Free James, Stephanie by Fabulous Beast

much as you will,” he assured her blandly.
    “Another cup of coffee?”
    “Please.” Then Tabitha frowned. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to the trip? How are your ribs this
    morning?”
    “A little sore, but nothing that should stop me from accompanying you.”
    And they didn’t, apparently. Tabitha double-checked several times during the afternoon to make certain
    Dev wasn’t overexerting himself, but he seemed able to maintain the pace she set. Together they toured
    the small shop at the art colony, and Tabitha fell in love with one item after another. A wide variety of
    work was being done in all sorts of media from woodworking to pottery and weaving.
    “Look at this lovely dragon design, Dev,” she exclaimed jubilantly as she examined a woven wall
    hanging. “He’s going to look great over my fireplace.”
    Dev eyed the hanging thoughtfully. “He does appear to be looking for a home. Look at those pathetically
    pleading eyes. Too bad about the big teeth and the fiery tongue. Who’d want to take a chance on him as
    a house pet?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous! I would! He’s gorgeous.” She began rolling up the hanging. “And a perfect copy of
    a small German bronze figure I have.”
    “How did dragons make their way into bestiaries? From fairy tales?”
    “The monks weren’t that naive,” she sniffed. “They knew the difference between fairy tales and real life.
    No, they probably came from descriptions of large serpents like pythons. And there are some other big
    reptiles in the world which could have been described as dragons. When you think about it, it’s not hard
    to imagine some real-life dragons.”
    “Well, if you’re going to take him home, I’d very much like to buy him for you,” Dev said. “To replace
    the little carving that got left behind on St. Regis.”
    “Oh, that’s okay. You needn’t do that,” she said hurriedly, pleased at the offer.
    “I’d very much like to, though, Tabby. Will you let me?”
    She cocked her head to one side at the soft note of entreaty in his low voice, and then she gave him a
    dazzling smile of acceptance. He really wanted to do this. How could she refuse? A man like Dev Colter
    would feel guilty at the knowledge that he’d been the cause of her leaving her trinkets behind on St.
    Regis. Such a thoughtful person!
    “That’s very kind of you, Dev. If you’re quite sure you want to do this…”
    “I am.”
    She lifted a shoulder in helpless appreciation. “Then thanks. I’ll think of you every time I look at him,”
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    she added with a grin.
    “What is it about him that’s going to remind you of me? The fiery breath or the nasty-looking tail?”
    “I think it’s the eyes,” she said musingly and then blushed as she realized it was the truth. Brilliant silver
    pools filled with a barely masked vulnerability. That was what she saw when she looked into Dev’s eyes.
    That night she again floated into dinner on his arm, and it seemed to Tabitha that her conversation had
    never been so witty and intelligent. The evening drifted past on dragon’s wings, full of magic and
    shimmering excitement Dev must have felt some of the sorcery, because he seemed as wrapped up in her
    as she was in him. Everywhere she led, he followed, willingly changing conversational directions,
    duplicating her order of turbot with cucumber sauce at dinner and insisting that she choose the wine.
    So enthralled was she in the warm, vibrant relationship which seemed to be developing that Tabitha was
    unaware of the increasingly frequent glances she was receiving from more than one nearby male
    passenger. Her animation and sparkling excitement were like small, glittering lures that frequently caught
    the attention of others. But after so many years of playing the role of observer rather than participant,
    Tabitha was not equipped now to recognize that kind of subtle masculine