“Oh, aye? Since when?”
“Since always. Even when I was head Protector, it was true. I was rather generous considering what happened during our time with the British Armed Forces.”
The memory of Faye pinning him to the ground after a tussle and nearly kissing him during their time with the army flashed into his mind. Being young and stupid, Grant had wanted to go after a human female for something different. To push Faye away, he’d told her she was
n’t feminine enough and he’d never be interested in her that way.
His dragon grunted. You were a fool.
“I thought we’d put that behind us,” he stated.
“So did I, but then you started acting like a stranger again. I’ve never called in a favor for your lack of apology, but I am now. I want to know why you’re acting so strangely.” She gripped his wrist and dug in her nails. “And keep in mind I’m not above a little roughhousing to get some answers. I was always better at pinning someone than you.”
With Faye’s body heat so close to him, it wasn’t hard to imagine her soft breasts pressed against his back as she pinned him to the ground.
His eyes fell to her lips and every instinct urged him to claim her. No other female would ever keep him on his toes as much as Faye MacKenzie. More than that, she was his equal in more ways than one.
His dragon spoke up again. Then do it. Tell her. Kiss her. Claim her.
Faye placed a finger under his chin and raised it. “My eyes are here, Grant.”
To his ears, her voice sounded husky. But given how his heart was pounding, it could be a combination of his dragon’s lust and his imagination.
Don’t pin your lust on me. You want her just as much as I do. Okay, almost as much as I do.
He moved a hand to cup her cheek. When Faye didn’t try to move away, he replied, “You really don’t want to know the reason why I’m being so nice, lass. It’s something neither of us are ready for.”
Stroking the soft skin of her cheek, Grant waited to see how Faye would respond. When she leaned into his touch, he nearly groaned.
Faye whispered, “You were always the annoying boy who tried to best me growing up. When did you have the change in heart?”
He leaned closer. “So you feel it too.”
“Of course I do.”
“Then you know the answer as well as I—it just did.”
As they stared into one another’s eyes, Grant could hear Faye’s heart rate tick up. Her pupils flashed, probably much like his.
The only question was if they could both control their beasts to focus on the mission.
Thinking of the traitors and what they could do to Faye if they captured her, Grant released his hold and stepped back.
Faye blinked. “What?”
He decided to be honest, otherwise Faye would never stop badgering him. “Nothing I want is more important than finding and containing the traitors. They could take anyone or thing I value and twist it for their own gain.”
Fire flashed in Faye’s eyes. “You just insinuated that I can’t take care of myself.” When he didn’t reply, Faye growled and tossed a few sheets of paper at him. “There’s the information I got from Fergus. Once I have more, I’ll find you. And don’t worry, I won’t bother you otherwise. I wouldn’t want you to breathe too hard and break one of my bones.”
Faye stormed off and Grant sighed. He knew how sensitive Faye was about her strength and abilities since her accident, yet he’d cut her deep to push her away. Maybe someday she would understand.
What? That you don’t believe in her? You might have just lost your chance.
There’s time yet to woo her.
Keep telling yourself that. She might not forgive you after this.
He watched Faye’s wild, curly brown hair disappear into the distance, and he hoped his dragon was wrong.