The Dragon Guardian (8 page)

“As much as Fergus would love it, no. You will be neighbors with two separate houses.”

She let out a breath. Fergus being her neighbor was still dangerous, but she could manage it with walls and space between them.

~~~

Fergus paced the length of the small room. Finn had sent him a text message asking him to wait in the conference room of the Protector’s headquarters. That had been twenty minutes ago.

His dragon huffed.
I want to see Gina. Finn is taking too long.

Before he could reply, the door opened. His twin brother stood in the doorway with a cat carrier. “Hey, Fergus. I thought you could use some company.”

A soft meow came from the carrier. Fergus pointed at it. “Why the bloody hell are you carrying around a cat? I assume it’s Gina’s, but the poor beastie must be terrified.”

Fraser shrugged one shoulder. “Not really. He’s a brave one, he is.”

“Forget about the cat for a second. Why are you really here?”

“Finn’s bringing Gina here shortly and I needed to bring the cat before you two left for your new homes.”

Fergus frowned. “Homes as in plural?”

Fraser nodded. “Aye, you’re going to share the old Sinclair place. One house for each of you. I’m sure Mum is going to be thrilled. With you out of the way, she’ll have the freedom to dote on Ross more.”

Ross Anderson was Holly’s father and a permanent human resident of Lochguard. “I thought you hated the idea of Mum and Ross?”

Fraser shrugged. “If they get together, then I can watch people’s expressions when I tell them I married my stepsister.”

He sighed. “And Holly is on board for this?”

“Not exactly. But I have ways of convincing her.”

Fergus put up a hand. “I don’t need to hear about your magic cock again.”

“Are you sure? It really is quite spectacular. I might even say it’s the envy of all males on Lochguard.”

“Treasure Holly, brother, because I don’t think there is another female alive who can put up with your annoying behavior.”

“Annoying? I prefer to think of it as charming. And Holly loves all of me.”

Before Fergus could reply, Finn’s voice filled the room from behind Fraser. “Sorry to interrupt your all-important talk of cocks, but I have a female here who’s anxious to know her future.”

Fergus’s dragon roared.
It’s Gina.

Pushing Fraser to the side, Fergus craned his neck and met Gina’s green eyes. The female’s gaze was unreadable. Aware of everyone listening, Fergus nodded. “Hello, lass.”

At the term “lass” her lips thinned. It took everything he had not to laugh.

Holly pushed in front of Gina and pointed at Fraser. “Fraser, stop talking about how charming you are and bring the bloody cat out here.” She looked to Fergus. “We’ll wait down the hall to give you some privacy.”

Fraser sighed. “And I was looking forward to eavesdropping.”

Fergus punched his brother’s arm. “Get out. If I find out you were listening in, then I will challenge you in dragon form and win.”

His brother opened his mouth, but Finn cut him off. “Everyone out. Gina’s looking pale and if Arabella finds out we’re keeping her standing whilst you two argue, she’ll have my head. Not only that, Aunt Lorna will have a thing or two to say.”

Holly nodded. “Aye, she always has the wooden spoon handy.”

Instead of stating he was twenty-nine years old and wasn’t afraid of his mother, Fergus reached out a hand to Gina. It was time to work on earning the female’s trust. “Will you come, Gina? We have much to discuss.”

Straightening her shoulders, she took a step toward him but didn’t take his hand. “I’ll come, but I want Coal to stay with me. He’s been stressed enough for one day.”

Fraser lifted the cat carrier. “I’d give him more credit, Gina. He’s a braw one.”

“Braw?” Gina echoed as she plucked the carrier from Fraser’s hand. “I have no idea what that means.”

Fraser motioned toward Fergus. “My brother can explain it to you. Judging by the look in Finn’s eyes, I’d better leave or I’ll end up with some sort of crap task.”

Finn nodded. “Good you noticed.” His cousin looked to him. “Don’t take too long, Fergus. I want the human sitting down with her feet up within the next half-hour.”

Finn and the others left the room. The second the door closed, Gina made a beeline for the table on the far side of the room. The lass laid the contraption on the table and cooed to her cat.

With her bum slightly out and Gina bent over, all he wanted to do was come up behind her and cover her with his body. His dragon growled and flashed an image of their cock pumping in and out of their female.

She’s not ours
, Fergus stated.

Then hurry up and convince her.

He cleared his throat to garner her attention, but Gina ignored him to open the door and pick up her pet. With Coal laying over one shoulder, she turned toward him and raised her brows. “Well? You said we had much to discuss, so start talking.”

Taking a step toward Gina, he restrained himself from reaching out a hand to touch her. “How about you first tell me what Finn said.”

As Gina stroked her pet, Fergus wondered what it would feel like to have her hands stroke him.

Thankfully, her voice cut off the thought before it went any farther. “Ah, so you don’t know everything then. Judging by how you liked to order me around earlier, I figured you had all the answers.”

The responsible half of Fergus would let the barb go and focus on the bigger issue. He would never win Gina’s trust if all they did was argue. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I’m not sure how much you know about dragon-shifters, but we’re protective.”

“I didn’t see you acting this way around Holly.”

“I leave the overprotectiveness about her to my brother.”

Something he couldn’t read flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced with casual indifference. “I don’t care about dragon-shifter nature or some other excuse. I’m not a possession to be passed around, Fergus MacKenzie. If we’re to ever get along, you’d best remember that.”

His dragon spoke up.
We’re going to do much more than get along.

Not now.

Gina tilted her head. “Your eyes flashed. What did your dragon want?”

His beast chimed in again.
I want to keep you, that’s what.

Fergus didn’t react to his dragon. “Believe me, you don’t want to know.”

Still carrying her cat, Gina took another step toward them. The scent of woman and heather hit him. His dragon snarled.
Hold her against our body. I want to memorize her scent.

Gina’s voice was lower when she replied, “Tell me, Fergus. Consider it a show of good faith to treat me better in the future.”

As they stared into each other’s eyes, a sizzle danced down his spine. Before he could stop himself, Fergus closed the distance between them. Standing so close, he was surrounded by her scent. The heat from her body warmed his chest through his clothes. If he leaned two inches closer, her belly would press against his groin.

Do it
, his dragon growled out.

Lost in the depths of Gina’s gold-flecked green eyes, he barely heard his dragon. He focused on Gina’s increased heart rate. Then her pupils dilated, tempting him to pull her close.

Raising a hand to her cheek, he fully expected for her to scurry away. Yet she parted her lips and tilted her head up a fraction. “Tell me, Fergus.”

The heat of her breath on his chin made his cock go hard. No doubt, Gina could feel it pressing against her, but he didn’t care. A pulsing need to brand the lass flooded his body.

He needed to win Gina MacDonald’s trust—and soon—so he could make her his female.

