by Eliza Gayle
“Simon.”
He ignored the silent plea in her eyes. “Don’t,” he warned. “I just had to forcibly stop your mating cycle by removing your egg. If you think that doesn’t affect me and I’m just going to send you on your way to go home alone, then I suggest you need to get to know me better because that’s not who I am. Now, my suggestion is you turn around and get in the vehicle that I am driving you home in. You’ll be able to lie down and rest. The less you argue, the sooner we’ll get there and the sooner you’ll be able to shift.”
Her mouth opened and closed at least twice, but thank the Goddess she wisely kept silent. He too was feeling the need to shift. It wasn’t uncommon for his adrenaline to spike during a surgery only to crash afterwards. And after two surgeries today he was beginning to feel the after effects.
While he had no desire to argue with her, he’d indulge her if she insisted. To say this day had gone to hell quickly was an understatement. There was also the strong likelihood that most of it would come back to bite him in the ass. Basically, he was in the middle of a shit storm of epic proportions. Looking down at Kenzie as she sashayed through his door and into the dark of night with her hair swinging free and bright, her body hidden in a thick, plush robe given to her by Marci, he couldn’t think of a single place he’d rather be.
Except maybe in her bed, with his hands wrapped around her waist as she—
Shit. He forced that thought out of his mind, but the damage was done. His body zinged with desire that went straight to his dick.
Yes, he definitely needed to get her in a bed. Sooner rather than later too.
Never mind that every single one of his thoughts today was going to send him straight to hell.
Chapter Fifteen
Kenzie flapped her wings in the cool night air and twisted her body into a spiral flight dive. Flying meant freedom and for the first time since she’d arrived in America, she definitely felt free. Thanks to Simon. His quick thinking had rescued her from certain death or a fate even worse.
With a few more beats of her wings, she landed softly on the grassy hill behind Galen’s house. Magic flowed over her scales as the transformation from dragon to human began. Years ago, it had been a painful process she could hardly endure. But as the decades passed and she learned to flow with the magic instead of letting it happen to her, the pain had ceased and it became a nightly ritual that brought her peace.
She grabbed the robe from the tree branch she’d left it on and covered her body. Nudity usually meant nothing to her, but Simon was on the grounds somewhere and she had a feeling tempting fate was about the worst thing she should do right now.
The idea of mating with Simon made her heart beat quicken. Her pulse had raced and her breathing turned ragged. But it wasn’t only fear that caused that reaction. For a fleeting moment, she’d indulged in the desire that raced through her veins.
Why did fate have to suck so much?
Because that was life and she damn well knew it. One challenge after another. There would always be one more test for her to complete or an obligation to endure.
She shook her head. These maudlin thoughts would get her nowhere. The fact remained she needed to stay away from Simon. He represented too much temptation.
“Did the healer finally leave?”
She whirled around at the sound of her brother’s voice to find him nearly upon her. She’d been so lost in her thoughts she hadn’t heard his approach.
“No, he’s around here somewhere. I told him I would be gone for a while, but he mentioned something about needing to shift and go for a run.” She shrugged. “Guess he was feeling as restless as I was.”
Galen quirked his brow at her and she immediately wanted to take back her words. Although there was nothing she could say that wouldn’t result in her brother finding some way to use it as innuendo. Yes, he was a smart ass of the first order, but he also wasn’t dumb.
“He thinks you’re his mate. I believe this is exactly the kind of trouble I warned you would happen if you stayed.”
“He’ll get over it. I’m not in mating heat anymore so it shouldn’t be that much of a struggle.”
Galen’s frown deepened. “And that’s another thing. How did he even know to begin with? The pheromones given off by a dragon are olfactory specific. No other species is meant to detect them.”
She’d wondered that herself too many times. “I have no idea. This is all new territory for me. Maybe he’s different from the other wolves somehow.”
Galen seemed to ponder this and she took that opportunity to walk towards the house.
“He’s quite a contradiction. I’ve actually been watching him since before your arrival. He serves as the clan Omega to their Alpha and yet he is so much more. I sense a power in him that he keeps tightly leashed. He’s stronger than all the other shifters I have encountered in these mountains. Smarter too. If he were dragon, he would be a good match for you.”
Kenzie stilled, her back going ramrod stiff. “Why are you saying this to me? He’s not a dragon. What’s your point?”
“Consider it a warning, sister. I highly doubt he’s going to tuck tail and run just because of a few missing pheromones. You’re going to have to deal with this and make sure it ends. We can’t risk a repeat—”
“I know what has to be done—” she hissed, anger seething from every pore of her freshly healed body. “I almost died to prevent that from happening. Isn’t that enough?”
“I know you’re pissed right now, sister. But I am glad you didn’t die. It would have been unfair.”
“Then you should have come up with a way for me to live. Instead it took someone outside the family to save me.” She didn’t care if her words sounded bitter or mean. All of her emotions were too fresh. While she’d been ready to make the sacrifice for the greater good, she couldn’t shake the unfair sentiment that her own brother had not tried very hard at all.
