Page 33 of Surge of Heat

Twelve hours. That means in just a few hours I need to have sex with someone again. The two men must have figured it out too, because they’re staring each other down. I look at Granger, and he shrugs helplessly. I almost wish he and I could have sex. That would certainly make this whole mess a little easier.

ELEVEN

Samantha

Isthe temperature always perfect here? Day or night this place seems to be warm and comforting, with the occasional cool breeze coming off the ocean. I sit on the edge of the cliff watching as the waves roll over the white sandy shore and the sun sinks below the horizon, lighting the ocean up like flames. I kind of want to shift and sweep out over the water, touching the waves with my wings and soaring through these blue, blue skies, but I know that would only bring more trouble my way.

There’s a sound behind me, and I twist and look, ready to kick some ass. But it’s only Granger.

He stands with his hands in his khaki pants, looking uncertain. His dark brown hair is ruffled by the wind, and his sweet dark eyes seek me out, looking for permission to come closer. I inhale slowly of his scent—books and soap—and I love it. I love him. Everything about him makes me feel safe and treasured.

“Mind if I sit?” he asks softly. Awkwardly.

“Always,” I say, patting the spot next to me.

He sits down next to me, leaving a little space between it, and I close the distance between us, wrapping my arms around his big frame. Granger is so different from Aydan and Evander. They’re all hard muscles and big shoulders. He’s like a big, soft teddy bear I could fall into.

“You smell so good, Granger,” I tell him, taking a deep breath. “You feel good too.”

“Yeah?” He clears his throat.

“Yeah. Whatever girl ends up with you is going to be damn lucky. I mean, I think if Dr. Abigail was thirty years younger, that might be a real love connection.”

He laughs. “You’re officially insane. You know that?”

I sigh and rest my head on his chest, my arms still wrapped around him. “I wish Evander and Aydan had just a drop of your patience, kindness, and lack of ego.”

“They’re a lot to handle,” he says softly. “But you care about them.”

“For some reason. Why couldn’t our hearts just fall in love with each other? It’d be so much easier. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know you see me as a guy with boobs.” I laugh. “But you’re everything any woman could want in a man.”

He’s quiet, and I realize I’m being stupid. Granger never gets the girl, and maybe instead of my compliments building him up, I’m making him feel more alone. That’s the last thing I want to do.

“What are you thinking about?”

He stiffens, and it takes him a minute to answer. “I’m just thinking about what you’re going to do about those two. This isn’t a problem time can solve, because you don’t have a lot of time left. In the next few hours you need to pick one of them–”

“To bone their brains out all night,” I say, trying not to sound too frustrated.

“Do you have any idea who you’ll pick?”

I shake my head against his chest. “Not a clue. But I wouldn’t mind some help figuring it out.”

“Okay, let’s work this out like any other problem. Every problem has a solution.”

Releasing a deep breath, I nod and decide to just be as honest as possible. “Aydan is one of my best friends. I’ve loved him all my life, and all I’ve ever wanted is for us to be together.”

“So, it’s simple. Pick him.”

“No, not quite,” I say, trying to stay focused. “Aydan is also human. And now, I’m a dragon. I have a feeling the green dragon, and other male dragons, are going to keep coming for me, and I’m going to need protection. Evander and I need to be working together to figure out how to survive attacks with these dragons. And I very much doubt he’ll want to help me if I turn him down and spend my time banging Aydan. What’s more, I don’t know if Aydan can… do what needs to be done to properly cover my scent.”

When he doesn’t answer, I continue. “Evander is a male dragon. On paper, he’s the better fit for me. We’re equally strong. We both shift into creatures no one else can understand. There’s a biological component between us that pulls me to him. It’s almost impossible to resist. With him, my scent will be properly covered, and I’ll have a male dragon’s protection if I need it.”

“Fuck,” Granger mutters. “Then pick Evander.”

“The problem is that I don’t love him. And I don’t trust him. I’m not even sure he’s a good person. I don’t even know what he wants me for, or what he gets out of this, other than the obvious. It has to be more than that, right?”

He seems to be struggling for the words. “Sam, you’re a very beautiful woman. A lot of men would give anything to be with you.”

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