Page 20 of Seducing the Dragon
Careful to keep his expression guarded, Bram looked up and said, “Your skin and scent are too enticing. Wear the big, heavy jacket or I’ll have you locked away for the day.”
Evie narrowed her eyes. “No. Until you accept me as your mate, you have zero say in what I do. And even then, it’s not guaranteed.”
He leaned until he was an inch from the human’s face. “If you want my help, you should at least try to listen to me. Fighting me at every step of the way is not helping your case.”
“You know what? Fuck you, Bram. You act like you have a claim on me, yet you foist me off on a guard at the first opportunity rather than talk with me. I understand you’re busy, but no one wants to mate a stranger. I won’t ever try to interfere with your work if it’s important, but if you want to fuck me, then you’d better start paying me some attention. Bloody hell, beyond your DDA reputation and your sexy kisses, I know nothing. Do you have family? A former mate? Let alone what plans you have for the clan. Try opening up to me, Bram Moore-Llewellyn, or I’llchance the dragon hunters and find another clan leader to help me.”
Fire danced in her eyes. Bastard that he was, the fighting had made his cock hard as stone.
Bram grabbed her upper arm, but before he could continue their argument, a Scottish-accented voice interrupted, “If you’re looking for another clan leader, lass, you have one right here and I’ll tell you anything you like for a kiss.”
Turning around, Bram did his best to hide Evie from Finlay Stewart’s gaze. He barked, “You’re early.”
The leader raised one blond eyebrow. “I know I said to act informal as I can’t stand the protocols, but you’re close to crossing the line, Mr. Double-Barreled last name.”
His inner dragon was snarling.Get Evie away. She is ours.
The human half of him, however, realized the enormity of this situation. He was very close to fucking up everything over a female.
As he worked to control his possessiveness, Evie’s voice sounded from behind. “Hello, Scottish dragonman. I would introduce myself, but as you can see, I have more than two hundred pounds of dragon-shifter muscle in the way.”
Finn chuckled and Bram’s dragon snarled louder. He sent calming thoughts to his beast and said,Behave. I will send her to safety.
From decades of earned trust, his dragon listened. Bram said to Finn, “Give us a minute and we can start over.”
The Scottish leader answered, “Is she your new mate?”
What the other leader didn’t say was that it was bad form to flirt with a newly mated dragonman’s female; more than one fight to the death had erupted in the not so distant past over such a misstep. Their inner dragons were finicky beasts when it came to mates.
Bram wanted to lie, but knew his ties to Clan Lochguard were tentative at best, so he told the truth. “Not yet, but soon.” He turned toward Evie and Nikki. His comments were directed at his young clan member. “Nikki, take her wherever she wants, but bring her back here for lunch. Evie and I need some time to talk.” He moved his gaze to Evie. “You’ll get some time, lass. Just take the other coat is all I ask.”
She searched his eyes a second before nodding. “Asking is all I want.” She paused, her voice soft when she added, “Don’t order me around, Bram. I don’t like it.”
Except when she is naked. She will like it then.
Since Finn was in the same room, Bram didn’t bother wasting time with his dragon. Instead, he said to Evie, “We’ll discuss it at lunch, in private.”
The human stood on her tiptoes to glance over his shoulder, acknowledging their audience, and then back to him before nodding. “I hope it’s going to be a long lunch.”
Rather than comment, Bram headed back down the stairs and stopped in front of Finn. He gestured for Evie to come forward. Ignoring his dragon’s snarling, Bram said, “Evie Marshall, this is Finlay Stewart, the leader of Clan Lochguard.”
The other dragonman put out a hand. As Evie shook the man’s hand, Bram put a hand on her waist and squeezed. She shot him a quizzical glance before she turned her attention back to Finn. “While it’s nice meeting you, I expected Dougal Munro.”
Finn winked. “Prefer the older men, do you?”
Before the Scottish shifter could flirt any more with his female, Bram guided Evie away as he explained, “Dougal retired six months ago. I can tell you all about it later.” He plucked a coat off the peg on the wall. “Try not to get into too much trouble, lass.”
Evie gave a mischievous smile and his heart skipped a beat. “That’s the fun part.”
He nearly groaned, but Nikki came to his rescue and ushered the human out the door before she could taunt him with any more glances or smiles.
He turned toward Finn. The Scottish leader grinned. “We can talk about the alliance later. First, you need to tell me where you found such a fiery female. I could use one myself.”
“Lay one hand on her, and I don’t care if you’re a clan leader, I’ll challenge you to a dragon fight myself.”
All Finn did was grin wider and Bram knew this was going to be one long meeting.
Chapter Eight
