the bed, and rolled away again.
Odin closed the door behind it and carried the babe over to his place of rest.
Colton squirmed a little as he was lowered into his bed, but Odin rubbed his little belly until he settled down again.
Odin gazed at the peaceful little face for longer than he meant to. Though he knew he was supposed to protect the small one, sometimes it felt like the situation was reversed. Caring for Colton centered him, giving him respite from the fury that threatened to burn him alive some days.
Colton’s needs were straightforward, but exacting. Unlike everyone else in Odin’s circle, the whelp was very clear about what he wanted from Odin, and quick to let him know when he got it wrong.
When Colton was at peace, a part of Odin could be too, knowing he had done something right.
He brushed a silky soft cheek with the rough pad of his thumb and straightened as the bathroom door opened, releasing a puff of warm steam and the scent of his mate.
She had seen him fussing over the whelp like a doting grandmother. That was unacceptable. But when he spun to face her, his embarrassment was gone before it could take root.
Liberty stood in the threshold, a fluffy towel wrapped around her and nothing else. Droplets still clung to her damp hair and radiant flesh.
His eyes helplessly followed the path of one drop as it slid down her neck between the tops of her breasts.
“I couldn’t resist a shower,” she murmured. “After a long day on the road…”
He moved to her without thinking, stopping himself an inch away.
“Liberty,” he murmured.
She gasped.
While Odin’s emotions surged, the dragon coolly assessed her response.
Her pupils were dilated, lips slightly parted, cheeks flushed, heartbeat increasing. She was clearly feeling the same way he was.
Claim her.
But he fought against the dragon. A mate could not be taken by force, no matter what signals her body sent. Odin’s dragon side might be ancient, but he was a modern man, a man of honor.
“Odin?” she whispered.
He could hear hidden harmonics in her voice as they caressed him.
He reached out very slowly and cupped her face in his hand, praying she wouldn’t turn away from his touch.
She closed her eyes.
Before he had time to react, there came a loud, shave-and-a-haircut knock on the door to the room and then it flew open.
He spun to roar at the robot, but it was nowhere to be seen.
Root was already placing a huge tray of food on the bedside table. Two steaming mugs of Lachesis tea sat between plates piled high with rolls, stew, and roasted vegetables.
“Good Lord, you two didn’t waste any time,” she said, giving Liberty an appraising glance up and down.
“Oh no,” Liberty said, looking shocked. “We… we didn’t…”
“Well you should,” Root informed her. “The bed is very sturdy. You don’t need to worry about it.”
Odin watched, frozen with horror, as Root placed her hands on the mattress and leaned all her weight on and off the bed a few times to demonstrate.
“Enough,” he bellowed, finally remembering his voice. “Leave us in peace.”
In his cradle, Colton made a small noise of displeasure, then quieted again.
“You just need to take the edge off, Mr. Grumpy,” Root said, winking at him. “Then you’ll be right as rain. But don’t forget to eat while it’s hot.”
She left, pulling the door shut behind her.
Odin turned back to Liberty.
For a moment she only stared at him, wide-eyed.
Then she began to laugh.
The sound was rich, deep and real, like cool rain on his parched soul.
He smiled back at her, utterly smitten.
5
Liberty
Liberty figured that the perpetually serious Odin would be put off by her laughter.
Instead, his dark eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. Her first thought was that it was like the sun coming out after the rain. But that couldn’t be right. That meant something else to her - something important that she wasn’t about to confuse with a smile from a stranger, no matter how handsome he was.
“I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot—” she began.
“It is good to laugh,” he said at the same time.
They paused, and for a second the same magic shimmered in the air between them.
Liberty had been attracted to plenty of guys in her life. But whatever had been happening between them earlier was completely different. She found herself at a loss as to what to say next.
“The whelp is sleeping,” Odin said. “We should eat.”
“Oh yes, the parenting book does say that,” she