Page 5 of Secrets of the Dragon's Heart

When he didn’t answer right away, she let out a sigh. “See, I knew it,” she said. “Life is too short to work all the time, Cameron. You need to lighten up every once in a while, have a little fun, or you’ll die an early death or something like that.”

“What makes you an expert?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Are you a life coach or something?”

“Nope, I’m just a girl from a small town who knows a few things about life,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I’m just trying to help, Cameron. It seems like you could use some.”

“I don’t need your help. What I need is to be able to finish the work in my lab, then I’ll be able to have all the fun I want,” he said, grabbing the chair and cooler again. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go back to my cabin and see if I can get some work done; not all of us have the luxury of free time.”

“Seems to me that’s your choice,” she said, deciding to push him just a bit harder. “You could run back to your cabin and tap away at a computer for the rest of the day, or you could enjoy the beauty around you and get into the water. No matter how important your work is, I’m sure it could wait for a few more hours.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, I ran out of choices a long time ago,” he said. “You couldn’t possibly understand, so I’m not even going to try and explain. Stay out of my business. I’m perfectly happy with my life just the way it is.”

She watched him stomp away, thrills shooting through her, feeling a bit bad that she’d made him mad, but she’d learned a few things, including the fact that Cameron was even more attractive when he was angry. Inwardly groaning at the thought, she forced herself to go back over their conversation in her mind, trying to remember every detail in case she needed it later.

He’d introduced the topic of the lab for her, making it easy to ask questions the next time she saw him, after she apologized for making him mad, of course. She could see exactly how it would go and was looking forward to their sailing lesson the next morning. If she could keep things going the way they were, he’d spill the beans in a couple of days. The article she would write was already comingtogether in her mind, she just needed the ending to make it complete, and she was getting closer every time they met.

Wading out of the water, she grabbed her towel and dried off before slipping her clothes back on, then headed for her cabin to shower before heading to the village for dinner. It wouldn’t hurt to give the other story a little of her attention since things were going so well with Cameron. If she was lucky, she might be able to turn in two stories instead of just one. That thought lifted her spirits even more, and she arrived at her cabin only a few minutes later, looking forward to the evening.

There was nothing she loved more than getting information out of unsuspecting witnesses. Sometimes, all it took was a well-phrased question, and other times, it was harder, but no matter which, she loved the game. If she could come up with something light and fluffy to accompany the investigative piece, Steve would give her anything she wanted. She’d have a green light to tell the kinds of stories she wanted to, and the disaster with Cliff would be a thing of the past.

Feeling more optimistic than she had in a long time, she climbed the ladder to her cabin, ignoring the little voice in the back of her head shouting that she was making the same mistake with Cameron. She pushed the voice away, reminding herself that she was being careful, that her attraction to the man wouldn’t interfere with getting the story, and that for once, she’d keep her head where a man was concerned. She’d learned her lesson with Cliff. Men couldn’t be trusted, and neither could her body. No matter how much she was attracted to Cameron, he was off limits.

CHAPTER 4

***CAMERON***

Max answered the door wearing an apron, a bowl of something white and frothy in one hand, a whisk in the other, and it took Cameron a second to absorb what he was seeing. “You’ve gone domestic on me,” he said, trying not to laugh. “That apron looks good on you. A few ruffles would add something, though.”

“Very funny,” Max said, stepping back to let him in. “I’m just finishing up dessert, and you won’t get any if you aren’t nice.”

“I gave you a compliment, that’s nice,” he said, following his friend through the cabin into the kitchen. “And something smells good. You clearly know what you’re doing.”

“That’s better,” Max said, plunking the bowl down on the counter. “I’m on my own here. Learning to cook was mostly a matter of survival, but I do enjoy it at times, and strangely enough, I’m good at it.”

“Well then, I’m in for a treat,” he said. “Are Keith and Stella here yet?”

“They should be here any time,” Max said, then turned to look over at him. “I know you think I’ve got a screw loose,but I want you to keep an open mind. I’m beginning to think that we can’t explain everything away with science.”

“I’m a scientist, Max, so those are fighting words, but I don’t jump to conclusions,” he said. “I promise to listen to everything you have to say, just don’t expect me to change my view of the world that easily.”

“I wouldn’t want you to,” Max said, shaking his head. “Hell, I don’t want to, but you haven’t been here the last few months. Things have happened, things that can’t be explained.”

Before Max could say more, there was a knock on the door. " Is anybody home?” Keith called. “We heard there was a wild party going on here tonight, and we wanted to get in on it.”

His old friend appeared in the doorway a few minutes later, with a big smile on his face, looking happier than Cameron had ever seen him, a very pretty dark-haired woman trailing behind him. Before he could say a word, Keith strode across the kitchen and gave him a big bear hug, then stepped back and studied him for a second.

“You haven’t changed a bit, you’re still the geek of the bunch,” Keith said, grinning at him, then pulled the woman up next to him. “I want you to meet my wife, Stella.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, shaking her hand. “Max tells me that you’re an architect.”

“And an engineer. Stella is smarter than all of us combined,” Keith said, beaming at his wife. We’re building the new staff quarters for Max. You should come over to the other side of the island and take a look when you have time. Stella’s designs are brilliant.”

“Ignore him,” Stella said, a blush on her cheeks. “He gets a bit carried away sometimes.”

“Can you blame me? I’m the luckiest man alive,” Keith said, pulling Stella into his arms. “And if it wasn’t for theisland, it might have never happened. Now I have the perfect little family, and it’s going to get bigger in a few months.”

“Congratulations,” he said, truly happy for his friend. “You don’t really think the island had anything to do with it, right?”

The three exchanged a look. “I think you’d better hear about what happened to us before I answer that question,” Keith said. “There’s something special about this island. I don’t know what it is. The truth is I don’t really care. Without the island, Stella would be dead, so I’m not going to question it.”

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