Page 26 of Kiss of Frost

No, it was more than that. Even as I tried to turn from the door, something rooted me in place. The idea of Graeme leaving was…painful. And I wasn’t sure how I knew it, but I knew that ache would fade if I went looking for him.

As I contemplated the very real likelihood that I was losing my mind, strong but gentle hands clasped my shoulders and turned me around. Callum studied me, then gave a firm nod.

“Right. You feel it too.”

I licked my lips, my heart thumping faster. “What?”

He gave me a look that let me know I wasn’t fooling him for a second. Then he tipped his head toward the door. “Yon crotchety ice dragon is our mate.”

“He can’t be.”

“Oh, so you weren’t ready to run out the door and chase him just now?”

“No.”

His smile was soft. “Pants on fire.”

I let my shoulders slump. “But… How? His heart is frozen. He can’t feel anything.”

Callum’s expression turned shrewd. “Oh, he felt something, all right.”

“You saw his fantasies?” And why did I want to know what those looked like?

“Glimpses.” Callum gave the door a thoughtful look. “I’ve never seen anyone fight so hard to repress their desires. Makes sense, I suppose, considering he’s one of the Brotherhood. Poor thing is probably confused.”

Poor thing? I grabbed Callum’s jaw and forced his gaze to mine. “Graeme tried to kill you.”

“A flesh wound,” he said good-naturedly.

“He can’t be our mate. He already had one, remember?”

“Aye, and he died centuries ago. Clearly, fate decided to give him another go. You and I are like a BOGO deal.”

“He doesn’t even like us.”

“He’s an ice dragon, lass. They’re a different breed. Off-the-grid, monkish types. He’s not used to talking to other people, let alone romancing one.” Callum took my hand from his jaw and planted a quick kiss on my knuckles. “I thought you studied up for this quest. You must have skipped the chapter about impotence when you read about the ice dragons.”

Heat rose in my cheeks. “So he hasn’t…?” I cleared my throat. “Not even…self-care?”

That earned me a grin. “Not for a good long while. But I suspect his pipes are working now, so to speak.”

My face threatened to burst into flames, which was a welcome development in the freezing room. Jumbled thoughts racketed about my head as I tried to process Callum’s words. Graeme, the ice dragon, was our mate? It couldn’t be true.

“I don’t feel as drawn to him as I did to you,” I said.

Callum’s expression turned smug. “Well, that’s hardly a surprise.” He gestured at himself. “Just look at me, lass.”

“I’m serious,” I said, trying to ignore his nudity. Only Callum McLeish could look sexy while standing stark naked in a freezing castle. Apparently, the concept of shrinkage didn’t apply to him.

“So am I.” He rested his hands on my hips. “The mate bond isn’t always a lightning strike, Georgie. It’s different for everyone. But it can’t be ignored. That’s the one constant you can count on when fate matches you with a dragon. Resist all you want, but you won’t be able to ignore that bond. You’ll keep looking over your shoulder, searching and searching for it. Trying to get another glimpse because you have to see it. Just one more look, you think, but then you’re spun around and running toward it. You’ll do anything to reach it, to wrap yourself up in it. And once you have it, nothing can pry it from your grasp.”

I stared up at him, hardly daring to breathe. “That was beautiful, Callum.”

A soft smile touched his lips. “Well. I’m not a nerd like you—”

“I’m not a nerd!”

“—but I know passion. Give this some time.”

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