Page 44 of Fated to the Grumpy Dragon
I glanced back to see Killian had gotten to the controls and was coming after us, but I knew the ship he’d brought out. They didn’t have the speed to catch us. I’d chosen this yacht with care, knowing that what I was searching for wasn’t something others would want found.
There was only one way he would catch us and that would be if he took to the air.
“Look out!” Emma screamed.
I glanced back and immediately turned the wheel slightly to the right.
A giant ball of flame shot through the space we’d occupied, hitting the ocean in front of us. The water exploded as it mixed with flame, and a fine warm mist sprayed us, but otherwise, we were unharmed.
“Asshole,” I snarled, veering again to avoid a second blast.
That was all Killian sent our way. Either he didn’t want to escalate things any further, or he’d finally accepted we were getting away. Regardless, I was happy he stopped.
I’d already discovered yacht owners took it poorly when I was responsible for fire on their boat. There was no need for a repeat situation.
“You know,” Emma said, coming to my side and holding my arm for stability as we left the other ship behind and the pounding of the boat against the waves settled into a familiar pattern, “I have to admit something.”
“What’s that?”
“You were right.”
I glanced down at her, doing my best not to think about how close she was or how perfectly her tiny fingers wrapped around my arm. Her fingers pressing into my skin.
Easy. If we stop now, theywillcatch up. Now is not the time for this.
For once, my dragon seemed to listen. It circled impatiently in my mind, making it very clear that while it recognized the danger, it didn’t like it. Thiswomanwas the only thing it was interested in. The only thing it wanted.
I clenched my jaw, fighting to control myself. “Right about what?” I made myself ask, wondering if Emma could sense how close I was to just throwing the boat into neutral andtaking her.
The sweatshirt would rip with ease as I tore it from her body, and the flimsy bikini she wore underneath would pose no obstacle for my mouth or hands. I would explore every inch of her, touching, caressing, kissing and enjoying, until she could bear it no more and spread her legs for me, welcoming me in with soft gasps and beautiful moans, a symphony to my ears as I licked her pussy until she came all over my face, again and again. I wanted to—
“Killian does look like a gorilla,” Emma said with a giggle.
I couldn’t help myself. I laughed, too.
A dam broke, and in seconds, we were both howling with laughter, the tension of the day’s events bleeding out through humor. It felt good to let loose that way, to enjoy the moment with her. We recounted the look on Killian’s face when the spray from the propellers washed across him, drenching his clothes and sending him scurrying for cover. Our hands recreated their movements and startled reactions.
Through it all, though, Emma never took her hand off my arm. And I never removed it.
That meant something, I was sure of it. Something different from the kiss we’d shared earlier.
But what?
Chapter Nineteen
Emma
“Ithink it’s time we stopped dodging things and talk about it head-on.”
The mug of hot cocoa was halfway to my mouth when Rhyse uttered the heavy words. My arm froze as I slowly lifted my head to stare across the coffee table at him.
The crackling of wood in the fireplace to my right was the only sound for several very long heartbeats.
Shit.
He wanted to talk about earlier. On the boat. When I’d stupidly let myself be kissed by him. A mistake, to be sure. It wasnotone I wanted to repeat.
“It’s okay,” he said, lifting a hand. “I know it’s not an easy subject. But I think it would be for the best, for both of us if we talked about it. Brought it into the open, so to speak. That might make it easier on you.”