~~~

Earlier, when Gina had been sitting in Fergus’s lap back at Loch Shin, her pains had taken all of her attention. But now, there was nothing to distract her from the heat of his body or his hard dick pressing against her.

His flashing pupils should remind her of exactly why she should push the dragonman away. Yet as Fergus stroked her cheek, all she wanted to do was curl against his chest and ask him to hold her.

Parting her lips, she was about to raise her head in invitation when Coal meowed in her ear. The sound snapped her out of the moment and she took five steps back.

Fergus clenched the fingers that had been caressing her cheek moments before. She waited to see if he would come closer again. The irresponsible part of her brain yearned for the dragonman to walk up and kiss her.

Turning away from her, Fergus remained quiet a second. A rush of disappointment squeezed her heart and she laid her head on Coal’s back. Fergus’s rejection should make her happy. It really should. She didn’t need any more complications in her life. Especially not the kind that involved a dragon-shifter who believed she might be his mate.

Yet his touch had reminded Gina of what she may never have—a man to call her own and a father for her son.

The dragonman’s voice was gravelly when he finally spoke up. “The answer to your question is that my dragon wants you, Gina MacDonald.” Fergus looked over his shoulder and she drew in a breath at the heat of his gaze. “While I know your body wants me too, I’ll hold off.”

Her voice was strangled to her own ears. “Why?”

He turned. “Because if you wish to stay on Lochguard, I am to be your Guardian. Keeping you and the babe safe is more important than pleasing my dragon’s lusty thoughts.” He took a step toward her and her heart rate kicked up. “You have nothing to fear from me, lass. I promise you. And I’ll find a way to prove it.”

