Highland Dragon (The Treasure of Paragon #6) - Genevieve Jack Page 0,71

back and rubbed his fingers against his thumb in quiet contemplation. “Dragons give off magic. ’Tis what draws the oreads to us, what feeds them.” The intensity building in his gaze was mesmerizing. “If ye have magic in ye, bein’ near a dragon will strengthen it.”

“But I’ve spent the past two months before coming here with most of your siblings and I didn’t feel like this.”

He gave a slow, decidedly masculine smile. “Maybe ye were wi’ the wrong dragon.”

Despite herself, she giggled and felt her cheeks heat. He was just so damn alluring. She recalled their passion inside the barn again, the feel of him in her hand. Her skin grew hotter and she covered her face with her hands.

“Donna hide from me, lassie. You’re a work of art when ye blush.” His voice was gritty and deep—the voice of his dragon. “I love it.”

“It’s embarrassing. I’m a grown woman.” She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “It’s just… what you do to me. I’ve never felt this kind of attraction to anyone.”

She heard his chair slide back from the table, but his movement was faster than her eye could track. He was in front of her in a blink, extending his bear paw of a hand toward her.

“Xavier…” It would only make things harder if they acted on their feelings.

“Dance with me, lass.” His voice dropped. “Ye needna do more than let me hold ye.”

“There isn’t any music.”

“You can sing us a tune.”

She snorted a small laugh. “No, I can’t. I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

“All right, then mine will have ta do.” He flexed his fingers in an inviting gesture.

Slipping her hand into his, she gasped as he tugged her out of her chair and against him easily, as if she weighed nothing. His chest was broad and hard, a veritable wall of flesh that made her feel tiny in comparison. She hadn’t noticed in the barn, so distracted was she by other parts of his anatomy.

“Do ye know this one?” He started humming a tune with a familiar cadence and turning her about the room.

She wasn’t familiar with the tune itself, but there was no mistaking the dance. “Where did you learn how to waltz?”

“Is that what it’s called? I saw it done once when I was travelin’, before I settled here.”

She laughed. “Well, it became quite popular for hundreds of years throughout Europe.”

He paused his humming and gave her a dashing smile. “Really? ’Twas considered scandalous when I witnessed it.” His hand pressed into the small of her back as they circled past the fire in the small space.

Feigning outrage, she fluttered her lashes. “Mr. Campbell, are you saying you deliberately chose to lead me through a dance you thought was scandalous? Are you trying to ruin my reputation?”

“Considering I am the only one around to witness any scandalous activity, I reckon I’m attempting to learn what reputation ye deserve.”

The laugh that tore through her caused her to miss a step, but he lifted her easily by the waist until his guidance had her back on track. “Where I come from, it’s not so bad a thing to admit when you want someone. It takes more than a waltz to scandalize the modern world.”

“What does it take?” he whispered, his breath caressing the shell of her ear.

That voice was like warm honey, the voice of a man who had no business teasing her so mercilessly. It was an invitation to sin, and she was too weak to deny the temptation. He was taller than her, the top of her head level with his nose, and she raised her chin in small increments until they were face-to-face, only a matter of inches between their lips.

The rain poured harder now, battering the walls of the cottage. Wind howled in the darkening sky. The noise of the burgeoning storm was nothing compared to the low purr that started in his chest again, vibrating against her. What had he called it in the stables? His mating trill.

His lips were parted and near, but he didn’t close the distance between his mouth and hers. What was he waiting for? The answer came to her in her next heartbeat. He offered. He wants you to say yes.

“I can’t bond with you. It would be a promise I couldn’t keep,” she murmured, their breath mingling between them.

“I heard ye the first time.” He didn’t move. He didn’t pull away. “We have only this moment, Avery. Nothing else is guaranteed. If