Last Dragon Standing (Dragon Kin #4)(107)

“I hurt you that day.”

“You poisoned me.”

“You deserved it. But it has healed, has it not?”

“It has, finally.”

She leaned up, licked the scar. “Good thing I’m so damn forgiving, warlord.”

He caught her shoulders and, with much more force than he ever planned to use, slammed her back into the ground. Keita only smiled.

“I thought we had to bathe and get back to the castle,” she reminded him.

“Later.” His gaze locked with hers, he pinned her arms to the ground and began where he’d left off, thrusting his hard c**k inside her.

Grinning, Keita tossed her head back, her eyes closed, her body meeting his thrusts with her own. “Later works for me. Much later sounds even better.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Izzy dropped the dress, faced her cousin, and both burst out laughing, the puppy she still refused to return to the kennel barking happily.

“I think I’ve outgrown it a bit,” she said.

“Gods, Iz!” Branwen crouched by her and tugged at the bottom. It barely reached her shins. “At least you’ll be able to dance in it.” They laughed harder.

Although Izzy would never admit it to her mother—at least until she was done being good and self-righteously pissed off—she was happy to be home. And it was home. Her home. The one place she’d always be welcome.

“I’ll talk to Keita,” Branwen offered, standing tall.

“How does that help? She’s a tree gnome compared to me.”

“True, but she has an eye. She can track down a dress that’ll make you look bloody stunning in seconds.”

Branwen went to the door, pulled it open, and yelped. “Don’t bloody sneak up on me!”

“I wasn’t.”

Her cousin stepped out, and Izzy’s “uncle” stepped in.

Izzy turned back to the mirror, but kept her head down a bit to get control of her smile. She knew he’d be back. After the way he’d looked at her earlier in the courtyard, she knew it.

“So what do you think?” she asked him once Brannie had left.

Éibhear blinked. “Uh…it’s a bit short.” He scowled at her chest. “And a bit tight.”

She looked down at herself. Her tits were bulging out of the bodice. “I seem to have grown out of it since I last wore it.”

“I haven’t fared much better with my own wardrobe.” He closed the door behind him. “Izzy?”

“Hhmm?”

“I think we should talk.”

This was it! This was it! He’d finally admit how much he’d missed her, and that’s all she needed—at this moment. He could tell her he adored her and wanted her forever and ever, tomorrow…or later in the week. But for now, a simple, “I missed you” or, even better, a simple “I missed you, can’t live without you—by the gods, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known” would do just fine.

“All right then. Let’s talk.”

He walked up to her, took her hands in his. And blood and fire, he had big hands!

“Izzy?”

“Aye?”

He let out a breath. “You need to be careful.” Careful? Careful of what? His overwhelming love and adoration?

“I need to be careful about what?”

“Celyn.”

“Celyn? What about Celyn?”

“I know you don’t understand, that you think he’s just being friendly or a good cousin, but I think he wants more from you than that.” Izzy couldn’t believe it. He was still playing protective uncle. But she already had protective uncles! Plus a protective grandfather, protective great uncles, protective aunts and great aunts, and protective cousins! What she didn’t need, what she would never need again, was another goddamn protective anything!

Izzy pulled her hands away. “You’re an idiot.” Éibhear stepped away from her. “What?”

“I said you are an idiot.”

“I’m trying to watch out for you.”

“I don’t need you watching out for me. You haven’t watched out for me for two years now and look.” She held her arms out from her body. “I’m still here. In one piece. I will tell you this, though.” She slammed her finger into his chest. “Celyn has watched my back in battle.” She slammed her finger again. “Celyn has helped me wash blood out of my hair.” Another slam. “Celyn also tore the arms off a bloke who thought it would be funny to jump me when I was out alone on night patrol.” Another slam that had Éibhear backing up into the door. “So if you don’t mind, I think I’ll keep Celyn as a friend since he’s been there when you have not!”

“I was trying to warn you!”

“You can stick your warnings up your ass!” She shoved him aside and yanked the door open. “Now get the f**k out of my room.” Éibhear stomped into the hall, but he spun around to face her. “Izzy—”

She slammed the door in his face and tore the stupid, too small dress off her body, chucking it across the room.

He had to be the most infuriating dragon she’d ever met, and it galled her that she might be trapped loving him forever!