As tempting as it was to say she very much wanted to live out his dragon’s lusty thoughts, Gina could no longer think of only herself.

Still, she studied Fergus’s face and tried to determine if he was sincere. From everything she knew, dragon-shifters took what they wanted, consequences be damned. Could it be that, despite the rumors and portrayals in the media, not all dragon clans acted that way?

Clearing her throat, her voice sounded a lot more even when she replied, “I’m curious to see how you prove it. Dragonmen tend to think with their dicks first and their heads later.”

Fergus’s eyes flashed and she held her breath. Now was the time to test the dragonman, what with Finn and the others nearby to save her if she screamed. Even if they didn’t help, she had the vial of ground mandrake root and periwinkle in her pocket. The young guard who’d searched her had believed her story of it being a herbal tea to help with pregnancy symptoms.

The corner of Fergus’s mouth ticked up. “I have an idea. How about I take you to my mum’s house for tonight to settle in? My mum can cook for you and give you some tips about the clan. Between her and my younger sister, you should feel safe enough. Although your cat will have to stay with Fraser for the night. My sister is highly allergic.”

Gina had seen but never talked with a female dragon-shifter before. Before Travis, she’d been fascinated with all things dragon-shifters and had even joined the fan club at her college. She was curious about how they acted. Her plan to irritate Fergus and drive him away could wait a day if it meant she could check something off her list of things to do. After all, she might be spending the rest of her life on Lochguard and she needed all the information she could get.

Nodding, she adjusted the cat on her shoulder. “Okay, but just for tonight. If your family is anything like you and your brother together, I’m not sure I could take more than one day there before I started kicking people.”

Fergus grinned. “Feel free to kick my sister, although I’d watch out for my mum. She had to raise three hellions and an unruly nephew. She’ll predict your next move five minutes before you even think it.”

Gina really should keep her mouth shut, but she couldn’t resist saying, “You act differently when you’re around your brother or talk about your family. You’re a lot less stuffy.”

His eyes flashed again and Fergus’s grin faded. “We can debate my stuffiness later. Right now, I should take you home and get you something to eat. You’re paler than I like, lass.”

She opened her mouth to reply and her stomach growled.
Thanks for betraying me, body.

Fergus moved to her side and placed a hand on her back. Raising her head, she stared into Fergus’s dark blue eyes. Damn, the man was attractive. It was a good thing she’d be around his family. She should be able to resist kissing him again in front of his mother.

Not that she should ever kiss him again.

She waved a hand. “It’s no big deal. Another half-hour won’t kill me.”

“It might not, but it will drive my dragon crazy,” he stated and picked up the carrier. “Let’s get the wee beastie into the carrier. The sooner we leave, the sooner my mum can feed you.”

As she and Fergus stared at one another, she wanted to know why he cared so much. Even if his dragon wanted her, it was for sex only. Travis had explained that to her.

Stop comparing him to that bastard.
Considering Travis’s trickery, it was highly possible he’d lied to her. Fraser and Holly were mates and there was a lot more than mere lust between them.

Fergus shook the carrier. Gina gave her cat one last stroke before she maneuvered Coal into the contraption.

The dragonman bent his head and locked the carrier door. The scent of something wild and male filled her nose. Damn, he smelled good. The memory of his warm, possessive kiss filled her mind and she shivered.

Gina shook her head to clear it. Would staying in the same house with Fergus for the first night be the best idea? All it took was one whiff of his scent and she ached for his touch. Hell, if he kissed her again, she’d probably strip and offer him her body.

Her son kicked and she placed a hand over her stomach.
Are you telling me you want Fergus around?
Her baby kicked again and she smiled.

“Why are you smiling?” Fergus asked.

Taking a deep breath, she met his dark blue eyes again. “My son is kicking again. My guess is that he’s practicing in case your hard dick gets a little too close.”

Chuckling, Fergus moved his hand until it was an inch from her belly. “May I?”

Allowing the dragonman to touch her was a bad idea for many reasons. Yet before she could convince herself of why, she nodded. “Sure.”