Page 7 of Her Two Dragons

STAKING A CLAIM

Michelle

Before Michelle could pop open the doorway she’d found, Darius nearly shoved her out of the way.

“Excuse you.” She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped the toe of her work boot onto the stone floor.

“If it’s another trap, I’d rather take the brunt of it than let you fall prey to whatever this door might hold.” The earnestness in his eyes was almost enough to make her believe that he really was being chivalrous, not just trying to take the glory.

It wasn’t like it was really going to be boobytrapped, was it?

She pursed her lips as he wedged the door open, peering into the darkness before he gestured for her to follow.

Michelle didn’t know what to make of Darius. He was clearly smart and capable, but he didn’t seem to have much drive of his own. She still couldn’t figure out what reason any father would have for sending their kid to an archaeological dig, unless they were actually interested in the significance of the site. But here he was, throwing himself between her and whatever real or imagined threats waited in the dark.

“Now that we’re safe, can I lead again? I mean, I am the one who’s studied this stuff, and I feel like if you take the lead, I’m just going to end up having to explain to Dr. Brighton why the integrity of the site got compromised.” She didn’t like that he seemed intent on plowing forward, full steam ahead, without knowing what was waiting in the dark.

“I do actually know what I’m doing here, Michelle.” He scowled, but his tone almost held a note of humor. “Besides, all this stuff has lasted this long. I doubt a couple people walking around are going to bring it down around our ears.”

She sighed. “You don’t think it might? You already triggered a trap door and got us stuck down here in the first place.” She rolled her eyes as he kept moving forward, holding the flashlight too steady in front of him to really let her get a good look at where they were.

They could’ve been walking past huge finds, and she never would’ve seen them.

Hell, the Obsidian Moon could be right in front of her face, and Darius was likely to lead her right past it.

“I think I see some light up ahead. We must be getting close to an exit.”

Michelle couldn’t see anything, but with only one flashlight between the two of them, she wasn’t about to stray off his course.

She was just pissed that she couldn’t lead the course she wanted.

“You know, we’re already down here. It wouldn’t kill you to stop and look around a little.”

“Last time we did that, we ended up falling through a trap door, remember?”

“Your fault, not mine. I was already past the trigger.” She scoffed. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be exploring this structure right.”

“If it weren’t for me, you’d still be trying to sweep all the sand out of the crack in the door.” He stopped and turned on his heel to face her. “Just because I’m not a grad student trying to make my name on the history of others, and I don’t have lofty goals of rewriting history, doesn’t mean you’re the only one who knows how to interact with the things we find. Dr. Brighton wouldn’t allow anyone on her dig who didn’t belong here, not even me. Maybe take a breath and realize that I’m keeping you safe here. We don’t even know what kind of structure we’re in yet. We have no idea what’s waiting for us down here. I’m not just talking about bugs, snakes, and other creatures who would be more than happy to sink their teeth into that luscious ass of yours.”

“Excuse me?” Michelle snapped. “You can’t…” She scowled. “I’m here to work. Not have some jerk who doesn’t even want to get his hands dirty talk about my ass.”

Darius snarled, and a second later, his hands were tugging her close, the flashlight clattering to the floor with a thud.

His lips were on hers, rough and bruising, as if he’d been holding back, trying not to give into this kiss for days.

Damn, did he know how to kiss. Harsh, demanding, like he was intent on molding her mouth, her body, to his whim.

With a grunt, she pulled away and took steps backward, away from this grasp. “You can’t just kiss me like that.” Her breath was coming in shallow bursts, and her whole body felt torn between running back to the safety of the room they got trapped in or letting him get handsy.

“Fuck, Michelle. I didn’t…” He ran a hand through his hair, barely visible in the low light of the flashlight. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”

She bent and picked up their only light source, passing it from hand to hand nervously. Her entire body was trembling. The aftershocks of the kiss were zipping and zinging through her. “Why did you kiss me? Is this some joke to you and your friend?”

“Gods, no.” His lip quirked up into a half smile. “I shouldn’t have done it here.” He scoffs, “Truth be told, my father, the way I was raised, would all say I shouldn’t have done it at all. I’m sure Khalid will knock my ass into the sand for even considering kissing you. But I’m not sorry it happened. It definitely wasn’t a joke. Now I need a minute so I can think clearly again.” He gestured vaguely to the front of his cargo shorts, but Michelle forced her gaze to stay on his eyes. He turned away from her and sort of paced a little. He finally slowed to a stop a few feet from her. “I think we should find our way out of here.”

She nodded vaguely, a little stunned by his admission. She couldn’t remember a time, ever in her life, when a guy was turned on just by kissing her. At least not one that she’d had a reaction to as well. “Yeah, okay.”

He reached out and took the flashlight. “I should lead. Watching your ass sway as we walk out of here isn’t going to do my cock any good.”

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