Chapter 8 #2
Of course, Emily knew that dragons loved ear scratches. It was also something they usually only allowed for those they trusted to do.
So even if this was all for show, it meant Cam must not completely despise her for forcing his hand.
Maybe if she were less selfish, she’d say no to spare him. But despite dedicating her life to dragon-shifters, she rarely had the chance to touch their dragon forms. So she nodded. “Yes, I’d love the chance. For research, of course.”
His lips twitched. “Of course.”
At the amusement in his eyes, she couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, maybe for more than research.”
He gently patted her hip. “Good.”
Even though the touch was fleeting, she still felt the heat of his hand through her jeans.
Before she could reprimand herself yet again, the students moved back, and Cam stood in the large, open area they’d left. He tugged off his shirt, and her mouth went dry.
His back and chest were toned from all the flying and drills he did. But in addition to the usual dragon-shifter tattoo on one upper arm, he had an unfamiliar design on the other as well. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “What’s that second tattoo?”
He turned toward her and pointed at it. “This is unique to Seahaven, and we get it at age 20, when our dragons are fully mature.” He lifted his arm. “Want to see it up close before I shift?”
She glanced at the students, but they merely murmured among themselves.
She should say no, she really should. But before she could be rational, she walked over to Cam and studied his arm.
The design was a dragon flying over what looked like Farr Bay, with the beach and cliffs. Even though the design was in black ink and not in color, it was still beautiful.
He murmured, “You can touch it, if you like.”
After hesitating a beat, she traced the lines with her finger. Cam’s muscles tensed, and she looked up to find his pupils flashing rapidly.
His voice was strained as he said, “Lass, if you keep touching me like that, I’m going to need a minute or two before I can shift.”
As his meaning sank in, she lowered her hand. Surely he couldn’t be aroused by her touch?
And yet, as she stared into his flashing dragon eyes, she saw heat and longing.
It’s an act, Emily. Just an act. After taking a few steps back, she blurted, “Thank you. I’ll stand near the students and turn my back until you’re in your dragon form.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Even after living with dragon-shifters for years, you’re still shy?”
“I-I’m not about to walk around naked, no.”
He chuckled. “I didn’t say that, Emily. But I’m just teasing you. The students will let you know once I’ve shifted.”
After nodding, she rushed over to the students.
The teenage girl who’d spoken before, Maisie, came over.
“Dr. Davies, you’re going to be Mr. Alexander’s mate, aren’t you?
I can’t wait for the day when someone looks at me the way he does you.
” She sighed. “If I can ever find a human male who won’t be intimidated by my dragon. ”
Seizing the chance to change the topic, Emily turned her back to Cam and waited for Maisie to join her before saying, “But does he have to be a human? Maybe you’ll find a future with a dragon-shifter.”
She frowned. “Are they all so growly and dominant when they’re older, though? I don’t really remember any dragons mated to dragons since we left Lochguard when I was quite young. Mum and Dad say maybe one day I can visit Lochguard again, but that day never seems to come.”
“I’ve been, and the current clan leader, Finn, is brilliant. I’m sure you’ll get to visit sooner rather than later, although you have plenty of time before you need to worry about mates and all that.”
Maisie sighed and stared into the distance.
“I wish we all could visit Lochguard, and not just a few of the adults. Not only because I have some memories and would like to see if they match up to reality, but I also want to see if there really are dragon-shifters mated to dragon-shifters that accept humans.”
“I can’t say that all dragon-shifters accept humans, or vice versa, although many do.”
Maisie glanced over at Tor and murmured, “Maybe there are some dragonmen who would be okay as a mate.”
She resisted smiling. “Perhaps. Regardless, never hide who you truly are, no matter if it might scare a potential mate away. Because if you do, it’ll only make you miserable in the end.”
Like her mother, who’d been forced to give up her teaching career by her husband.
Emily had always wondered what her mother had been like when she’d been younger, before her life had become keeping one man happy at the expense of everything else.
Maisie touched her arm. “Don’t worry, I won’t ever do that, Dr. Davies. Even though the local human boys all ran away because I was being myself—and it definitely hurt—I don’t want a coward.” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Mr. Alexander is done shifting!”
