Page 39 of Dragon Fire

Leo wondered about that. He and Xander had only been paired for a short time, but Leo had never seen his partner take such an interest in a female dragon.

Of course, the sea dragon was something special. He and Xander had talked about how awesome it would be to actually see a sea dragon. Now, not only had they seen one, but they’d helped her during a crisis, and Xander showed every sign of befriending her. If not more.

It was themorethat was worrying. What if Xanderanth wanted the female sea dragon for his mate? How in the world would that work?

Leo wondered if he’d be the first knight in known history to be left behind by his dragon partner. It wasn’t a pleasant thought. And he was probably just making that up anyway. He and Xander were joined on a soul-deep level. Leo had no idea if such a link could be severed by anything other than death, and he didn’t really want to find out. Leo poked the fire he was sitting in front of with a long stick, rearranging the logs, lost in depressing thoughts.

“Shara’s asleep, finally,” Lizbet said, settling onto the long log Leo had reserved to use as a seat until it was needed for fuel. She held her hands out to the fire, rubbing them together as if chilled. “I think she’ll be all right now. She just got a hell of a scare.”

“I’m glad she’s doing better.”

Was he, though? Really? When that innocent female dragon could spell doom for Leo’s partnership with Xander?

Leo shook off the negative thoughts. Of course he was glad that the dragoness was out of danger. It had been uncharitable to even let such thoughts cross his mind. Leo was better than that. Hewantedto be better than that.

“How are you holding up?” Lizbet surprised him by asking.

The fey healer had been with the dragoness most of the evening, working alongside Seth to sew up an incredible gash in Shara’s wing. Leo had noticed Lizbet, of course. He’d have to be dead not to notice such a beautiful woman. But he’d assumed she hadn’t given him a second thought. Had he been wrong?

“I’m fine,” Leo said quickly. “Are you warm enough? You could wear my cloak if you’re cold.” He got up and retrieved the special cloak knights used when flying that was both warm and weatherproof. He stepped behind Lizbet and leaned down to place it around her shoulders.

She looked up as he bent down, and their eyes met. Time stood still.

Did he move or did she? He would never know who moved, but the next moment, her lips met his, and the world as he knew it changed forever.

“What are you doing?”

Leo stood, breaking the kiss as his mind spun. He realized almost instantaneously that the question hadn’t come from his guilty conscience. It was Xanderanth, wanting to know what his partner was up to.

Sweet Mother of All.

“Just a sec, Xan,”he told the dragon silently, trying to figure out what to say to the beautiful woman he’d just kissed.

“I’m sorry,” Lizbet said shyly, pulling his cloak tighter around her shoulders and turning away from him, facing the fire. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Milady, it was not all you,” Leo had to admit. “I apologize if I overstepped my bounds.”

“No, it’s…” She turned her head quickly to look back up at him, and then, it happened again. Their eyes met, and time stood still.

“Well, I think Lady Shara should be comfortable enough for now,” Seth said in a brisk voice, coming out of the shadowy mouth of the cave, rubbing his hands together.

Time began running again, and Leo shook his head, stepping back from Lizbet. The moment had passed, but it had left him…unsettled.

What in the world had possessed him to kiss her? Was she upset with him? Had he just created some kind of international incident by accosting a fey citizen of Gryphon Isle?

Terrible thoughts raced through Leo’s brain as Seth walked closer to the fire. Thankfully, the other man seemed unaware of what he had interrupted. Either that, or he was good at dissembling.

“Now that we’ve made the dragons as comfortable as possible for the night, I think it’s time we set up something a bit more camp-like for us. What do you say?” Seth’s voice was almost too loud in the darkness of the night. Too jovial.

Shit. He did know what he’d interrupted. Leo took a deep breath and met Seth’s gaze, finding a question in the other man’s eyes that he couldn’t answer. He had no idea what he’d been doing kissing Lizbet. Except…maybe…that she’d been irresistible.

Leo knew that lame excuse would never fly. A knight was supposed to have honor and courage. He was supposed to be able to resist temptation when necessary. Leo had failed at the first test, and he felt ashamed. Ashamed and really, really confused.

How could something that had felt so right be wrong? Was it, really? Or was he making more of this than he should? And what in the world was Lizbet thinking? That was the most important of the unanswerable questions racing through his thoughts.

“Hush, Leo,”Xanderanth’s voice came into his mind, soothing him.“I’m not sure what has you in such a tizzy, but we’re all right. You’re all right. Everything will work out. I’m here for you.”

That his dragon partner had sensed his turmoil wasn’t surprising. They were joined in spirit and soul. But though he calmed a bit, Leo still worried…for how much longer?

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