Snorting, he turned, fetched his own dish, and sat down across from her. “If we’re going off stereotypes, where’s your glasses and lab coat, or even a clipboard or tablet?”
“Why would I wear glasses when I have perfect vision?”
She knew she was being obtuse, but there was something about Cam that made her want to tease him.
“Ah, but my vision is better. So, to a dragon-shifter, your vision could improve.”
“That’s not how it works. Glasses won’t give me the eyesight of a dragon-shifter.”
“Yet.” He gestured toward her food. “Eat before it gets cold.”
If she were being picky, she’d tell him not to order her around. However, as the tomato and meat smell reached her nose, her stomach rumbled. So she picked up a fork and twirled some spaghetti before placing it in her mouth.
As soon as she did, she moaned. She’d never tasted bolognese this good before, not even at a restaurant.
Once she swallowed, she was about to suggest he’d missed his calling. But as she met his flashing dragon eyes, the words died on her tongue. Because she swore she saw…desire there?
No, she had to be wrong. She was the strange and awkward scientist, and Emily didn’t exactly inspire lust and desire. At least, she never had in the past.
Not wanting to remember her previous attempts at sex, she blurted, “This is good, really good.”
His pupils remained round as he cleared his throat before replying, “Thank you. My mum taught me to cook, and when I have some spare time, I try to improve.”
“Does your dragon appreciate it? I’ve always been curious since they like to hunt in their dragon forms. This meal is a long way from a dragon eating a raw catch.”
Bloody hell.There she went, being odd again.
But she couldn’t help it. There was so much Emily didn’t know about dragon-shifters, and living with one meant she could get closer and more personal than ever before.
Not inthatway, of course. There would be no sharing beds or getting naked. Although if it happened, it wouldn’t exactly be a hardship, would it?
Stop, Emily. Just stop.
His lips twitched, but thankfully he didn’t laugh at her. “He enjoys food as much as the next person. However, he’s more about eating as soon as we’re hungry and doesn’t understand all the fuss of making something like lasagna from scratch.” His pupils flashed a few times before he added, “He definitely still doesn’t understand it.”
“Neuroscience isn’t my specialty, but it still fascinates me how two distinct personalities can exist in one head.”
“I’m not sure I can help you much with understanding how it works. My dragon has just always been there, from when he spoke to me when I was six.”
“Hmm. I’m sure a series of questions would reveal a lot more than you think. Er, not that you have to answer them, of course.”
He shrugged. “Ask me whatever you wish about my inner beast, but don’t write about me in a study or some such thing, aye?”
“I never write about someone without their consent. Although, to be fair, my work usually involves DNA and mRNA, and can be tedious for the average person.”
He put down his fork and stared directly at her as he said, “What you’re doing to help my kind is remarkable, Emily. Just because it’s not exciting to the average person doesn’t mean shite when it can save countless lives.”
Her cheeks heated at his praise. “I know I’m brilliant, that’s not the problem. Unfortunately, getting funding or backing, or even publishing, often requires making it sexy to everyone, regardless of how sound the science is. People who can blend those two things together often get the most support. Well, either that or they sideline their entire scientific careers to support grifters and charlatans for money.”
She stabbed her pasta just thinking about some of her former colleagues doing exactly that.
“There are dragon-shifters like that as well, willing to turn their back on their own kind if it means getting rich.”
She glanced up. “Is that common?”
“Common, no. But Clan Skyhunter’s former leader did a lot of horrible things to his own people, all for power and money. Humans aren’t the only ones who get tempted.”
“You’d never do that, though.”
