I was unaccustomed to being so thoroughly ignored by the fairer sex. Especially after gifting one of them new clothing.
Much to my detriment.
With Serafina’s oversized rags gone, my eyes slid over her well-formed ass more times than I cared to acknowledge. The lace-trimmed blouse and supple leather bustier revealed a tempting bit of cleavage. Curse that tavern wench. When I’d asked her to find suitable garments, I hadn’t picturedthis. Nor the chit’s reaction.
When I offered women gifts, they usually gushed with gratitude.Instead, Serafina gazed upon the new clothing with suspicion.
“Why did you do this for me?”
“I can’t give you a gift?” My jaw tightened.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Alaric gave you a gift.” Was mine not good enough? At leastminefulfilled a need.
“That was different,” she’d insisted. “Less…personal.”
Personal? Angry heat flickered beneath my ribs. Just because mine required me to know her preferences and provided her with something she required didn’t make it personal.
Or maybe it did. Dammit.
The source of my irritation wandered back to me, plunking a bundle of dried twigs bound with twine into my basket.
“Don’t you already have some of that?” I held up a similar bundle, sniffing it, then wrinkling my nose.
“I wonder if they have meadow bane?” She tapped her lip as if she hadn’t even heard me. And off she went again.
My nostrils twitched, the mingled scents of a hundred herbs searing my senses.
At the window, Serafina studied a tray of crystals, sunlight setting her red hair ablaze. My dragon stirred at the image, flames always a lure for my darker half.
Down boy.
When my brother forced me to bond with Serafina, I’d rejected my claim, insisting that Alaric take responsibility. Even though it wasmydragonflame she carried. That denial had disrupted the natural order, and both of our dragons knew it. No wonder we’d been snapping at each other’s throats ever since.
Instincts were hard to deny.
Last night, seeing my fire blossom inside of her was like nothing I’d ever experienced. At first, I was shaken, wanting to escape. Until her fear pulled me in, demanded that I protect and comfort. And I couldn’t resist.
In that moment, I wanted her to know the truth.
Her acceptance stunned me further. She hadn’t rejected me or my flame. Something had changed between us last night, and I’d been off balance ever since.
Across the shop, Serafina trailed her fingers beneath a wind chime, setting the reeds aflutter. Hollow bell-tones filled the room. Her smile cinched my ribs. Mortis’ attempt to reclaim her had my dragon on edge. The thought that she’d spent years under that wretch’s command made my stomach churn.
I’d marked him for death. Once Serafina was safely back at the mountain, I’d ensure Mortis never harmed her again.
I’d like to see Alaric do the same for her. Bastard couldn’t even appear in daylight for fear of attracting hunters.
Nor did he know anything of substance about the woman whose heart he intended to seduce. The way her eyes lit up while perusing one of her passions. How she faced any threat with more courage than any soldier. Not the way she curled into me in her sleep, her soft body pressed against mine in a manner that made me ache. Made meyearn.
Gods, the sooner we completed this little errand, the better. Spending this much time with her was making me crazed.
Serafina flitted back to me, dumping yet another bundle of dried leaves into the basket. My nostrils burned, my throat itching. I sneezed into the crook of my arm.
“Thorne!”
“Yes?” I turned blurry eyes toward Serafina’s voice. Tears tracked down my cheeks.
