Page 37 of The Dragon Recruit
“I trust you, Iris. And you were right earlier—going into a situation blind can get people hurt. Your clearance should comethrough in a few days. In the meantime, there’s a former rogue dragon-shifter who left the group to go live on her own. One I’ve convinced to let us visit and chat with. After hearing how half the rogue dragons were murdered, she’s afraid she could also be a target.”
Antony yawned, and Iris said, “I hope it’s in the morning, aye? Because if you try to do anything half-asleep, you’ll fuck up.”
He chuckled. “Never one to mince words, are you?”
“No. I’d rather not see you die.”
“Growing fond of me, are you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Only you would make that into a kind of flirtation. But no, I don’t want you to die. I want more answers, and to finally end the threats to my clan. You’re key to that.”
He stood and moved to her side of the table. “Is that the only reason?”
Iris locked eyes with the human, and she saw a flash of yearning. Despite all his bluster and teasing and confidence, he was unsure about her.
Her dragon spoke up.He’s showing yet another vulnerability with us. Answer him truthfully.
Iris murmured, “No, it’s not the only reason.”
Triumph surged in his gaze before vanishing, replaced with a smile that reached his eyes. He put out a hand. “Then I’d better do as you ask. Let me show you to your quarters, and we’ll both get some sleep.”
Her dragon said,Maybe we should just share quarters. That would be better.
Ignoring her beast, Iris placed her hand in his, and Antony gently pulled her upward. She now stood only a few inches from him, and she swore she could feel the heat radiating from his body.
He wasn’t much taller than her, either, which put their faces close together as well. Not for the first time, she wondered how such a handsome male was still alone. Or, at least, she thought he was.
Before she could think better of it, she blurted, “You’re not seeing or sleeping with anyone else, are you?”
“No.” He gently brushed some hair behind her ear. “Everyone else is lacking compared to you.”
It was corny and ridiculous, and yet Iris couldn’t help smiling. “Good. Because I don’t share.”
“Neither do I.”
Tension hummed between them. It would be easy, so easy, to lean over and kiss him.
But that could start a mate-claim frenzy, and Iris wasn’t ready for it. She wasn’t completely against the idea of finding her true mate, but until she could tame some of the dangers, she wouldn’t risk it.
Which meant resisting the human’s tempting lips and stepping back a few feet. He frowned, but she spoke before he could. “You need to rest, Antony. We both do. The sooner we take care of the threats, the sooner we can think of…”
“Of what, my dear?”
“Of other things.”
He smiled again as he shook his head. “So circumspect. Let me be a bit more forthright.” He leaned forward and whispered, “The sooner we take care of the threats, the sooner you can think of me making you moan, having you pull my hair, and you telling me exactly how to please you.”
Her cheeks heated. “Antony.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What? I’m just being truthful. And it’s a type of motivation, right?”
“Maybe.”
Antony reached out, took her hand, and kissed the back of it. The light touch sent a rush of heat through her body, straight between her legs.
He murmured, “You’re the very best type of motivation for me, Iris, and more than worth the wait.”
As she tried to think of how to reply to that—Iris had little experience with males and flirting and wooing—the human dropped her hand and moved to the door of his office. “Come on, let’s head into a more public space. Because if you keep looking at me like that, as if you want to devour me, I might say to hell with any sleep and that wouldn’t be good for the mission.”
