The Dragon's Heart (Lochguard Highland Dragons #3) (3 page)

Desire mixed with confusion filled Lorna’s eyes. “You’re being cryptic again.”

“Then let me show you, woman.”

Before she could push him away or reply, Ross lowered his head and kissed her.

~~~

Lorna had been arguing with her dragon when Ross finally kissed her.

She half-expected for guilt and betrayal to course through her body, but as her human’s lips touched hers, a yearning long buried rushed forth.

It was desire.

Ross was gentle at first, but the instant she leaned against him and threaded her fingers through his hair, he grew bolder and slid his tongue into her mouth.

Each hot, firm stroke stirred both woman and beast. It’d been far too long since she’d been kissed by a male.

Her dragon growled.
Then start kissing him back.

Lorna wasn’t sure if she remembered how to kiss a male properly, but decided what the hell, and met Ross’s tongue stroke for stroke. As he groaned into her mouth and pressed her closer against his body, she couldn’t miss his erection pressing against her belly.

Her dragon hummed.
Yes, yes. After all this time, we can have sex again.

Her dragon’s words sent a thread of shyness through her body. Lorna MacKenzie might be brash and able to handle her unruly brood, but she was most definitely not a sexual goddess.

Ross must’ve sensed her thoughts because he broke the kiss and murmured, “What’s wrong, Lorna?”

Since her hand remained threaded through Ross’s hair, she gently stroked his scalp. The motion helped her to focus her thoughts. She decided to tell him the truth. “It’s been a long time, Ross. And I’m not as young as I once was. Even for a dragon-shifter, birthing and raising three children takes a toll on a female.”

He snorted. “You really don’t know how lovely you are, do you?” He traced the lines around her mouth and eyes. “Each one of these represents a story and at least a dozen memories. I much prefer my women with personality and a history over fake beauty any day.”

She studied him. “I can’t tell if you’re sweet-talking me or being serious.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not exactly the sweet-talking type of man when it comes to you, Lorna. After all these months together, I thought you’d realize that by now.”

Lightly slapping his chest, she replied, “It all came on a bit suddenly, you devil. After all these months, why now?”

Searching her eyes, Ross answered, “Until my cancer was gone, my hands were tied. I didn’t want you to grow close to someone only to have them ripped from your side again, lass.”

“Like Jamie.”

“Aye, like your mate Jamie.” He paused a second to take her chin in hand. “Tell me about him.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. “And don’t dismiss it. It’s clear as day you still think of him often, as you should. But not talking about him means you can’t share your love with the world.”

She looked at him askance. “Since when did you become so wise?”

“I have my moments,” he said with a wink.

Lorna chuckled. “You must’ve been quite the charmer with the lasses when you were younger.”

“Aye, I was, and I’d like to think I still am. But it was a quiet woman who eventually caught my eye. However, we’re not talking about Anne until you tell me about Jamie.”

Jamie.
Just remembering his final smile as he’d rubbed her pregnant belly twisted her heart. “He was a fool.”

“Pardon?”

She looked up again. “It’s true. I loved him more than life itself, but rather than wait out a lightning storm, he charged home the second he heard I was in labor.

“He said he’d seen his first two children born and wouldn’t deprive the youngest of his presence, or he’d never hear the end of it whilst the girl was growing up.”

Ross smiled. “Knowing Faye as I do, she probably would’ve brought it up all the time.”

“Aye, she would have.” Her throat closed up, and her voice cracked. “But if he’d waited for an hour or two, the storm would’ve passed, and he still would’ve made it home in time. The idiot.”

Her dragon rumbled,
No one can change the past. You know that.

It still doesn’t mean I can’t wish for it to be different.

Gathering her close, Ross laid his cheek on top of her head. His warm presence comforted her. “Even with him gone, you know he loved you and the bairns.” Ross paused, stroking her back. “My demon is that I could’ve done more to protect my wife, and I didn’t do it.”

~~~

Ross may have accepted his late wife was gone, but the guilt sat heavily on his shoulders.

For Holly’s sake, he’d hidden it deep inside. His Holly-berry had been distraught enough with the news of her mother’s murder. She didn’t need a remorseful and grieving father to add to her troubles.

