Page 11 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
“What is it? What do you see?”
“A really nasty bruise,” I said, examining the dark purple splotch. The edges were turning yellow, which indicated it was starting to heal, but it still looked painful. “Maybe you aren’t faking it after all.”
“I told you.” She glared at me. “Why would you even think that?”
I sighed. “Emma. Ten minutes ago, we were talking. Everything was fine. I knowyoudon’t remember, but try to picture a scenario where you’re in my shoes and that happens to you. The other person acting perfectly fine until suddenly, with no indication of anything,boom, they claim they forget everything? You wouldn’t be the slightest bit suspicious?”
The left side of her mouth worked. “Maybe,” she admitted just a bit sourly.
I wanted to yell at her reluctance to even admit that much.
“So, what now?” Emma asked. “How do I get home?”
“That’s not something I can control,” I told her. “You came here as part of the peace treaty. Even if you don’t remember it now, you volunteered to do so. Not going home was part of the deal, I think.”
Which meant I was stuck with her. It was my turn to be sour.
“Oh.” She seemed to shrink even smaller than her already short size, hands clutched around her stomach.
At least she was attractive. I eyed her soft body. She was thick but not quite curvy. Large breasts, thick butt, I really couldn’t find much to complain about there. If I was going to be forced to put up with her, I gave thanks she was very easy on the eyes.
I still would prefer the solitude. But that wasn’t an option. Not right now, at least. Perhaps, in time, I could convince the sovereign to take her back.
“Let me take you to my place,” I said. “You can rest for a moment, get some food. Then, we’ll go from there. How does that sound?”
She hesitated.
“I give you my word that nothing will happen to you. I will keep you safe. You have nothing to fear from me.”
My dragon growled its agreement, startling me with the sudden intrusion after being quiet since I’d first laid my eyes upon her.
Emma looked up at me, her eyes the color of the sky on a crystal-clear summer day. The intelligence bound within them gave her an additional depth. One I felt most would probably miss from simply admiring her appearances.
“You want me to go with you? To your house? Where?”
I pointed down past the docks and up the hills to the bluffs beyond. “That way.”
In the back of my mind, my dragon crowed its first victory. I didn’t know why, considering she hadn’t even said yes yet. Besides, even if she did agree, I had every intention of sending Emma back to the sovereign at the first availability.
I was better off alone.
Chapter Six
Emma
“You want me to go with you? To your house?”
Everything about it screamed bad idea. So, why was I even considering it?
It was Rhyse. Something about him screamedsafety.
I looked him over, from his loose-fitting, lightweight black pants to the sleek, nearly form-fitting navy sleeveless shirt he wore, exposing the lean, hard muscle of his biceps. Was it his size that was having an effect on me? He was a giant, and not much of him was anything but muscle. The strength …
Behind him, a dragon dipped in the sky. I swiftly returned my attention to Rhyse, absolutely not willing to facethatlittle bit of reality just yet. Later, I could question my sanity.
To his credit, Rhyse just stood there, that same near perpetual frown etched onto his handsome face. This was one irritated person. Always.
“I don’t know, Rhyse,” I said, using his name, feeling it roll off my tongue with surprising ease. It feltrightto say, like I wasused to it. Comfortable with it. With him. I shook my head. “I don’t know you. How can I trust you?”
