Page 27 of The Heart of the Dragon

"No, I borrowed that from John," I said, my mouth opening wide on a yawn.

"The rude man from the shelter?"

"Mmhmm," I responded as he covered me with a blanket and I snuggled into the pillow. "Although he's not usually rude. There must be something about you that brings out the worst in him."

A soft laugh filled the air, and I decided I liked the way that sounded. He didn't say anything else, and a few moments later I heard his steps moving in the direction of the door.

"Hey, Magnus," I called.

"Yes?"

"There's no need to sleep on the floor. There's plenty of room on the bed. We're both adults. I'm sure we can handle it."

He didn't respond right away and I was too tired to open my eyes to see why.

"You worry too much," he finally said, and it caused me to snort.

"The mind works in mysterious ways."

"That's not all that's mysterious."

I started to ask what he'd meant by that when he continued. "Stop talking and go to sleep. Daylight will be here before we know it."

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. "You really are bossy," I mumbled half under my breath.

I didn't usually go for bossy men, but there was something about this one that intrigued me. And it was more than his talk aboutdragons and fae. His belief in the supernatural hardly made him unique. Not out here where people lived and died by ancient history and land steeped in a dark past. Not even in the villages. You couldn't throw a stone in this part of the world without hitting someone who would happily talk about the fae folk.

But his blood told the real story. There was so much more to him than anyone I'd ever met. However, my test results were confusing and I had far more questions than answers. But they were all going to have to wait.

"It comes with the territory." I felt his weight sink into the mattress and was surprised that he was not near the door but instead kneeling over me to reach my other shoe. This close, with his body hovering inches over mine, the scent of warm cloves and musk wafted over me. But it wasn't so simple as just a scent. There was something deeper and darker lingering between us as I took a deep breath and took more of it in.

I let his essence roll through me as I tried to find the right word to describe it.

Addictive...

That was the perfect descriptor and as dangerous as it sounded.

When he dropped my foot and turned his gaze back to mine, we both stared without another word for what felt like an eternity but only could have been seconds. The idea that time stood still took on all new meaning when it came to this male.

"Stay," I whispered, wanting his body wrapped around mine right now so I could absorb some of his heat.

"I'm not going anywhere without you, remember?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head slightly. "That's not what I meant, and I think you know it."

"Aye," he breathed in a barely audible voice. "But you are toying with fire and trust me that I know a little about that."

"Stay with me," I expounded, ignoring his cryptic protest. "Here."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"The best ideas rarely are."

He snorted. "That doesn't even make sense. You sound delirious."

"Maybe I am," I said, reaching up to graze my fingertips against his scarred jaw. "But that doesn't change anything, does it?"

He jerked at my touch. "Everything changes everything."

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