Page 73 of Surge of Ice

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” he says without hesitation.

Evander clears his throat and steps closer to me. I smile and fold into his arms, wrapping around him, resting my head on his chest. His heartbeat is loud and fast, but I’m not sure if it’s because he’s worried, or because he’s holding me.

“This will be a simple operation with three skilled fighters. We’ll be fine. Tonight, over dinner, we’ll feel silly about all this hugging and worrying,” he tells me, but he holds me even tighter.

I meet his gaze and kiss him once, then again, then longer, melting into him. Evander makes me feel so many things I’ve never felt before: curiosity, surprise, frustration, and yet, I thinkI need all of that. From him. He’s made for me, just like my other dragon warriors.

We break our kiss and stare at each other for a long minute. He cups my cheek. “You just hold down the base until we get back. Understand?”

I sigh. “I understand.”

When he steps away, Zane doesn’t even hesitate. “My turn.”

Grabbing me around the waist, he swings me around until I’m laughing, then slides me down his body until I’m back on the ground. I’m still smiling when he covers my face in kisses, and then finds my lips. He’s not subtle as his tongue slips into my mouth, and he groans, holding me closer.

“Okay, ice dragon,” Aydan mumbles.

We break our kiss. “I will try to keep the fire dragons from being fire dragons, but it is a nearly impossible task,” he tells me.

“Oh, I know it!” I exclaim, forcing a grin. “Just watch out for each other. Remember, you’re a team.”

Zane releases me. I look at Granger. His eyes are trained on the ground, where he has kicked a little spot in the grass. Poor guy. All he wants to be is a dragon, part of the team, and instead he’s watching Aydan, Evander, and Zane get everything he wants. It can’t be easy.

The guys spread out while I watch, and then the three of them shift into dragons. Evander is a large silver dragon. Aydan is, possibly, a slightly larger gold dragon. And Zane is the smallest by a bit, and pale blue. They’re beautiful. All three of them. And my dragon longs to be with them.

They flap their wings, and the air grows even colder around them. Then they shoot up into the air, like the magnificent creatures they are. I go to Granger and put my head on his shoulder, then tangle my hand with his, watching as they disappear from view.

“Come on,” he says. “Let’s find some ways to keep your mind off of them.”

TWENTY-SIX

Samantha

We’d spentthe last couple hours looking through Dr. Duncan and Dr. Abigail’s research. Honestly, at any other time I would have found it absolutely fascinating, but my mind was on other things. Namely, my three dragons. So, Granger had suggested we have a picnic by the cliff, and I’d leapt at the chance for some fresh air.

The elevator beeps and opens onto the cool afternoon air. Granger gestures for me to go ahead the best he can while carrying his tray, and I grip my tray and step out into the warm sunlight.

“It’s weird. I actually like this place,” I confess.

He walks beside me. “Even though Evander isn’t my favorite person, there do seem to be some benefits to associating with a billionaire,” he admits.

I laugh. “Evander keeps telling me about all the things we’ll do when all this dragon stuff settles down. He says I’ll be the bell of the ball at all his fundraisers. Part of me is looking forward to dressing up in pretty gowns and eating fancy foods, but the otherpart of me thinks I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb in his world.”

Granger gives me a funny look. “Sam, you belong in whatever world you want to belong in. You’re… you.” And he says it like I’m something really special. “You’re capable of absolutely anything, and if someone doesn’t see that, then screw them.”

I smile. “You’re too sweet to me.”

He blushes and looks away. “How are you really handling the dragon trio?”

I try to find the right words. “Honestly? I’m handling it better than I ever thought I would. For so long, I only thought I had room in my heart for Aydan, but everything’s been rearranged. It’s like I just… have more room for love.”

“And you’ve cleared that room out for Evander and Zane?” There’s a note to his voice. Not quite disapproval, but something close to it.

“You don’t think I should have?” I watch him closely.

His calm mask slips a little. “It just seems like it happened so fast. One minute, I thought you and Aydan were finally going to get to ride off into the sunset, and next, the impossible happens, you end up with more than one guy. I’ve tried to calculate a thousand different scenarios, and none of them ended with that.”

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