hands together. “I like it here. So many wonderful things.”
“It is fun having an adventure without our brothers breathing down our back,” Sasha said with a smile.
“Yes! Quick, look at everything before Max returns. Everything,” her drag
on said, sounding wildly excited.
Curious herself, Sasha ambled around the room. Here, too, were signs of neglect. The area didn’t require a spring-clean like the more formal ones, but her mother would’ve still tsked and chastised the servants. Books sat on a pile on the floor beside a faded chair.
“It looks comfortable,” her dragon said.
“True.” Sasha wandered on to study pictures on the wall. She recognized a younger Max and a very young Noel with a smiling couple. In another image, an older couple stood with them. They weren’t smiling as much as Max, Noel, and the couple she suspected were his parents. She drifted on to scan the tiny knickknacks and the bookshelf. The colorful books differed from those in her world.
“Pick up one. Let’s read it,” her dragon prompted.
Sasha picked two and sat on a chair. The first detailed the adventures of four bears. They wore clothes and went on escapades with their family.
“I love the pictures,” her dragon said. “Quick, Max is coming. Show me the pictures in the other book.”
Obliging, Sasha opened the second book, which featured a dog who liked to dig holes.
“We don’t want a creature like that near our herb garden,” her dragon said with evident disapproval. “If that dog came to our garden, I’d eat him.”
“Ah, you’ve found Noel’s books. He loves it when someone reads to him.” Max set a mug on the small table beside the chair where she was sitting. He added a plate with two small, flat rounds that smelled intriguing.
Max placed another mug and food beside the shabby chair. He flung himself down with a hearty sigh. “I expect you have questions,” he said.
“A few,” she admitted, although she’d bet her questions weren’t quite what he imagined since everything was new to her, and she was as curious as her dragon.
Max sighed again, his gaze going to the pictures on the wall. “My parents died in a motor vehicle accident six months ago. I lived in London at the time. Now, I work for an Edinburgh newspaper as a feature writer. Politics and current affairs,” he added.
Sasha nodded and added another question to her list.
“Their deaths left Noel alone.” His mouth twisted, and he sent her a wry grin. “You’ve probably already noticed the vast age gap between us. After I was born, my parents wanted more children, but Mum had several miscarriages. Then Noel came along—a total surprise for everyone. You’ll have noticed he has Down syndrome. He takes longer to learn things, but he’s such a cool kid. It didn’t take us long to fall in love with him.
“Everything was great until my parents died. That left Noel alone here. I couldn’t have that, so I returned to the family home and work remotely as much as I can. My problems grew bigger when my grandparents decided I wasn’t a suitable guardian for Noel. Grandmother petitioned the courts for custody of my younger brother, citing the fact I was a single man, and given my career, I didn’t have time for my brother.” Max snorted. “Noel might have Down syndrome, but he’s not as incapacitated as she made out to the court officers. He’s a good kid and loves life.”
“Your grandparents want to steal your brother away?” Concern filled Sasha at the idea of separating the brothers. It was easy to see they loved each other.
“My grandmother is the driving force behind the legal maneuvering.” Max pulled a face. “She never approved of Noel. But now, she thinks she can do better, and the social workers agreed with her.”
“What happens next?”
“I thought I’d given Noel a safe and stable home life by employing Sheryl and taking on assignments that meant I’m at home most nights. If my grandmother learns of Sheryl’s drinking and how she let Noel wander off, it will be another lever to use against me.”
Max’s shoulders slumped, and the shadows beneath his eyes denoted his fatigue.
“How do you know you can trust me?” Sasha asked, stating the obvious.
Given the circumstances he’d outlined, he was taking a risk by confiding in her—a stranger.
“I guess I don’t. Perhaps,” he said, “I shouldn’t have told Sheryl you’re my fiancée. If my grandmother learns Sheryl has left, she’ll be asking questions.”
“We have to help him,” her dragon said. “We can’t let the evil witch steal Noel from his brother.”
“What can we do?” she asked her dragon.
Max sucked in a huge breath, drawing Sasha’s attention. “The reason I’m telling you is that Noel likes you, and you brought him home. Your first thought was to protect him.” He paused, hesitating. “What the hell,” he muttered. “I know I’m asking a lot, and you might have other plans, but I wondered if you’d agree to the pretense of being my fiancée. If you’d be willing to look after Noel while I’m at work and help me persuade the judge I’m a decent person who is capable of looking after Noel. I can pay you for your time.”
Sasha stared at Max, attempting to read his true character. So far, she’d approved of his actions and had seen the genuine relationship between the brothers. The inebriated woman had allowed Noel to wander off. She’d placed him in danger. “What would you need me to do?”
