Page 39 of Charming the Dragon
He stepped away, and she stumbled. His strong hands caught her, and once she regained her balance, he sadly released her.
Hayley studied his expression, trying to process what had just happened. “That’s a rather vague statement, Nathan. What, exactly, do we need to discuss?”
“Such as why your hug felt so good.” He turned away from her, picked up a rock, and skipped it across the lake. “Among other things.”
She frowned. Something wasn’t quite right. If he’d merely been attracted to her, he would’ve said so, right?
But why else would a hug feel good? Surely she couldn’t be his true mate.
No.That couldn’t be the case. From what she knew, male dragon-shifters would notice when they met theirs and would tell the person. Well, provided they weren’t nefarious or dodgy.
And Nathan definitely wasn’t those two things.
So no, it wasn’t the true mate thing. It might just be that he’d opened up to her and felt comfortable. Something like that.
He skipped another rock, brushed his hands together, and then faced her. His smile and flashing eyes were gone, replaced with the more stoic version of Nathan she’d first met.
She didn’t like it.
Get it together, Hayley. Survival and escape are your goals.Clearing her throat, she gestured toward the lake. “Should we head back?”
Nathan grunted. “Turn around and I’ll shift.”
She did, and soon she was on his back again, holding onto his dragon’s neck, gliding through the water. But this time, she barely noticed the darkness or remembered that she was underground. No, she kept reliving the hug with Nathan and his words about her embrace feeling good.
Until she figured out what he’d meant, she’d never know peace. Her brain hated puzzles she couldn’t solve, and Nathan Woodhouse was turning out to be one of them.
Chapter Eleven
Nathan couldn’t believe he’d told Hayley he liked her hugs, let alone that he needed to discuss things with her once they returned to the surface.
It wasn’t long after they were back in the water that his dragon spoke up.You’re starting to accept the truth, is all. You need to hurry up and embrace it so we can win her.
You’re even more certain she’s our true mate?
Yes. After holding her close, I’m certain.
For a long time, Nathan didn’t reply. His much younger self had always wanted to find his true mate, experience the frenzy, and live happily ever after like his dad and stepmum had done.
But he was older, more jaded, and didn’t know if he could trust a human to accept all of him. Mate-claim frenzies, in particular, could be intense.
His dragon spoke again.Hayley isn’t a timid female. She’s taken on some scary people and tough cases before, and come out the other side. Plus, she’s even helped dragon-shifters when it didn’t help her career at all. She likes our kind. She’ll be fine.
If she even wants that life. After all, she’d have to mostly give up her career to mate a dragon-shifter.
In some ways, yes. But talk with her. She could do a lot from Stonefire, both for dragons and humans. She wouldn’t have to completely give it up.
His dragon was being optimistic, of course. Hayley might be able to still practice law on Stonefire, but it wouldn’t be like before. Going from the bustle of London to an isolated dragon clan would be a huge change.
He also didn’t know if she wanted children. And that was important because all mate-claim frenzies resulted in at least one pregnancy.
His beast growled.Stop trying to find any reason not to talk with her. She knows her own mind and can make her own decisions. Don’t waste time guessing what she might say or do. Just ask.
We’ll see. Maybe once we get out of here. I don’t want her to reject me and then we have to live together awkwardly for a long period of time.
You don’t have to blurt it out right away. Try being her friend and having fun with her. Maybe you’ll finally see how she would be good for us.
Nathan thought about it the entire swim and still hadn’t made a decision by the time he reached the shore. He helped Hayley off his back. She turned, he shifted into his human form, and they still walked in silence back toward the bathroom entrance.