Before Galen could respond, a large wolf stepped out of the trees and into her line of sight. Goddess, were all wolf shifters that big? She’d seen so few of them and it had been so long ago, she had little frame of reference. She couldn’t stop staring at him. His gorgeous silver and gray coat shimmered in the moonlight and for the first time ever, she didn’t automatically sense him as the lesser animal to her dragon.
No, Galen was right. There was an enormous amount of power in him. She shivered in the face of it as he stood quietly and regarded both her and her brother. He’d probably heard every word exchanged between them. If so, he would never give up until she told him everything.
Before she could formulate a plan on how to handle this situation, his magic sparked and he flowed from wolf to human as effortlessly as she did to dragon. No bones crunching. In fact, no sound whatsoever. This was not at all what she remembered from other shifters. It should have taken him more time and effort to shift.
“Like I said…”
She ignored Galen. She was tired of talking to him. If ever she needed a break from every single one of her brothers it was right then. She turned back to tell him exactly that only to discover he’d disappeared.
“He’s quick,” Simon spoke behind her.
Kenzie slowly turned and faced the now human and very naked Simon. Her eyes widened. Calling him big was feeling like an understatement now that she got a complete look at him. How had she barely noticed the size of his shoulders? Or the bulking muscles of his chest and arms? Then there was the six-pack. The more she traveled south the more her mouth watered. This was getting dangerous.
Screw it. She took it all in and holy crap. HUGE. That was the only word she could think at the moment. She also couldn’t tear her eyes away. He had that incredibly sexy V-cut thing that led down to—
“How are you feeling?”
She heard Simon’s voice, but she had no idea what he’d said. It pretty much took all of her effort and then some just to drag her gaze back up to his. Although her mind stayed firmly on the package down below.
; What the hell was wrong with her? Her heat was supposed to be over. Yet, she stood here ogling him like a piece of meat she couldn’t wait to eat. Or something she seriously wanted to climb. And ride.
She shivered as heat shot through her and her core tightened. Not to mention the ache now building between her legs. It felt no less powerful than it did in his office when he’d kissed her.
Crap. Now she was thinking about that.
Not just thinking. She still felt the ghost of sensation caressing her lips. The warm and welcoming taste of him when he’d tangled his tongue with hers. She longed to do that again. This time with her hands in his hair and his naked body pressed to hers.
“Kenzie!”
She jerked at the sharp tone of Simon’s voice. She blinked, looking at his face and finally seeing him. “What?”
A slow smile crept across his face. “Well, I asked how you are feeling, but I think I know. I take it the shift fixed you right up.”
She nodded, heat crawling up her neck and face. Of course he knew exactly what she was thinking. Her arousal was a dead giveaway. Something that could never be hidden from a shifter. She dared a quick glance down and almost gasped when she discovered she was not the only one now aroused by this situation.
“You can’t really blame me, all things considered.”
But she didn’t understand. Why? There were so many questions and even fewer answers. It was beginning to annoy her.
“Why are you aroused?”
He laughed. “Seriously? Why are you?”
“I don’t know.” And she was dead serious. The mating heat was over. She was certain of it. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew many shifters screwed for fun or sport. But she had never been one of them. That kind of thing had never interested her. Not with any dragon she knew.
This had to be different though. She wanted him as much, if not more, than the first night she’d seen him. And that was saying something because he’d dripped sexuality at that bar and she’d lapped it up like a starving woman. Of course, she’d been under the thrall of mating heat then so it had been completely understood and even acceptable.
Simon’s expression changed. It went from slight amusement to a look of curiosity. Great. Now she was his next puzzle. She had a feeling that alone was like throwing down the gauntlet.
Then his mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. It was such a shocking difference, she looked down to see if she’d accidentally dropped her robe in some sort of warped invitation. Relief flooded through her when she found just the opposite. She had such a white knuckled grip on the edges of the fabric she was going to tear it in half if she wasn’t careful.
Taking a deep breath, she relaxed her fingers as she counted to ten. But her muscles were wound so tight and her heart pumping so fast there was nothing short of another shift that was going to calm her down. Or you know, maybe the other thing…
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she finally asked. “What’s wrong with you?”
He closed his mouth, but his eyes remained wide. “Are you a virgin?”
That question came so suddenly and out of the blue she didn’t know how to react. That was the last thing she’d expected him to say. How was she supposed to respond? No matter what she said, she was going to look like an idiot. Might as well go with the truth.
“Yes,” she said without offering any further explanation. What was the point?
“Fuck.” That was the only response she got before Simon turned and disappeared into the bushes.
She stood there, feet rooted to her spot, eyes blinking rapidly because she couldn’t believe what just happened. He’d walked away. No questions, no rants. No nothing. What the ever living hell?
After a full minute or so of standing there like an idiot, Kenzie sucked in a deep breath and held it before letting it out slow. Her emotions were flying sky high and she couldn’t pinpoint which one had control. Anger? Maybe. Embarrassment? Probably. Humiliation? Yeah, that’s the one that burned the brightest.