“I’d need you to look after Noel when I’m not here. He attends kindergarten at the nearby school three mornings a week. It’s within walking distance, and I walk there with Noel, but Sheryl used to drive. You’d have to make meals for him, wash and dress him, and keep him entertained and happy. He loves learning new things, but he takes longer to master them than most children his age. Apart from that, he’s a normal kid. Down children have low muscle tone, so my parents used to encourage him to run and play outside and visit the beach. I’ve continued with that as much as possible. He likes to draw and loves bright colors.
“My grandmother has visitation rights, and she has Noel every second Saturday. When she comes, you’d have to act as my fiancée. I’d be affectionate with you and maybe kiss your cheek and call you sweetheart. In return, you’ll have room and board, and I can pay you the same wage I was giving Sheryl.
“Would you…could you pose as my fiancée? I know it’s a fake engagement, but I believe it might help with my petition to get full custody of Noel.”
“We should do this,” her dragon said immediately. “I like the funny child, and his brother seems like a decent man.”
“It would solve our problem of not having anywhere to stay, but we should try to return home. Our parents will be anxious.”
“We have no idea of how we got here,” her dragon said. “All we did was our normal flight. What if we can’t return? Besides, it won’t hurt Mother and Father to worry about us. Max does not make me cringe in the same way Bruceous does. If we can help them, we should. It costs us nothing. In fact, he’s going to pay us. We get food, a roof over our head, money, and an adventure.”
“I understand why you’re hesitating,” Max said. “You’re a single woman, and you’re alone in an isolated place. You’re right to think of your safety.”
“Is he joking?” her dragon shouted. “We could take a measly human with one talon.”
Sasha winced even as she made her decision. “It is my honor to aid you.”
Max stared at her. “You’ll help?”
“Yes.”
Max stood and closed the distance between their seats. He drew Sasha to her feet and hugged her hard before spinning her around with an exuberant whoop. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” He set her on her feet and grinned at her.
Sasha’s breath caught in her chest, and she stared at him. Heat shimmered through her, and sudden tension grew between them. Max gave a soft groan and leaned closer.
“You should also know that I find you attractive, and I badly want to kiss you.”
“Ooh,” her dragon whispered. “I want that.”
“Me too,” Sasha whispered aloud.
Max’s eyes darkened, and he brushed a kiss on her lips. Quick and delicate, Sasha barely had a chance to record the intimate moment.
“If you keep staring at me like that, I’ll kiss you
again.”
“Yes, please,” Sasha said, and her dragon’s anticipation resounded through her mind, an echo of the same words.
Max groaned and looked torn, but his hands landed on her shoulders. Their lips met again, soft at first, then Max settled in to kiss her in the exact way she’d seen Blaze kiss one of the dragons he’d courted for a time. Except this was much better because she was the one involved in the kiss. Max’s mouth was soft yet insistent as he traced the seam of her lips with his tongue. When she gasped, he explored inside her mouth. It felt…
“Incredible,” her dragon whispered. “Do it back to him.”
Pleasure sizzled through Sasha as their kiss continued. Her breasts grew heavy, and she loved it when Max tightened his grasp on her and pressed her against his body. He was hard where she was soft, and because of their heights, they fit together perfectly.
Max drew back with a crooked smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so hot and heavy.”
“I enjoyed it,” Sasha said, having no reason to lie.
“Just so you know, sex isn’t part of the deal. I don’t expect you to share my bed even though we’re pretending to be engaged.”
“Aww,” her dragon whispered.
Max took her left hand and kissed her knuckles. “Ah, a ring. As it happens, I have one. Wait there while I get it for you because my grandmother will expect a ring.”
Sasha watched him stride from the room, her appreciative gaze on his form.
“We’re getting a ring,” her dragon cooed. “I wonder if it’s a Marquess. They’re the prettiest, you know.”
“We’re borrowing a ring while we help Max and Noel,” Sasha corrected. “We can’t keep it.”
“Are you sure? All dragons have jewels.”
“While that’s true, we need to earn them ourselves or marry a rich dragon.” Her dragon made her laugh. “I’m certain Bruceous will shower us with jewels.”
“Not enough to put up with his shenanigans,” her dragon stated.
Max strode back into the room, picked up her left hand, and threaded the ring onto her finger. It was pretty with red and white stones.
“Aw, it’s not a Marquess,” her dragon said.
“They might not have them here,” Sasha said absently.
Sasha (Dragon Isles Book 4) Page 3