Turning on the kettle, Holly peeked from the kitchen into the living room. “Give me three minutes. It took me a while to find what I needed.”
The dragonwoman studied her intently. “Did Fraser give you any grief?”
Careful to keep her expression neutral, Holly shook her head. “No. He’s pretty determined to weed the garden.”
“For all his faults, once Fraser sets his mind on something, he’ll go to ridiculous lengths to see it through. Next time you talk with him, ask him about Loch Ness.”
She blinked. “Loch Ness?”
Arabella smiled. “Let’s just say his prank to prove Nessie was real to the local humans didn’t go as planned.”
Despite her burning curiosity, Holly merely nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. I think I heard the kettle, so let me fix your tea.”
Holly dashed into the kitchen and went to work tearing the peppermint leaves. After placing them in a teapot she’d found on the counter and pouring hot water over them, she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms while the tea steeped.
She may not know Arabella at all, but her words about Fraser focusing on what he wanted worried her. She was fairly certain that the near-kiss in the greenhouse had run both ways.
Holly only hoped Fraser hadn’t set his sights on her. She couldn’t imagine he would betray his twin like that.
Glancing to the clock, Holly willed Lochguard’s clan leader to get home. The sooner he started drowning her in protocols and advice, the sooner she could focus entirely on her reason for being on Scottish dragon-shifter land.
Holly was Fergus’s sacrifice. No matter how much her heart pounded or her skin tingled in Fraser’s presence, she couldn’t have him.
Nodding to herself, Holly made a decision. She would keep her distance from Fraser and be as civil, yet distant, as she could manage. She might even ask Fergus to take her to bed sooner than the week allocated for her to get to know the clan. Until recently, all of the sacrifices had only two days to adjust to their new homes. Holly didn’t see why she couldn’t do the same.
Yes, she would find a way to get Fergus alone and flirt with him.
Of course, she had to meet Fergus MacKenzie first. Looking to the clock again, Holly sighed. Three minutes had passed.
As she poured Arabella’s tea, Holly took one last look out the kitchen window. But all she saw was Fraser climbing over the wall.
Good. The man clearly had some sense to put distance between them.
~~~
Fraser climbed over the rear garden wall, jumped down, and started running. He didn’t trust himself around Holly. Especially with his dragon clawing at the latest maze he had constructed. For once, Fraser wished he would have listened to Fergus and Finn go over how they made elaborate mazes to keep their beasts occupied for hours.
Fraser was currently paying for always indulging his dragon.
Pushing his legs to run faster, he hoped the exercise would help to ease his dragon’s nervous energy. The pacing inside his mind was driving Fraser crazy.
His beast finally broke free and huffed. You had the chance to kiss her. You should’ve taken it. We could be fucking our mate right now.
No. As I’ve said thirty times before, she’s not ours.
His dragon snarled, Yes, she is.
Are you willing to risk the clan’s future? Finn worked hard to get Lochguard back into the good graces of the DDA. If we kiss Holly, let alone fuck her, they may not trust us for another decade.
His dragon snarled. Finn will find a way. We’re family.
Fraser gave a strangled laugh. Family or not, the clan comes first. Even Arabella knows that.
I want Holly. She will make us happy and give us a child.
Fraser couldn’t stop his mind from picturing Holly smiling as he chased her through the forest, her long hair trailing behind her. As she turned, her slightly round belly was full with his child. I won’t risk the clan.
You will regret this.