Page 36 of Surge of Heat

“Have any more female dragons been spotted?” Dr. Griffin asks, flashing me a smile. “Because all the male dragons will have to make a beeline for her unless she’s properly fucked, right?”

“Dr. Griffin,” Dr. Abigail says tersely. “Enough of that.”

Dr. Duncan casts him an angry glare. “The male dragons are not making a beeline for anyone, other than Sam, when they can scent her, so we imagine she’s the only female dragon currently awake. Which may say something about the rarity of female dragons, although we can’t say for sure with this small of a ratio of dragons.”

I bite my lip. “Speaking of which, have any of the dragons started making their way in my direction?”

Dr. Duncan shakes his head. “Two were, but they switched directions recently, and several of the dragons have disappeared from sight for longer than normal. It doesn’t necessarily mean we have something to worry about though. The dragons are better at avoiding satellite detection than any large object I’ve ever seen.”

“Okay, good to know,” I say, releasing a slow breath.

“You look tired,” Dr. Abigail tells me gently. “How about I send dinner to your room and you can get to bed early?”

I’m about to argue when I say fuck it. “That would be wonderful.”

Heading back to the elevator, I sense people right behind me and turn to see Granger, Evander, and Aydan scrambling after me. I swear my eye gets a tick. The sensors detect my badge, and the doors open. I slide inside, and they crowd in along with me.

Silence fills the elevator, but I don’t bother to look at them, just click the floor our rooms are on. It takes no time at all and then I’m rushing to my room, again, with them on my heel. When I reach my door, I whirl around, and they stop.

Aydan’s eyes flash with irritation as he looks from Evander to me. “Want me to grab my dinner and join you?”

“No thanks,” I say.

Evander looks pissed as he takes a step toward me. “I can have my dinner sent to your room.”

“No thanks,” I repeat.

He freezes, then gives me a frustrated look. “You know you have to choose one of us tonight, so why play this game?”

“Actually, if I had to pick someone right now, it’d be Granger.” I lift my badge and my room door opens. “Goodnight, guys.”

“Sam!” Aydan says, clearly annoyed. “Don’t be stubborn. We both know you want me there, you just don’t want to upset him.”

Stepping into my room, I stare him down. “Actually, the truth is I want both of you. But since that can’t happen, I’m choosing neither of you. Now, goodnight.”

They both step closer, arguments on their lips. My door slides closed, and I step away, releasing a breath I didn’t even know I was holding.

What are you doing, Sam? You know you have to choose one of them by morning. Just choose.

But the thing is, I can’t.

THIRTEEN

Aydan

Last night,I slept outside her room. I’d never tell her as much, but I did. I was just so worried that fucking piece of shit, Evander, was going to come knocking at her door at night, and that because of her dragon biology, or whatever, she wouldn’t be able to resist him. I left as soon as I sensed she was awake. I didn’t need her flipping out at me for being “protective.” But it’d been a miserable night. I hadn’t slept. My thoughts had been torn between imagining her in bed, maybe sleeping naked, maybe in some little outfit, and imagining her with him.

I’ve never been the jealous type when it came to anyone but Sam. With her, I’m absolutely insane. It’s like she changed something inside me. Like she’s pulled something out of a box that I can’t get back in. But none of my feelings really matter if she needs a dragon to protect her. I can be many things for her, but a dragon I can’t.

Exiting my room, freshly showered, I nearly run into Granger.

He gives me a tired smile, like I wasn’t the only one up all night. “How you doing, man?”

I shake my head and run my hands through my hair. “I’m losing my mind. She’s going to drive me crazy. Every time I pictured finally telling her how I felt, finally being with her, it wasn’t like this. Like me having to battle another guy for her. Like her needing things I couldn’t work hard enough to give her.”

“It’ll be alright. It just might not go the way you think.”

“How so?” I ask.

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