“Can dragons have offspring with humans?” Max asked.
Sasha wasn’t one hundred percent certain and said so. “I don’t know, but we are sexually compatible. I mean, our parts will fit. The kissing books and Justine, The Smart Computer, confirmed that.”
“Good to know,” Max said. “I didn’t think to bring condoms with me. An oversight, considering.”
“Why?”her dragon demanded.“Ask him why.”
“My dragon wants to know why this is an oversight,” Sasha said.
“Because I’ve wanted you from the moment I first saw you with Noel. That attraction has increased during the time you’ve looked after my brother. That Noel likes you, too, increases my feeling for you. Women in my past have rejected my brother because he’s different. You get bonus points because you’re you, but trapping a man isn’t the way to start a happy relationship.”
“I know that,” Sasha said. “I was about to explain that to my dragon.”
“Also, if you became pregnant and traveled home, taking me with you, how would your parents and brothers react? They’d blame me and maybe accuse me of taking advantage of you.”
Her dragon sniffed, but Sasha knew Max’s words had reached her, and she’d cease pushing that angle.
“However,” Max said. “If you and your dragon agree with me, that would be different. We’d be on the same page.”
“Describe the page,”her dragon ordered.
“What do you mean?” Sasha asked.
“Instead of dancing around the subject, let’s make everything clear,” Max said. “I want you, and since your dragon is a package deal, that means both of you. I’ll be honest, we haven’t known each other for long, but I care for you, and what I feel is damn close to love. It wouldn’t take much more to push me over the line. Things would be easier if you weren’t a lost dragon, but strangely, the complication just makes you more interesting to me.”
“You have complications in your life too.”
Max brushed a lock of hair away from her face and sought her lips. He brushed a kiss over her mouth. “I have Noel to look after and my grandmother gunning for me. I have no job now that I refuse to return to the one my grandmother maneuvered me into accepting. Talk about manipulation.”
“Challenges help us grow,”her dragon said, spouting their father’s favorite words.
Sasha breathed out a laugh, seeing the incongruity of the memory. “My dragon is pointing out challenges strengthen us.”
“Exactly,” Max said. “And for the record, I could see a child in our future, but I’d like our lives settled before we move in that direction. Do you agree?”
“Yes,” Sasha said.
“We can still have fun and enjoy ourselves until we can get some condoms,” Max said.
“We can do anything we want,” Sasha said. “The reason I have been taking a draft to prevent a child.”
“You didn’t tell me,”her dragon screeched.
Sasha clapped her hands over her ears until the ringing in her head ceased.
“What’s wrong?” Max asked, concern in his features as he pried her fingers away from her ears.
Sasha rolled over to face him properly, her vision perfect in the dark. “I didn’t share that information with my dragon. She thought we were taking the potion for the health benefits.”
Max laughed. “I see.” His expression sobered. “We can still mess around instead of going all the way. I never want you to feel pressured.”
“Like you, my interest was snagged as soon as we arrived at your house with Noel. You’ve been kind to us. Generous.”
Max started to speak, and she placed her fingers across his mouth in a signal for him to listen.
“Still my turn,” she said with a smile. “The more I’ve learned about you from your actions, from Noel, and from your grandmother, the more I’ve liked you. My feelings for you are strong, and if my parents plucked me away from here in five minutes and the barrier came down between us so we could never meet again, I would mourn you.”
“God, Sasha.” Max’s arms came around her, and he hauled her close. “I like the way you say what you think without playing the angles or making everything into a game.”
