So Shalin spent the rest of the afternoon in the library. The entire time she had a book open, but she never actually read it. She couldn’t focus. Not when she kept thinking about Ailean and what they’d done that afternoon. And the fact that he wasn’t done with her. Perhaps they could meet again at the lake tomorrow. Or someplace else on his territory out of his kin’s line of sight. On her ride earlier in the day she’d noticed a nice little cave built into a small mountain. A perfect place to spend some time alone.
But that would be tomorrow and she still had to get through the night. Still, not too hard when it involved the Cadwaladr Clan. What she never expected, though, was for the twins—who sat on either side of her so they could keep her laughing through the entire meal—to turn to her and say in unison, “So tell us another story.”
The room immediately fell silent at their request and all eyes were on her.
“Me?”
“You told us one before. Didn’t she, Kennis?”
“Aye. That she did, Kyna.”
“It can’t be hard, then, to tell us another.”
Without even thinking about it, her eyes focused on Ailean at the other end of the enormous table. She knew he could see the panic in her face, but instead of rushing to her rescue, he simply gave her a warm smile and winked at her.
And like that…her panic melted away.
Swallowing, she asked, “Humans or dragons?”
“Och,” Kyna said with a wave of her hand. “We know all the dragon stories. Give us some human ones.”
“Uh…all right.” She thought a moment. “There’s the story of the blind warrior who challenged an entire army to get back the woman he loved.”
His family sat enthralled by Shalin’s softly spun tale. Yet he felt like a right bastard because he couldn’t stop thinking about her naked. And coming. Naked and coming. He had to see her like that again.
Ailean had never known himself to be so enthralled by anyone. He’d lusted, panted even, but never been enthralled. He wasn’t exactly sure how to handle enthralled. Although he knew what he wanted to do, but he felt pretty confident Shalin would tear his balls off should he simply grab her up and take her to his bedroom to finish what they’d only just begun by the lake.
The room erupted into laughter from something she said and Ailean tried again to focus on her words and not the way the green dress she’d put on before dinner draped over her curves, or the way her body loosened up the more comfortable she became while telling the story, or the way her breasts rose each time she took a deep breath. He really had to stop focusing on her breasts.
Knowing he had to do something or risk everyone in the room noticing his lust, Ailean tried focusing on his breathing and thinking about the new cattle he’d recently purchased and the weapons he’d ordered. He tried thinking of anything, but nothing worked. His gaze kept moving back to Shalin, sitting there in front of his kin, appearing so innocent and shy—he knew better now.
Gods! How much more could he take?
He forced himself to see where in the story she might be, perhaps she neared the end…but he quickly realized the blind warrior of this story had not yet gone blind! Since Shalin’s audience seemed more than happy to let her ramble incessantly about some not-even-blind-yet bastard, Ailean had no choice but to sit and wait until the evening ended.
Oh, but then he’d get what he so desperately needed.
“No, no. Books are not for chewing.” Shalin dragged her tenacious little puppy off one of the books she’d found carefully stacked in a corner of her room. The books hadn’t been there when she’d changed before dinner, so she could only guess Ailean had them sent up for her. The gesture made her smile. “We need to get you something else to chew on.”
She glanced around the room. “Here. Use this chair.” She crouched down and unleashed him on Ailean’s furniture. It had seemed like a good idea until she watched the puppy go after that chair leg like she went after grazing cows. She reached for the hungry little demon again when she heard a soft tap at her window.
Looking carefully through the thick glass, Shalin didn’t see anything. But the soft tap came again. This time she put her hands against the glass to keep out the glare from the torches and pitfire and leaned in close.
“Are you going to open the window—” a voice snarled at her, making her jump back several feet “—or just keep staring at me?”
She took a deep breath before she snatched the lock back and pulled the window open. “You scared the life from me!”
“I couldn’t figure out what you were doing.”
“Trying to see you.” She blinked. “I still can’t see you.” She leaned out the window only to bump into Ailean’s snout. “Oh!” It took her a moment and then she exclaimed, “You’re a chameleon!” Which meant he’d been able to blend into the night and the building perfectly. Unless one was right on top of him, they’d never know until it was too late. It was a rare gift among the dragons of Dark Plains.
“Must you shout that?” he whispered. “My kin don’t know.”
“Why?”
“Because it irritates them when they don’t know how I get past their defenses. And their irritation brings me such good humor. Now, are you going to let me in or make me stay out here in the cold?”
Shalin placed her hands where she knew his head to be and leaned forward, trying to see the rest of his body. “Ailean, this is simply fascinating—and stop sniffing me!”
“I can’t help it.”
