“I know. Normally, I can handle Faye, but I’m just nervous about tonight.”
“Don’t worry, Lorna. Fraser may be protective, but once he sees me taking care of you, he’ll open up.”
Lorna tilted her head. “Aye, well, Fergus just arrived. So you can warm up to him, first. Don’t let his quieter nature fool you. He can be as fierce as either of his siblings.”
“Even if it means challenging both of your lads to a wrestling match to prove my worth, I’ll do it.” He caressed her cheek. “You’re worth it, Lorna MacKenzie.”
Lorna’s expression softened. He wanted to say it was affection, but Ross didn’t want to hope too soon for anything. Even though they’d spent many months together, winning Lorna’s heart was an entirely different thing, no matter how much the dragonwoman had already won over his.
He murmured, “Let’s see how he reacts, then.”
Just as the kitchen door opened, Ross kissed Lorna.
~~~
If Lorna were completely rational, she’d push Ross away and greet Fergus. But as her human slid his tongue between her lips and gently caressed her lower back, she could barely string two thoughts together.
Between Ross acting like a parent to Faye and then kissing Lorna as if she were the most beautifu
l female in the world, she was starting to get her hopes up for the future.
It was Gina’s voice—Fergus’s American human mate—that finally caused Lorna to pull away from Ross. “See, Fergus. I knew they would hookup.”
Before Fergus could reply, Gina’s younger sister, Kaylee, clapped her hands and jumped in. “I just won my bet with Fraser! He will have to take me up into the air in his dragon form now.”
Gina adjusted the sleeping bairn in her arms and scowled at Kaylee. “It had better be in a basket.”
Kaylee shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I didn’t specify.”
As the American females argued, Lorna studied Fergus’s expression, but couldn’t detect any emotion in his eyes. So, she asked her oldest son, “What are you thinking, Fergus?”
Gina and Kaylee quieted down to stare at Fergus. He finally replied, “As long as he makes you happy, that’s good enough for me.” Fergus’s pupils flashed to slits and back as he moved his gaze to Ross. “But hurt my mum and I don’t care if you’re Holly’s father, I will personally carry you back to Aberdeen as many times as it takes to keep you away from her.”
Ross nodded. “Aye, I’d expect nothing less.”
Fergus nodded back. “Good. But you’re on your own with Fraser.”
Gina adjusted the blanket around wee Jamie. “Fraser will come around. Considering what happened with you and Holly last year, he should understand that love crops up in unusual places.”
Holly had originally been a sacrifice and assigned to Fergus. However, Holly had ended up being Fraser’s true mate, and it’d taken quite a bit to clean up the resulting mess with the Department of Dragon Affairs.
Lorna ignored the word “love,” but didn’t dismiss it. Her feelings were too jumbled to make much sense of them.
Her dragon snorted. I know what they are.
Ignoring her beast, Lorna moved to her grandbaby. Caressing Jamie’s cheek, she murmured, “If wee Jamie stays asleep, Fraser will at least keep his voice down.”
Fergus drawled, “Glad to see you’re going to use my son as a buffer.”
Lorna frowned but kept her tone light for the bairn. “Jamie doesn’t mind. After all, he’s grandma’s wee lad.”
Gina offered Jamie, but Lorna shook her head. “Until I can teach you to cook a proper roast, I’m stuck in the kitchen.”
Kaylee spoke up. “I’m the better cook out of the two of us. Can I watch? Maybe next time, I can even do it all by myself and finally be able to do more than waitress at the clan’s main restaurant.”
“It’s going to take more than one lesson, hen,” Lorna answered. “But I’m not one to turn down an offer of help.” She looked to Ross. “Then maybe Ross can finish chopping more than two tomatoes.”
Ross sighed dramatically. “And there you go belittling my achievements for the day.”