Page 7 of Fire Dragon
Santos had stared at Emma’s cleavage.
Liam, laced heavily with exhaustion, had done nothing less and had found it difficult to do anything but.
What had swirled through his head had been a series of X-rated images of making love to the woman a year ago. He’d barely kept from throwing wood and finally tore his gaze away from her in an effort to keep his cock in order. He’d done a series of intricate algebraic formulas in his head as well. When that hadn’t worked, he’d pictured a stream of ice water flowing over his groin and shrinking his testicles to the size of walnuts. Finally, he’d calmed down.
He hadn’t been this close to Emma in a long time and he’d forgotten how beautiful she was, with long silky dark brown hair, dark eyes and a warm, peaches-and-cream complexion. He’d worked hard to forget her and what his time with her had been like.
But this last bit, about being assigned to work one-on-one with Emma seemed like an asteroid slamming into the room.
Santos’s nostrils flared. “I’m not going into it now, with either of you. I need you both to trust me and to do as ordered.”
Since he’d spoken withthattone in his voice, Liam pulled his shoulders back. “Yes, Sir.”
“Now go get me some Magi ass. I want them stunned so I can interrogate. As many as you can acquire. I’ll have teams ready in the lake for retrieval. Suffice it to say, our friendly neighbors to the northeast appear to be escalating their intention to take over the world.”
These last words, offered with no specifics, caught Liam’s attention. Coupled with the tension Santos carried in his gait, his posture and the angle of his neck, Liam knew something was building in Arranfar and it wasn’t good.
But their ranks in Blue Lake South, like several other ADF installations around Arranfar, weren’t privy to Intelligence reports or the goings on at the Council in Davathorpe.
“Can I count on you both?” Santos asked.
“Yes, Sir.” Emma spoke the words in unison with Liam.
“Dismissed.”
Liam watched Emma turn sharply on her feet and move swiftly to the door. She drew it wide but held it for him, letting him pass into the hallway first. He moved through but said nothing to her as he launched into levitated flight.
Surprisingly, she caught up with him in two seconds flat then flew beside him in a way that matched his maneuvers. She’d been number one in her class, so he wasn’t surprised. He was just pissed as he hell that Santos was forcing them to pair up.
In addition, he was going into battle as tired as all hell and this was Emma’s first run.
More mental expletives.
There was also something else he couldn’t deny: He’d never been more attracted to Emma than he was right now wearing her absurd, but critically necessary cape, and levitating with a confidence that matched his own.
Yes, she was untried in battle. But he’d had lots of virgin riders throughout his long life and he’d learned the difference between those who would do well and those he wanted to buck off the moment they mounted.
Emma knew what she was doing.
Given his level of fatigue and that the regiment had no other options but for him to go out and face the enemy, he was grateful.
Pissed. But grateful.
He said nothing more to her as together they flew to the launch hangar. “I’ll be shifting and in flight within seconds. You ready, Commander Brier?”
He glanced at her and she grinned. “Hell, yeah, I am. Don’t hold back, Commander.”
“I won’t. I’ve also got a fatigue situation.”
“I know. You just brought in a two-hundred-dragon caravan. Perfect touch-down, by the way. Gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” He cleared his throat. He didn’t like praise and he definitely wasn’t used to hearing compliments from women like her. Yes, women of worth.
Mostly, his fellow dragon warriors were his solace. Women were transitory bed companions and never more than once. He’d given them up when his wife died eighteen years ago. She’d birthed a dragon and both she and their son had been dead within a few hours.
He’d blamed his genetics.
She’d begged him not to blame himself. She said she’d understood the risks.