Taking a deep breath, Emily turned and stared at Cam’s dragon form.
He was a deep blue, only slightly lighter than the sea behind him. He was massive and stood on his hind legs with his wings out behind him. As he stood tall, unmoving in the wind, he reminded Emily a little of a peacock with his feathers out.
She giggled, but quickly covered her mouth. Human or dragon, male egos could be a delicate thing sometimes, and she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea since he was gorgeous.
Once she met his gaze, his dragon nodded and lowered his wings against his back. Taking that as a sign she could approach him, she walked until she was a few feet from his giant dragon head. He’d lowered it so that they were at eye level.
Tentatively, she reached out a hand but stopped short of touching him. Then he closed the distance so that her hand rested on his snout.
His scales were smooth but warm, and she ran her hand up the bridge of his snout and back down.
She said, “You’re beautiful. Although, is that the right word for a dragon?
Majestic, maybe? At any rate, you’re one of the biggest ones I’ve ever seen.
” He huffed, and she smiled. “I’m sure you liked that compliment, didn’t you? ”
His dragon rolled their eyes, and she laughed. “I need to measure you properly at some point to gather concrete evidence, of course.” As soon as she said it, she regretted it. For all she knew, she might never see his dragon form again.
He lowered his head a little more, tilting it so his ear was in front of her. Without thinking, she scratched the small patch of exposed skin behind his ear, and his dragon hummed. It reminded her of a cat’s purr, but deeper.
She leaned against him as she continued to scratch, and the combination of his heat and the vibrations was oddly soothing.
Emily lost track of how long they remained like that until one of the students asked, “Are we going to fly today, Mr. Alexander?”
She quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushing, as she realized she’d been stealing time away from the students.
Cam’s dragon head lightly bopped her shoulder before he stood tall again.
Emily retreated to stand behind the students, not wanting them to see her embarrassment.
Tor met her gaze, smiled, and nodded before looking back at his brother.
As she watched Cam jump into the air and flap his wings, her jaw dropped.
He was magnificent as he dove and twirled and completed a complex set of maneuvers in the air.
She thought maybe he was just showing off, but then the students started practicing.
Tor was nearly the last, since the other students had to help put a device around his dragon’s neck—something that helped detect nearby sounds by vibrating.
Some of the other students helped test it out by sneaking up behind Tor.
It was fascinating to watch, and so different from the Protector drills she’d watched in the past. Because the students also had fun sometimes, and it was all so…normal. Well, as normal as dragons playing in the sky could be.
As Tor headed back toward the landing area, Cam appeared at her side and murmured, “What do you think?”
“It was brilliant, truly. I wish I could fly, too.”
He glanced at her. “Maybe I can get special permission to take you up in a basket.”
“Me? I don’t know…”
“I won’t pressure you, but it’s an option, aye? We can talk about it more later.” Tor’s hind legs touched the ground, and he added, “I have to help him remove the device. When will you be free tonight?”
He placed his hand on her lower back, and they stared at one another for a few beats.
And she nearly forgot that this was all fake.
But then she remembered it was, and her eyes heated with tears.
Don’t be a bloody idiot again. Get away, far away, and clear your head. She stepped away, cleared her throat, and replied, “I don’t know. I’ll send you a message.”
With that, she strode away, doing her best not to break into a run.
By the time she was out of sight of Cam and the students, she stopped to lean against a large rock, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths.
She’d thought she could handle pretending to be Cam’s potential mate. But he was a good actor, and she was starting to get more attached than she liked, and she needed to be careful.
Emily refused to leave Seahaven with a bruised heart. Which meant working as much as possible and avoiding Cam Alexander.
Not completely, of course. She’d need to make appearances occasionally with him in public to keep up the ruse.
But the less time they spent alone, the better.
And as she walked back toward the surgery, she slowly pushed all thoughts of Cam, his smile, toned chest, and teasing out of her mind. She was here to work, and that was all that mattered.
Too many people were counting on her to find the ultimate protection serum. She needed to remember that.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Emily retreated to her lab and got to work.