She tightened the robe around her middle and started forward, although she had half a mind to simply disappear. Shift and fly. Her flight response was in high gear at the moment and her dragon would get her the hell out of here and fast. Wherever Galen had disappeared to, it probably wasn’t far. Which meant he’d heard every word of their exchange.
Mid groan on her behalf, Simon reappeared in the clearing fully clothed. He’d disappeared to put on clothes. She felt so stupid she almost slapped her forehead. Thankfully she had the foresight not to and saved herself from further embarrassment. Still, these last few days had gone to hell in a handbasket as far as she was concerned. So much so that hiding out in a broken down lair at the top of a remote mountain was starting to look pretty damned good.
“Probably better for us to talk like this. Less distractions.”
Kenzie rolled her eyes, uncaring how childish that looked. “I think I would have lived. It’s not as if I haven’t seen naked men before.”
Simon’s mouth quirked as did his eyebrow. “I don’t think I want to hear about other men you’ve looked at. I need to stay focused.”
“On what?” she asked.
“Your health for one. I should check your vitals and your incision.” He took a step toward her and she took a step back.
“I’m fine. Really. Not even a scar left.” Although she knew her important bits were covered, she tightened the belt of her robe anyway. But with the heat still gathered between her legs and the flush most certainly all the way to the top of her head, she did not want Simon getting any closer to her nakedness.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at her, his gaze traveling the full length of her body and back up to her eyes. She swore she felt that look like a soft touch against her bare skin. Good Goddess, she was going crazy now. He was just a male. And this situation was getting out of hand.
“Okaaaay then. How about we grab some food and then talk? I feel like I owe you an apology.”
She wrinkled her forehead. “What for?”
“Because you must be starving by now. I’ve never calculated the number of calories it takes to fuel a dragon, but I imagine it’s a lot. While watching you fly was certainly a sight to behold, I feel certain you have not consumed enough nutrients today to keep up.”
“You watched me fly?” She hadn’t sensed anyone. At least not of the shifter variety. There had been several wild animals… “Actually, I ate while I was out. But you’re right. I could eat again.” She always could.
“Great. Do you want to go out or do you think Galen will mind if we raid his kitchen?”
Kenzie laughed as she pictured Simon raiding her brother’s home. That would actually drive Galen crazy and it sounded absolutely perfect.
“I’m sure my brother would be happy to share.” She barely managed to stifle her giggle as she led Simon inside and to the kitchen. “I hope you like barbeque. It seems my brother has some sort of weird fascination with the pork and ribs from some local place he frequents. His fridge is packed full of it.” She opened the refrigerator and began pulling out containers. “Do you have a preference?” She read the words scribbled on the takeout containers. “Ribs or pulled pork?”
“Definitely pulled pork and if you have some hush puppies to go with them I’ll be in heaven.”
She went ahead and pulled all of the aluminum trays out of the fridge and pushed it closed behind her with her hip. “What’s a hush puppy? Should I be scared?”
“Golden fried and sweet deliciousness. You’ve never had hush puppies?”
She shrugged. “I need more information before I can fully answer that question. Sometimes your American dishes do have Scottish equivalents and we just call them something else.”
“Here, let me help.” He grabbed all of the containers out of her hands and placed them on the counter. He then proceeded to open each one and lay out all of the food.
Kenzie went ahead and grabbed the plates, forks and serving spoons and tried to ignore the strange
sensation rolling through her core. It was just food and they were both hungry. This wasn’t another date.
“Yes!”
She looked up to see Simon holding out a bag for her to see inside.
“Hushpuppies.”
She peered inside. “Fried bread? This is what has you all excited?”
“It is not just bread, my lady. Hush puppies are something special. Sweet, seasoned and fried to perfection. You’ll see.” He plucked one out of the bag and stuffed it in his mouth.
She wrinkled her nose. “Aren’t they cold? Shouldn’t we heat it up first?”
“Cold, hot, room temperature. Whatever. I’m not picky. Although yeah, I guess if you want to get technical they are better fresh and hot. Next time we’ll go over to Luanne’s southern barbeque in Sweetwater and I’ll introduce you to the absolute best home cooked food this side of the Mississippi. Her fried pickles will amaze you.”
She opted to not tell Simon he sounded like he was speaking a foreign language to her right now. Barbeque, home cooked, everything fried. America was getting stranger and stranger sounding. Although he sounded a lot like he was talking about another date. When they were done eating she’d have to remind him that they couldn’t continue to see each other…
Chapter Sixteen
Simon had to admit it was absolutely fascinating to watch Kenzie’s emotions play out across her face. So much so he wondered if she even realized it was happening. Although how a conversation about delicious hush puppies made her grow nervous and quiet he didn’t understand.
He needed her to relax and just go with the flow. The tension she tried to cloak from him was wearing her out. Plus he wanted to know more about her. Since food was a big deal here he hoped it was in Scotland as well.
“So, if you don’t eat a lot of barbeque and all the fixin’s back in Scotland. What do you eat?”