He’d never really talked about his guilt. And yet, he knew Lorna well enough to know she wouldn’t push him away and run for the hills. She’d hear everything before making a decision.

Speaking of Lorna, she pulled back and met his gaze again. “I somehow think you’re inflating the situation, human.”

He raised his brows. “So you dug into my past, did you?”

“Of course not. But given how protective you and Holly are of each other, I can’t imagine you failing your late female on purpose.”

He shook his head. “Anne feared for her life toward the end, what with that man stalking her. I couldn’t make the bloody police see the threat and take it seriously. Only when it was too late, and Anne had been murdered did they look into it.” He moved a hand to run through his hair. “I could’ve moved to a different city to protect my wife. But I had been more concerned about an upcoming promotion and worried about our finances. It all seems ridiculous in retrospect.”

“Your female was murdered by an obsessive stalker, aye? I somehow doubt he would’ve given up easily. Unless you moved to America or some other far off location, he would’ve found you.”

“I don’t know about that,” Ross said. “He probably wouldn’t have trekked to rural Wales to find her.”

Lorna clicked her tongue. “In this day and age, even back when your wife was taken from you, it’s easy enough to find people with the internet. You would have to change your name and maybe even your appearance to truly disappear. Few can manage that without the government’s help.”

He shook his head. “I refuse to believe there was nothing we could’ve done.”

“Listen to me, Ross Anderson. I know the game of what-ifs better than anyone. I could’ve told Jamie to stay away, or I’d kick him out of the cottage. Or, I could’ve had the doctor convince him I had plenty of time before I would give birth. But I did none of those things. Would he still have flown back in the storm? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m sixty years old and like to think I have some wisdom. Time machines don’t exist, and that’s the only true way a person could change the past.”

Ross tilted his head. “I call bullshit.”

Lorna clicked her tongue. “Watch yourself, Ross. Even without shifting, I can extend a talon or two. You don’t want to upset me.”

“You’re acting as if I’m the unreasonable one, yet you won’t even bloody shift into a dragon even though that’s half of who you are. I think it’s related to Jamie’s death, which means you haven’t accepted the past as much as you would like me to believe.” Lorna hesitated, and he decided to push. “You want to convince me differently? Then shift and prove you’ve moved on. Then you can start lecturing me about my own guilt.”

Lorna searched his eyes. “I’m not sure I like how you’re trying to manipulate me, Ross Anderson. I’m smarter than that.”

“Oh, I know you’re clever. But it doesn’t mean that I won’t try.”

With a snort, Lorna pushed against his chest. “As long as you know you can’t win against me.”

He raised his brows. “Oh, aye? I think I have a few tricks to prove you otherwise. Shift, my dear, and you’ll find out before long. I may even have you begging.”

As Lorna’s pupils flashed, Ross resisted a smile. He’d like to think her beast was on his side. From what he’d gleaned from his time on Lochguard, the dragon halves were extremely sexual. Lorna may be older and out of practice, but Ross was confident that as soon as he had her naked and to himself, Lorna would be a firecracker. Her dragon would only make her more so.

She raised her chin. “I’ll shift, but first, I want another kiss. And not just a peck on the cheek either, but one to please my dragon.”

Grinning, Ross cupped her cheek. “I knew you couldn’t resist my charms, lass.”

Lorna rolled her eyes. “I could do without the cockiness.”

“Aye, maybe you could. But I like to think it adds to my appeal.”

“Hurry up and kiss me, you old fool, or I’ll rescind my offer.”

Leaning down, Ross murmured, “We can’t have that, now, can we?” He nipped her bottom lip. “Brace yourself, love. Your dragon is going to like this.”

Taking Lorna’s lips in a rough kiss, Ross wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He explored her mouth, taking in her taste and heat. Lorna was sunshine mixed with cream.

He took the kiss deeper, stroking possessively against her tongue. No matter how long it took, he’d keep kissing her to please her dragon. And then maybe a wee bit longer for himself.

Chapter Three

Lorna allowed Ross to dominate her mouth for a moment before she pushed back and battled his tongue.

The human sure knew how to kiss. Not that she’d ever tell him. It would go straight to his head.

