Page 79 of The Mating Claim
She picked up the book he’d been reading and threw it at him. It smacked him between the shoulderblades.
Drust turned, his eyesnarrowing.
“Too late wizard. You’re alreadyinvolved.”
For a moment anger flared on his expression, then shadows chased it away. He dragged in a deep breath. “I am. And I must focus on what you need most – yourlife.”
She licked her lips, all desire and need doused as if she’d plunged headfirst into theGulf.
“Right.” A shaky laugh. “How could I forget that? Fine. I’m going to bedthen.”
Alone.
“Good night, Lacey.” He did not look at her. “Thank you for flying with metonight.”
Drust went outside, leaving her standing there,alone.
Andfrustrated.
Chapter 15
Acold showerwouldn’t cure what ailed him. Not even a cold shower in theArtic.
Pent-up energy raged inside him. Drust went outside, breathed deep the cool sea air. Even the soothing sound of waves did nothing to lower histhermostat.
He was on fire. Volcanic. Normal for a dragon. But he was no ordinarydragon.
Normal dragons fought, fucked and bred. He must remain cool, calm and level-headed.
Hard to do when his testosterone levels had kicked up to the point of making him hard assteel.
“Well, you certainly screwed that one up, myfriend.”
Stiffening, as if he could get any stiffer, he craned his neck. On the downstairs pool deck near the table, Tristan sat in a lounge chair, booted feet crossed at the ankle. The pool lights were off and Tristan remained in the dark. But with his night vision, he could see the Lupine wizard as clearly as if the sun illuminatedhim.
Growling, Drust floated downstairs to sit at the table. He lit the jarred candle sitting at the table’s center. “What the hell are you doinghere?”
“Dispensing advice. I am yourmentor.”
“I don’t need your advice to tell me what todo.”
“Truly, you are wrong,” the Silver Wizard drawled. “I watched from down here. You two were going at it like two teenaged shifters and then you backed off. You should have swept her into your arms and marched her upstairs into your bedroom and not have left untildawn.”
“What are you, mypimp?”
He ducked from the candle Tristan threw athim.
“You’re so damn blind, Drust. You have a beautiful dragon lady who wants you, and is going to bed sexually frustrated. You want her! You care for her and you’re sitting out here like an oldman!”
“I am an old man,” he said dryly. “An old dragon,anyway.”
“Why are you so committed to your ideals and your vow of never getting involved with your dragon charges when you know life isn’t black andwhite!”
“Because I don’t want to fail her, damnit, and having my way with her for one or two nights is not worth the price she’ll pay if I can’t focus and find out how to destroy that fucking book without killingher!”
He took a deepbreath.
Out of the dark came a small sigh. “Oh. Right.That.”
