Page 23 of Dragon's Honor

Ash struggled with the intensity in her brown eyes. She wasn’t going to let it go. He could tell. Though, he supposed he couldn’t blame her.

“Do you have to know this minute?” he asked as he eased the hold on her hair and took a step back. They were still touching, but he wasn’t pressed against her. He was trying to catch his breath. His dragon was pissed. He wanted to go back to the kissing and touching and eventually claiming.

Finley’s gaze searched his while they had their stand-off. “Why won’t you just take it?”

“I don’t like the idea of you not wearing it.”

“You don’t like a lot of things. Am I allowed to talk to any men?”

“Preferably not, but I understand that’s not a reasonable request.”

Finley smiled. A full, toothy smile that lit up her whole face and Ash felt like he was falling all over again.

“It’s really not, but I’ll do my best for the time being.”

Ash froze. She would? Seriously. “Why?”

“I’m a loner, Ash. I don’t socialize all over Miami. I take pictures and hang out with my sister.”

“You were on a date tonight.”

She poked his chest. “I haven’t seen or talked to you in a month. And my sister all but made me go.”

Ash’s jaw tightened. “Fine. So, you’re saying you’ll acquiesce because you don’t plan on interacting with men in the first place.”

“Would you prefer that I had a bunch of plans with men that I had to cancel?”

Ash’s fingers pressed into her hip where he was still holding her. “No.”

“Then take what I’m offering.”

“Fine. Can I see you again?” Ash didn’t like asking.

Finley pushed herself up, so she was standing instead of leaning against the wall. “You have my number.”

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s an ‘ask and find out’, Ash.”

Ash gave her a short nod. “Would you please allow me to take you home?”

Her lips twitched. “Fine. Take me home.”

Ash pulled out his phone and pulled up an app to call a cab. They waited in their alley tucked away from the sidewalk traffic.

“Where are you from, Ash?”

He looked toward the street. “Brazil.”

She was staring at him.

It took everything he had not to look over at her curious face. If he did, he wasn’t sure they’d make it out of the alley. Especially if what she told the frat boys was true.

His dragon desperately wanted to find out the state of her panties.

“Brazil. How long have you been in Miami?”

“About six months.”