Her dragon spoke up.
Stop thinking and just enjoy it. Our human clearly desires us.

Ignoring her beast’s words about their human, Lorna ran a hand down Ross’s back to his bum cheek. He squeaked a second before growling into her mouth. The vibration sent a thrill through her body, straight between her legs.

Her dragon chimed in again.
Yes, yes. I want more.

Not now. Things are complicated.

How? You want him. He clearly wants us. Take him.

Ross broke the kiss to murmur, “Stop thinking so hard, woman.”

“Don’t tell me—”

But Ross interrupted her with another kiss. Both human and dragon halves liked this new side to Ross.

Moving his hands from her face to her back, Ross cupped her rear and rocked her against his erection. Lorna gasped at the contact.

Ross chuckled. “Just wait until you see me in all my glory, lass. Then you really will gasp.”

“I call bullcrap.”

“Oh, aye? Then maybe we should settle this once and for all. It’s a wee bit chilly out, but I’m sure we can find somewhere to put this to rest.”

She tried not to smile. “I’m not about to canoodle in an abandoned cottage, Ross. You might break your hip.”

He nipped her bottom lip. “Cheeky wench.”

Chuckling, Lorna leaned down to lick the skin of his neck. “For that, I should let my dragon out. She’ll demand some gymnastic-level maneuvers and then I can laugh when you do break your hip, old man.”

Ross leaned back until he could meet her gaze. “As much as I want to try that, I think it’s time to show me your dragon form, Lorna. Because there won’t be any more kisses until you do.”

She raised her brows. “I’ve survived years without kisses. I’m not sure if that’s much of a threat.”

Her beast huffed.
But I want more kisses. And much more. Let’s just shift and show him. We don’t have to fly.

Lorna hesitated. She hadn’t stood before a male unrelated to her and shifted since her Jamie had passed. The act would almost be a final good-bye. Lorna wasn’t sure if she was ready for that.

Her dragon’s voice was soft when she said,
Jamie will always be with us. He would want us to be happy. Ross might finally be able to give us that. Then we’d never be lonely again.

As much as Lorna loved her children and her nephew, there had been many nights when she’d needed the warm embrace and soothing words of a mate. She’d always thought it would never happen, but when Ross kissed her, argued with her, or even teased her, it all just felt… right.

Ross’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “We’re too old to hesitate, my dear. I might keel over in the next minute. So, what’s it to be?”

“You’re not going to keel over anytime soon.”

“Aye? So, you can predict the future now?”

“You’re incorrigible.”

Ross grinned and then winked at her. His dimple came out and weakened her resolve a fraction. He replied, “So, what’s it to be? I know my kisses are pretty spectacular, so I’m leaning toward you shifting.”

She rolled her eyes. “At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if I sprain a muscle rolling my eyes since you make me do it so often.” He lightly pinched her bum and Lorna squeaked. “That was uncalled for.”

“We can talk about how you liked it later. Right now, I want to see your dragon, my dear. So, what will it be? I let you go and you walk away. Or, you shift and then receive more kisses from me once you’re human again.”

The corner of her mouth twitched. “I’m almost tempted to say you need to kiss my dragon’s snout before you get any more kisses from my human form. I’m fairly certain your cockiness would fade when I flashed my long, sharp teeth.”

“Stop stalling and make your decision. If I wait any longer, I might lose all my hair.”

A retort was on the tip of her tongue, but her dragon spoke up again.
Enough with the human games. Let’s shift and then I can play with him.

At the image of her beast dangling Ross in the air, Lorna mentally chuckled.
Aye, I’d like to see that.

Then let’s shift.

What the hell. It’s only Ross.

She pushed against the human’s chest, and he released her. Lorna walked about ten feet away. “Turn around.”

Crossing his arms across his chest, Ross smiled. “I’d rather not. Besides, I thought dragon-shifters didn’t care about nudity.”

He was right, the blasted human. Yet having Ross’s single-minded attention, as his gaze raked from her head to her toes, caused her heart to beat double-time.

Rather than admit she was nervous, Lorna drew on her formidable strength and unzipped her coat. “Fine, but if I hear so much as a chuckle or see a look of horror, I’m going to lift you into the air and drop you into the freezing loch.”